Citizen Smith: Series 3 and 4 [1977]


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Slow boat to Tooting
Review date: 2005-03-03 Rating: 8 out of 10

A lot here to get your teeth into! Not necessarily top-notch, but a must for anyone for whom politics often seems more important than the real world. Starts off rather slow but is well worth sticking with. The transition from series 3 to series 4 is well done (spoiler deleted!) in order to maintain continuity without presupposing prior knowledge.

This is good solid comic writing, and if it doesn't provide the spark of brilliance that propelled Only Fools and Horses (from the same director and the name of that series comes from a Series 3 episode name) into the stratosphere, it's mainly because time has not been kind to the Tooting Popular Front. Del Boy and Co embody universal and undateable facts of life which has kept them going 20-odd years. A similar show about anti-capitalists, neo-cons or New Labour would look similarly dated in 2030. The only political show that has made it into the classic Britcom fold is Yes (Prime) Minister, because it embodies eternal stereotypes rather than period detail.

Robert Lindsay is better known nowadays as Ben Harper in "My Family", but it is fascinating to watch the genesis of many of today's major Britcom actors from the 1970s to the present day. You can spot cameos by Gordon Kaye as a butler as well as the actress who played Angus Deayton's wife in One Foot in the Grave (I forget her name). A good one for actor trainspotters!


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Reviews


Where did the power go?
Review date: 2003-09-14 Rating: 8 out of 10

The moment the credits at the start of an episode begin to run you just know you are on to a winner here .... as long as you are the right age range! The sight of a Cortina Mk2, a (then new) Austin 1300, cruising along confusingly deserted London streets will ring bells only for those that remember those days. Then, the very early shock of the 'bloody' word just a few moments into the very first scene of the pilot episode. Assuming this series went out late in the evening (I truly can't remember) it would not have shocked at all, but it did remind me of the heady days of the first 'bloody' in Citizen Smith and the first loud 'bastard!' in Fawlty Towers! The 70's were indeed much more bawdy than some of us remember? The writing, acting and brilliant timing has lost none of it's appeal. All the characters seem as enthusiastic (except maybe the long suffering Tucker) as I remember them, and the film shots are pure history. It will make you laugh and also make you sigh. Whatever happened to the revolution though :-(

Power To The People !!! - The Revolution Continues
Review date: 2003-08-21 Rating: 10 out of 10

Citizen Smith, the popular 70's sitcom written by John Sullivan, starring Robert Lindsay as Wolfie Smith returns for series 3 & 4.

Wolfie still leads the Tooting Popular Front from disaster to even bigger disaster while waiting for the right moment to storm to power.
Whilst the main members of the TPF, apprentice Buddist Ken, career criminal Speed, and Tucker - a waiter with a Cowboy fixation, remain the same there are a number of cast & character changes from series 1 & 2.

Cheryl Hall who played Wolfies long suffering girlfriend Shirley only appears in the first episode, 'Spanish Fly' before her character leaves for a job in Italy.

Peter Vaughn (Shirleys Dad - Charlie), also makes his last appearence in 'Spanish Fly' to be replaced by Tony Steedman.

Harry Fenning (Stephen Greif), the Godfather of Tooting is replaced by Ronnie Lynch (David Garfield), in series 4.

John Tordoff appears as Tofkin in three episodes (Don't Look Down, Tofkins Revenge & Casablanca Was Never Like This).

My opinion on the changes are a bit mixed, while not knocking the performances of either David Garfield or Tony Steedman, Ronnie Lynch never really convinces as a 'Godfather' figure the way Harry Fenning did and Peter Vaughn's Charlie Johnson is a stronger more assertive character than the Tony Steedman portrayal.
Having said this, the all episodes and characters are still very watchable and enjoyable.

John Tordoff's character, P.C. Tofkin works a good deal better, however, maybe because he's not directly replacing a character we have already got used to.

The episodes in this boxset include some absolute classics such as 'Only Fools & Horses', (which John Sullivan, of course, used as the title of his most famous Sitcom), The Party's Over and The Glorious Day.
Guest appearances include - Wilfrid Brambell, better known as Old Man Steptoe in the episode 'Only Fools & Horses' & John Challis, Boycie from the Sitcom 'Only Fools & Horses' appears in 'The Letter of The Law'

The full list is:

Spanish Fly - Wolfie is shocked when Jose, the Leader of The Bilbao Liberation Movement arrives from Spain to see Wolfie and discuss financial support.

Don't Look Down - Shirley has left, Charlie is evicting him so Wolfie decides to make a dramatic gesture by throwing himself from the roof of the Vigilante. Can P.C. Tofkin talk him round?

Only Fools & Horses - When a protest planned at the Town Hall goes wrong, the TPF find they've Hijacked a Lift.

The Big Job - Wolfie owes a lot of money, and Ken is worried when Harry Fenning offers Wolfie a driving job, the faster the car the better.

Tofkins Revenge - Tofkin's back and blackmails the TPF into helping him get revenge on Harry Fenning.

We Shall Not Be Moved - Wolfie and Ken barracade themselves in after getting an eviction notice

The Party's Over - Millionaires daughter Caroline Hayden has invited Wolfie to a party at the family mansion, but it's not all it seems.

The Glorious Day - When the TPF gets hold of a Scorpion Tank, Wolfie decides the Glorious Day has arrived - it's time to invade Westminster!

Bigger Than Guy Fawkes - Showbusiness agent Bennie Saltzburg wants Wolfie to be his next Star. Little does he realise that getting the TPF released from their prison sentances for treason will be the least of his problems.

Changes - Harry Fenning has gone scuba diving with concrete flippers, Ronnie Lynch has taken over & June is fed up with having a Cowboy for a Husband. Can Wolfie help?

The Final Try - Ken, Tucker & Speed are fed up with everything going wrong and force Wolfie to promise to disband the TPF if he can't get the South African rugby tour cancelled.

The Letter Of The Law - Ronnie Lynch is up in court for bribery & corruption but Wolfie is on the Jury & Ronnie makes it quite clear what will happen if he's found guilty.

Prisoners - It's a shock when Speed turns up at Wolfies flat, as he's supposed to be in Prison on remand, and who's he bought with him?

Casablanca Was Never Like This - With Wolfie as Defence Council Speed gets Five years in Prison for a robbery he claims he didn't do. Wolfie decides to hire a private detective to help free him. But his choice, Dick Diamond, turns out to be ex-policeman Tofkin.

Sweet Sorrow - When Ronnie Lynch's plans are messed up one time too many, Wolfie thinks it can't get any worse. But when he goes to Ronnies flat to apologise he finds that things can get a lot worse indeed.

Buon Natale (Christmas Special, this is obviously set before 'Sweet Sorrow') - Wolfie & Ken decide to get away for Christmas and visit Shirley in Rimini, but can they cross the Alps on the Lambretta?

This is another great collection for a fan of the series or anyone that likes the Classic sitcoms. If you enjoyed Series 1 & 2 you will love this.
No swearing just lots & lots of laughs.

Power To The People !!!!!!


Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Mike Grady
George Sweeney
Tony Millan
Robert Lindsay
Hilda Braid

Creators:
Robert Lindsay (Primary Contributor)
Mike Grady (Primary Contributor)
Ray Butt (Producer)
Dick Allen (Editor)
Dennis Main-Wilson (Producer)
John Sullivan (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Playback
Manufacturer: Playback
EAN: 3259190313491
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 3
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2003-06-02
Number of discs: 3
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 424 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1977-11-03
Language: English (Original Language)

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