Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6474 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-09-29
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 80 minutes

Synopsis
From 1971 to 1987, and over the course of 12 series and eight specials, The Two Ronnies became one of the great British television comedy shows. Millions of viewers lapped up the sketches of doctors' surgeries, middle-class parties, government ministry broadcasts as well as the regular news headlines, Ronnie Corbett monologues, Ronnie Barker word-play sketches and fabulous comic songs. This selection features some of the best of these including: "The Short-Sighted Optician", "The Ministry for Sex Equality", "The Plumstead Ladies Male Voice Choir" and "News at Ton".

Customer Reviews

Disappointing & poor value
This DVD includes the sketches: Name Game (where Barker tries to guess Corbett's name with a night with his wife as a reward), The Short-sighted Optician, Computer Checkup, The Day After Tomorrows World, Squash (Barker beats Corbett at squash at his first attempt), The Ministry for Sex Equality (Barker in half suit/half dress), Love Me Love My Dog ("There's summat funny about yon dog"), Astrology (featuring "Madame Zodiac"), The Plumstead Ladies Male Voice Choir and News at Ton.

Although the sketches are OK, they're not the best that the Two Ronnies have come up with.
I can't understand why they haven't included the more memorable sketches like Four Candles/Fork Handles, The Phandom Rasberry Blower of Old London Town, The Worm That Turned, etc.

Another average "best of" release from the BBC...
I just don't get these "best of" releases from the BBC.
Everyone knows and, more or less, agrees on what the Two Ronnies' best sketches are and yet the BBC again have failed to come out with a "best of" release which could actually be called a "best of".

It seems that when they release modern stuff like Alan Partridge, The Office, The Day Today, etc, they can be bothered to make sure the buyer is getting value for money by loading the discs with episodes, extras and even commentary.

But when it comes to older comedy classics along the lines of Morecambe & Wise (a pretty poor DVD release in which "classic" sketches were edited/shortened!!), Two Ronnies and Not The 9 O'Clock News (a particularly poor DVD release where the makers couldn't even be bothered to include a proper scene selection) - the Beeb have really let themselves down with the DVD releases of these titles.

First they have a short running time of usually around 80 mins.
Secondly, they have no extras whatsoever. (Commentary - I'm never that bothered about unless it's by people I have an interest in.)
But thirdly, and most importantly, the discs are poorly put-together affairs which show nothing but lack of imagination, lack of care, lack of material, etc, you get the idea...

I think all comedy fans would prefer DVDs which feature a few full episodes of the classic comedy shows rather than badly thought-out/put-together compilations which rarely show anyone's "best" work. For example, a DVD which features a couple of the Two Ronnies Christmas specials (where they did some of their best work) is far more preferable and value for money than an 80-minute supposed "best of" compilation.

But if the Beeb are insistant on releasing the Two Ronnies in this way then they should at least have a release which features, as an extra, complete versions of the weekly adventures such as "Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town", "Piggy Malone & Charlie Farley", and/or my personal favourite, "The Worm That Turned".

what a pity
Having read the above reviews, I have cancelled my orders. I had quite forgotten how rotten the BBC are at putting together these great comedies of old. Even the Vicar of Dibley "complete" editions had missed some episodes! I shan`t be buying any BBC dvds any more - until (and this is a vain hope) they get their act together. Thanks for the warning folks!