History Series / UpPompeii

* {{Catchphrase}}:

* IdenticalGrandson: At least two canonical examples -- Sir Lurkalot in ''Up the Chastity Belt'', and Mr. Lurk in ''Up the Front'' -- and an implied third, namely the museum curator in the present-day epilogue of the ''Up Pompeii'' film.

* TheOtherDarrin: The character of Senator Ludicrus Sextus was originally played by Max Adrian in the first series, then by Wallas Eaton in the second. There was no reason offered for the change; Adrian was a red-haired middle-aged man whilst Eaton played a grey-haired old man. A throw-away line was offered that the Senator had gone for a face-lift, but the lift broke down halfway through the procedure.

* ForegoneConclusion: With the ultimate fate of Pompeii being well-known to most people, and the increased budget afforded by being a theatrical film, there was really no way TheMovie was going to end in any way other than Pompeii's destruction, and consequently the death of most, if not all of the characters. Though they did at least add in a DistantFinale, with Frankie Howerd playing a museum curator, to hint at the extreme off-chance that Lurcio may have somehow escaped.
%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* SlaveGalley: In The Movie, Frankie has a HaveWeMet moment with another slave. He doesn't recognize the other guy at first, and the other guy only realizes when he sees the back of his head. He sat behind him in the galley, so that's all he saw of him for all those years, but he would recognize it ''anywhere'' after that.
* SubvertedRhymeEveryOccasion: Nausius's odes.
* TheOtherDarrin: The character of Senator Ludicrus Sextus was originally played by Max Adrian in the first series, then by Wallas Eaton in the second. There was no reason offered for the change; Adrian was a red-haired middle aged man whilst Eaton played a grey haired old man. A throw-away line was offered that the Senator had gone for a face-lift, but the lift broke down half way through the procedure.

The series got a film adaptation in 1971. The film was followed by two sequels, ''Film/UpTheChastityBelt'' and ''Up the Front'', which also starred Howerd and relocated the setting to Medieval England and World War I France respectively.

* AbsoluteCleavage: Every female costume in the show had a low neckline.

* KillEmAll: With the ultimate fate of Pompeii being well-known to most people, and the increased budget afforded by being a theatrical film, there was really no way TheMovie was going to end in any way other than Pompeii's destruction, and consequently the death of most, if not all of the characters. Though they did at least add in a DistantFinale, with Frankie Howerd playing a museum curator, to hint at the extreme off-chance that Lurcio may have somehow escaped.

* {{Fanservice}}: Basically, every female character wore a diaphonous gown with a low neckline.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Frankie Howerd would constantly upbraid the audience for the dirty spin they would put on supposedly perfectly innocent lines.

* KillEmAll: With the ultimate fate of Pompeii being well-known to most people, and the increased budget afforded by being a theatrical film, there was really no way TheMovie was going to end in any way other than Pompeii's destruction, and consequently the death of most, if not all of the characters. Though they did at least add in a DistantFinale with Frankie Howerd playing a museum curator to hint at the extreme off-chance that Lurcio may have somehow escaped.

* KillEmAll: The Movie may well be the only seventies British comedy that ends by killing the entire cast. And in the manner that you'd expect as well, given the title.
** Though ''Radio/TheGoonShow'' also killed off its cast with the eruption of Pompeii in one episode, a couple decades before this (They got better, thanks to NoContinuity).
** ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' often ended its seasons with much of the cast being wiped out one way or another.

The series got a film adaptation in 1971. The film was followed by two sequels, ''Up the Chastity Belt'' and ''Up the Front'', which also starred Howerd and relocated the setting to Medieval England and World War I France respectively.

** An Eighties sitcom, ''Series/TheBlackadder'', also ended with all the major cast being killed (by poison).

* {{Catchphrase}}: Several, most enduringly "Titter ye not", as Lurcio would admonish the audience after another DoubleEntendre.

** An Eighties sitcom, [[Blackadder|The Blackadder]], also ended with all the major cast being killed (by poison).

* TheMovie: Which replaced nearly all of the cast, barring Frankie Howard, with different actors.

** Though TheGoonShow also killed off its cast with the eruption of Pompeii in one episode, a couple decades before this (They got better, thanks to NoContinuity).

* ActingForTwo: One episode centres around an assassination attempt on Caesar - who coincidentally looks exactly like Lurcio, Naturally, Frankie Howerd does not miss a single opportunity to lampshade this and is constantly stepping out of character to comment on his own incredibly acting skills in playing two different characters.[[invoked]]

Based on ''AFunnyThingHappenedOnTheWayToTheForum'', itself based on the Roman comedies of Plautus and Terence, which were in turn based on the Greek New Comedy of Menander.

* GalleySlave: In The Movie, Frankie has a HaveWeMet? moment with another slave. He doesn't recognize the other guy at first, and the other guy only realizes when he sees the back of his head. He sat behind him in the galley, so that's all he saw of him for all those years, but he would recognize the back of that bonce ''anywhere'' after that.

[[TheSeventies 1970s]] British {{sitcom}} ostensibly about the humorous misadventures of a Roman slave, Lurcio, before Vesuvius erupted. In reality, it was merely a vehicle for comedian and actor Frankie Howerd, who would frequently drop out of character to speak to the audience and complain about the quality of the scripts, plots, acting and even the audience themselves.

* GalleySlave: In The Movie, Frankie has a HaveWeMet? moment with another slave. He doesn't recognize the other guy at first, and the other guy only realizes when he sees the back of his head. He sat behind him in the galley, so that's all he saw of him for all those years, but he would recognize the back of that bonce ''anywhere'' after that.

* [[RocksFallEveryoneDies Rocks, Lava and Ash Fall, Everyone Dies]]: The Movie may well be the only seventies British comedy that ends by killing the entire cast. And in the manner that you'd expect as well, given the title.
** Though TheGoonShow also killed off its cast with the eruption of Pompeii in one episode, a couple decades before this (They got better, thanks to NoContinuity).

* ActingForTwo: One episode centres around an assassination attempt on Caesar - who coincidentally looks exactly like Lurcio, Naturally, Frankie Howerd does not miss a single opportunity to lampshade this and is constantly stepping out of character to comment on his own incredibly acting skills in playing two different characters.

** Though TheGoonShow also killed off its cast with the eruption of Pompeii in one episode, a couple decades before this ([[IGotBetter They got better]], thanks to NoContinuity).