History Series / AreYouBeingServed

* Mr. Mash (Creator/LarryMartyn) -- later replaced by Mr. Harman (Creator/ArthurEnglish) -- maintenance personnel used to make jokes about the class system (for example, though they are "dead common" and considered social pariahs by the staff, the maintenance staff is, thanks to their union, better-paid than the sales staff). Mr. Harman could be a DeadPanSnarker when the situation called for it, [[SixthRanger but he could usually be counted on to help the Grace Brothers' staff out of that week's predicament.]]

* WithAFootOnTheBus: "Goodbye, Mr. Grainger" has every indication of being a farewell episode for Mr. Grainger. He resigns after hearing his colleagues remaking that he is getting too old (and perhaps senile) for his job, and that he was likely about to be fired. However, everyone has a change of heart and he decided to stay. Then, ironically, after appearing in only one more episode, the actor himself died.

* StorefrontTelevisionDisplay: In the episode "Closed Circuit", Grace Brothers decides to install televisions and use them to advertise the store's products and special offers. Miss Brahms is filmed for the store's first commercial with Mr. Grace's nurse reading the lines in voiceover since they thought her husky contralto would sound more appealing than Miss Brahms? nasally cockney accent. Not long after the commercial starts airing in the storefront, Miss Brahms is asked out on a date by a young Lord who explains that he saw the commercial while he was passing by the store and was instantly smitten with her and (what he thinks is) her sexy voice, setting the main plot of the episode in motion.

* BellyDancer: In "Fire Practice", an Arab Emir wants to buy some trousers from Grace Brothers. After Captain Peacock refuses payment of a goat, then a handmade rug, the Emir offers a wife which Peacock also refuses. However when the woman takes off her burka and does a sensual belly dance, he's tempted to reconsider.

* TheMovie: [[Film/AreYouBeingServed A movie]] was made in 1977 where the cast take a holiday to Spain and hilarity ensues (some of it shamelessly [[RecycledScript recycled from the series]]). It also shamelessly nicked concepts from other British sitcoms of the time, including Andrew Sachs playing a character who's a hybrid of [[Series/FawltyTowers Manuel and Basil Fawlty]].

* Miss Belfridge (Creator/CandyDavis), Mr. Rumbold's final and most noteworthy secretary. Possibly had an affair with Captain Peacock.

* Mrs. Diana Yardswick (Creator/DoremyVernon), the bad-tempered cow of a Canteen Manageress. She had a particular dislike of the Ladies' and Gentlemen's departments, and when serving their food on their lunch break would either drop their plates on the table, get their orders wrong, not serve them in time, be incredibly rude, or any combination of the previous four options.

A one-off revival with an all new cast was broadcast in August 2016.

** Earlier in the same episode, Young Mr. Grace's nurse (Creator/VivienneJohnson) bends over at one point in front of him and he dress rides up, flashing her white panties and that sends his heart racing (and his pacemaker sounding off).
** In another moment in the same episode, Miss Bakewell (Creator/PennyIrving), lifts her skirt for Young Mr. Grace, presuming he wanted her to flash him.
** In another episode, "Monkey Business", Miss Belfridge's (Creator/CandyDavis) pink dress gets lifted in a draft from an electric fan nearby and she struggles to keep it down when her white panties are shown.

* SpiritualSuccessor:
** The [[NewspaperComics newspaper comic strip]], ''ComicStrip/{{Retail}}'', is in many ways the modern American answer to this series. This similarity has been acknowledged in that comic strip by one or two Shout Outs to, like Stuart spending his vacation at a "Power Management Retreat" run by a [[http://retailcomic.com/comics/april-27-2009/ Mr. Rumbold]].
** ''Series/{{Superstore}}'' could also be seen as one to an extent.

* Young Mr. Grace (Creator/HaroldBennett), the ancient owner of the store. DirtyOldMan, but generally a pleasant, if easily confused boss. Though described as "young", he is well over 80: the query, "That's ''Young'' Mr. Grace?!" elicits the response, "Old Mr. Grace doesn't get around much anymore." Young Mr. Grace was replaced for a series by Old Mr. Grace (Creator/KennethWaller), an obviously younger actor under gobs of makeup; the character proved to be unpopular and was written out after one series, with the writers opting instead for [[TheGhost an unseen]] Mr. Grace.

