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Are You Being Served?

  • TV-PG
  • 1972–1985
  • 10 seasons
  • Comedy
  • 7.3

This comedy series, which follows the exploits of employees at London's fictional "Grace Brothers" department store, is full of sexual innuendo, slapstick, visual gags, and double entendres. Much of the show's humor parodies Britain's class system, and many of the show's characters are based on stereotypes of the period, including the effeminate Mr. Humphries and the rich, but stingy, store owner.

Episodes

17 episodes · 2 still to air
  1. 1The Best of Are You Being Served

    30 minJan 18, 1992

    When Mr. Humphries' mother is asked to write a book, she and her son stroll down memory lane as they recall his old experiences at Grace Brothers'.

  2. 2Funny Turns: John Inman

    30 minOct 18, 1999

    A Tribute to British comedy legend John Inman featuring classic clips from 'Are You Being Served?' (including the rarely seen pilot episode) and 'Grace and Favour'. As well as discussing his most famous camp character, Mr Humphries, Inman is also shown in drag performing in pantomime. Co-stars and friends talk affectionately of him and there are excerpts from his lesser-known TV shows including 'Odd Man Out' (1977) and 'Take a Letter Mr Jones' (1981).

  3. 3Funny Women: Mollie Sugden

    30 minOct 18, 1999

    A Tribute to British comedy legend Mollie Sugden featuring classic clips from 'Are You Being Served?' (including the rarely seen pilot episode) and 'Grace and Favour'.

  4. 4Celebrating Mollie Sugden: An 'Are You Being Served?' Special

    90 minOct 18, 2009

    A tribute to the legendary actress who brought Mrs. Slocombe to life in AYBS? and Grace and Favour. The special also includes clips from her other series (such as Hugh and I), reminiscences from her AYBS? co-stars, and glimpses into her roles as wife, mother, and expert cook.

  5. 5Are You Being Served?: The Movie

    90 minOct 18, 1977

    When Grace Brothers closes for redecoration, Young Mr. Grace send the staff on holiday to Costa Plonka, where they find themselves in the middle of a revolution

  6. 6The Story of Are You Being Served?

    30 minJan 1, 2010

    Documentary telling the story of the long-running farce set in the clothing section of a dilapidated department store.

  7. 7Pilot (colour restored)

    30 minJan 1, 2010

    Although the pilot was produced in colour, the videotape was wiped in the 1970s leaving only a 16mm black-and-white film telerecording. In 2009 the pilot episode was restored to full colour using the colour recovery technique previously used for the Dad's Army episode Room at the Bottom. The restored version was first shown on BBC2 on January 1, 2010 as part of an Are You Being Served special night.

  8. 8Grace and Favour

    Date to be announced

  9. 9Wendy Richard - A Life on the Box

    Date to be announced

    From 'Are You Being Served?' to 'EastEnders,' Wendy Richard has lived her life on the Television screen. Now, get up close and personal in this exclusive documentary, featuring interviews with such 'Are You Being Served?' alumni as John Inman, Mollie Sugden and Trevor Bannister!

  10. 10Christmas Crackers (1975 Christmas Special)

    30 minDec 22, 1975

    The staff are called to an early morning meeting to decide on ways to boost Christmas sales figures. However, Young Mr. Grace has already decided that all the floor staff will have to wear novelty costumes, something which none of them are too happy about. This is the final appearance of Mr. Mash.

  11. 11The Father Christmas Affair (1976 Christmas Special)

    30 minDec 24, 1976

    Grace Brothers decides to have electric Father Christmas models, but this is soon cancelled when they go wrong. Young Mr. Grace then decides to offer £50 to a member of the department, including Mr. Rumbold, to dress up as Father Christmas and give gifts to the children. Young Mr. Grace gets a young boy to decide which one of the staff will be Father Christmas. Meanwhile, Mr. Grainger is worried about his annual performance to entertain the residents of an old people's home.

  12. 12Happy Returns (1978 Christmas Special)

    30 minDec 26, 1978

    It is Young Mr. Grace's birthday, and the staff sing the traditional birthday song for him and enjoy the traditional free lunch. They later rehearse their cabaret performance for Young Mr. Grace's birthday party, a ballet called The Ballet of the Toys. A professional cabaret troupe will also be performing at the party, and when the troupe arrives, it turns out they themselves will be performing The Ballet of the Toys, which forces the staff to go to Plan B. Last appearance of Mr.

  13. 13The Punch and Judy Affair (1979 Christmas Special)

    30 minDec 26, 1979

    The Gentlemen's and Ladies' departments become pariahs when they choose not to take part in a company-wide strike. In an attempt to regain favour, the departments stage a life-sized Punch and Judy show to entertain the children of the store's staff. Mr. Humphries directs, Mr. Lucas and Miss Brahms play the title roles, and Mrs. Slocombe brings convincing masculinity to the role of policewoman. Last appearance of Mr. Lucas and Mr.

  14. 14Roots? (1981 Christmas Special)

    30 minDec 24, 1981

    It is Old Mr. Grace's birthday, and the department want to bring a musical tribute to the Grace family. Mr. Rumbold's brother Mycroft (played by Nicholas Smith in a double role) then sets out to trace the Grace family tree, which leads to Wales, Scotland, Somerset and, ultimately (apparently), deepest Africa. The title of the episode is a nod to the 1977 American TV mini-series Roots, based on Alex Haley's book of the same title, which aired in Britain shortly afterward. Last appearance of Young Mr. Grace, Old Mr. Grace and Mr.

  15. 15You Can't Teach a New Dog Old Tricks

    30 minAug 28, 2016

    The classic British sitcom returns for a celebratory special. Picking up where Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft's classic comedy left off, the show brings some of the nation's all-time favourite sitcom characters back to life with an all-star cast.

  16. 16We Love Are You Being Served?

    50 minAug 28, 2020

    Grace Brothers shut up shop over thirty years ago but for one night only we are reopening that infamous department store, climbing into the lift and going up to celebrate everything we love about Britain's brashest bawdiest sitcom, Are You Being Served?. Featuring side-splitting clips and behind the scenes footage, prepare to have your ribs well and truly tickled as we pay tribute to the true-blue sitcom phenomenon that is Are You Being Served?

  17. 17Secrets & Scandals of Are You Being Served?

    45 minMay 28, 2022

    Are You Being Served? is one of the most popular and most outrageous British sitcoms of all time. For more than a decade, millions of viewers tuned in for its smutty innuendo and the electric chemistry between the cast. But behind the laughter were plenty of secrets and scandals.

Where to watch Are You Being Served?

Availability from JustWatch, via TMDB. Full listing for United States

Series cast

Frank ThorntonCaptain Peacock69 episodes
John InmanMr. Humphries69 episodes
Mollie SugdenMrs. Slocombe69 episodes
Wendy RichardMiss Brahms69 episodes
Nicholas SmithMr. Rumbold69 episodes
Harold BennettYoung Mr. Grace50 episodes
Arthur EnglishMr. Harman49 episodes
Trevor BannisterMr. Lucas48 episodes
Arthur BroughMr. Grainger34 episodes
Vivienne JohnsonMr. Grace's Nurse22 episodes
Mike BerryMr. Spooner21 episodes
Larry MartynMr. Mash18 episodes
Candy DavisMiss Belfridge13 episodes
Alfie BassMr. Goldberg8 episodes
Kenneth WallerOld Mr. Henry Grace8 episodes
Penny IrvingMiss Bakewell8 episodes
James HayterMr. Tebbs6 episodes
Debbie Linden5 episodes

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