User Reviews

Harold is dating the very sexy Marcia Wigley ( Lynn Farleigh ), who describes both herself and her husband as 'swingers', even though he cannot do much swinging as he is currently in jail. They both want to go up to Harold's room, but Albert is making a racket by mending old shoes.

Finally, believing the old man to be asleep, they both creep upstairs. Harold's lust is dampened as Marcia screams on catching sight of a bed-bug. After she flees the house, Harold resolves to get a new bed...

I doubt whether a plot like this would have been used in the original series - well, at least, Harold's true intention for the bed would not have been so graphically depicted. I recall on 'Points Of View' viewers complaining about what they perceived to be a 'coarsening' of the series' humour, when all that had happened was that it had moved with the times.

Great bed shop scene, with Harold trying to impress the camp salesman ( Angus Mackay ) by using French, anticipating 'Del Boy Trotter' of 'Only Fools & Horses' by a few years. As soon as Harold and Albert walk in, the salesman tells them: "The betting shop's next door!". When the old man goes to light a Turkish fag, he almost chokes. Then he leaves horse dung on one of the beds.

Water beds were fashionable around that time, though only for the well-off. Albert's initial contempt turns to admiration. "You needn't worry about bed bugs...it'll drown the little bleeders!".

Lynn Farleigh is very good as the willing 'Marcia'. She is still acting I believe. Good for her.

Funniest moment - Harold and Marcia sweeping romantically into each other's arms, falling onto the water bed, which then bursts open! A classic Steptoe moment.

Second funniest moment - Blink and you will miss it but, over the end credits, Harold - looking like Jack Nicholson's axe man from 'The Shining' - can be seen trying to break down the door to Albert's room while the old man cowers in terror under the mattress! We can but wonder what happened next...