In parody of the British class system, characters are almost never referred to by their first names, and it is several seasons before we even ''know'' all of them. (Additionally, several first names change over time; this was even shown with Mr. Lucas's profile picture on one of the discs in the official Region 1 DVD box set, as "Mr. Dick/James Lucas".)

* AlmightyJanitor: Mr. Harman is multitalented and, therefore, frequently helps, [[NewJobAsThePlotDemands in various roles]], the Ladies and Gents staff members (getting extra pay for it doesn't hurt, either). His powers are highly evident in "Take-over," when he finds out about the plot point "emptying the waste-paper basket" and comes up with his own plan for saving the firm.

* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: In "By Appointment," Mrs. Slocombe talks about how much she didn't enjoy her vacation in Spain because of that reputation the Spanish have for groping women.

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Captain and Mrs. Peacock, "... although they've got a very strange way of showing it," reminds Mr. Humphries.

** Any visit from Young Mr. Grace will conclude with him waving his walking stick (as his valet, Godard -- or his nurse in later series -- tries to keep him from falling over) and exclaiming, "You've all done very well!" To which the staff unenthusiastically mutter, "Thank you, Mr. Grace," while bowing.

** Mrs. Slocombe's preferred concluding phrase for any sort of ultimatum is, "And I am unanimous in that." Meanwhile, if the male characters hesitate in stepping forward when the situation calls for action, she will angrily mutter, "Weak as water!"
** Whatever the ill-fitting part of the item of clothing the staff have just sold, they will invariably assure the customer, "They'll ride up with wear." (Acknowledged in several episodes to be pure fiction intended solely to complete the sale.)
** If one character, usually Mrs. Slocombe, gets uncomfortable with the conversational tangent pursued by Miss Brahms, she will be cut off with a simple "That will do, Miss Brahms."
** Mr. Humphries answering the phone (in an obviously fake very deep voice): "Menswear."

* TheCoconutEffect: Parodied in "Calling All Customers," when Mr. Harman works the sound effects (and [[SoundDefect sound defects]]) for the [[HollywoodCB radio show]], using the fruit for the horse sounds. He keeps on until Mr. Humphries commands [[DoubleEntendre "Cut your nuts!"]]

* ADayInTheLimelight: Mr. Spooner in "The Pop Star."

* FakeHairDrama: Mr. Tebbs puts on a toupee in hopes of not being made redundant in "Shedding the Load."

** Captain (Stephen) Peacock and Mr. (Ernest) Grainger would mutually address each other by first name in private conversation -- as they had known and worked with each other for many years, and were relatively close in social rank -- Peacock was higher in the staff hierarchy but Grainger had seniority, both were war veterans, etc. Subverted when Captain Peacock would (typically unwittingly) offend Mr. Grainger; his warm address of "Stephen" would give way to an angrily sputtered "Captain Peacock."

* AFoggyDayInLondonTown: In the episode "A Bliss Girl," the fog has entered the building, and into the elevator.

* TheGamblingAddict: Captain Peacock, in the late episode "Gambling Fever", is established to have been this. It was on the cusp of ruining his life as early as his wedding night (established as having been 30+ years ago,) but he apparently struggled away from it, though, as with all addictions, he struggled with relapsing.

** The original series had "The Pop Star," which ended with a big musical number.

** The entire conversation in the canteen in "The Hero", as the staff discuss Captain Peacock's [[EmbarrassingCoverUp "misfortune."]] Put simply, he was the ButtMonkey [[IncrediblyLamePun for the episode!]]

* MeanBoss: Miss Featherstone in "Goodbye Mrs. Slocombe."
* MineralMacGuffin: In "Diamonds Are a Man's Best Friend."

** In "Shedding the Load," two for one in one NoodleIncident: Cpt Peacock objects to Mr. Harman about a female mannequin being displayed "without knickers":

* PhonyVeteran: Captain Peacock may well have served in North Africa during [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII the War]], but one doubts he saw much action in the Royal Army Service Corps.[[note]] That's the logistics branch of the Army, for those unacquainted.[[/note]] According to a line from Mrs. Slocombe, Captain Peacock claims to have, "...fought hand-to-hand with Rommel."

** Played straight in "The Clock," where Mr. Grainger is terrified of receiving a cuckoo clock -- the standard gift for retirees at Grace Brothers.

** Mrs. Slocombe's pussy: to the point where David "Radio/TheMaryWhitehouseExperience" Baddiel said that she changed the meaning of the word "pussy" in the UK from "Cat, with overtones of vagina, to vagina, with overtones of cat."

