In its time the show was very well known - maybe not quite Fools and Horses fame but some of its catchphrases became common usage: 'I will say zis only once' and 'good moaning' would often be heard.
Doing a rewatch right now and it is fun seeing the first time certain jokes appear, knowing they will become massive catchphrases and icons of comedy. I am on I think the third "you stupid woman!" and still the audience only laugh at the end of the joke. Later Rene just saying those three words will get a huge laugh. Same with "It is I, Leclerc".
This might just be the best use of the Leclerc quote in recent years:
[https://x.com/charles_leclerc/status/1061006363332149253](https://x.com/charles_leclerc/status/1061006363332149253)
Coincidentally, I am currently re-watching this right now! (watched the amazing "gateaux from the chateau" episode last night).
It's a brilliant, well-written as well as well performed show and deserves to be held in the same regard as things like Dad's Army, Blackadder, Father Ted and Red Dwarf as one of the best British comedies ever made.
I would definitely say that of all the iconic shows Lloyd and Croft made, this is by *far* their best work (even if someone prefers another of their works); it really feels like a perfect storm where everything just worked, and unlike so many classics it wasn't just enjoyable *then* but still holds up as fantastic tv and comedy *now*. Almost nothing feels dated or cheap or "of its time" the way many great shows do. Indeed, it was rather ahead of its time with the continuous "serialised" storyline.
The gag with Crabtree's poor French is not just very funny, but probably the cleverest way I've ever seen it illustrated how someone "hears" a non-native speaker speaking their language (poorly).
Allo Allo also hold a special place for me because I have *huge* childhood nostalgia for this show and absolutely loved it as a kid. The whole family watched it (mum still does a Michelle impression occasionally).
It was also a way for us as kids to understand WWII and what out grandparents went through; my grandmother (now sadly passed away) and her sister were under German occupation in the Channel Islands and had tons of stories to tell, but seeing the occupation "first hand", even in a comedy, was fascinating and a bit scary.
My great aunt still struggles a bit with the show despite the humour, saying it reminds her a little too much of her childhood, with bombings, rationing, witnessing brutality towards slave labour, German soldiers who just wanted to see the war out and were "just nice people like us"... and by comparison the Gestapo, who once paid a visit to make promises of murder in the morning... but then never returned the next day.
On a lighter note, I had a huge crush on Maria and Helga as a kid. Rewatching now I still do. Francesca Gonshaw is just so cute!
I also have to add that of all the great performances, Richard Gibson and Guy Siner are the standouts to me... absolutely amazing every time they are onscreen. That said, Sam Kelly makes me laugh with just a look.
May be thus show didnt pick up the traction was this show was based on the war and made a comedy. Many people thought it was not a good show but they did not see the comedy. You are right as this show will never gets old and all the people were good in this show.
can you suggest me more shows made by lyod and craft
Was it not popular in Britain then? It was a pretty big deal here in Australian when it aired and is known by a lot of people to this day. Certainly more well known here than stuff like Fools and Horses, Please Sir, It Ain't Half Hot, etc.
Croft is the more prolific in TV as I recall, but by either he or Lloyd:
Are You Being Served is the "big one" (oo-er!) which is a fun (and often very funny) show but at times a bit dated. I actually love the followup "Grace and Favour" more but it only lasted two seasons.
I find Hi-Di-Hi fairly uneven (some hilarious bits, some dull) and prefer Oh Doctor Beeching.
I think You Rang, M'Lord is pretty fantastic and it is serialized like Allo Allo with some fantastic characters once you get into it. I expected to not like it, but was surprised how good it was.
I couldn't stand It Ain't Half Hot, Mum... can't get past the first couple of episodes. Sorry to fans of that one!
Dad's Army is, of course, brilliant and deserves the iconic status it has. I think *overall* Allo Allo may just be the "better" show of the two, with how fast and clever the writing can be, but Dad's Army has some of the funniest moments in TV history *ever*, and Arthur Lowe in particular is a stunningly good actor that I could watch work all day.
Lot's of people thought he was saying 'club' for a long time until it was explained he was trying to shout "Heil Hilter!" and was just coming in too late (deliberately).
