time for a quick one
Belated HNY and all that malarkey.
Strikes. Inflation. Cost of living crisis. War. NHS despair. Brexit. Covid. Political turmoil. Crypto collapse. Global warming. Pele pegging it. Truth be told, I’ve found myself putting-off writing my first post of the new year as I just haven’t found a subject that would help alleviate the depressed, anxious feeling most of us are probably experiencing. That was until this weekend as ‘Early Doors’ is back.
“No matter what they take from me, they can’t take away my dignity” sings Ken Dixon, fictional landlord of The Grapes as he plunges the toilet brush into a nightmare of a thousand loose movements. The comic timing is worthy of Basil Fawlty, Captain Mainwaring, Alan Partridge, Del Boy, Tony Hancock and, of course, Jim Royle. Set entirely within the confines of a rough and ready, pre-smoking-ban era Stockport pub, and focussed exclusively on the aforementioned ‘early doors’ regulars, this warm and perceptive micky-taking northern comedy ultimately, and deservedly, became a cult classic. Every line is gold.
After a run of only two series and twelve short episodes, the same number as Fawlty Towers, the characters, much to the chagrin of the early-adopters, were retired and banished from the fug of the saloon bar. No longer was television blessed with the rhythm of witty wisecracks, brutal one-liners and sharp put-downs. The cast did however make a surprising return in the guise of a somewhat strange stage musical, which I was lucky enough to catch at the Hammersmith Odeon on its sell-out tour of the UK. Bit strange nonetheless.
At a time when striking workers are again increasingly viewed as ‘the enemy within’ the rerunning of Early Doors appears prescient. Many of those taking lawful industrial action are fighting not only for increased wages but to protect their working conditions and enhance safety for all. Confident unions are a crucial element of a supportive, democratic society and the making of rational, compelling cases for industrial action should be welcomed. In crisis-riven 2023, a working-class comedy can indeed provide more than light relief and act as a valuable counterpoint to the Tory’s belief that a new dynamic national mindset is the only solution. Viewed from the bar where a pint cost a mere £1.54, the programme created a comedic and satirical anti-aspiration counterculture where life was played for laughs and pranks.
Catch it on BBC4, Saturday nights at 10.55pm or on iPlayer at a more hospitable time. Go on, treat yourself.
