One of the BBC's brightest comedies is available in its entirety on this perfectly smashing DVD boxed set, which collects all 69 hilarious episodes from the show's 10-season run (from 1972-1983). Are You Being Served? takes place in Grace Brothers, a stodgy London department store making unwelcome changes after 25 years. The once-grand Men's Wear department, headed by rumpled Mr. Grainger (Arthur Brough), is forced to share floor space with the Ladies' Wear department, run by feisty Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden), which makes conflict inevitable. The younger generation, represented by smooth-talking Mr. Lucas (Trevor Bannister) and tart-tongued Miss Brahms (Wendy Richard), among others, take a somewhat broader view of the new arrangement, but misunderstandings abound among them as well. Shot before a live audience, this '70s-'80s favorite delighted viewers with its vividly drawn characters and rapid-fire gags, many of them double entendres that would never have gotten past American network censors. Two bonus discs offer profiles of series regulars Sugden, Richard, and John Inman; an extremely valuable guide to British slang; a retrospective documentary on the "best of" the series; and the first episode of the sequel Are You Being Served? Again! (the complete follow-up series is also available on a two-disc set, priced at $45.98). Racy and raucous, Are You Being Served? is often as funny today as it was over 30 years ago, and it compares favorably with such memorable BBC sitcoms as Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)
Are You Being Served? The Complete Collection, Series 1-10
BBC, 14 discs, 2,070 min., not rated, DVD: $225.98 Volume 20, Issue 1
Are You Being Served? The Complete Collection, Series 1-10
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