Are You Being Served?

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Other mistake: The gender of Mrs Slocombe's cat is always different in each episode. Sometimes her cat is a female and other times it is a male. (eg. In 'Mrs Slocombe Expects', her cat is female. In 'No Sale', when Mrs. Slocombe complains about her having to get up to have a bath at 6:00 in the morning, she says, "The gurgling of the tank woke him up.").

Show generally

Other mistake: There is another counter on the floor, to the right of the stairs, that is usually staffed by two women besides Ms. Brahms and Mrs. Slocombe. But throughout the show when there is a on-floor meeting for the entire floor staff, these two are never included in the discussions.

Are You Being Served? - S1-E1

Other mistake: Pilot episode Mr. Lucas is holding the mannequin together with Miss Brahms. Mr. Grainger walks by and is appalled by the state of undress of the figure and says "Well, it's hardly sufficient, is it?" You can see the camera getting randomly out of focus in a bad, noticeable way. (00:03:20)

Sammo

Are You Being Served? - S1-E1

Other mistake: When Mrs. Brahms is talking to Mr. Granger, Wendy Richards' voice cracks stifling laughter when she says "Mrs. Slocombe didn't like to take down your trousers without asking you first." (00:18:00)

Sammo

Camping In - S1-E4

Other mistake: The episode takes place on March 2nd, 1973 (date of the newspaper shown by Mr. Mash), but in Mr. Rumbold's office the sale chart for the month of March is already fully filled up.

Sammo

Cold Comfort - S2-E2

Other mistake: At the very beginning you can see a girl in the background with long hair, pausing to speak and gesture to someone off stage, before she removes the sheet draped over the counter.

By Appointment - S6-E1

Other mistake: After Mr. Tebbs finishes telling his story about selling seven toilets in one day, Mr. Lucas makes a wisecrack and Mr. Humphries says "I think it's the way Mr. Tebb [instead of 'Tebbs'] tells it."

Are You Being Served? mistake picture

Goodbye Mrs. Slocombe - S10-E1

Other mistake: When Mr. Humphries first comes back to the department in drag and talks to Capt. Peacock before being directed to the Ladies Dept., you can see, in the background, Mr. Spooner trying desperately (and unsuccessfully) not to laugh.

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Mr. Humphries: I'm free!

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Roots? - S8-E8

Question: Does anyone know why Wendy Richard (Ms. Brahms) is the only one not wearing blackface for the musical number at the end of the episode?

Answer: In minstrel shows there was also a stereotype of black men preying on white women, so that's probably why she was not in black face. Also, Mrs. Slocombe is in blackface because she is an older, stout woman and she fits the "mammy" stereotype.

Answer: In Britain, there was the show Black and White Minstrels which was very popular until the late 70s. The men were all blacked up, but the women weren't - hence Black and White Minstrels. It's been a while since I saw the episode to know if Mrs Slocombe was blacked up as well, but technically she shouldn't have been.

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