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Ripping Yarns
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A British television comedy series, written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. Following an initial pilot episode in January 1976, it ran for two subsequent series of five and three episodes in October 1977 and October 1979 respectively. Each episode had a different setting and characters, looking at a different aspect of British culture and parodying pre-World War II literature aimed at schoolboys.
Highest-rated episodes all ranked
- 01
Tomkinson's SchooldaysSet in the frontier days of British education, when upper lips were stiff with cold and corporal punishment was an A-level. A savage, searing indictment of something or other.
Cast
Episodes by season
Season01
- S01E01
Tomkinson's SchooldaysJanuary 7, 1976Set in the frontier days of British education, when upper lips were stiff with cold and corporal punishment was an A-level. A savage, searin - S01E02
The Testing of Eric OlthwaiteSeptember 27, 1977—A boy becomes a man in the harsh world of the Depression. The rough, tough story of folk who couldn't afford to go on the Jarrow March. - S01E03
Escape From Stalag Luft 112BOctober 4, 1977—A tale of courage and valour behind the lines in the Kaiser's Germany. An inspiring story of camp life and a British officer who wouldn't li - S01E04
Murder at Moorstones ManorOctober 11, 1977—Hugo and Dora drive down to see Mumsie and Dadsie-pie for a long weekend in the country. But their tophole weekend turns out to be longer th - S01E05
Across the Andes by FrogOctober 18, 1977—The epic story of one man and six frogs who tried to defy the world in the greatest gamble of all. - S01E06
The Curse of the ClawOctober 25, 1977—The terrifying story of a man who dabbled in the dark mysteries of the Orient, and lived to tell the tale. Or did he?
Season02
- S02E01
Whinfrey's Last CaseOctober 10, 1979—Dashing, debonair Gerald Whinfrey saves his country twice a week. But in 1913 a German plot - to start the First World War without telling a - S02E02
Golden GordonOctober 17, 1979—A rare look at football fanaticism in the 1930s. Superfan Gordon Ottershaw supports a team which has not won a match for six years. But wors - S02E03
Roger of the RajOctober 24, 1979—Pubescent Roger Bartlesham comes of age in the turbulent India of 60 years ago, when circumstances beyond his control drive him towards the
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GenreBest comedy shows & filmsThe top of the comedy pile, across both mediums.