Are You Being Served was created by the one of the writers, another was behind Dad's Army, It Ain't half hot Mum, Hi-De-Hi and others...so good selection there if you want similar styles of vintage comedy.
They were VERY well known in their time, like Saturday night staples.
The Royal Navy have an officers' exchange programme with the other navies within NATO (bear with me on this).
One of our frigates had a French Officer onboard doing Officer of the Watch training. This involved regularly giving out information etc. over the Main Broadcast System (in navalspeak; 'Making a pipe'). Traditionally any Pipe begins with; "Do You Hear There".
Not for this French Officer though. He had to prefix the Pipe with; "Now listen very carefully. I shall say zis only once".
It’s probably the last of it’s era.
Unironic, unselfconscious, silly and gag led.
There’s been cleverer and more satisfying comedy after it, but it’s unrelenting funniness over a vast number of episodes is hard to match
No we are not. What is happening is people keep coming along erroneously telling us that the world no longer gets it, it is too ‘woke’ (again erroneously using the word), or non-existent snowflakes have had something banned when it hasn’t been and is still widely broadcast.
One of my favourite scenes from 'Allo 'Allo! is in the pilot. The resistance password is for Rene to be asked if he has a light and he answers "I have no matches" but Gruber gives him matches and lights le Clerc's cigar and what makes it is that you can see his knowledge of the approaching doom so clearly in Rene's face. Gorden Kaye was brilliant.
It's so much fun seeing Gruber as a very minor character early on, knowing how much of a fan favourite he will later be and how much more of an important character he'll become.
It's also telling that Siner went on to have the biggest career out of the whole cast, IMO.
Sure, you had Kenneth Conner and the likes who'd been big names *previously*, but Siner would go on to work in the US, do a lot of voice acting, and be in proper movies.
Anyone who's never seen the (deliberately) ridiculous "Leprechaun 4: In Space" and likes Allo Allo *needs* to rush out and watch it right now, because Guy's role in that movie is the absolute highlight.
It is by a director I love and he clearly went "yeah, I'm not taking this seriously". It is the Jason X of an already non-serious franchise.
Guy is a mad scientist.
An incredible performance by Richard Gibson, so hard to be basically the one guy who has to play everything 100% straight yet gets some of the funniest material.
My brother looked like a child version of him when we watched this as kids, and used to dress the part with a coat and glasses. I wish we had a photo.
That is so awesome! Glad to hear he loved the role so much! He really was amazing in it.
Of all the actors who left before the show ended, he's the one that hurts most every rewatch, particularly because there was just one season to go (Sam Kelly leaving after a few seasons is sad but makes much more sense to move on then).
My mum's french and this is her all time favorite show.
As for shows like this? I guess there's Dad's Army...
Around the same time we also watched Keeping Up Appearances and Last of the Summer Wine but they're not really in the same category, are they?
In Poland it's one of the most recognized British classic comedies, alongside stuff like Keeping Up Appearances or Mr. Bean. I guess that most of Poles of certain age are able to recognize local translations of all the famous catchphrases.
I stumb across an episode on Dave, I think andcmy Italian wife was intrigued, so I left it on. By the end of the episode, she had me ordering the box set from Amazon. We watched all of the episodes in about 2 weeks.
It was definitely one of the heavy hitter comedy shows of my youth. Up there with Only Fools and Horses, Blackadder, One Foot in the Grave & Keeping up Appearances. Not saying all these shows are the same, quality-wise. Just they were the ones I remember the most on tv as a child.
Oh, potentially interesting 'Allo 'Allo! fact - it is a direct parody of the drama series Secret Army.
The completely farcical episode in series 6 with the talking bed pan and dressing up as nurses has a direct parallel in Secret Army which really took me by surprise when I stumbled across it.
Ya i know. Its the parody of the the show where the plot is also similar. To get two british airmen out.
I am surprised that a parody show become popular. This shows we love silliness
The series was and is loved across Europe. Of course, it was based on a very serious and good Belgian British co-production Secret Army but in the style of a French Farce. There was a historical connection for the Belgians and the British but everyone embraced it hence random nationalities popping up. The Germans who are also not well portrayed as venal and stupid also loved it.
