Post by rhort on Apr 19, 2013 3:01:12 GMT -5
Starting at Gary and Yvonne’s flat, and right from the off, Yvonne is acting somewhat suspiciously, a fact which has not been overlooked by Gary, who makes some subtle inquiries in to what she’s up to, however, she’s giving nothing away. As he tries to dig a little deeper, the phone rings, and Yvonne jumps on it, handing it a moment later to Gary, who discovers that it’s Ron calling, and he needs Gary’s help.
Rushing over to the West End flat, Gary finds that, in glorious sitcom style, Ron has, whilst trying to hang a picture, managed to get an antique pot stuck on his foot. After a moment or two trying to remove said pot, Gary gives up and the two of them talk about their various issues, with Gary trying to impress upon Ron the suspicious nature of Yvonne’s recent activities, whilst Ron keeps interrupting with his own comments, and dispensing his usual level of fairly impractical advice. Eventually taking him down to the hospital, Gary continues to highlight his suspicions about Yvonne, even in view of Ron pointing out the irony of his position and his jealousy. Gary tells Ron that he wants him to spy on Yvonne whilst he’s away in 1940s Belgium with a concert party who are going there to help raise troop morale. As they debate this, a doctor comes in and removes the pot in the quickest way she can think of.
The journey in the back of an army truck through the Belgian countryside seems calm and peaceful for Gary and the concert party, until the truck is attacked by mortar fire, and they are forced to abandon it. As their driver, who it seems have got them completely lost on the wrong side of the front line, takes stock, Phoebe lets him know that Gary has military training, and the driver then defers command to him. Gary leaves the driver to take charge, and instead takes the group to hide in a nearby barn whilst the driver runs off to work out where they are and find help. As they hide in the barn, the shelling continues outside, and Gary checks the skills base of the assembled individuals, finding that things may not be as bad as he first thought, with the exception of the actor in the party, who seems concerned only for his own safety. Gary attempts to galvanise the group into an acceptable fighting force with a rallying speech, and then begins some basic training for them.
Meanwhile, back at Ron’s flat, Flic has arrived and he is clearly very happy to see her, however, she seems less interested. Ron’s plans are pushed to one side as Flic wants to talk, but Ron, in his usual verbal mode, isn’t really giving her a chance to actually say anything, although if he had paid attention, he might have got something of an idea of what was going on, as much from what she doesn’t say, as from what she does.
Back in the Belgian barn, and Gary is continuing to train the concert party to fight if the Germans come, however, when things don’t seem to be going quite as well as Gary might have hoped, he ups the ante somewhat, causing the actor to faint in the face of his aggression.
Clearly carrying on from how we left him in the previous scene, Ron still hasn’t given Flic much of a chance to say anything to him, as is evidenced by the fact that the two of them are sitting in a car keeping watch outside Gary and Yvonne’s flat to see what happens whilst Gary is away. As a car carrying a government official arrives, and then shortly after that leaves, Ron tries to drive off, only to be delayed momentarily by Reg’s 90s counterpart (which brings up the fact that Reg isn’t in this episode as himself), who draws their attention to the sign right next to them indicating that they are not allowed to park there. As Ron drives off, he then runs over the hapless constable’s foot, giving us all a good laugh in the process.
Tensions in the barn are running high, and Phoebe’s main concern is naturally hinged on the issue of getting out of this situation, and returning to London safely, although she seems to be drawing a certain amount of strength from Gary, and is distracted by the impressive way in which he has taken charge and is slowly bringing the group up to fighting fitness.
Back in the 90s, and the police station, the 90s constable Deadman has taken the unusual step of interviewing both Ron and Flic together as part of his investigations into the assault, upon Deadman himself, when Ron ran over his foot with the car; this is contrary to several statutes set out in the Police And Criminal Evidence Act and would probably have led to any subsequent case being dismissed. As the officer begins to read out Ron’s personal history, he is suddenly extremely keen to have Flic leave so that they can carry this out in private, but when she insists that she should stay, 90s Reg continues anyway, leading Ron to a moment of acute embarrassment.
