You Rang, M'Lord?: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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'''''You Rang, M'Lord?''''' is a [[BBC television]] [[British sitcom|sitcom]] written by [[Jimmy Perry]] and [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]], the creators of ''[[Dad's Army]]''. It was broadcast between 29 December 1988 and 24 April 1993 on the [[BBC]]. The show was set in the house of an aristocratic family in the 1920s, contrasting the upper-class family and their servants in a house in [[London]], along the same lines as the drama ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]''.

The series featured many actors who had previously appeared in earlier works by Perry and Croft, notably [[Paul Shane]], [[Jeffrey Holland (actor)|Jeffrey Holland]] and [[Su Pollard]], all of whom had starred in ''[[Hi-de-Hi!]]''; also featured were [[Donald Hewlett]] and [[Michael Knowles (actor)|Michael Knowles]] from ''[[It Ain't Half Hot Mum]]'', and [[Bill Pertwee]] and—occasionally—[[Frank Williams (actor)|Frank Williams]] from ''Dad's Army''. Numerous small parts were played by other alumni of David Croft and/or Jimmy Perry shows. The memorable 1920s-style theme tune was sung by comedian [[Bob Monkhouse]].

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===The Meldrum Family===

*'''George, [[Lord]] Meldrum''' [[Military Cross|MC]] ([[Donald Hewlett]]) – The master of the house, [[Hereditary peer|Lord]] Meldrum is a respected member of the aristocracy, in charge of the Union Jack Rubber Company and various other interests. Old-fashioned, with Victorian values, his reputation is nevertheless threatened by his affair with Lady Agatha, the wife of Sir Ralph Shawcross, and it is usually left to Stokes to help him cover this up. He claims to deeply love Agatha, and is left heartbroken after she breaks off their affair. Despite his considerable wealth, he pays his workers poorly, and it is hinted that he once employed [[Slavery|slave]] labour in Africa.

*'''[[The Honourable]] Edward "Teddy" Meldrum''' ([[Michael Knowles (actor)|Michael Knowles]]) – Lord Meldrum's younger brother, he had been conscripted as a Captain into the British Army in 1915 {{cn|date=September 2024}} and had served in the Infantry on the Western Front, where he was badly injured by a shell and carried back to the field hospital by Stokes and Twelvetrees. By 1927 the Honourable Teddy is still unmarried and living in his brother's house. The stereotypical upper-class twit, he has had relationships with five previous housemaids and has fathered children by them all: he cannot resist their "shiny, scrubbed faces" and scent of [[carbolic soap]]. He is being forced by his brother to marry Madge Cartwright, the heiress to a soap dynasty, although he is more interested in her maid, Rose.

*'''Cecily "Cissy" Meldrum''' ([[Catherine Rabett]]) – Cissy is Lord Meldrum's elder daughter. Although attractive, she dresses in a masculine style, takes part in men's sports and activities, such as flying (she is a qualified pilot), and her feminine "chum" Penelope ([[Sorel Johnson]]) is a frequent house guest. Thus, although never explicitly stated, there are many suggestions that Cissy is a [[lesbian]], the many clues to which are not entirely obvious to her father.<ref name=JH>''[http://www.jeffreyholland.co.uk/You%20Rang%20M'Lord.htm You Rang M'Lord?]'', Jeffrey Holland official website</ref> Cissy is a pleasant character, who shows genuine concern for the family and servants alike, often giving away feminine items such as dresses and make-up to Ivy (whom she shows an attraction to in early episodes, frequently winking at her). She often socialises with her younger sister Poppy, but the two regularly bicker because of their differing attitudes. She proclaims herself a socialist and stands as a candidate for the United Workers Party, winning a seat on the council through Stokes's machinations.

*'''Poppy Meldrum''' (Susie Brann) – Poppy is Lord Meldrum's younger daughter and is a spoiled and unpleasant character who attends 'wild' parties with her friend, Jerry ([[John D. Collins]]). She is quite a snob about her position in society, often ready to remind those lower of her position, although at other times she confesses to feeling trapped by her class. Throughout the series, she is attracted to the footman, James Twelvetrees, whom she delights in leading on, despite being aware of the problems it could cause for him. She has an on-off relationship with Jerry, who she abandons when she meets Dickie Metcalf, who is in fact a confidence trickster and is after her money.

