You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang, M'Lord? is a British comedy series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Hi-de-Hi! It was broadcast between 1990 and 1993 on the BBC. The show was a comedy 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 popular drama Upstairs, Downstairs. The series featured many actors who had also appeared in their earlier series, notably Paul Shane, Jeffrey Holland and Su Pollard, all of whom had previously been in Perry and Croft's holiday camp sitcom, Hi-de-Hi!. Also featured were Donald Hewlett and Michael Knowles from Perry and Croft's It Ain't Half Hot Mum, and Bill Pertwee and occasionally Frank Williams from Dad's Army. The memorable 1920s-style theme tune was sung by Bob Monkhouse.
Seasons
1. The Phantom Sign Writer
Air Date: 1990-01-14
Alf and Ivy are settled into their new jobs but things soon hot up when Sir Ralph suspects that his wife, Lady Agatha, is having an affair. Lord Meldrum's car is vandalised – someone has daubed the word "fornicator" on the side which causes a panic when the Bishop wants to use the vehicle.
2. A Deed of Gift
Air Date: 1990-01-21
Lady Lavender sends for her solicitor whom she instructs to give Ivy her shares from the Union Jack Rubber Company. James is tortured by thoughts of Miss Poppy after she asks to feel his muscles. Then Lavender sends for her solicitor again.
3. Love and Money
Air Date: 1990-01-28
Lord Meldrum thinks that Lavender has gone too far and wants her declared mentally unstable, whilst Teddy is determined to pay Ivy a visit in her room no matter how dangerous the route. A party, thrown for Miss Cissy's birthday, brings a few surprises.
4. Fair Shares
Air Date: 1990-02-04
Lady Lavender has now promised her shares to Stokes, and he sees this as a chance to set himself up for life. Meanwhile, Ivy is in trouble for telling Sir Ralph about his wife's indiscretions with Lord Meldrum.
5. Beg, Borrow or Steal
Air Date: 1990-02-11
Alf is being blackmailed by the local pawn broker into letting him burgle the house. Lord Meldrum allows Cissy & Poppy to hold an evening of progressive poetry in the dining room. At last the relationship between Alf and Ivy is revealed to James.
1. Labour or Love
Air Date: 1990-11-11
Lord Meldrum gives Teddy an ultimatum - marry Madge Cartwright or be sent to work in his factory. Teddy thinks it's a bluff but finds that his brother means every word. Alf discovers that Lady Lavender has got some money stashed under her bed and schemes to relieve her of the burden...
2. Trouble at Mill
Air Date: 1990-11-18
The Prime Minister is coming to dinner but Alf's thoughts are consumed by Lady Lavender. At the factory, Teddy's flirtations with the factory girls causes a mass walk out...
3. Money Talks
Air Date: 1990-11-25
Lady Lavender throws her money out of the window and into the street, naturally some of the money goes astray when Alf gets his hands on it...
4. The Meldrum Vases
Air Date: 1990-12-02
Alf has hidden some of the money in one of his Lordship's antique vases - unfortunately Lord Meldrum has donated three identical vases to the Bishop's auction for Distressed Gentlewomen. James and Ivy are in a race to stop Alf retrieving the money...
5. The Wounds of War
Air Date: 1990-12-09
To protect his master, Alf tells Sir Ralph that Lord Meldrum was wounded in the Artillery. Ivy is over the moon when James agrees to take her to the pictures. Mrs. Lipton is convinced that Alf's divorce is being held up by his wife...
6. Stranger in the Night
Air Date: 1990-12-16
James is embarrassed when his father arrives at the house on the run from the police. The servants decide to hide him until they can arrange for him to flee the country...
7. Royal Flush
Air Date: 1990-12-23
Excitement runs through the household when it is announced that the King and Queen of Dalmatia are coming to dinner, although Mrs. Lipton is upset to find that she will not be doing the catering. In addition, Noel Coward is expected to join them after the opening night of his new play...
