Dad's Army series 3

(Amazon UK link)

In the early part of 2024, we spent a couple of months watching the first two series of the classic ‘Dad’s Army’ TV series that we recalled from childhood. I was surprised at how enjoyable the show was, despite seeming very dated in some of the production style. So I ordered a few more of the series, sent to relatives in the UK, to collect in the summer.

In the meantime we started watching other light TV series. It took until towards the end of October 2025 to decide to watch Dad’s Army series 3. Unlike the first two series, it’s in colour, although it doesn’t feel all that different from the earlier, black-and-white episodes. Series 3 was broadcast in 1969, when - as far as I remember - we only had a black-and-white television anyway. My father loved this show, and I used to watch it with him. 

However, although I must have seen at least some of these, I didn’t remember any of them. I evidently didn’t see them on one of the many reruns. I was surprised, since the episodes from the first series felt quite familiar. Evidently it had become popular enough to run for longer by 1969, since Series three has 143 episodes, enough for a full quarter’s season. 

Episode one involves Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn) donating his butcher’s van to the troop, for army work. Joe Walker (James Beck) wants to use it for black market activities. It has to be converted to work on gas, due to petrol shortages… we could see what was coming, and enjoyed it all the more when the inevitable happened. 

Episode two sees the whole platoon sent on an army exercise. They get confidently lost, and miss their evening meal… and things go downhill from there. I didn’t find this one as amusing as the first episode, but there’s a lot of action in it, and a satisfactory resolution. 

Episode three involves the men learning how to use a public telephone. This is mind-numbingly obvious to some, but Pike (Ian Lavender)’s mother has never allowed him to touch a public phone, and Godfrey (Arnold Ridley) finds them very confusing. Using a phone is part of Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe)’s plans for trying to protect their village.  

We then watched episode four which starts with the platoon running - almost - out of ammunition, which is strictly rationed, as they were shooting at a low-flying plane. Captain Mainwaring institutes an official enquiry… and it’s scheduled for the same time as the vicar’s choir practice in the room next door. Things become more and more surreal and, once again, we could see what was coming right before the end - and it was all the more entertaining for that knowledge.

The fifth episode, with the title ‘Something nasty in the vault’, made me think there might be rodents or insects involved. The ‘something nasty’ turns out to be an unexploded bomb, dropped on the bank during an air raid. Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson (John le Mesurier) spend a lot of time balancing it on their arms to ensure that it does not suddenly detonate. A lot of humour along with quite a bit of tension, even though I was pretty sure everything would work out eventually.

Episode six, which we watched immediately afterwards, involves a nasty shock for Captain Mainwaring as it turns out that he was never commissioned, so should reduce his rank. It’s quite a moving episode, showing that, despite his pomposity, he genuinely does care for his platoon, and the duties of the home guard. It also shows just how much the men value him, even though they often complain. 

We carried on watching a couple of episodes once a week, and continued to be surprised at how many we had not seen before (or, at least, had no recollection of). We were also in awe of just how the scriptwriters managed to produce so many different and unexpected situations that still made us chuckle. I enjoyed the episode featuring a dance, when Pike produces a rather dreadful girlfriend. And I found the one castigating Godfrey quite moving.

Yes, some of it is schadenfreude, but it’s all so cleverly done that it works. There are some amusing one-liners or asides, and some irony. There’s also some excellent acting. I particularly like Captain Mainwaring’s expressions; even when he’s not saying anything he somehow manages to communicate his feelings. There are catchphrases that recur - ‘Do you think that’s wise?’ from Sergeant Wilson, and ‘Permission to volunteer!’ from Jones. In other writers’ hands these could have become irritating, but they add to the humour in this classic series.

There's even an 'extra' on the first DVD, featuring Arnold Ridley - 'Godfrey' in the series - with a lot of reminiscing about his character. 

All in all, we enjoyed Series Three very much, and look forward to starting Series Four next week.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's DVD Reviews