** In a nod to just how bad business is at Grace Brothers most days, many episodes will feature Captain Peacock asking "[Character's name], are you free?", followed by the character being addressed making an exaggerated show of looking up and down the completely empty counter before answering, "Yes, I'm free."

* StorefrontTelevisionDisplay: In the episode "Closed Circuit," Grace Brothers decides to install televisions and use them to advertise the store's products and special offers. Miss Brahms is filmed for the store's first commercial with Mr. Grace's nurse reading the lines in voiceover since they thought her husky contralto would sound more appealing than Miss Brahms? nasally cockney accent. Not long after the commercial starts airing in the storefront, Miss Brahms is asked out on a date by a young Lord who explains that he saw the commercial while he was passing by the store and was instantly smitten with her and (what he thinks is) her sexy voice, setting the main plot of the episode in motion.

* ThatSyncingFeeling: In the last episode, "The Pop Star," Mr. Spooner gets discovered and is off to become a famous singer. In his first TV appearance he sings the song which got him discovered, "Chanson D'Amour." He makes a demo reel-to-reel recording to send to the talent scout. He is booked on a TV show but his voice is getting tired. During the TV performance his voice gives out so they switch to the recording -- but the cheap recorder they used and the studio use different speeds, so it comes out sped up to double time.

* WalkThisWay: In "Fire Practice," a visiting Arab sheikh's interpreter after being told to ask his master to "walk this way" stared at Mr. Humphries' mincing walk and replied, "It's more than my job's worth!"

* WhenIWasYourAge: Mrs. Slocombe will complain about a junior salesperson's behavior or attitude by stating, "When I was a junior ... ."
* WhoopeeCushion: Mrs. Slocombe is greeted with one in her first day as "Mrs. Slocombe, Senior Person." It came with a note:

* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Mr. Humphries' mother is, naturally, Creator/JohnInman. In one episode, Mr. Humphries dresses up as her so he can fill in for her at her job. Mr. Rumbold also has an identical brother, Mycroft, who appears in one episode in a DoubleVision scene.

** In "The Hold Up", [[AlmightyJanitor Mr Harman]] comes up with a plan with Mrs Slocombe and Mr Humphries to rescue the others by dressing up as the dreaded Gumby Gang. As Pa Gumby, actor Creator/ArthurEnglish as Mr Harman is dressed up as a character he was most famous for doing years prior to the show: a shady "spiv" character, complete with pencil moustache and wide tie.

* AlmightyJanitor: Mr Harman is multitalented and, therefore, frequently helps, [[NewJobAsThePlotDemands in various roles]], the Ladies and Gents staff members (getting extra pay for it doesn't hurt, either). His powers are highly evident in "Take-over," when he finds out about the plot point "emptying the waste-paper basket" and comes up with his own plan for saving the firm.

* AsHimself: British [[ProfessionalWrestling wrestling]] legend "Mr TV" Jackie Pallo pretty much played himself in the ProWrestlingEpisode. He even did all of his best known moves to Mr. Humphries before [[spoiler:being beaten up by Mrs. Slocombe.]]

* AtTheOperaTonight: On one of their few outings, they attend a ballet in "The Erotic Dreams of Mrs Slocombe". Appropriately enough ...

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Captain and Mrs Peacock, "... although they've got a very strange way of showing it," reminds Mr Humphries.

** In "Forward Mr Grainger", when Mr. Rumbold asks Captain Peacock to "act suitably surprised" when publicly announcing something that Rumbold had already told Peacock in confidence, Peacock's reactions are hilariously stilted.

* TheBarnum: Mr Humphries.

* BirthdayEpisode: Doubling as HeyLetsPutOnAShow episodes: "Happy Returns" for Young Mr Grace and "Roots?" for Old Mr Grace.
* BlitzEvacuees: Mrs Slocombe continually mentions having been a "Land Girl" during the war. She celebrated her 50th birthday in 1976, which would fit with her having been a Land Girl towards the end of the war. Her experience is elaborated upon (to her repeat embarrassment) when the cast retire to the country in ''Grace And Favour.''
* BlowingARaspberry: Mr Mash without the two-fingered salute. Mrs Slocombe and others on the floor with it.
* BobFromAccounting: Or, shall we say, Mr Patel from Accounting. The staff make frequent references to the Accounts Department, and how all of them are Asian, and in one episode, Mr Patel from Accounts ''does'' appear.

