On the Buses

[Ascoyne D'Ascoyne]

Whenever one of the "On the Buses" films is broadcast the TV magazines seem to be universal in their condemnation of them with comments such as "Absolutely abysmal".

I confess that I thoroughly enjoy these films with their saucy seaside postcard type of humour; I'm even sad enough to collect the video series of the original TV broadcasts.

What do other people think of them?

[Jim]

AlBabson:

Whenever one of the "On the Buses" films is broadcast the TV magazines seem to be universal in their condemnation of them with comments such as "Absolutely abysmal".

I confess that I thoroughly enjoy these films with their saucy seaside postcard type of humour; I'm even sad enough to collect the video series of the original TV broadcasts.

What do other people think of them?

I agree with you Albabson. There is something of the saucy seaside postcard about them, something a bit naughty, like the old Carry On films. I reckon that's why the newer C/O films never did any good. Sadly today's viewers want more cruder, explicit films; so there's nothing 'a littie bit risque' or 'forbidden' anymore.

[MrDrakesDuck]

Agree.



Have the three films on video, good fun.



Unusually for sitcom spinoffs I find the films better than the TV series, which IMHO is poorly written/produced.



:)

[David Brent]

What do the critics know?

Ask anyone around my age what their favourite Brit sitcom/film was from the 70's & along with "Steptoe & Son" they all rate "On The Buses."

Who can forget luckless Stan,womeniser Jack,dopey Olive,'Dracula'Blakey,tight fisted Arthur & nagging Mom plus all those dolly birds?

Genuinely funny scripts,lots of slapstick & the never ending battle between the boys & Blakey make the sitcom/films watchable over & over again.

Humour that i think can be appreciated by any generation.

Ding Ding!



Dave.

[smudge]

I have to go with Mr. Drake's here -



In the TV series a lot of the episodes had the family drawn as broadly vulgar as they could get away with then. That isn't to say that it wasn't funny - let's not forget that this was a huge show in it's time, and it did cater for the tastes of the time.



However, looking back, there are episodes which make you cringe a bit. It is probably to the credit of Hammer producer Roy Skeggs that the characters were somewhat toned down for the films. He was not happy when told he had to produce these movies, but he did his best and managed to turn the first film into the highest grossing British film of the year thumbs_u



But still - vulgar episodes or not - there was ne'ery a curse word in hearing on those shows, more than can be said for these days...



SMUDGE

[ollie]

Thanks albabson for starting the thread i've wanted to start but dare not,if you like on the buses and ive got all thats available on dvd,i'ts a bit like having an embarrassing relative.I can still remember the anticipation of the next episode when i was a kid,what scrapes the characters were going to get into next,obviously i didn't get the innuendo then but as a family we loved to watch it, quite a bit of social comment going on in there as well .For me it still stands up,yes the are some weaker episode's,but i still larf.My favourite of the films was holiday otb,perfectly cast after the first series when doris hare joined (a classical actress no less),i mean can you imagine anyone else in those roles? I dont always larf sometimes i just watch them and suck my (steady scold )thumb metaphorically of course thumbs_u

cheers Ollie.

[steve lamont]

Its been great watching On the Buses again on Men and Motors last night was the episode Goodbye Stan which I think should have been the last episode of the last series. The series was roumered to come back in the eighties but never did does anyone know why?I would rate on the buses as one of the best sit coms of all time thank you Men and Motors for showing it again.

[Focus 2]

There was a final series without Stan nor Arthur with Blakey moving in with Stan's mum as a lodger! There were two reported sequels, although I don't remember the names of them. The first sees Blakey move abroad to live with his sister. Stan had one working in a fishmongers I believe, but please correct me if I'm wrong.



I can thoroughly recommend the Network DVDs. I have Volumes 1 and 2 which are the early black and white episodes. Cicely Courtnedge plays mum in the first series, far more domaneering and fearful than Doris Hare.



The first three episodes of series 1 are issued completely unedited, even including the studio clocks. Unfortunately the final four are edited versions from the previously released Granada VHS and DVD set, edited in that they're omitting break bumpers and original London Weekend captions.



All of Network's series 2 however is completely unedited and have studio clocks at the start of every episode. Full marks to them!

[ollie]

The Series with reg varney in was "down the gate" (as in billingsgate fish market) i dont remember that one but, i can remember "dont drink the water" when blakey (steven lewis) goes to spain with his sister (pat coombes) imdb will fill in the details for you,also i believe there is an ep as an extra of ddtw on one of the network sets.



cheers Ollie.

[Carmel]

What a great series, they dont make them like that any more sadly.

[hatpeg]

In some episodes I've recently been watching, Olive divorced her husband, and he is no longer in the series.

She goes back to work on the at the bus station as a clippie.

No mention of a child.



But in the films, which include her husband (they are still married), they have a young child.



Were the films made after the series?



I'm confused!

[DB7]

In some episodes I've recently been watching, Olive divorced her husband, and he is no longer in the series.

I recall that series as they created new opening titles minus 'Arthur'; this time Blakey hitting or sliding down a bus stop post?



I always found the series a bit hit n miss. IIrc the first films were largely made up of storylines from the series.



I could never get over the fanciful notion that women chased after a couple of blokes heading towards their late 40s.

[Carmel]

40's not old many women prefer their men mature rather than young imature males

[Carmel]

If i remember right Olive had a child in one film and the mention of another child on the way in another film but the other child never appeared in the other film a bit confusing really.

[Carmel]

name='batman']Thanks Carmel for speaking up for us 'oldies'.



Bats .

Your not old Batman im sure you are quite sexy for your age

[grandmaster]

Does anyone else think it is a great shame that the brilliant Michael Robbins didn't get his own series or at least a major part in a sit-com?

Apart from the odd roll playing a narky security guard or the bloke next door I have hardly seen him.

[steve lamont]

Yes it is a great shame we didnt see more of Michael Robbins. I thought he had the best one liners in the series. I remember him in the Sweeney and Hi Di Hi but he must have appeared in lots more.

[orpheum]

Whilst it is enjoyable to see these performers again,particularly,Michael Robbins,much of the humour is of its age.If you can bear to watch Holiday On The Buses you are a real sucker for punishment.

[DB7]

I saw the 'Goodbye Stan' episode repeated on M&M; bizzarely he left to move oop North and work in a car factory. The subsequent episodes with the four surviving cast members are extremely weak.

[grandmaster]

I agree that alot of the film stuff was rubbish, in particular the baby "potty training" scenes plumbing the depths of so called humour. However, for me some of the funniest scenes were the verbal exchanges between Stan and Arther at the breakfast table. Michael had an amazing comic dry wit and a voice and face born for T.V.



I once read that "Jack" never worked again, is that true?