Dennis is courting Rose Tracey ( Catherine Kessler ), the girl he met at the dancing school in the previous episode. She takes him home to meet her parents ( played by Diana King and Bernard Kay ). Mr.Tracey does not take to Dennis at all, especially as he has no interest in cricket. Acting on a suggestion by Rose, Dennis gives him a present - a rare Jack Buchanan record. Mr.Tracey is thrilled. But, moments later, Dennis accidentally breaks the thing by sitting on it.
At Dennis' flat, he and Rose are enjoying a meal and a game of Ludo with Maureen and Frankie, when, who should turn up like the proverbial bad penny, but Dennis' father, sozzled as usual...
One of the most daunting aspects of courtship must be having meet your prospective partner's family, particularly the parents. As a matter of fact, Charles Kay's character is not far removed from my wife's father, both in terms of looks and character. Our first meeting in 1986 did not go particularly well. He was a big fan of Margaret Thatcher's, and when I insulted the Not-So-Iron Lady in his presence, I thought for a moment he was going to chuck me out or, worse, feed me to his goldfish. We had salad for tea and I was so nervous I failed to replace the top of the salad cream bottle correctly. Moments later, he shook it, and splattered his best shirt with the stuff. It was straight out of a '70's sitcom! Peter Bayliss makes a welcome return as 'Mr.Dunstable'. You really feel for Dennis here as his old man shows him up something rotten by lurching about and singing off-key bawdy songs. There is no real need for Frankie and Maureen to be in this, but I'm glad they are.
Funniest moment - to gain sympathy, Mr.Dunstable fakes a suicide attempt by flooding his house with gas from the stove. As a peace offering, Rose gives him cigarettes. Absent-mindedly, he lights one. Boom!
At Dennis' flat, he and Rose are enjoying a meal and a game of Ludo with Maureen and Frankie, when, who should turn up like the proverbial bad penny, but Dennis' father, sozzled as usual...
One of the most daunting aspects of courtship must be having meet your prospective partner's family, particularly the parents. As a matter of fact, Charles Kay's character is not far removed from my wife's father, both in terms of looks and character. Our first meeting in 1986 did not go particularly well. He was a big fan of Margaret Thatcher's, and when I insulted the Not-So-Iron Lady in his presence, I thought for a moment he was going to chuck me out or, worse, feed me to his goldfish. We had salad for tea and I was so nervous I failed to replace the top of the salad cream bottle correctly. Moments later, he shook it, and splattered his best shirt with the stuff. It was straight out of a '70's sitcom! Peter Bayliss makes a welcome return as 'Mr.Dunstable'. You really feel for Dennis here as his old man shows him up something rotten by lurching about and singing off-key bawdy songs. There is no real need for Frankie and Maureen to be in this, but I'm glad they are.
Funniest moment - to gain sympathy, Mr.Dunstable fakes a suicide attempt by flooding his house with gas from the stove. As a peace offering, Rose gives him cigarettes. Absent-mindedly, he lights one. Boom!