Lollipop Loves Mr Mole

As a comedy sitcom this had everything going for it, for a start it was written by Jimmy Perry (one half of the famous duo who wrote Dad's Army and Hi DE Hi), a super pair of leads with Peggy Mount (who could literally drag a comedy performance out of anyone in her air space) and the often hysterically funny Hugh Lloyd. So why is it not remembered today and faded away after only thirteen episodes? I think the problem lies with the first series and something that happened each week after the ATV zoom faded out. The title sequence featured Peggy and Hugh singing about their love for each other. Which might have been OK for the first episode or a special,but the same (what can be described as a) wailing dirge repeated week after week probably had many rushing for the channel change button? Shame really as those who turned over missed a good treat. In the second series the producers obviously realised the mistake and the theme tune sequence was replaced with a lively contemporary electronic number on the same lines as "George & Mildred" type theme tunes, but it came a bit too late perhaps in recovering viewers?

I find it so sad that a show such as this is virtually missing from the archives. To think this was made in 1971, and not the early sixties, you'd think more then two episodes would remain, but sadly not. My review is therefore based on the only two surviving episodes. First of all I can't believe it's from 1971, it looks and feels much earlier,.it's very early sixties. The writing is good as you'd expect from Jimmy Perry, High Lloyd and Pat Coombes are of course great, but it's of course the presence of golden comedy battleaxe Peggy Mount that pleases most, she could have read the Oxford English dictionary out and made it funny. Fortunately Mount and Coombes would reunite a few years later for You're only young twice.

Let's hope when Philip Morris and co are out searching for lost episodes of Doctor Who they stumble across a few of these too.

Peggy Mount could do no wrong. 7/10