‘THE CHARITY SHOP’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

This is another one of my favourite ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ episodes from Series 1. In this episode, Hyacinth and Elizabeth go off as volunteers to help out at a charity shop. Not sure what the charity shop’s called since it doesn’t have a name. It’s simply called ‘the charity shop’ by Hyacinth. 😐

But Hyacinth’s plans are ruined when Daisy phones her. Apparently, Daddy has a woman in his bedroom and she says she’s his fiancée. Upset by this news, Hyacinth goes on a detour to find out what’s going on, though she prevents Liz seeing what the house Onslow and Daisy lives in looks like.

I found it funny when Hyacinth tried to make out to Liz that one of the posh houses they pass by is Onslow and Daisy’s. She soon goes off by herself and climbs over the back wall to get to Onslow and Daisy’s real house. The couple inside the house are shocked to see Hyacinth climbing over their wall.

It was equally funny when Hyacinth climbed back over from the back wall and returned to Liz’s car. The couple inside the house see Hyacinth return back over their wall and try to stop her getting away. But clearly they’re way too slow once Hyacinth’s back in Liz’s car and they drive off in the end.

With the woman who is supposedly engaged to Daddy, it was funny when she had her own catchphrases in the episode: “He offered me marriage!” and “I’ve got witnesses!” Hyacinth, Daisy and Onslow try to persuade the old woman to leave the house, but she’s keen to stay and live there.

This episode features the debut appearance of Charmian May as Mrs. Councillor Nugent. I’ve seen Charmian May before as Mrs. Weaver in ‘The Good Life’. Mrs. Councillor Nugent is a pretty strict and firm woman who runs the charity shop when Hyacinth and Liz get to meet her during the episode. 😐

The episode also features guest star Norman Lovett as Mr. Duxbury, the old woman’s son. Norman Lovett is well-known for playing the ship computer Holly in the sci-fi sitcom series called ‘Red Dwarf’. I’ve also heard Norman Lovett in one of the episodes of the ‘Soldiers of Love’ series called ‘Genesis’.

Incidentally, the old woman, Daddy’s fiancée, is played by Gretchen Franklin. I like how the episode ended and how Hyacinth and the others got Daddy out of a terrible marriage. Rose is partly the reason why Mr. Duxbury ‘commanded’ his mother to leave Daddy once she got her ‘undies’ back. 😀

‘The Charity Shop’ rating – 9/10