The essential episodes of Are You Being Served?
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Are You Being Served? — each pick states its reason.
- 01
A reorganization within the store forces the staff of the gentlemen's ready-to-wear department to share their floor space with the Ladies' Department. Mrs. Slocombe, head of the Ladies, and Mr. Grainger, head of the Gents, immediately come to loggerheads over control of the center floor display. Mr. Grainger refuses to take down his trousers and put Mrs. Slocombe's underwear in its place. Undaunted, she goes over his head to Captain Peacock, and then to Mr. Rumbold.
- 02
Sales are falling once again and so Mr. Rumbold calls together a "think tank", a suggestion he "borrowed" from Captain Peacock. The staff decide that a fashion show would be the answer, but when Young Mr. Grace won't cough up the dough to hire proper models, the staff are forced to put on the show themselves.
- 03
There's trouble afoot at Grace Brothers! Someone's been lifting Mrs. Slocombe's skirts and putting their hands in Mr. Grainger's drawers. Shoplifting has struck the store and Mr. Rumbold installs a store detective and a video surveillance system. It goes off track for awhile, as Mr. Rumbold turns into a voyeur and the staff act like they're on television. Ultimately, the staff decide to do in the scheme and prey on Mr. Rumbolds hypochondria to accomplish it.
- 04
Grace Brothers hosts a week long sales event by selling only German goods. The staff, however, find that the German customers they are getting only want British goods. Captain Peacock objects to the "uniform" he's expected to wear and Mrs. Slocombe gets into the German wines.
- 05
When Mr. Grace decides to open the store early, the staff set out to sabotage the new policy.
- 06
The staff have kittens when Mrs. Slocombe announces she's expecting a happy event, but it turns out that it's merely her cat that's pregnant; when she refuses to leave Tiddles unattended, she braves the ire of Captain Peacock by smuggling the cat into the ladies' fitting room.
- 07
When Mr. Grace announces that he plans on temporarily reorganizing the departments, the staff are indignant, but find that work can be a lot of fun...if you're working in the toy department.
- 08
To celebrate Mr. Grace's 80th birthday, the staff organize This is Your Department, a spoof of This is Your Life.
- 09
Young Mr. Grace returns from a trip to the U.S. with a host of new sales techniques that he is eager to implement.
- 10
The staff prevent another firm's hostile takeover of Grace Brothers by impersonating the shareholders. Mr. Harman gives a rousing speech, and Grace Brothers is saved.
- 11
Young Mr. Grace invites his workers to form a social club - in a dismal cellar badly in need of decoration. Undeterred, the staff tackle the paint and paper job with vigor.
- 12
Sales figures are down; profits are low. Young Mr. Grace is forced to make some economies. The threat of redundancies is looming. Someone is going to have to go - but who is it to be?
- 13
By permission of Mr. Grace, Mrs. Slocombe moves into a display apartment in Grace Brothers, because her new home is occupied by squatters. Due to a transport strike, Mr. Humphries seeks to join her in her new accommodations.
- 14
When the staff of the Ladies' and Gents' departments don't participate in a strike, relations between them and the rest of the store's employees become understandibly bitter. In order to improve the mood, the staff presents a life-size Punch and Judy show for the other employees' children.
- 15
This episode we find Mr. Spooner is about to be discovered by a record company. One problem is that his voice keeps giving out. Mr. Humphries gives him a tonic and he recoveres for a little while. While auditioning on tv with Grace Brothers Staff, his voice gives out.
Shows like Are You Being Served?
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
- 01Comedy·Drama·CrimeThe essential episodes of Fargo2014·FX
Fargo is a seasonal anthology crime drama with some dark comical elements, inspired by the film Fargo written by the Coen brothers. - 02ComedyThe essential episodes of The Big Bang Theory2007–2019·CBS
The Big Bang Theory is a comedy about brilliant physicists, Leonard and Sheldon, who are the kind of "beautiful minds" that understand how the universe works. - 03Comedy·FamilyThe essential episodes of The Simpsons1989–present·FOX
The Simpsons is the longest running scripted show in US television history. - 04Comedy·FamilyThe essential episodes of Family Guy1999–present·FOXFamily Guy follows Peter Griffin the endearingly ignorant dad, and his hilariously offbeat family of middle-class New Englanders in Quahog, RI.
- 05ComedyThe essential episodes of South Park1997–present·Comedy Central
South Park is an adult comedy animation show centred around 4 children in the small town of south park. - 06Comedy·FamilyThe essential episodes of American Dad!2005–present·FOXIn American Dad!, Stan Smith leads the all-American family in this animated sitcom filled with wild and crazy extremes.
Keep going
Episodes, ratings, cast and the full series dossier.
ChartsBest episodesThe highest-rated hours of Are You Being Served?, ranked.
ChartsRatings graphEvery rated episode of Are You Being Served? on one chart.
StreamWhere to watchEvery service carrying Are You Being Served?, region by region.