Favourite episodes - Steptoe and Son (1962) Discussion

[–] 1894 19 years ago

I don't think there was a bad episode. Each one was a masterpiece. However, if I had to pick a favourite, then maybe I'd go for 'Seance In A Wet Rag And Bone Yard' with the brilliant Patricia Routledge in her pre-Mrs Bucket days. Even now every time someone mentions a seance, I think of Patricia saying "Is there anyone there..."

reply

[–] cyanideandwhiskey 19 years ago

i think the best one has got to be the one where they divided the house down the middle

"In times of crisis, some people are heroes, and some people are scum"

reply

[–] Darkhorse86 19 years ago

"i think the best one has got to be the one where they divided the house down the middle "

That episode is "Divided We Stand." That was great! The Desperate Hours was another good one as well as Men of Letters (when Harold and Albert are playing Scrabble).

A question, what episodes are available on tape? I have Divided We Stand, The Desperate Hours, Porn Yesterday, Men of Letters, Live Now P.A.Y.E Later and The Christmas 1973 Special. 6 episodes, three on two VHS'. I know there's one more video (It has Oh What a Beautiful Morning) but are there any others out there.

reply

[–] 1894 19 years ago

yeah mate, there are more, the videos that I have are:-

The Piano / The Bath / The Holiday
65 Today / The Lodger / The Bird
The Stepmother / Full House / The Wooden Overcoats
A Winter’s Tale / Steptoe And Son - And Son! / Two’s Company
Is That Your Horse Outside? / Steptoe A La Cart / Those Magnificent Men And Their Heating Machines
The Siege Of Steptoe Street / Crossed Swords / The Bonds That Bind Us
Divided We Stand / The Desperate Hours / Porn Yesterday
Men Of Letters / Live Now P.A.Y.E. Later / Christmas Special 1973
A Star Is Born / Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs, Downstairs / Cuckoo In The Nest
Oh What A Beautiful Mourning / Loathe Story / And So To Bed
The Seven Steptoerai / Seance In A Wet Rag And Bone Yard / The Bonds That Bind Us
Tea For Two / Without Prejudice / The Three Feathers
Wallah - Wallah Catsmeat / And Afterwards At... / Homes Fit For Heroes
Come Dancing / Christmas Special (1974)
Steptoe And Son The Feature Film / Steptoe And Son Ride Again Feature Film

I bought all these from my local HMV store in Exeter, some years back. I know that there are more out there that I haven't got yet .

reply

[–] dhsb58 19 years ago

My Top three would have to be...

"Divided we Stand"
"The piano"
"Men of Letters"

reply

[–] NuttyGooner 19 years ago

Mine are
"Full House"
"Upstairs Downstairs"
"Men of Letters" and "Divided we stand"

It's so hard to pick just 3!

reply

[–] ceecee132 18 years ago

type in 'steptoe and son appreciation' inot Google and you will come across the official steptoe website.
That will tell you absolutely EVERYTHING about the programme

reply

[–] BrythonElis 18 years ago

Although they were all brilliant, my favourite episode is Wooden Overcoats.
Scary when I first watched it, aged 8; then brilliant as a perfect balance of pathos, comedy and (gentle) horror.

They don't make'em like that any more...

reply

[–] vvs_laxman_hits_281 18 years ago

I listen to the episodes on my iPod more than watch at the moment. My current favourites are;

Full House
A Box in a Town
O What a Beautiful Mourning
The Desperate Hours
The Piano

child of the iPod generation makepovertyhistory

reply

[–] retrogal83 17 years ago

I have three favourite episodes which I absolutely love and adore. In no particular order they are:

1. Oh What A Beautiful Mourning - just a wonderfully bizarre and hilarious story and it is lovely to meet more of their random, eccentric family.

2. The Desperate Hours - Leonard Rossiter and Harry H Corbett made a brilliant partnership of those thwarted by the actions of their elderly counterparts, displaying their scuppered hopes and dreams.

3. A Christmas Holiday - Harold finally gets a holiday on his own, breaks from Albert's control and manages to succeed in his plans for the first time. Also, he gets his girl to come on the trip; a real triumph. The audience can really feel his joy and elation. Additionally, of course, it is their farewell "Swan Song" - and so poignant.

Three cheers for Galton and Simpson!

***Do you like Liver and Bacon? Come and see my collection on the Isle of Man**

reply

[–] sparkle132 17 years ago

I absolutely love The Three Feathers. It is a unique and brilliant script, and I have seen it ripped off many times (i.e Cash and Curry- Only Fools and Horses)

I love the beginning scene of Seance in a Wet Rag n Bone Yard too. It is so atmospheric and homely, and you really get a feel for set and the story.

reply

[–] jord07 17 years ago

the wooden overcoats is my fave

reply

[–] vvs_laxman_hits_281 17 years ago

Anyone much of a fan of 'The Lead Man Cometh?'

I love my iPod http://www.myspace.com/maximillian_r

reply

[–] sparkle132 17 years ago

Its not one of my fave episodes. I don't know why.
I feel I like the episodes with just the 2 main characters my faves and the best.
That just proves what fantastic writing it was!

reply

[–] vvs_laxman_hits_281 17 years ago

Hmmm, how about 'Full House'? Anyone?

I love these quotes from Albert in the episode, where Harold has three rather dubious types round for a game of poker.

