h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Secret Army - the TV Show - A757532
Author: Jimster - U292

One of the Beeb's greatest successes - it's a crying shame this show isn't available on VHS or DVD. Recently coming to an end on UK Drama - Secret Army.


Jimster

Excellent! I'd never heard of this before. Do you get a bonus for lavishly praising BBC productions?

My only quibble would be "small pockets of resistance broke out", which is in the first couple of paragraphs. I think pockets appear or develop rather than breaking out.

Looking good, though!

Otto

Sadly, we don't get bonuses, but we do get discounts on pens from the BBC shop

Made that correction - ta for spotting that. When I wrote it I wasn't sure it was right...

I'm having an insane thought - an entry on Tenko to act as a companion to this, looking at the Japanese women's prison-camp drama. Hmm...

Jimster

Another cracking entry Jims!

I'd never heard of this show, but we regularly watch 'Allo, 'Allo on the local Public Broadcasting Station. I always just figured that to be a wacky show, finding out that it's a spoof as well makes it a bit more interesting.



- Jimi X

Although I rememebr it from childhood, I couldn't remember many of the details. Watching it again last month, I was amazed by the acuracy of Allo Allo. Albert's crippled wife becomes Rene's motehr-in-law, but the cafe and nearby square are very similar to the first series of SA. Plus there's an episode where the Lifeline steal an expensive painting from the SS and replace it with a fake - just like "Ze painting of ze fallen Madonna wit' de big boobies... by Van Klump" in Allo Allo.

Made me appreciate Allo Allo a lot more, I can tell ya.

Of course, anyone who knows Valentine Dyall, either from the Man in Black or from Doctor Who, would watch SA and assume that any moment his Dr Kelderman will be revealled as the villain, so it's nice to see him survive to the end as a deeply honorable and loyal man.

A very nice piece, it brought back many memories

One bit I don't understand is the first two sentences in the Allo Allo paragraph. I think you mean "lends" not "lend" in sentence one. And sentence two I don't get at all.

I've rewritten the 'Allo, 'Allo para a little to make it easier to read.

I finished watching Kessler last night and despite what everyone had warned me, I thought it was very good. And I've just found out that my housemate has all the books too - yahrooh!

Jimster

Hi Jimster,

This is an enjoyable read. I don't think I knew about 'Secret Army' either and I certainly didn't know it was the basis for 'Allo Allo'. When was it shown - or does it say in the entry and I missed it?

Just one bit i thought read a bit awkwardly;

'would attempt to depict some of the German officers rather than demonising them as every other drama had done since the end of the War.'

Is this missing a word after 'officers' like sympathetically or some such?

Oops - WHO STOLE MY "SYMPATHETICALLY"??

Ta for the correction

Jims

Nice one Jimster. I shall have to petition the BBC to release this on Video I have vague recollections of this from childhood and it really was a majestic series.

We want VIDEO!!

Coe on Auntie Beeb, pull your act together.

DVD would be better - takes up less space on the shelves, though you'd still be talking 15 or so discs. A mate of mine is trying to persuade the BBC Special Interest Department to get it out on DVD anyway...

Wonder if they could get commentaries - John Brason is still alive and lucid, and most of the regular cast (except Valentine Dyall, sadly).

By the way, I think this is pretty much ready now

Jimster

Just made some last-minute changes thanks to a Secret Army expert friend sending me a page of corrections. Yarooh!

Jims

Inside information, eh!

Great stuff!

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Cheers all!

Jimster

YAY! Congratulations Jimster!