‘MONSOON MADNESS’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

This is a good and enjoyably funny episode to open Series 4 of ‘It Ain’t Half Hot Mum’. In the episode, it’s the monsoon season. The Sgt-Major makes the Concert Party perform fatigues to be ready for the arrival of the monsoon. This includes taking their salt tablets to stave off any madness.

Particularly, ‘monsoon madness’. It was very funny to see the Concert Party taking their salt tablets first before drinking from their cups. Incidentally, those salt tablets look huge, don’t they? I would have expected tablets to be smaller than that. They must contain a lot of salt in them to be very big.

It was funny when the Sgt-Major tried to proof to the Concert Party that he could take six salt tablets. Once he dismisses the Concert Party and leaves, off-screen; he’s heard vomiting, which was funny to hear. Even the Concert Party found it hilarious. It makes the scene more enjoyable to watch.

Later in the episode, Lofty is accidentally left in a ditch, exposed to the elements. It was funny to see his pith helmet exposed at the top of the ditch when left there. As a result of being left behind, Lofty catches the monsoon madness and he goes mad. He tries to kill the Sgt-Major, stating he hates him.

It’s so surreal to see Lofty, who at this point, had been a benign little fella, becoming angry, vengeful and seemingly murderous to the Sgt-Major. Mind you, the Sgt-Major had been picking on him a lot in the series. The rest of the Concert Party must find ways to keep Lofty restrained in the episode. 😐

Thankfully, they manage to stop the Sgt-Major falling into a trap created by Lofty in the sand. When they bring Lofty into the officers’ office, it’s clear that Lofty has gone mad when he starts singing. Lofty is taken to the hospital and Parkin has to take his place on stage, performing very badly indeed.

Lofty however manages to escape the hospital and he’s seen to about to hit the Sgt-Major with a huge mallet (I believe). Thankfully, when the monsoon starts at the opportune moment, Lofty returns to normal, wondering why Parkin has taken over from him. That’s rather bizarre to see here.

One moment Lofty was vengeful and about to kill the Sgt-Major. Next, when the monsoon starts, Lofty is back to himself and has no idea of what he’s been doing. It’s like amnesia suddenly took over in an instant. Couldn’t exposure to rainwater do that? The Sgt-Major is also surprised to see Lofty. 😐

‘Monsoon Madness’ rating – 8/10