Fairly Secret Army

1984

Seasons & Episodes

  • 2
  • 1
7.3| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 22 October 1984 Ended
Producted By: Video Arts
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Fairly Secret Army is a British sitcom which ran to thirteen episodes over two series between 1984 and 1986. Though not a direct spin-off from The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, the lead character, Major Harry Truscott, was very similar to Geoffrey Palmer's character of Jimmy in that series, and the scripts were written by Reginald Perrin's creator and writer David Nobbs. Harry Kitchener Wellington Truscott is an inept and slightly barmy ex-army man intent on training a group of highly unlikely people into a secret paramilitary organisation. This idea first emerged in an episode of Perrin when Jimmy confided the plan to Reggie and was based on persistent though unsubstantiated rumours in the 1970s press that right wing generals were secretly planning a coup to rescue Britain from union militancy. The character's name was changed due to Fairly Secret Army being broadcast on Channel 4, and the television rights to The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and its characters being held by the BBC. The first series was script edited by John Cleese, whose training films company was responsible for the series. The series did not have a laughter track. Nobbs only started work on the show when he turned down an offer to write a spin-off sitcom for Manuel of Fawlty Towers.

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Reviews

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.
Orla Zuniga It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review
Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.
mail-3541 Inspired by the 1977 BBC drama 'Secret Army' David Nobb's brilliant Channel 4 comedy series - itself a character spin off from the much lauded Reggie Perrin - set Geoffrey Palmer as Harry Kitchener Wellington Truscott an ex officer of the Queen's Own West Mercian Lowlanders who for some reason refuses to believe that the war is over and is intent on rallying a motley band of clandestine troops to keep the country from falling into the hands of 'lefties, Communists, rapists, Papists and Papist rapists' etc.Nobb's sparse scripting for Palmer's character (changed from Jimmy to Harry due to copyright reason as the BBC held the 'Perrin' series rights)is a joy to listen to. Some of Harry's mini Soliloquys verge on poetry and, delivered with that hang dog expression that is so Palmer, it's a joy to watch as well.This series is in dire need of resurrection or at least a DVD outing.
Scrivener3000 Although "Fairly Secret Army" never got much attention, it was a delightful little series starring Geoffrey Palmer, with a challenging premise for a teleplay-writer in these modern times: Make an obscure, far-right, wonderfully stuffy retired British army major into a lovable, and even sympathetic and huggable, fellow. He tries to form a tiny army dedicated to – something or other. It's never clear what. Certainly not the overthrow of the British government -- that's the very thing they oppose.The series, which only ran to about a dozen episodes, was a spin off from the much better-known "Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin," in which Palmer played Reggie's wonderfully stuffy and perpetually unprepared Army officer brother-in-law, Jimmy (Major James Gordonstoun Anderson). ("Would you have any food, Reggie? Been rather a cockup on the catering front.") Palmer's Major Harry Kitchener Wellington Truscott – different name but obviously an extension of the same character -- tries to raise a small and fairly secret army, but has to settle for one adoring upper-class lady, a popinjay sergeant and his wife, and a half-witted corporal (Richard Ridings). The secret army is soon recruited by a shadowy man from government to infiltrate a revolutionary cell that seems to be as lethal as it is secretive. Good stuff.

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