'Allo 'Allo!

I got an urge recently to re watch Allo Allo, I'd forgotten just how wonderful a sitcom it was. Probably the main comedy I remember growing up as a kid, I used to watch with my Dad. The quality of the first three series is enormous, they are slick, hilarious, original and addictive. From Series four onwards as you may expect it does lose a little of its zip and the gags get recycled, but who cares you'll still belly laugh.

Too many favourite characters, and relationships to highlight, but I'll summarise what I feel are the best. The relationship between Renee and Gruber was possible the funniest in the show, the dialogue and misunderstandings right from the very beginning would be the high point of the show. The relationship between Colonel von Strom and Hans was also a joy, their timing was a joy, the show suffered from the departure of Sam Kelly. Both were physically funny too, I always laughed at the 'stuff it down the trousers' gag. Finally in terms of relationship I adored the one between Helga and Heir Flick, his lack of emotion, and her always ending up in her lingerie were hilarious, never stopped being funny.

As for characters, I think my favourites were LeClerc and Mama, the oldies always delivered the laughs, you never knew who was going to end up in her bed, and you never knew what he was going to try and sell. The flashing knobs still make me howl with laughter. Officer Crabtree was an awesome addition, and some of the stuff he got away with, many a time he had me in tears laughing

The Gateau from the Château is hand on heart the funniest episode, with brilliance from Kay and Kelly, while the last ever episode remains very poignant.

It's an absolute joy to watch 9/10

Allo Allo may not be offensive as it sounds. I even watched this show in Poland. A sitcom about WWII, Germans, French, British, in a small French town at a small cafe, Renee's. He owns it with his idiot wife, Edith, who helps her ailing, bedridden mother, and hides 2 British airman in her wardrobe/closet. Renee has enough on his plate with his constant infidelity relationships to his servant girls. He always comes up with an excuse to have them in his arms at one time or another. The French resistance and the French communist resistance only complicates Renee's already complicated life. Despite the fact, that the leader of the communist resistance is also in love with Renee too. Michele of the French resistance always says "Now listen very carefully, I shall say this only once." There's plenty of laughs to watch and enjoy on this show. Don't miss it.

David Croft has to be seen as one of the greatest British comedy writers ever. He was the writer for 'Dad's Army', 'It Ain't Half Hot, Mum' and 'Are You Being Served?'. Although not as good as 'Dad's Army', 'Allo 'Allo' is a fine piece of work. Set in war-time France, this show made use of stereotypes of Germans, Frenchmen and Brits. Gorden Kaye gave a tremendous portrayal of unwilling hero, Rene, but the fine cast doesn't stop there. Carmen Silvera (Edith), Guy Siner (Gruber) and the fantastic Arthur Bostrom (Crabtree) also played their parts well. The show was 'Carry On'-esque, unashamedly camp and full of sexual innuendo. I think it is impossible not to hear Crabtree with his customary greeting of 'Good Moaning!', without laughing. Demand from the American market saw the series stretched a bit further than it could manage, but 'Allo 'Allo recovered. The repeats are certainly worth watching.

Words can't explain how much I love this show, it's just amazing. It's extremely funny, but the only downside is that it's not easy to find on tv these days... In the 80's and early 90's it was very well known and loved, but then disappeared into nowhere... A small town in War time France makes a great setting for this wonderful tv show, and the language barrier is easily fixed... everyone speaks in English, but the British have British accents, the French, French accents, the Germans, German accents etc. Th storyline follows on from the previous episodes, with Rene explaining what happened in the last episode. Watch it, you won't regret it.

If you like Britcoms, then you'll love this series. Every line is a joke, and they're all hilarious. Lots of double entendres/sexual innuendoes and a ridiculous amount of zany one-liners.

The episodes are similar, with some running gags that appear every episode, every time with a different twist. As expected with the British playing Frenchmen, the sarcasm is biting, but almost turned around: the English policeman (bobby) who keeps trying to speak french, with the horrible pronunciation and accent makes tears come to the eyes.

This series is excellent, and missed greatly. Buy it if you can.