10 'Are You Being Served?' Quotes That Won't Be Repeated In The Remake
10 'Are You Being Served?' Quotes That Won't Be In The Remake
Paul Vale— The Huffington Post UK
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The BBC is to revive ‘Are You Being Served?’ the bawdy department store sitcom that ran from 1972 to 1985 and regularly pulled in more than 22 million viewers (a third of the UK population at the time).
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Mr Humphries: 'I'm free'
The show was lauded as much for its risqué humour as it was derided for its character stereotypes, from the fulsome-chested dimwit Miss. Brahms, to the light-footed Mr. Humphries, a homosexual gentlemen’s outfitter who gave the show its most enduring catchphrase: “I’m free.”
The sitcom proved hugely successful not only in the UK, but generated international spin-offs in the US, Australia, Canada and Israel. It even spawned a one-off 1977 film in which Grace Brothers department store was closed for redecorating, forcing the entire cast to holiday together in the fictional resort of “Costa Plonka.”
David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, whose back catalogue included ‘Allo ‘Allo!, Dad’s Army and Hi-de-Hi! created the original show, which was littered with innuendo and double-entendres, many of which would struggle to make family viewing times in the current era. And as for the sexual politics of the show, Twitter would be lit up like Mrs. Slocombe’s pink rinse.
The BBC has yet to say if the new show will carry the same humour as the original, or if it will be updated to reflect more modern times. A gender neutral Mr. Humphries taking Captain Peacock to HR for an inappropriate pronoun microaggression would be honest, but perhaps not so humorous.
Either way, here are ten quotes from the original that probably won’t be repeated in the remake.
Tap and swipe the slideshow below
Are You Being Served?
(01 of10)
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Mrs. Slocombe: 'Captain Peacock, I do not respond to any man's finger.' (credit:PA/PA Archive)
(02 of10)
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Captain Peacock: 'How are the sales going Mrs. Slocombe?' Mrs. Slocombe: 'Well, in lingerie, pants are up and bras are down.' Captain Stephen Peacock: 'Better than the other way around, eh, Mrs. Slocombe?' (credit:BBC)
(03 of10)
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Captain Peacock: 'Good morning Mrs Slocombe, Miss Brahms. You're one minute late.' Mrs. Slocombe: 'You're lucky to have me at all, Captain Peacock. I had to thaw me pussy out before I came. He'd been out all night.' (credit:YouTube)
(04 of10)
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Mrs. Slocombe: 'Before we go any further, Mr. Rumbold, Miss Brahms and I would like to complain about the state of our drawers. They're... They're a positive disgrace.' Mr. Rumbold: 'Your what, Mrs. Slocombe?' Mrs. Slocombe: 'Our drawers. They're sticking. It's always the same in damp weather.' Mr. Rumbold: 'Really?' Mrs. Slocombe: 'Miss Brahms could hardly shift hers at all just now.' Mr. Lucas: [laughing] 'No wonder she was late.' (credit:BBC)
(05 of10)
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Mrs. Slocombe: 'I won't forget being thrown flat on my back on Clapham Common by a landmine. And the German Air Force was responsible.' Mr. Lucas: 'All the other times she was flat on her back, the American Air Force was responsible...' (credit:BBC)
(06 of10)
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Mrs. Slocombe: 'You know, animals are very psychic. I mean, the least sign of danger and my pussy’s hair stands on end.' (credit:YouTube)
(07 of10)
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Mrs. Slocombe: 'What about this fog! My pussy's been gasping all night.' (credit:BBC)
(08 of10)
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Mr. Humphries: 'I had just bent down to tighten my nuts, and there was a double yellow line, see? And next thing I knew, there was policeman behind me. He put a sticker on my helmet and tried to clamp me.' (credit:YouTube)
(09 of10)
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Customer: (holding up a small dog) 'Would you care to measure little Roger?' Mr. Humphries (to Mr. Lucas): 'I'm just going to lie down. Take over.' (credit:BBC)
(10 of10)
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Mr. Rumbold: 'Let's try to keep it light and gay.' Mr. Lucas: [to Mr. Humphries] 'I'll handle the light part.' (credit:BBC)