1. Please Help the Orphans
Air Date: 1991-11-10
Alf is being pestered by Mrs. Lipton to finalise his divorce so he gets an old friend to agree to pose as Mrs. Stokes. Meanwhile, he has a brainwave to make some money by fooling Mrs. Lipton into baking some cakes, which she thinks are destined for the local orphanage...
2. Current Affairs
Air Date: 1991-11-17
Alf continues to supply the Sunshine Pantry with Mrs. Lipton's cakes. Myrtle pays a visit to the house posing as Mrs. Stokes but can she persuade Mrs. Lipton?...
3. Mrs. Lipton's Nasty Turn
Air Date: 1991-11-24
Having discovered Alf's deception and broken his Lordship's crockery in a fit of anger, Mrs. Lipton is left wondering if she still has a job. On a visit to the Sunshine Pantry, Ivy discovers the truth about Miss Potter's cherry cake...
4. Meet the Workers
Air Date: 1991-12-01
Miss Poppy annonces her engagement to Dickie Metcalfe but Alf smells a rat! Lord Meldrum is convinced that he must learn more about the lower classes before he can join the board of governors at the BBC and so he invites his factory workers to dinner and serves them fish and chips...
5. Gretna Green or Bust
Air Date: 1991-12-08
Miss Poppy and Dickie Metcalfe decide to marry and elope to Gretna Green, the rest of the household set off in hot persuit in an attempt to stop them...
6. The Night of Reckoning
Air Date: 1991-12-15
Twelvetrees gets an offer to be butler for Sir Ralph and Lady Agatha. Mabel is on the verge of being evicted from her home. Meanwhile, Alf comes up with a drastic solution to Teddy's problem...
7. A Day in the Country
Air Date: 1991-12-22
Lord Meldrum decides he is going to treat the servants to a picnic in the country. Nobody is surprised however, that upon their arrival at Peabody Hall, Sir Ralph and Lady Agatha are there too...
1. Yes Sir, That's My Baby
Air Date: 1993-03-20
Miss Cissy leads the house into helping out at the local soup kitchen for the poor. Meanwhile, Teddy is still trying to escape the romantic clutches of Madge Cartwright. This time, Alf thinks he has the perfect solution - he traces all of Teddy's illegitimate children and brings them to the house to face Madge...
2. Requiem for a Parrot
Air Date: 1993-03-27
Lord Meldrum is intent on sending Teddy to his rubber plantation in Malaya, however the death of Lady Lavender's parrot leads to some bizarre funeral arrangements...
3. Come to the Ball
Air Date: 1993-04-03
Lord Meldrum decides to inspect the servants' quarters and Mabel has found a purse containing five pounds. Then the staff are invited to the luxurious ball where the employers have to wait upon their servants...
4. The Truth Revealed
Air Date: 1993-04-10
Sir Ralph sacks Selfridge, his butler, who in turn tells him of his wife's long-standing affair with George Meldrum. Sir Ralph sets out for revenge and the staff have to ensure that a mysterious ""accident"" doesn't befall their master...
5. The Fall of the House Of Meldrum
Air Date: 1993-04-17
Meldrum is convinced that Sir Ralph has put a curse on him. In addition, the rubber plantation in Malaya has been ravaged by the Bangokhan beetle. The family face financial ruin!...
6. Well, There You Are Then...!
Air Date: 1993-04-24
Things look bleak for the Meldrums with most of their money lost on the stock market crash and the effects of the Bangokhan beetle. Cissy and Lavender try to save the situation, but the servants have little choice but to look elsewhere for their futures...
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Rating
7.4/10
Release Date
1990-01-14
Episodes
25 (4 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Paul Shane
Alf Stokes
Jeffrey Holland
James Twelvetrees
Su Pollard
Ivy Stokes
Donald Hewlett
George Meldrum
Michael Knowles
Edward "Teddy" Meldrum
Bill Pertwee
Constable Wilson
Brenda Cowling
Blanche Lipton
Susie Brann
Poppy Meldrum
Catherine Rabett
Cecily "Cissy" Meldrum
Perry Benson
Henry Livingstone
Barbara New
Mabel Wheeler
Angela Scoular
Agatha Shawcross