‘A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
I’m not so keen on this ‘Brittas Empire’ episode from Series 6. Perhaps it’s because there are plot and comedic elements that didn’t follow all the way through. Also, there is a sense of a mean spiritedness about this episode. This involves some of the characters that can be quite nasty here. 😐
In this episode, Gordon does recordings of a series of walks in Whitbury Newtown whilst Tim eagerly joins a meditation course to fight stress. I think Tim is ‘way too happy’ when it comes to handling stress. It annoys Gavin who attempts to take things seriously in his managerial role compared to Tim.
Oh and do you know what Tim’s biggest fear is? Anorak-phobia! No, not arachnophobia as that would normally be understandable. I mean ‘anorak-phobia’. Tim is scared of people in anoraks, thinking of the grim reaper. I know this story gave Russell Porter some comedic acting, but come on!!!
You, Tim, put us ‘Tims’ to shame! 😀 Gordon also misguidedly places a ‘right of passage’ policy when a public footpath seems to be going through the leisure centre itself. It put me in mind of an ‘Ever Decreasing Circles’ episode with a similar plot, although that story is better compared to this here. 🙂
Colin also provides samples of killer disease to Carole for her son Ben to have, since she’s decided to give him chickenpox early. The…thought occurs to me that Carole’s a really awful parent. 😀 Also, who keeps killer disease samples like ‘foot and mouth’ and ‘anthrax’ like Colin does. It’s pretty insane!
Got a vaccine for Covid-19, Colin?! 😀 Drat! I made this review dated too! >:( Gordon also manages to infuriate (not surprised by this) a legitimate ‘face in the crowd’ man – played by George Sweeney. I don’t think Brittas should’ve set up that ‘face in the crowd’ competition if he’s going to be unfair. 😐
It also turns out that the course instructor, Philip Fox as Harry Johnson, married Helen many years before she’d married Gordon. I wish this had been explored more and it didn’t end up with Harry getting killed off. No, seriously, Harry gets killed off! Helen’s upset but Gordon does not react to that.
Well, I mean… he does react but not in the way you think. Gordon’s more concerned about Harry being the competition winner instead of the ‘face in the crowd’ man rather than Helen having another hubby. I also didn’t like Penny encouraging Helen to leave Gordon for Harry instead in this. 🙁
‘A Walk on the Wild Side’ rating – 4/10
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Hi Tim,
I have to admit that I enjoyed this episode more than you did, although I can understand your criticisms. And I know you won’t agree with me on this, but I found ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’ to be better than ‘Not a Good Day’ and ‘The Boss’.
Whilst it did get mean-spirited towards the end, I found it funny the lengths that the man went to, in order to prove he wasn’t lying. I recognised George Sweeney, having seen him in ‘Citizen Smith’ with Tony Millan and Tony Steadman. As for Carole being a bad mother, I think that was obvious since series 3 at least. I’m also interested that you didn’t mention the scene where Gordon accidentally let a baby in their stroller roll down a hill. It was partially the parents fault for leaving it unattended.
Xavier
Hi Xavier,
Okay, that’s interesting. I half-expected you to have the same opinion as me about this ‘Brittas Empire’ episode, but I’m glad you enjoyed it. That’s fine if you enjoyed this episode one more than ‘Not a Good Day’ and ‘The Boss’.
Ah, I’ve not seen ‘Citizen Smith’ yet. I’m glad you were able to recognise George Sweeney from that film in this eposode. Yeah, fair enough about Carole being a bad mother from Series 3 onwards. 😆 I suppose I could have mentioned Gordon letting a baby in a stroller roll down a hill at the episode’s beginning, but at the time I reviewed the episode in 2020, it wasn’t an important thing for me to mention and it’s like a one-off opening joke in the episode. I suppose both Gordon and the parents are to blame for letting the stroller run away like that. 😆
Many thanks for your comments.
Tim 🙂
Hi Tim,
‘Citizen Smith’ is a television sitcom that aired on the BBC from 1977-1980, as opposed to a movie.
Xavier
Hi Xavier,
Oh, sorry. As soon as I saw ‘Citizen Smith’, I initially thought it was a film, much like ‘Citizen Kane’ is a film. 😀 Should have checked first. My mistake.
Many thanks for clarifying.
Tim 🙂