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*'''Alf Stokes''' ([[Paul Shane]]) '''''[[Butler]]''''' – Alf Stokes is the scheming Butler. He is Ivy's father and is still married to Ivy's mother, despite their separation. Alf was a Private in the British Army on the Western Front, along with James Twelvetrees. After coming across the Honourable Teddy unconscious in a shell hole, Alf, believing him to be dead, attempted to mug him, much to James' disgust. After realising Teddy was alive, Alf decided to carry the injured Teddy back to the field hospital as a way of saving his own life. This act secures him the job as Butler nine years later at Lord Meldrum's house, after he is forced to return to service following a failed career in showbiz after the war. Throughout the series, Alf devises a number of schemes to scam Lord Meldrum of his money and possessions, although these usually fail. This dishonest aspect of his character was often an asset to Lord Meldrum; on a number of occasions Alf was required to create diversions for Sir Ralph. Alf despises the Meldrum family due to their wealth and high position, although he has genuine respect for Cissy due to her empathy for the working class. Alf also has a relationship with Mrs Lipton through the series, although it is revealed he did this just to borrow money from her.

*'''James Twelvetrees''' ([[Jeffrey Holland (actor)|Jeffrey Holland]]) '''''[[Footman]]''''' – James Twelvetrees is the pompous Footman; the complete opposite of Alf Stokes – stern, upright and honest. His act of helping Alf carry the injured Honourable Teddy to the field hospital during the war also secured him his job in the Meldrum household, although he would never admit this to the other servants. He is not always a likeable character, usually siding with his masters instead of his own class and was often quite unpleasant to the other servants and those he considered lower than him, particularly Mabel and Henry. He is also shown to have his own foibles, such as his infatuation with Miss Poppy, a relationship which left him contemplating resignation at times. He is desired by many of the upper class ladies he served and downstairs by Ivy; this was not reciprocated, although he did show a platonic fondness for her.<ref name=JH/> He aspires to replace Stokes as butler.

*'''Ivy Stokes/Teasdale''' ([[Su Pollard]]) '''''[[Maid]]''''' – Ivy is the well-meaning but rather naivenaïve maid, the daughter of Alf. Her father secured her the job as maid after he was appointed as Butler by forging her references. Her familial relationship with Alf is largely a secret, but she is forced to tell Henry when he spots the two alone in her bedroom, and later tells James when she needs his help to get Alf out of trouble. Despite her honesty, she is often persuaded to take part in her father's schemes. Earlier in the series, she has to avoid the advances of the Honourable Teddy, although this ceases after series 1. (By season 2 Teddy has started pursuing a relationship with a servant girl called Rose and apologises to Ivy). She is passionately in love with James Twelvetrees, who does not reciprocate her affection.

*'''Mrs Blanche Lipton''' ([[Brenda Cowling]]) '''''[[Cook (domestic worker)|Cook]]''''' – Blanche Lipton had joined the Meldrum household as a young housemaid in her teens and had gradually risen through the ranks to become cook. Her culinary skills are legendary on the street; she is rarely seen out of the kitchen. While usually a kindly woman who shows sympathy for her betters and equals, at other times she is particularly scathing towards those she considers lower, such as Henry and Mabel. Throughout the series she has a relationship with Alf; at one point the two are engaged. When she discovers that Alf was faking the relationship just to borrow money from her, she snaps and throws all the dinner plates and crockery at him. After this incident, Blanche then shifts her affections to Constable Wilson.

*'''Henry Livingstone''' ([[Perry Benson]]) '''''[[Boot boy|Bootboy]]''''' – Henry was abandoned as a child in a basket on the steps of the Livingston Road Orphanage, in which institution he remained until the age of 14, when he was taken into the Meldrum house as bootboy. Although the second-lowest ranking servant in the house, Henry is often the most insightful character, something which usually gets him into trouble; for not conforming to the expected etiquette and making inappropriate comments, he is usually soundly clipped about the ear. He is a good friend of Ivy, and it is often suggested that he would like a relationship with her.

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===Other characters===

As with the main cast, a number of other characters were played by actors who have appeared in Perry/Croft series, including [[Felix Bowness]], [[John Clegg (actor)|John Clegg]], [[Kenneth Connor]], [[Stuart McGugan]], [[John D. Collins]], [[Ivor Roberts (actor)|Ivor Roberts]], and Alex Leam (who went on to appear in [[Oh, Doctor Beeching!]] Inin a recurring yet uncredited role)

==Episodes==

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Simon Morgan-Russell, Professor of English at [[Bowling Green State University]] is more complimentary, noting that "Unlike other Perry and Croft sitcoms, You Rang, M'Lord? has a distinct serial structure, though it is also the most stable example of their work in terms of maintaining the original situational concept and the cast".<ref name=russell>Simon Morgan-Russell, ''Jimmy Perry and David Croft'' (Manchester University Press, 2004), 128</ref> He goes on to compliment the series' examination of class,<ref>Morgan-Russell, 137-140</ref> sexuality and gender issues,<ref name=MR145>Morgan-Russell, 145-6</ref> as well as the [[Heritage film|heritage cinema]]-inspired period detail of the piece, particularly in its location filming.<ref>Morgan-Russell, 135-136</ref>

