With Reggie's vision of a perfect world in tatters, he says goodbye to his friends. The house is put up for sale, and he and Elisabeth move back to the suburbs. Receiving a letter requesting an interview with Mr.Fennel ( John Quayle ) of Amalgamated Aerosols, Reggie thinks his luck has changed for the better. But, when he arrives, Fennel mistakes him for someone French. He is shown into the office of F.J., the firm's managing director. F.J. is the brother of C.J. Not only do they look alike, but share the same taste in farting chairs. F.J. hires Reggie.
Reggie is given a drab, comfortless office, and a pretty but humourless secretary named Iris Hoddle ( Linda Cunningham ). On his first day, Reggie asks what his job is. The door behind him opens and who should pop his head out but C.J.? Worse is to come. C.J. has two 'yes' men in the shape of Musgrave and Rosewall, one of whom says 'marvellous' at every opportunity, while the other says 'terrific'!
The final episode of a series that had become more 'fall' than 'rise', this is nevertheless a superb conclusion, putting Reggie more or less back where we found him. The concept of Reggie working for a deodorant company would be revived in 2009 for the Martin Clunes remake.
Funniest moment - Reggie is travelling by train to a 'smelling', his new firm's idea of a 'tasting'. Sniffing his right armpit, he says to fellow commuters: "Mustn't arrive at the smelling smelling!". No-one laughs.
In the final scene, Reggie asks Iris if she can find the times of trains to the Dorset coast. Throughout, we see clips from the title sequence of Reggie running along the beach, stripping off his clothes. He puts the phone down, and crosses his arms, a smug smile on his face. The screen goes black. The titles roll. The series was over.
But not quite. In 1982, B.B.C.-1 put out a Boxing Day comedy special entitled 'The Funny Side Of Christmas'. Hosted by Frank Muir, it was in effect a revival of the old 'Christmas Night With The Stars' format, only without the music. Alongside 'Only Fools & Horses' and 'Sorry!', viewers were treated to the first new 'Perrin' in five years. Reggie and Elisabeth are looking forward to Christmas with just each other for company, but the doorbell rings and some of the old gang - Tony, David, Jimmy and C.J. - turn up uninvited. A smiling Leonard Rossiter, dressed as 'Santa Claus', was on the cover of 'T.V. Weekly', a short-lived television listings magazine.
Any hope that this short sketch might lead to a new series was cruelly dashed two years later when Leonard Rossiter died of a heart attack, while appearing in a stage production of Joe Orton's 'Loot'.
In 1996, the surviving cast members were reunited for 'The Legacy Of Reginald Perrin'. It was great to see them together again, but without Rossiter, it was never going to be quite the same. Probably the best thing about it was the return of Tim Preece to the role of 'Tom'. The gravestone in the opening titles contained the following dedication: Here Lies Reginald Iolanthe Perrin - Forever Revolting!
As mentioned before, the show was revived earlier this year as 'Reggie Perrin'. The first two episodes were good, but it went downhill from there. It took them ages to get to Reggie's faked parsnips ( sorry, suicide ), something the original did quicker and far better. There's only one Perrin, and that's Rossiter. I didn't get where I am today by not knowing that.
Reggie is given a drab, comfortless office, and a pretty but humourless secretary named Iris Hoddle ( Linda Cunningham ). On his first day, Reggie asks what his job is. The door behind him opens and who should pop his head out but C.J.? Worse is to come. C.J. has two 'yes' men in the shape of Musgrave and Rosewall, one of whom says 'marvellous' at every opportunity, while the other says 'terrific'!
The final episode of a series that had become more 'fall' than 'rise', this is nevertheless a superb conclusion, putting Reggie more or less back where we found him. The concept of Reggie working for a deodorant company would be revived in 2009 for the Martin Clunes remake.
Funniest moment - Reggie is travelling by train to a 'smelling', his new firm's idea of a 'tasting'. Sniffing his right armpit, he says to fellow commuters: "Mustn't arrive at the smelling smelling!". No-one laughs.
In the final scene, Reggie asks Iris if she can find the times of trains to the Dorset coast. Throughout, we see clips from the title sequence of Reggie running along the beach, stripping off his clothes. He puts the phone down, and crosses his arms, a smug smile on his face. The screen goes black. The titles roll. The series was over.
But not quite. In 1982, B.B.C.-1 put out a Boxing Day comedy special entitled 'The Funny Side Of Christmas'. Hosted by Frank Muir, it was in effect a revival of the old 'Christmas Night With The Stars' format, only without the music. Alongside 'Only Fools & Horses' and 'Sorry!', viewers were treated to the first new 'Perrin' in five years. Reggie and Elisabeth are looking forward to Christmas with just each other for company, but the doorbell rings and some of the old gang - Tony, David, Jimmy and C.J. - turn up uninvited. A smiling Leonard Rossiter, dressed as 'Santa Claus', was on the cover of 'T.V. Weekly', a short-lived television listings magazine.
Any hope that this short sketch might lead to a new series was cruelly dashed two years later when Leonard Rossiter died of a heart attack, while appearing in a stage production of Joe Orton's 'Loot'.
In 1996, the surviving cast members were reunited for 'The Legacy Of Reginald Perrin'. It was great to see them together again, but without Rossiter, it was never going to be quite the same. Probably the best thing about it was the return of Tim Preece to the role of 'Tom'. The gravestone in the opening titles contained the following dedication: Here Lies Reginald Iolanthe Perrin - Forever Revolting!
As mentioned before, the show was revived earlier this year as 'Reggie Perrin'. The first two episodes were good, but it went downhill from there. It took them ages to get to Reggie's faked parsnips ( sorry, suicide ), something the original did quicker and far better. There's only one Perrin, and that's Rossiter. I didn't get where I am today by not knowing that.