Albert: What do they do for a living?
Harold: Well...Rex was on the snow clearing.
Albert: Ohh-that's a nice steady job(!)

and this one,

Harold: Look, I know what i'm doing y'know; I have played before you know! You talk as though i'm going to lose every hand!
Albert: Well if you win every hand you're not gonna take much off that lot are ya? A jailbird, a bloke on the dole and a snow clearer(!!)

Classic.

I love my iPod http://www.myspace.com/maximillian_r

reply

[–] kt926 17 years ago

I love "Divided we stand" and "Man of letters". They are so funny!!

REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD

reply

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] anerbythesea 17 years ago

I definately agree I think it was called ''Divided We Stand'' where they divide the house

reply

[–] michaelrustage 17 years ago

I would have to say " Come Dancing ". I thought that one was brilliant.

reply

[–] podwilliams 15 years ago

Anyone much of a fan of 'The Lead Man Cometh?'

Yes indeed - a great episode. I love the whole of the third series in fact ('Homes Fit for Heroes', 'The Wooden Overcoats', 'Steptoe a la Carte', 'Sunday for Seven Days', 'The Bond That Binds Us', 'The Lodger'). Series 6's Come Dancing's been mentioned a few times. What's brilliant about that episode is how much it manages to pack in in such a short time. The first section is brilliantly written, where it transpires that Harold's existential frustrations have been triggered by his dancing skills not being up to the standards of the woman he so desires. There's enough classic, poignant and funny material here to fill an episode, and that's before the comedy of the father and son dancing practice has even started. Great stuff.

Otherwise, anything from the first 4 series is enough to shut me up.

The lion and the calf shall lie down together, but the calf won't get much sleep.

reply

[–] Roy_Batty_Nexus6 16 years ago

Yep, that has to be the one for me. Cracked me up when they were arguing about what they both wanted to watch on the telly! :o)))

''All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

.... Time to die''.

reply

[–] borazically 17 years ago

My top five are:

Tea for Two
Loathe Story
The Siege of Steptoe Street
A Winter's Tale
Divided We Stand

reply

[–] SomeKindOfGoddardLover 17 years ago

i like the ones with yootha in pretty hilare....
box in town
the bathhh
o and the piano too

=]
ihavepower

reply

[–] kev-dowling180 16 years ago

Steptoe and Son was a superb sitcom.

My favourites are -

Men of letters

Porn Yesterday

Upstairs Downstairs

And so to Bed

A Star is Born

I have to say that i am old enough to remember the colour episodes but not the black and whites. I have started collecting the earlier stuff on DVD so a few of the older ones may soon make their way onto the list.

reply

[–] SomeKindOfGoddardLover 16 years ago

Cool!

Love&&Laugh-Thats It

reply

[–] megatosspot 16 years ago

Loathe Story has Joanna Lumley, and Harold trying to say Jerez.

reply

[–] d-simm470 16 years ago

O What a Beautiful Mourning hey but they all rock love all gems

reply

[–] ColinBaker 16 years ago

I love the episode Oh What a Beautiful Mourning, which is about the funeral of Albert's brother George. The whole family is shown to be grasping lunatics, or worse. At one point, Harold fancies his chances with a fairly young, pretty cousin, until Albert tactlessly mentions that because of the girl's mother's behaviour, she could be Harold's half sister!

The funniest moment was the post funeral race between two hearses, after which the frustrated family return to the house to discover the deceased had arranged for the house to be stripped bare while the funeral was taking place, but Harold and Albert had the last laugh.

This episode is sprinkled with gold dust with brilliant guest performances from Mollie Sugden, George A Cooper, Tommy Godfrey and Rita Webb.

reply

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] petersam-1 16 years ago

In no particular order:

Divided We Stand,
Upstairs Downstairs,
Desperate Hours,
T.B. Or Not T.B.
Come Dancing,
Any Old Iron?
Robbery With Violence,
Live Now P.A.Y.E. later,
Men Of Letters,
Oh, What A Beautiful Mourning,
Porn Yesterday.

How many favourites can I pick?

reply

[–] diamondfire 16 years ago

My favourite episode is And So To Bed.

Other faves are Upstairs Downstairs, Back In Fashion, Men Of Letters, A Star Is Born, Porn Yesterday and I just saw Live Now P.A.Y.E. Later & Divided We Stand for the first time today and loved them!

The thing I loved about Oh, What A Beautiful Mourning, was that the greedy family got their just desserts in the end. I first saw it after a few people in my family were fighting over a will, and I thought it was just hilarious!! It made me LMAO during that horrible time.

"It's like feeding time down at vulture house!"

What are you looking at, you infantile stupid? That's right,damn you and such

reply

[–] Future_Games 11 years ago

Oh, What a Beautiful Mourning is my favourite episode.

ROCK STARS HAVE KIDNAPPED MY SON

reply

[–] marktayloruk 9 years ago

Men of Letters -followed by Oh What a Beautiful Mourning

reply

[–] TwentyPence 9 years ago

The end of The Seven Steptoerai is ridiculously funny.

reply

[–] barrywilliams-78840 8 years ago

Favourite episodes? Now that's tough as so many to choose from. My top 3 are probably:
And so to bed
Pot black
Upstairs downstairs
I really believe that I have a moment I love in nearly every episode though?

reply