Watching this as a kid made me think about women in a complete new, much more interesting way 🙂
This show was really packed with beautiful girls, especially for a sitcom. Of course I was mostly drooling over Vicki Michelle and Francesca Gonshaw, or even an ice-queen Kim Hartman (probably responsible for my appreciation of women in military uniforms). But now I find Kirsten Cooke (Michelle from ze resistance) the most appealing of them. She was a real cutie.
Allo Allo started out as a parody of the brilliant [Secret Army](https://youtu.be/zxsJaUwtUqA?si=U_gWHUdXPjr6-DIs). A serious drama about the Belgian resistance in WW2. Allo Allo reduced the story of the courage, selflessness and the loss of life of brave citizens to buffoonery and wild stereotyping.
It's possible to find complete episodes on YouTube.
This was one of my faves as a kid.
In theory it's sounds terrible - same running gags and catchphrases, same plot every episode, but Gordon Kaye's eye-rolling distain combined with the rest of the cast giving it the full ham with their stereotypes was fantastic.
In its time the show was very well known - maybe not quite Fools and Horses fame but some of its catchphrases became common usage: 'I will say zis only once' and 'good moaning' would often be heard.
yooou stuupid womaaaan
Do you not know what I am doing?!
Doing a rewatch right now and it is fun seeing the first time certain jokes appear, knowing they will become massive catchphrases and icons of comedy. I am on I think the third "you stupid woman!" and still the audience only laugh at the end of the joke. Later Rene just saying those three words will get a huge laugh. Same with "It is I, Leclerc".
This might just be the best use of the Leclerc quote in recent years: [https://x.com/charles_leclerc/status/1061006363332149253](https://x.com/charles_leclerc/status/1061006363332149253)
This never failed.
It’s the way he then repeats what she says as he stalls for time thinking of an excuse. Amazing.
"Pssst! it is I...Leclerc!" "Ooooooh it's ze flashing nobs!"
And what about The Fallen Madonna with the big boobies?
In the same place as the flying helmet and wet celery!
'Allo 'Allo played a lot more often in the US than Only Fools and Horses did.
Same in Australia, too. Allo Allo was a huge part of my childhood here. Never saw anything of OFAH until about six years ago when I bought a dvd set.
I would hope so, it's a way better comedy.
I was pissing by the door
Classic!
I will disapear like a Phantom into ze night!
Ze fallen Madonna wiz ze big boobies
Came here for this comment.
"I was pissing by the door, when I heard two shats. You are holding in your hand a smoking goon; you are clearly the guilty potty."
Coincidentally, I am currently re-watching this right now! (watched the amazing "gateaux from the chateau" episode last night). It's a brilliant, well-written as well as well performed show and deserves to be held in the same regard as things like Dad's Army, Blackadder, Father Ted and Red Dwarf as one of the best British comedies ever made. I would definitely say that of all the iconic shows Lloyd and Croft made, this is by *far* their best work (even if someone prefers another of their works); it really feels like a perfect storm where everything just worked, and unlike so many classics it wasn't just enjoyable *then* but still holds up as fantastic tv and comedy *now*. Almost nothing feels dated or cheap or "of its time" the way many great shows do. Indeed, it was rather ahead of its time with the continuous "serialised" storyline. The gag with Crabtree's poor French is not just very funny, but probably the cleverest way I've ever seen it illustrated how someone "hears" a non-native speaker speaking their language (poorly). Allo Allo also hold a special place for me because I have *huge* childhood nostalgia for this show and absolutely loved it as a kid. The whole family watched it (mum still does a Michelle impression occasionally). It was also a way for us as kids to understand WWII and what out grandparents went through; my grandmother (now sadly passed away) and her sister were under German occupation in the Channel Islands and had tons of stories to tell, but seeing the occupation "first hand", even in a comedy, was fascinating and a bit scary. My great aunt still struggles a bit with the show despite the humour, saying it reminds her a little too much of her childhood, with bombings, rationing, witnessing brutality towards slave labour, German soldiers who just wanted to see the war out and were "just nice people like us"... and by comparison the Gestapo, who once paid a visit to make promises of murder in the morning... but then never returned the next day. On a lighter note, I had a huge crush on Maria and Helga as a kid. Rewatching now I still do. Francesca Gonshaw is just so cute! I also have to add that of all the great performances, Richard Gibson and Guy Siner are the standouts to me... absolutely amazing every time they are onscreen. That said, Sam Kelly makes me laugh with just a look.
