Are You Being Served?/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Non Sequitur Scene: In the 1978 special. The store is celebrating Mr. Grace's birthday; the staff have rehearsed an extended musical number to perform as entertainment. At the last minute, they have to perform something else, so they break into an impromptu version of "Steppin' Out". Okay. Suddenly, Mr. Grace appears, holding a puppet body under his neck, singing a song about "bread and drippin'" which contains only a couple of intelligible words in it. This weird little ditty doesn't fit with the other music at all, and turns Mr. Grace from guest of honor to entertainment with no explanation. Then, the staff segue into "Happy Birthday to You" as if nothing had happened.
  • Cargo Ship: Mr. Mash's somewhat disturbing attitude towards the female mannequins.
  • Germans Love David Hasselhoff: Although the show was popular enough in Britain, it is well known as one of the most unexpectedly successful transatlantic transplants, being very popular in the US thanks to years of reruns on PBS.
    • And in the State of New South Wales in Australia (The ONLY state!) because until quite recently, the biggest department store retailer in that state was called, you guessed it, Grace Brothers.
  • Hilarious in Hindsight: Captain Peacock has the same backstory (pompous military veteran who makes much of his war experiences, which turn out to be largely made up) as Foggy Dewhirst from Last of the Summer Wine; Captain Peacock's actor Frank Thornton would go on to play Truly, a Suspiciously Similar Substitute to Foggy.