--->'''Mrs Slocombe:''' ''(looking in the box)'' Oh! It's just what I've always wanted!\\

** Series 10, Episode 3, "The Hold Up": Mr Humphries as gangster Italian Tony is being offered Miss Brahms by the burglars:

** The signature exchange for one character (usually Captain Peacock) to get the attention of another is to ask, "[Character's name], are you free?" Mr Humphries' delivery of "I'm free!" also appears at least once in almost every episode.
** Any visit from Young Mr Grace will conclude with him waving his walking stick (as his valet, Godard -- or his nurse in later series -- tries to keep him from falling over) and exclaiming, "You've all done very well!" To which the staff unenthusiastically mutter, "Thank you, Mr Grace," while bowing.
** Whenever something happens to give Mr Grainger a shock, Mr. Humphries will call, "Glass of water for Mr Grainger", and for which Mr. Lucas will reply with "Glass of water coming up!"
** Mrs Slocombe's preferred concluding phrase for any sort of ultimatum is, "And I am unanimous in that." Meanwhile, if the male characters hesitate in stepping forward when the situation calls for action, she will angrily mutter, "Weak as water!"

** If one character, usually Mrs Slocombe, gets uncomfortable with the conversational tangent pursued by Miss Brahms, she will be cut off with a simple "That will do, Miss Brahms."

* ChainOfCorrections: Whenever Mr Rumbold is writing down staff complaints.

* TheCoconutEffect: Parodied in "Calling All Customers," when Mr Harman works the sound effects (and [[SoundDefect sound defects]]) for the [[HollywoodCB radio show]], using the fruit for the horse sounds. He keeps on until Mr Humphries commands [[DoubleEntendre "Cut your nuts!"]]
* CoconutMeetsCranium: Mr Rumbold removes his hat in "By Appointment" to reveal bandages for [[ButtMonkey injuries]] from a coconut falling on his head in [[MeaningfulName Coconut Island]].

* ADayInTheLimelight: Mr Spooner in "The Pop Star."
* DeadpanSnarker: Mr. Harman and Miss Brahms in the classic sense of the term. Mr Lucas without the deadpan aspect.
* DeathGlare: From Capt Peacock and Mrs Slocombe.

* DeusExScuseMe: How Mrs Slocombe and Mrs Peacock meet in "Oh What a Tangled Web".

* DopeSlap: Mr Spooner was often the recipient of this, from either Mrs Slocombe, Miss Brahms, or Mr Humphries.

** Another was Mr Harman coming in to inspect the furniture of Young Mr. Grace's office. The cast listens in, and thinks he's talking about them. Brahms gets very upset when the man says "and the knockers aren't genuine".

* EndangeredSouffle: In "Take-over", Mr Humphries was trying to hold down a souffle that was growing out of control.

** Captain (Stephen) Peacock and Mr (Ernest) Grainger would mutually address each other by first name in private conversation -- as they had known and worked with each other for many years, and were relatively close in social rank -- Peacock was higher in the staff hierarchy but Grainger had seniority, both were war veterans, etc. Subverted when Captain Peacock would (typically unwittingly) offend Mr Grainger; his warm address of "Stephen" would give way to an angrily sputtered "Captain Peacock."
** Mr Lucas consistently referred to Miss Brahms by her first name, Shirley -- a sign of his interest in pursuing a closer relationship with her. As she was generally less interested in him than the other way round, she seldom reciprocated.

%% * 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.

* HistoricalCharacterConfusion: Mr Grainger comments that a plan the staff come up to avoid starting work earlier sounds like something Literature/BulldogDrummond would have come up with to defeat Oscar Peterson. It has to be pointed out to him that Oscar Peterson is a pianist, and that Bulldog Drummond's arch-nemesis was Carl Peterson.

** In "Mrs. Slocombe Expects", Mr Rumbold says three terrible puns about cats when Mrs Slocombe tells him about the possibility of her kittens being born -- he says puns like a 'cat-tastrophe' and a 'pussy-bility'.

* InducedHypochondria: In an episode, the staff convince Mr Rumbold that he's suffering from some unspecified stress-related disease, and that he should dismantle the security cameras to save himself from the urge to watch them all the time.

-->'''Captain Peacock''': And this, Honourable Mr Lucas.

-->'''Captain Peacock''': ''(interrupting)'' You must understand, Mr Lucas, that this gentleman is Japanese. He has difficulty [[DoubleEntendre getting his tongue 'round his "r"s]].

