Musings

Been watching the scattershot showings of OTB on ITV3 recently and must say I prefer the movies.

Here are a few of my thoughts on the series.

I prefer the original mum to Doris Hare's rancid, shrieking matriarch.

Jack and Arthur are equally the best characters and kudos goes to Grant and Robbins for fleshing them out. Despite how shockingly unattractive Jack is, you can still believe that he could be a ladies man.

The episodes where Stan just wants to get a bird to himself with the family out of the house are really frustrating. You know it's gonna go tits up. If I was Stan I would say, "I'll be screwing some bird in me room tonight, if you don't want to hear it, better make sure you're not 'ome."

Olive likes hot water bottles.

One thing that surprised me on Holiday On The Buses is how the writers acknowledge that the Butlers are common. The bit where Queenie Watts says to Arthur Mullard, in a moment of hypocrisy, about the Butlers being "Bleedin' common.", made me realise that the creators had deliberatly made the Butlers so. This makes me believe that Doris Hare is a genius actress as she came across as megacommon.

Another thing, when watching initially, is that it makes you think you would love a best mate like Jack. Then you realise that Jack turns on Stan sometimes at the drop of a hat. Your bird is never safe with Jack around. Especially in the first movie when he ruins Stans night of lust with that female driver. What a git.

Arthur says "Oh, alright." in resignation a lot (in The Lodger anyway).

"Cor Blimey!" is the exclamation of choice in any situation.

A final observation is that Olive and Mrs Butler (Hare) are Brummies.

And what happened to Stan's dad?

And why don't they have miniskirted clippies anymore?

"Not The Gold!!" - Augustus Steranko.