Steptoe And Son - Series 1 [1962]

Amazon.co.uk Review

Fresh from their success with Tony Hancock, writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson originally planned Steptoe and Son as a one-off for the BBC's Comedy Playhouse. It was quickly turned into a series, originally broadcast in 1962, and the six episodes here (including the Comedy Playhouse "pilot") contain all the classic ingredients that were to keep the show on British TV screens until 1974. Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell are the father and son rag and bone men, constantly bickering, constantly at each other's throats. Corbett's Harold harbours ridiculous bourgeois aspirations, hoping to impress the "birds" with asparagus soup or his wine cellar, which has been painstakingly collected by draining the dregs of empty bottles. But all his efforts at social improvement are in vain, thanks to the mean-spirited efforts of his father Albert, who glories in his son's contemptuous "dirty old man" tag, and who is content with life exactly as it is in the cast-off paradise of their ramshackle junk-filled boneyard.

The show was groundbreaking at the time, depicting working-class people in light comedy instead of serious social drama as was the norm. It also differed significantly from Hancock's Half Hour and other sitcoms, which featured comedians effectively playing themselves: Brambell and Corbett were real actors whose marvellous chemistry helped ensure the show's longevity. In our modern throwaway culture, Steptoe and Son provides a window into a bygone era, when men with horses and carts routinely patrolled the streets recycling junk, without the need for government incentives or environmental pressure.

On the DVD: Steptoe and Son, Series 1 has six episodes on one disc. The black and white picture shows its age quite badly, and the mono sound is equally fuzzy in places. There are no extras, which is a shame, as Galton and Simpson could surely have provided an illuminating commentary track. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews:

A strong contender for my favourite British sitcom ever.......2007-07-19

I am still not sure for certain what is my favourite ever British sitcom but this is a contender and definitely without any hesitation in my all time British sitcom top ten. Out of all my favourites, this is definitely one of the oldest and this first series is a long time before I was born but it's high standard and ability to make me laugh is so far ahead of any modern British sitcom that has been made in the last ten years at least.

I am suprised that the BBC don't repeat this much, they just can't fit it into their precious schedule plus they don't think that it will appeal to the younger generation like myself and so us younger people that really like this must be according to those in charge at the BBC, in a too small a minority but as always, the current trend of repeating cooking, quiz, karaoke, dancing, gardening, house buying, business running, DIY, antiques, car boot sale, learning type programmes etc. is absolutely not a problem at all, I might be exaggerating a little but it is certainly not far from the truth.

The positive is they have released every series of this on DVD and so I will finally get to see every episode properly. I say properly because whenever I have seen an episode when it has been repeated on the BBC, it has always been just the odd random episode about roughly twice a year if lucky, so like I said it is great that I can finally watch it properly and as many times as I like.

I just love the way that for most of each episode of this, it is all filmed in one tight space and it is just watching a father and son constantly moan, criticise and make sarcastic remarks to each other but it is more than that, it would be nothing special without the consistently magnificent writing by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson and masterful perfomances by Wilfrid Brambell as the manipulative and sometimes selfish father and Harry H. Corbett as the desperate to escape but at the same time happy to stay son. Although I find this extremely funny, I also find it dark at times but also believable and I do sometimes feel so sorry for Harold because Albert will sometimes for example, fake any illness or do whatever it takes to keep Harold with him or deliberately make him feel a little silly by showing him how something should be done but he has this very clever way of making me feel sorry for him too and this is like I have said, because of the masterful performances by both leads. if you take away all the arguing and indifferences between the pair, you know that they genuinely care for each other, it is a case of they can criticise each other but nobody else can.

one last thing, Harold doesn't call his dad a dirty old man for nothing, seriously, anybody who could have a bath, drop some pickled onions in, take them out and put them back in the jar (this is actually from the second series) is just one example why Albert is rightly called a dirty old man. I was going to mention my favourite episodes in this first series but I just can't do it, I truly like them all equally.

The lack of this very high standard of writing and acting is the reason why there is no modern British sitcom to match this and sadly in my lifetime probably never will be again. IN THE ABSOLUTE ELITE OF BRITISH SITCOMS.

black & white heaven.......2007-03-18

This is the first time we met Albert & Harold Steptoe. Life on Oil Drum Lane is hard and they don't have much money but they do have each other. Harold is still living at home with his father in his 30's, running the rag & bone business and looking after his father....they don't make comedy like this anymore.

The BEST!.......2007-01-12

Unfortunately Steptoe & Son doesn't seem to appeal to teenagers, but I am 17 and I must say that there's nothing more than I like on a Friday night then staying in and watching back-to-back episodes on a DVD.

