Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15963 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-10-06
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Number of discs: 3
• Formats: Box set, Colour, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 629 minutes

Synopsis
In this classic BBC comedy, Reginald Perrin (Leonard Rossiter), an executive at Sunshine Desserts, makes his escape from the rat race by faking his own death and attempting to start his life over. Reggie (Leonard Rossiter) finds employment on a pig farm and then attempts to start his own business, by selling absolutely rubbish products. But the business is a brilliant success. Aaaargh. The entire story of Reggie and his mad, irritating family and strange collection of oddball colleagues who constantly make his midlife crisis even more of a crisis.

Customer Reviews

The High Price of Laughing Gas!
Why is this brilliant comedy series, which includes Geoffrey Palmer, not available in NTSC format? For that matter, why is it available only at a price approaching a barrel of crude oil? This witty satire is about a man who decides to get away from the rat-race only to have the rat-race discover his whereabouts and join him in his escape.

Please, O DVD Powers-That-Be, grace us impoverished NTSC viewers who must pay in dollars, with Reginald Perrin at a price less than a tank of gasoline!!!

Great! Super!
Leonard Rossiter's death was overlooked in a year that saw the passing of a significant number of acting and comedy legends. He had the timing of Eric Morecambe (who died in May 1984) and the intensity of Richard Burton (who breathed his last in August 1984). By the time Rossiter collapsed in his dressing room in October 1984, his death was not front page news in the way that Morecambe and Burton were at the time of their passing. Even today, it seems fair to say that Rossiter is remembered more for his performance as Rigsby in Rising Damp as it seems that people identify more with a miserly landlord than with a stressed out middle manager.

But don't let this lull you into the impression that The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin is inferior to Rising Damp. Different it may well be, but inferior it most certainly is not. Rossiter is his usual dynamic self, but the supporting performances are equally strong and one might even say that the late John Barron's performance as CJ eclipses them all. Unlike Rising Damp, there is a sense of continuity and history to The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin that needs to be persevered with especially at the beginning of the first series - but as we get to know the characters and their quirks the humour gains momentum so that by the end of the first series where Perrin attends his own memorial service in disguise the laughs are relentless.

The second series continues with the same cast and the same quality of writing and performing (along with one of the funniest pieces of dialogue you are ever likely to see when Perrin's brother in law Jimmy tries to start a rebellion and looks to enlist Reggie as a recruit) as Perrin's fortunes change dramatically. In fact, the laughs come so readily that it is seen as a funnier series as a result; this is only down to the fact that at this stage we know the characters and what makes them tick, which adds considerably to the humour.

The final series sees Perrin trying in vain to do something good for society and is perhaps the weaker of all of the series; this is not down to the writing but perhaps to the slight change of the usual cast with Tim Preece making way for Leslie Schofield who took over the role of Tom, Reggie's long suffering son in law. It was alleged that Rossiter felt that Preece was not giving his all to the role which led to him being replaced; if this was the case then the natural animosity that took place between the characters of Reggie and Tom in the first two series may well have been compromised as a result of this change of personnel. In any case, the quirks of the various characters involved were perhaps beginning to wear a little thin at this stage, although the finale to this series (without wishing to give anything away) seems somewhat apt.

To summarise, this is an unforgettable series with exemplary performances across the board (given that Rossiter was said to be demanding of himself and his fellow actors, it is fair to say that they must have met with his approval with the talents they brought to their respective parts) and a quality of writing that made The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin stand out in the era of the TV sitcom.

Super, Great!
I am only giving this 4 stars because series 3 in my opinion is a waste of time, and very forgetable.
However the first 2 series are fantastic, extremely funny and a must for anyone who loves british sit-coms. Shame they had to make that third series as it taints the first two.