Things back at the barn aren’t getting any easier for Gary, and given that it has been a long time since the army driver left to find help, he decides to check out the immediate area around the barn, and quickly finds that a heavily armed German patrol is heading in their direction. As he runs back into the barn, Phoebe takes a shot at him, thinking he is an enemy soldier, and this brings the patrol running towards them in a hurry. As the patrol enters (clearly in disarray given that they’ve just heard a gunshot from the barn they apparently take no precautions and the entire squad enters as a group), Gary’s plan is put into effect, and he surprises and then incapacitates them, just as the driver returns with some most welcome reinforcements. As everyone takes turns congratulating Gary for his efforts, Phoebe takes a dislike to his false moustache, and it’s at this moment that he discovers that it’s so firmly attached that it won’t easily come off.
In the Mayfair flat, Flic is collecting her belongings and preparing to leave. As she does this, Ron asks why she’s had enough of him, suggesting that it’s because she found out that he’s not quite as rich and successful as he’d lead her to believe, however, Flic reveals that she’s known all along, and she quite liked the fact that he was ‘just a bit of rough’ for her. She then goes on to say that there’s no particular reason for it, just that, given her own personality, things have run their course, and it’s time for her to move on, and she leaves Ron sitting on the sofa for a moment of reflection.
When Gary arrives back at his flat, he finds Yvonne there with the government official, and is instantly on the offensive, however, Yvonne takes the wind out of his sails when she asks about the injury to his top lip. With Gary showing a level of verbal incontinence that would have made Ron very proud, he isn’t listening to her as she tells him that the reason she’s been interacting with the government official is that she’s been given a life peerage by parliament in recognition of her various recent works. When Gary asks if the title confers any special privilege to him, Yvonne asks “What have you ever done for your country?!”, leading to a moment of stammering from him, before he is forced to conclude, “Nothing at all”.
I’d give this episode an 80% rating. I like the way it ties up the story of Flic (who I’ve never liked), but this does mean that Ron’s storyline isn’t particularly amusing, so where’s Reg with the comic relief?
Rushing over to the West End flat, Gary finds that, in glorious sitcom style, Ron has, whilst trying to hang a picture, managed to get an antique pot stuck on his foot. After a moment or two trying to remove said pot, Gary gives up and the two of them talk about their various issues, with Gary trying to impress upon Ron the suspicious nature of Yvonne’s recent activities, whilst Ron keeps interrupting with his own comments, and dispensing his usual level of fairly impractical advice. Eventually taking him down to the hospital, Gary continues to highlight his suspicions about Yvonne, even in view of Ron pointing out the irony of his position and his jealousy. Gary tells Ron that he wants him to spy on Yvonne whilst he’s away in 1940s Belgium with a concert party who are going there to help raise troop morale. As they debate this, a doctor comes in and removes the pot in the quickest way she can think of.
The journey in the back of an army truck through the Belgian countryside seems calm and peaceful for Gary and the concert party, until the truck is attacked by mortar fire, and they are forced to abandon it. As their driver, who it seems have got them completely lost on the wrong side of the front line, takes stock, Phoebe lets him know that Gary has military training, and the driver then defers command to him. Gary leaves the driver to take charge, and instead takes the group to hide in a nearby barn whilst the driver runs off to work out where they are and find help. As they hide in the barn, the shelling continues outside, and Gary checks the skills base of the assembled individuals, finding that things may not be as bad as he first thought, with the exception of the actor in the party, who seems concerned only for his own safety. Gary attempts to galvanise the group into an acceptable fighting force with a rallying speech, and then begins some basic training for them.