I was delighted to see that every reviewer gave Steptoe & Son 5 stars. I was born into the age of technology with colour TV's and now widescreen TV's, surround sound etc. But I adore devouring the days of families huddled round a tiny black and white tv, and TV comedies such as Steptoe are such a rarity now. But an absolute English delight.

"HAROLD!"

dmannock.......2006-06-03

Greetings fellow Brits, I am ordering from Canada. I cannot get the NTSC version because there are none, so I have bought a region free DVD player and every so often I go over to a friends house and he & I, and a couple of others, sit and watch these Steptoe & Son series together. At the end of 31/2 hrs of continuous TV, we hurt from laughing so much! We are now on Series 3 and looking forward to 4 & 5. It may be that one or two of the episodes are not in crisp digitally pure form, but it is not the quality of the picture that draws people to these reissues, it is the memories of watching the series all those years ago on small B/W TVs, listening and watching the interaction between Father and Son in some small garrat. What surprised me is that after over 40 years, the humour and insight into the human condition is still there and is still relevant. While many other series have aged, the psychology of the Father and Son relationship in Steptoe & Son is still fresh and was captured so marvellously by the writers. There are no explosions, just sadness and humour as these two actors create what for me is one of the best pairings ever accomplished on TV anywhere. What is amazing is that the timing/cohesion between Harry H. Corbett and Wilfred Bramble is there from the very first pilot put out on the Comedy Play House included with the series 1 DVD. This would be just as funny with no picture at all! That is how well the series are written. The BBC obviously has a small budget for reissues of this kind. Few teenagers will want to watch this stuff and so the market is limited. All things considered, they are doing an amazing job of identifying what people want to see again and getting it out there. I have reissues on CD and DVD of things made before I was born (1958), which I first heard on rebroadcast and which I did not appreciate until I was in my 20s. What the BBC has done is to get the episodes out there for the generation that is still alive and remembers the originals. There is no point in waiting for the redigitized surround sound, holographic version, because by the time that is available I will be in the nursing home eating my mashed banana and having some young nurse change my diaper! I emplore you, buy this DVD and see for yourself. After a few minutes you will realize that the quality of the show is exactly as I have described it. Dr Dave

At last ! and what a treat it is .......2006-05-23

I got first acquainted `Steptoe and Son' when I was a young lad, farther would watch the videos and I would sit by, and also I would watch the repeats showed on the BBC. So I was very pleased when the Best of Steptoe 1 and! 2 were made available on DVD, until I realized that all the episodes on those two releases were basically just from the same series. What's the point in that! So I am relieved the BBC are finally doing something they should have done in the first place, releasing the show's DVD's seemingly one by one in series order.

Not used to the Black and white early episodes before this DVD I was very much intrigued, and pleasantly surprised. I was hooked from episode one `The Offer' I then watched the rest of the DVD straight through. What I got was just pure enjoyment and the feeling of respect bulging in my veins for writers `Galton and Simpson' comedy writers today should envy them and realize what genius is. Two men mainly in one room for 30 minutes, without flagging simply just rolling on with pure and fresh characterization, that's genius. Of course much credit lies with Corbet and Brambell who are impeccable, there's a lot of depth in the performances and I think that's something that could be overlooked. Yes it's a comedy of course, but it really is part tragedy and in this series it's more apparent than ever, Harold desperately trying to get away from he's current life, the sense of hopelessness when it always crumbles it really does tug at the heart strings. I was left feeling rather depressed at the end of some of the episodes, as it happens. A great opening series, slightly more vulnerable perhaps than future seasons. But the best possible start.

People who love Steptoe buy this DVD, people who want to indulge in a classic situation comedy, do please get involved. I thank you BBC for finally releasing it!

Customer Reviews:

FASHANU DOES IT AGAIN.......2007-05-06

Recently, JOHN FASHANU put in a thrilling performance as DJ FASH in the film "Johnny Was". However, it is clear from this fantastic product that the start who had already featured prominently as HIMSELF, THE FASHANU, in shows such as Football Challenge: FASHANU STRIKES, I'm A Celebrity: FASHANU STRIKES AGAIN and RI:SE:FA:SH:AN:U! would have a great future ahead of him. The pure FASHANU that appears in this programme is gritty, real and 100% MAN. In conclusion, I get a shiver of joy every time I hear the words FASHANU:ACTIVATED, reminding me of this epic workout regime.

dreary.......2004-05-16

Despite being a woman I thought I might benefit from this DVD but even after purchasing it in my local store at £2.99 I still want to return it.

Cutting a long story short, it's awful. If you have an hour to kill and do incredibly monotonous exercising then this may be for you. Personally, doing the house chores would get you more fit...the exercises on this DVD reminded me of when I did PE as a child at primary.

He struggles to keep in time with the music, has very little motivation skills, it drags on (particularily the warm ups) and I didn't even sweat doing this...and I'm pretty unfit just now!

Don't waste your money.

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