* JewishAndNerdy: One of Mr Goldberg's signature traits is his skill at mental maths. Also, after the fashion (i.e. broad ethnic humour) of the show, the first time he demonstrates his skill, he sounds like Orthodox Jewish prayer (with the book in hand and the chanting and all).
* KaleidoscopeHair: Mrs Slocombe wears wigs, but every one is a different color.[[note]] Though only from the second series onward; in the first series, Creator/MollieSugden had to bleach and dye her hair as there was no budget for wigs.[[/note]]
* KangarooCourt: In "Conduct Unbecoming", Mr Humphries is caught with a marked banknote from a till from where money has gone missing. [[MiscarriageOfJustice Despite his explanation, he is made to resign]], but the missing money is found just in time.
* LadyDrunk: Mrs Slocombe. She brings alcohol to work in a flask and occasionally gets drunk on the job.
* LampshadeHanging: In the episode where Mr. Humphries tries to get fired, he tries rudely propositioning customers. When that doesn't get him fired, he protests, "You can't have people going around making comments like that in the store!". Mr Lucas then comments, "What do you mean...I've been doing it for years!" The show was almost entirely based around rude comments (even if they sometimes have an innocent explanation) that would have gotten all the characters fired sometime during the first series if the show were at all true to real life.

* MeanBoss: Miss Featherstone in "Goodbye Mrs Slocombe."

* MovieMakingMess: The second half of "It Pays to Advertise" is taken up with the Grace Bros. staff's disastrous attempt to film a cinema/TV advert for the store, with Mr Humphries directing. Mrs Slocombe's eyes keep getting stuck closed by her false eyelashes, Mr Grainger's jacket is too big and his trousers too small, the radio mike Mr Harman (acting as sound man) instructs Mr Lucas (acting as boom mike operator) to put on Mrs Slocombe ends up falling down the front of her dress and picking up the noise of her digestive system, the accordion Mr. Rumbold has been given to play as a gypsy musician makes sounds of flatulence instead of music... all converging in a perfect comedy of errors when they try to do a take. The hat check ticket Miss Brahms gives Captain Peacock is covered in her saliva after she holds it in her mouth, Mr Grainger accidentally squirts Captain Peacock with a soda siphon, Mrs Slocombe's bar stool gets stuck to her backside, and when Young Mr Grace goes in front of the camera to pour himself a glass of champagne, he misses the glass by over a foot.

* NeverWinTheLottery: In the episode "Goodbye Mr Grainger": old Mr Grainger resigns after a bad depression, but the depression lifts when he discovers that he won a First Drawing in the pools. He buys the entire staff farewell gifts, and they discover that he didn't win anything. So they just club the money together that the gifts cost, tell him he just won that much, and manage to intercept his resignation before the boss reads it.

* NobodyPoops: Completely averted. Frequently, customers asked -- usually Captain Peacock -- for the restroom. Then there was an episode when Mr Grainger's PottyEmergency was a subplot.

** In "Shedding the Load," two for one in one NoodleIncident: Cpt Peacock objects to Mr Harman about a female mannequin being displayed "without knickers":

'''Mr Harman:''' That's because you were doing an impersonation of the ManInTheIronMask with a waste paper basket over your 'ead!

* NoseTapping: By Mr Humphries in "Goodbye Mrs Slocombe".
* OhCrap: In "It Pays to Advertise", it is either one extended moment or several in rapid sequence when Mr Humphries pretends to be his own dummy.
* {{Oktoberfest}}: During German Week the store staff is forced to wear lederhosen. Two of the cast get very small, form fitting versions: [[FanService Miss Brahms]] and [[FanDisservice Mr Humphries]].

* PlayingSick: Mr Lucas tries to fake being sick so he can meet a woman who's coming for him from OopNorth. Among other things, he tries the trick of sticking soap in his mouth. It was supposed to go under his tongue, but he swallowed it when Captain Peacock ordered him to speak clearly (he couldn't very well have spat it out under the circumstances, now could he?). He persuades Captain Peacock to send for the medical staff, as bubbles from his hiccups float by, prompting Captain Peacock to add:

** Much of the senior staff at Grace Brothers could fit this category. Mr. Rumbold is the most blatant example, but a recurring theme is that ''everyone'' in a position of authority at the store is incompetent in one way or another; Captain Peacock is a blowhard, Mrs. Slocombe is far too self-absorbed to be much help to anything [[DoubleEntendre except for her pussy]], Mr. Grainger is worn-out and well past the point when he should have retired, and Young Mr. Grace is virtually senile. Only [[TheBarnum Mr Humphries]] can handle additional responsibilities while escaping mostly unscathed.