Meanwhile, back at Ron’s flat, Flic has arrived and he is clearly very happy to see her, however, she seems less interested. Ron’s plans are pushed to one side as Flic wants to talk, but Ron, in his usual verbal mode, isn’t really giving her a chance to actually say anything, although if he had paid attention, he might have got something of an idea of what was going on, as much from what she doesn’t say, as from what she does.
Back in the Belgian barn, and Gary is continuing to train the concert party to fight if the Germans come, however, when things don’t seem to be going quite as well as Gary might have hoped, he ups the ante somewhat, causing the actor to faint in the face of his aggression.
Clearly carrying on from how we left him in the previous scene, Ron still hasn’t given Flic much of a chance to say anything to him, as is evidenced by the fact that the two of them are sitting in a car keeping watch outside Gary and Yvonne’s flat to see what happens whilst Gary is away. As a car carrying a government official arrives, and then shortly after that leaves, Ron tries to drive off, only to be delayed momentarily by Reg’s 90s counterpart (which brings up the fact that Reg isn’t in this episode as himself), who draws their attention to the sign right next to them indicating that they are not allowed to park there. As Ron drives off, he then runs over the hapless constable’s foot, giving us all a good laugh in the process.
Tensions in the barn are running high, and Phoebe’s main concern is naturally hinged on the issue of getting out of this situation, and returning to London safely, although she seems to be drawing a certain amount of strength from Gary, and is distracted by the impressive way in which he has taken charge and is slowly bringing the group up to fighting fitness.
Back in the 90s, and the police station, the 90s constable Deadman has taken the unusual step of interviewing both Ron and Flic together as part of his investigations into the assault, upon Deadman himself, when Ron ran over his foot with the car; this is contrary to several statutes set out in the Police And Criminal Evidence Act and would probably have led to any subsequent case being dismissed. As the officer begins to read out Ron’s personal history, he is suddenly extremely keen to have Flic leave so that they can carry this out in private, but when she insists that she should stay, 90s Reg continues anyway, leading Ron to a moment of acute embarrassment.
Things back at the barn aren’t getting any easier for Gary, and given that it has been a long time since the army driver left to find help, he decides to check out the immediate area around the barn, and quickly finds that a heavily armed German patrol is heading in their direction. As he runs back into the barn, Phoebe takes a shot at him, thinking he is an enemy soldier, and this brings the patrol running towards them in a hurry. As the patrol enters (clearly in disarray given that they’ve just heard a gunshot from the barn they apparently take no precautions and the entire squad enters as a group), Gary’s plan is put into effect, and he surprises and then incapacitates them, just as the driver returns with some most welcome reinforcements. As everyone takes turns congratulating Gary for his efforts, Phoebe takes a dislike to his false moustache, and it’s at this moment that he discovers that it’s so firmly attached that it won’t easily come off.
In the Mayfair flat, Flic is collecting her belongings and preparing to leave. As she does this, Ron asks why she’s had enough of him, suggesting that it’s because she found out that he’s not quite as rich and successful as he’d lead her to believe, however, Flic reveals that she’s known all along, and she quite liked the fact that he was ‘just a bit of rough’ for her. She then goes on to say that there’s no particular reason for it, just that, given her own personality, things have run their course, and it’s time for her to move on, and she leaves Ron sitting on the sofa for a moment of reflection.
When Gary arrives back at his flat, he finds Yvonne there with the government official, and is instantly on the offensive, however, Yvonne takes the wind out of his sails when she asks about the injury to his top lip. With Gary showing a level of verbal incontinence that would have made Ron very proud, he isn’t listening to her as she tells him that the reason she’s been interacting with the government official is that she’s been given a life peerage by parliament in recognition of her various recent works. When Gary asks if the title confers any special privilege to him, Yvonne asks “What have you ever done for your country?!”, leading to a moment of stammering from him, before he is forced to conclude, “Nothing at all”.
I’d give this episode an 80% rating. I like the way it ties up the story of Flic (who I’ve never liked), but this does mean that Ron’s storyline isn’t particularly amusing, so where’s Reg with the comic relief?