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

Mickel Rateliff Page 1 55/22/2004
The British Comedy and American Cult TV

One of the most fascinating trends in American TV is the love of British comedy shows. What makes these shows such a cult phenomenon? Part of this trend comes from the difference in the morality and censorship criteria of the BBC compared to most US networks. A good example of British Comedy that has endured in the American market is, Are You Being Served.
Are You Being Served is a show that takes place primarily in the sales floor of the “men’s ready made and ladies wear” departments of “Grace Brothers” department store. The premise of the show is about the department consolidation the eventually was the end of the high rise department store. “Young” Mr. Grace (who is in his late 70’s) decided to combine these two department who have enjoyed having there own floors in the past. As a result there was, from the beginning, a great conflict between Mrs. Slocombe the head of the ladies department and the floor manager Captain Peacock. This conflict has educated and enlightened the American audiences in some of the British’s more colorful





although non vulgar terms and gestures. There are some terms that in themselves are offensive if spoken in this country. For example,
Mrs. Slocombe refers frequently to her “pussy”, this is a reference to her cat. This reference as written caused frequent bouts of laughter.
The development of the characters was very unique at the time. The show was created in the 1970’s and this is reflected a lot in the show, but at the time some of the shows characters would not have been accepted by the American society let alone in television shows. I refer primarily to Mr. Humphries, a very camp men’s wear sales agent. His homosexual lifestyle is only referred to but very obvious. There is a very strict hierarchy in the British department stores of the time; Mr. Humphries is the second of a three salesman staff. The ladies head sales woman is an early 50’s widow by the name of Mary Elizabeth Jennifer Rachel Yiddle Abergavenny Slocombe, Mrs. Slocombe, for short. Mrs. Slocombe is a very colorful lady, in attitude, vocabulary and hair (she wears a different hair color for every episode, from blue to purple to pink). The floor manager, Captain





Peacock is a very staunch and proper gentleman who tends to reminisce on his days in the army fighting Rommel (although, he is often reminded, was a cook). These are only a couple of the characters but the formula has created a following here and in the United Kingdom.
The next area we are going to look at is the actors’ comedy styles. Mrs. Slocombe is played by Mollie Sugden. Ms. Sugden is classically trained and is a very versatile actress. The two men we are discussing are also classically trained with extensive backgrounds in theater and television. Frank Thornton who plays Captain Steven Peacock was a Shakespearean actor, who also was a good comedian. One of Mr. Thornton’s other shows later in his career was Last of the Summer Wine. The man, who played Mister Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries, was John Inman. Mr. Inman had been playing his character, in one form or another for years. He has also used some of his stage characters in the television show.








There is quit a few differences between the British styles of comedy and the American. One of these is the way they are written, the British maybe camp in some ways but never are they crude. Unlike the American writers who’s style is very crude. The American comedies are written with a crude sexual theme base. Language is another difference American comedian’s think foul language makes for good comedy. In the UK this doesn’t even seem necessary or acceptable.
British comedy is very different and unique from the Americans. The US has at times copied British shows and tried to adapt them to the American
audience with only one or two exceptions. The rest failed within a couple of episodes. This is due to the writing, acting, and character styles.
The British comedies are worth taking a look at, so watch and enjoy.