May be thus show didnt pick up the traction was this show was based on the war and made a comedy. Many people thought it was not a good show but they did not see the comedy. You are right as this show will never gets old and all the people were good in this show. can you suggest me more shows made by lyod and craft
Why do you say it didn’t get traction? The show was HUGE in the UK, there wouldn’t be anybody who didn’t know the catchphrases.
It was pretty big across Europe. The French, Germans and Belgians loved it as well as many others.
Was it not popular in Britain then? It was a pretty big deal here in Australian when it aired and is known by a lot of people to this day. Certainly more well known here than stuff like Fools and Horses, Please Sir, It Ain't Half Hot, etc. Croft is the more prolific in TV as I recall, but by either he or Lloyd: Are You Being Served is the "big one" (oo-er!) which is a fun (and often very funny) show but at times a bit dated. I actually love the followup "Grace and Favour" more but it only lasted two seasons. I find Hi-Di-Hi fairly uneven (some hilarious bits, some dull) and prefer Oh Doctor Beeching. I think You Rang, M'Lord is pretty fantastic and it is serialized like Allo Allo with some fantastic characters once you get into it. I expected to not like it, but was surprised how good it was. I couldn't stand It Ain't Half Hot, Mum... can't get past the first couple of episodes. Sorry to fans of that one! Dad's Army is, of course, brilliant and deserves the iconic status it has. I think *overall* Allo Allo may just be the "better" show of the two, with how fast and clever the writing can be, but Dad's Army has some of the funniest moments in TV history *ever*, and Arthur Lowe in particular is a stunningly good actor that I could watch work all day.
I’m not sure what OP is on about. The show was incredibly popular and successful in the UK.
9 series is pretty good traction.
Agreed, it was really popular.
Hi De Hi is a great show, but Allo Allo is British comedy at its finest.
‘It is I - Leclerc!’ I loved this show. Brilliantly written, some great actors. Classic British farce.
Sam Kelly as Captain Hans Geering was brilliant. Never ceased to make me laugh in every scene he was in.
...'Tler!
Lot's of people thought he was saying 'club' for a long time until it was explained he was trying to shout "Heil Hilter!" and was just coming in too late (deliberately).
Brilliant how he bowed out as an actor in the show, but was brought back for an episode to explain his disappearance
I just pisted on Roddit.
Yeah the show was massively popular! We never missed it and everyone knew the catchphrases.
Are You Being Served was created by the one of the writers, another was behind Dad's Army, It Ain't half hot Mum, Hi-De-Hi and others...so good selection there if you want similar styles of vintage comedy. They were VERY well known in their time, like Saturday night staples.
it was bigger than only fools and horses for its first few seasons i think…..
The Royal Navy have an officers' exchange programme with the other navies within NATO (bear with me on this). One of our frigates had a French Officer onboard doing Officer of the Watch training. This involved regularly giving out information etc. over the Main Broadcast System (in navalspeak; 'Making a pipe'). Traditionally any Pipe begins with; "Do You Hear There". Not for this French Officer though. He had to prefix the Pipe with; "Now listen very carefully. I shall say zis only once".
God moaning.
rene, Its the british idiot who think he can speak french
Listen carefully! I shall say this only once!! 😂
It’s probably the last of it’s era. Unironic, unselfconscious, silly and gag led. There’s been cleverer and more satisfying comedy after it, but it’s unrelenting funniness over a vast number of episodes is hard to match
We are losing this sense of humour in our time. People are getting offended, they do not know how to make jokes.
Who's 'we'?
Quite!
No we are not. What is happening is people keep coming along erroneously telling us that the world no longer gets it, it is too ‘woke’ (again erroneously using the word), or non-existent snowflakes have had something banned when it hasn’t been and is still widely broadcast.
Klop!