[[Bill Pertwee]] believed that the series was Croft and Perry's "crowning glory" as a writing partnership.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pertwee |first=Bill |author-link=Bill Pertwee |url= |title=Dad's Army: The Making of a Television Legend |date= |publisher=[[Conway Publishing]] |year=2009 |isbn=9781844861057 |location=[[London]] |pages=177}}</ref>

The series was the first British sitcom to feature a recurring [[lesbian]] character, in Cissy Meldrum.<ref name=MR145/><ref>Nina Rapi and [[Maya Chowdhry]], eds., ''Acts of Passion: Sexuality, Gender, and Performance'', (Routledge, 1998) 162</ref> The character has generated mixed reactions. Anthony Joseph Paul Cortese's ''Opposing Hate Speech'' suggests that Cissy is "the archetypal stereotype for a lesbian...[using]...non-flattering stereotypes".<ref>Anthony Joseph Paul Cortese, ''Opposing Hate Speech'' (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006) p.207</ref> Alison Darren's ''Lesbian Film Guide'' is much more positive, stating "''You Rang, M'Lord?'' gave us the wonderful Cissy (...replete with monacle and a series of beautifully tailored suits)." She goes on to note the character's "championing of the workers" suggesting that throughout her character "behaved with integrity and style."<ref>Alison Darren, ''Lesbian Film Guide''(Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000), 2</ref> ▼

▲The series was the first British sitcom to feature a recurring [[lesbian]] character, in Cissy Meldrum.<ref name="MR145" /><ref>Nina Rapi and [[Maya Chowdhry]], eds., ''Acts of Passion: Sexuality, Gender, and Performance'', (Routledge, 1998) 162</ref> The character has generated mixed reactions. Anthony Joseph Paul Cortese's ''Opposing Hate Speech'' suggests that Cissy is "the archetypal stereotype for a lesbian...[using]...non-flattering stereotypes".<ref>Anthony Joseph Paul Cortese, ''Opposing Hate Speech'' (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006) p.207</ref> Alison Darren's ''Lesbian Film Guide'' is much more positive, stating "''You Rang, M'Lord?'' gave us the wonderful Cissy (...replete with monacle and a series of beautifully tailored suits)." She goes on to note the character's "championing of the workers" suggesting that throughout her character "behaved with integrity and style."<ref>Alison Darren, ''Lesbian Film Guide''(Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000), 2</ref>

The BBC Comedy Guide criticises the show: "for most of their career Perry and Croft had turned clichés on their heads and created characters that went beyond normal. The research and interest they showed in the 20s setting and 'getting it right' in You Rang... seems to have made them forget to put many laughs in."<ref>{{cite web|title=You Rang, M'Lord?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/yourangmlord/|website=bbc.co.uk|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=9 March 2015}}</ref>

''You Rang, M'Lord?'' has rarely been repeated on television, which Croft believed was probably due to its unusual length, which does not suit current broadcasting slots (his other series such as ''Dad's Army'' and ''{{'}}Allo, 'Allo'' are 30 minutes in duration).<ref name="russell" /> However, all four series have been released on [[DVD]], both individually and as a [[box set]].

The show acquired a following in [[Hungary]] where a version dubbed into Hungarian was broadcast following the [[Revolutions of 1989|fall of Communism]] in the country. A fan club has nearly 23,000 followers and in 2018, a celebratory banquet was held in Budapest attended by actors Jeffrey Holland, Michael Knowles, Catherine Rabett, Susie Brann and Amanda Bellamy to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the pilot episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/oct/03/you-rang-mlord-the-90s-british-sitcom-and-its-unlikely-hungarian-super-fans|title=You Rang, M'Lord: why do Hungarians love this dodgy old British sitcom?|work=The Guardian|date=3 October 2018}}</ref>

The show started a complete re-run on 3 April 2018 on [[UKTV]]'s [[Drama (UK TV channel)|Drama]] channel in the afternoon Comedy Slot, and also shortly thereafter on [[Gold (UK TV channel)|GOLD]].<ref>''[http://www.supollard.co.uk/egyrm.html You Rang M'Lord?]'', Su Pollard official website</ref> It is also being shown on [[That's TV]] in 2024.

In addition, all four series are available individually along with a box set of the complete collection as digital downloads from the iTunes Store.

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*{{BBC programme}}

*{{IMDb title}}

*{{epguides|YouRangMLord}}

*{{British Comedy Guide|tv|you_rang_mlord}}

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[[Category:BBC television sitcoms]]

[[Category:Television series created by Jimmy Perry]]

[[Category:Television series created by David Croft (TV producer)]]

[[Category:Television series set in the 1920s]]

[[Category:Fiction set in 1927]]