* PrimaDonnaDirector: Mr Humphries, whenever the cast [[HeyLetsPutOnAShow puts on a show.]]

* ProfessionalWrestling: "The Hero" involves an early public recognition of {{kayfabe}}, where Mr Franco from Sports Equipment (played by 60s-70s English pro wrestling star "Mr. TV" Jackie Pallo) coaches Mr Humphries (whose reasons for being in the ring are too complicated to explain) while wrestling him (setting himself up as the heel and Mr Humphries as the face).

* RememberTheNewGuy: Invoked with increasing frequency as new senior salesmen were introduced on the show. When Mr. Tebbs, Mr. Grossman, and Mr. Klein are introduced, it is mentioned that they have previously worked elsewhere in the store, and the rest of the cast nod in recognition. In Mr. Tebbs' case, Mr Lucas and Mr. Humphries note with some alarm that he and Capt. Peacock are already on first-names terms. None of these characters had ever been seen nor mentioned before. This is not too jarring, as over the years, dozens of other store workers were mentioned but never seen.

** Mr Lucas' HurricaneOfExcuses for being late.
** Mr Humphries' adventures (and their explanations) in his quests to arrive on time to work.
** Mrs Slocombe removing her earring to speak on the phone.

* SlipperySkid: Mr Mash and Mr Lucas staged one of these in an attempt to get Mr Lucas off work for the day. Mash makes a big show of spilling cleaning fluid on the stairs, then loudly moans in Mr Lucas' direction that he hopes no one slips on it.

* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Between Miss Brahms and Mr Lucas.

-->'''Mr Lucas''': What does the customer require, Captain Peacock? \\

'''Mr Lucas''': Yes, of course. You were out east weren't you? \\

* SpitTake: Mr Humphries' reaction at the end of the HurricaneOfPuns in "The Hero".

* StealingFromTheTill: Mr. Humphries is accused of doing this in "Conduct Unbecoming" and asked to resign. [[spoiler:Fortunately, AlmightyJanitor Mr Harman finds that the till is faulty, and the missing pound notes were actually jammed into the back.]]

* SureLetsGoWithThat: Taken to its logical conclusion in "A Bliss Girl" when Mr Humphries [[DisguisedInDrag puts on heels and a wig to model a ladies' coat.]] Then [[DirtyOldMan Young Mr Grace]] shows up and ...
--> '''Young Mr Grace''': Do you have a boyfriend?
--> '''Mr Humprhies''': Not at the moment.
--> '''Young Mr Grace''': I’ve got a table at Romano’s with caviar and snapper dinner. Care to join me?
--> '''Mr Humphries''': Well, it is Monday and me mother’s only got cottage pie!
--> '''Young Mr Grace''': Well, that settles it!

* ThatSyncingFeeling: In the last episode, "The Pop Star," Mr Spooner gets discovered and is off to become a famous singer. In his first TV appearance he sings the song which got him discovered, "Chanson D'Amour." He makes a demo reel-to-reel recording to send to the talent scout. He is booked on a TV show but his voice is getting tired. During the TV performance his voice gives out so they switch to the recording -- but the cheap recorder they used and the studio use different speeds, so it comes out sped up to double time.

* TheVicar: Never seen but often mentioned when Mr Humphries is speaking with his mother.

* WalkThisWay: In "Fire Practice," a visiting Arab sheikh's interpreter after being told to ask his master to "walk this way" stared at Mr Humphries' mincing walk and replied, "It's more than my job's worth!"

** Mrs Yardswick is a member of National Association of Canteen Employees, Restaurant and Domestic [[PunnyName (NACERD)]].

* WhoopeeCushion: Mrs Slocombe is greeted with one in her first day as "Mrs Slocombe, Senior Person." It came with a note:

* YouExclamation: In "Sit Out", Mr Humphries and a fireman astonishedly recognise each other.

[[quoteright:345:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/are_you_being_served_cast.jpeg]]

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** In another episode, "Monkey Business", Miss Belfridge's (Candy Davis) pink dress gets lifted in a draft from an electric fan nearby and she struggles to keep it down when her white panties are shown.