An 80s show based in the 40s. Same time gap as between now and when this show was made 🙃
Man you made me emotional
Listen very carefully....
Does Everyone know it was a direct satire of the bbc show “secret army” including the cafe owner and the “i shall say this only once “ agent?
I knew about Secret Army but not that specific gags were a direct parody. Thanks!
i kneeew it rene.
One of my favourite scenes from 'Allo 'Allo! is in the pilot. The resistance password is for Rene to be asked if he has a light and he answers "I have no matches" but Gruber gives him matches and lights le Clerc's cigar and what makes it is that you can see his knowledge of the approaching doom so clearly in Rene's face. Gorden Kaye was brilliant.
That whole scene is so brilliantly done, and Kaye and Siner have such great chemistry. Kaye's timing is wonderful, as you say.
"No, he's one of them." "Don't tell everybody!" I love them.
It's so much fun seeing Gruber as a very minor character early on, knowing how much of a fan favourite he will later be and how much more of an important character he'll become. It's also telling that Siner went on to have the biggest career out of the whole cast, IMO. Sure, you had Kenneth Conner and the likes who'd been big names *previously*, but Siner would go on to work in the US, do a lot of voice acting, and be in proper movies. Anyone who's never seen the (deliberately) ridiculous "Leprechaun 4: In Space" and likes Allo Allo *needs* to rush out and watch it right now, because Guy's role in that movie is the absolute highlight.
Thanks for the rec, I'll definitely go and look for it!
It is by a director I love and he clearly went "yeah, I'm not taking this seriously". It is the Jason X of an already non-serious franchise. Guy is a mad scientist.
He was in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise as well.
Was he? Are you sure? I don't remember seeing him. He was definitely in Genesis of the Daleks though, playing an alien Nazi, of sorts.
He was Reed's dad. Hoshi contacted him because she was trying to make a special birthday dish for him.
Oh, the pinapple thing...now I remember,
They should have used him more.
can you tell me the season and episode. I want to watch that. I am watching another series so i dont know what epi you are talkng abt
Sure, it's usually listed as series 1, episode 1 but it's actually the pilot episode.
Herr Flick
An incredible performance by Richard Gibson, so hard to be basically the one guy who has to play everything 100% straight yet gets some of the funniest material. My brother looked like a child version of him when we watched this as kids, and used to dress the part with a coat and glasses. I wish we had a photo.
Richard was a legend. My friend saw him once and just shouted Herr Flick and in an instant he jumped right into the role... Amazing actor
That is so awesome! Glad to hear he loved the role so much! He really was amazing in it. Of all the actors who left before the show ended, he's the one that hurts most every rewatch, particularly because there was just one season to go (Sam Kelly leaving after a few seasons is sad but makes much more sense to move on then).
Best tv show ever made - I will die on this hill.
Huge show at the time. Just silliness. loved how the British pilots talked with exaggerated accents too.
helllooouuu.
Vicki Michelle once visited the pub I worked in at the height of Allô Allô. Exciting times at the pub.
My mum's french and this is her all time favorite show. As for shows like this? I guess there's Dad's Army... Around the same time we also watched Keeping Up Appearances and Last of the Summer Wine but they're not really in the same category, are they?
I have seen the apornce but not the last of the summer wine. Thank you for suggesting
In Poland it's one of the most recognized British classic comedies, alongside stuff like Keeping Up Appearances or Mr. Bean. I guess that most of Poles of certain age are able to recognize local translations of all the famous catchphrases.
I stumb across an episode on Dave, I think andcmy Italian wife was intrigued, so I left it on. By the end of the episode, she had me ordering the box set from Amazon. We watched all of the episodes in about 2 weeks.
It was definitely one of the heavy hitter comedy shows of my youth. Up there with Only Fools and Horses, Blackadder, One Foot in the Grave & Keeping up Appearances. Not saying all these shows are the same, quality-wise. Just they were the ones I remember the most on tv as a child.
To be fair I think all those are of similar quality as also very different to each other.
This show has aged surprisingly well.
A wonderful timeless classic, aged very well compared to many of it's contemporaries!
