DAD'S ARMY, A SERIOUSLY FUNNY TV SHOW

We've been fortunate so far here in North America. Up until now, we've had no devastating con tenant-wide conflicts. Europe, Africa and Asia have had horrific wars in the past hundred years while we rested safely in our isolation across the ocean. Though nuclear missiles were aimed at our major cities, none were fired during the Cold War.

Perhaps this is why I find Dad's Army to be such a hilarious television program.  Airing in the U.K. between 1968 and 1977, this comedy showed what life was like for the Home Guard during the second world war.

To me, far too many movies and TV shows have focused on the soldiers at the front. Seeing, even in a comic form, what other forces were doing during the war adds depth to a person's understanding of those times.

The Home Guard were a force of volunteers in Britain who were ineligible to fight but who wanted to defend their homeland. from German invasion. Check out the link to learn more about these individuals and how their group formed.

Much of the TV show's plots were based around real life events, though the town of Warmington-on-Sea was fictitious. The volunteers often had personal clashes due to class and regional differences. Adding to the hilarity, one member's mum made outrageous demands for her boy to the self-appointed captain of the platoon. The vicar and verger of the church hall also complicated matters with their objections to the training going on in their sacred space.

I highly recommend this TV show to fans of British comedy. The characters are engaging and the double entendre puns are clever. Check online or at your local video store for this excellent series.

Make sure as well that you buy the correct version for your region as some DVDs only play on PCs and region 2 players.

I can't think of a good segue from that subject to my memoirs so please save me from a bad headache by visiting Bruce Atchison's books, Amazon, , and Powell's Books.