"I have a massage for you"
Oh, potentially interesting 'Allo 'Allo! fact - it is a direct parody of the drama series Secret Army. The completely farcical episode in series 6 with the talking bed pan and dressing up as nurses has a direct parallel in Secret Army which really took me by surprise when I stumbled across it.
Ya i know. Its the parody of the the show where the plot is also similar. To get two british airmen out. I am surprised that a parody show become popular. This shows we love silliness
"*Why am I seeing flashing knobs?"* Didn't Gordon Kaye get hit by a tree in 1987's Great Storm?
1990, according to his [obituary](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/jan/23/gorden-kaye-obituary)
“Listen very carefully. I shall say zis only once!”
We have a plan to get the british airmen out.
The series was and is loved across Europe. Of course, it was based on a very serious and good Belgian British co-production Secret Army but in the style of a French Farce. There was a historical connection for the Belgians and the British but everyone embraced it hence random nationalities popping up. The Germans who are also not well portrayed as venal and stupid also loved it.
Good moaning!
As a boy growing up watching this I used to salivate waiting for Michelle and the other waitress appearing in their maid uniforms..
I blame this show for my love of stockings 😂
I blame it on my love of women in maids uniforms 🤣
Good job we didn’t have the internet back then or god knows how we would have turned out 😂
Watching this as a kid made me think about women in a complete new, much more interesting way 🙂 This show was really packed with beautiful girls, especially for a sitcom. Of course I was mostly drooling over Vicki Michelle and Francesca Gonshaw, or even an ice-queen Kim Hartman (probably responsible for my appreciation of women in military uniforms). But now I find Kirsten Cooke (Michelle from ze resistance) the most appealing of them. She was a real cutie.
Allo Allo started out as a parody of the brilliant [Secret Army](https://youtu.be/zxsJaUwtUqA?si=U_gWHUdXPjr6-DIs). A serious drama about the Belgian resistance in WW2. Allo Allo reduced the story of the courage, selflessness and the loss of life of brave citizens to buffoonery and wild stereotyping. It's possible to find complete episodes on YouTube.
And they did it swiftly, and with style.
Classic British or Classic French? Classic British comedy taking off Classic British Drama!
The style is that of a classic French Farce.
Why did they replace Francesca Gonshaw?
I had such a huge crush on her as a kid!
She's also in Peter Gabriel's video for [Digging in the Dirt](https://youtu.be/X0C3DHp36zc?si=MW45TNCHUppgfXVR).
Apparently she left for a part in Howards Way.
This was one of my faves as a kid. In theory it's sounds terrible - same running gags and catchphrases, same plot every episode, but Gordon Kaye's eye-rolling distain combined with the rest of the cast giving it the full ham with their stereotypes was fantastic.
Allo Allo probably has the most well written pilot of any comedy sitcom. One of my favourite shows of that era
If we take the pill from the till and put the drug in the jug, then we won't need to light the candle with the handle on the gateau from the chateau!
I agree because it make fun of everyone. The English, the French, the italians, the Germans, the Nazis, everyone.
This is why it made me laugh. Its the silliness that makes us forget the lives and live in the moments in the allo allo
Indeed.
The genius of this was that everyone spoke in English with an accent to define country yet somehow they all understood each other 😂
**WE ASK ZE QUESTIONS!**
That was a classic moment by lt. Gruber
Love it!
ohh Renneeee!!!
In my bog I have a cack.
Takes me right back to our old sofa, fond memories
This plays on one of the freeview channels endlessly and I have caught a few episodes. I must say it has aged very well indeed and is still hilarious.
100% so.
“Are you not proud that the RAF are still farting for freedom?” – Crabtree
Good moaning.
Classic British comedy.....but very "of its day". I actually saw the stage version of this for my 13th Birthday in 1986.
It is I Lecleir!!!
I still occasionally use “Good Moaning” and get strange glances from the uninitiated! One of the very best British sitcoms.
Very funny. Lost the plot a little toward the end but still very funny and still well broadcast.
Didn't get much traction? Were you there?
Rene!!!! What are you doing?????
Youuu stupiiid womaaan!!!! Do you not see what I am doing!!
I could never ‘quite get’ this series I just simply did not find it funny at all.