The BEST episodes of Dad's Army
Every episode of Dad's Army ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Dad's Army!
Introducing the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard, a bunch of hapless old and young men who have kept people all over the world very amused since the 1960s. Writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft made each episode of Dad's Army as funny as the previous one, with an element of humour which has survived decades. It has many of the most memorable catchphrases of any sitcom and due to its public embracing, is one of the most repeated shows in television history. The BBC keeps an episode on queue in case of a fault at Television Centre and it even successfully invaded the big screen with a memorable, well-loved Dad's Army feature film made by Columbia Pictures.
#2 - Battle School
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/18/1969
The platoon travel to a secret location to be trained at a battle school. After a long train journey and a march in which they get hopelessly lost, they arrive late and end up missing two meals and the third is virtually inedible. Starving and tired the platoon take on the assault course in which they try their best to get back at Mainwaring for getting them lost. The platoon then have to capture the 'enemy's camp' held by Captain Rodrigues and his men. This task looks impossible but can Mainwaring save the day and win back the respect of his troops? Meanwhile Walker tries to raid the nearby farm to get food for his starving comrades.
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#3 - The Test
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/27/1970
In a cricket match between the platoon and the ARP wardens, Chief Warden Hodges has a secret weapon up his sleeve: he plans to recruit Ernie Egan (played by England's fast bowler Fred Trueman), a professional cricketer. But all does not go as planned.
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#6 - Fallen Idol
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/18/1970
While the platoon is at a training camp, Mainwaring gets drunk with the other officers during the night and misses the live grenade training the following morning. Later during the training one of the grenades lands in Jones's van and Mainwaring rides to the rescue.
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#7 - Is There Honey Still for Tea?
Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/19/1975
At the bank the door to Mainwaring's office is replaced with a paper door. Adding insult to injury of not having a proper door, Mainwaring is even more annoyed at the fact that Pike, the Colonel and Jones manage to destroy it within minutes of it being installed. Godfrey's cottage is due to be demolished to make way for a new airfield but no-one can bring themselves to break the news to him until Jones finds out that he already knows. In the end Frazer, knowing the family history of the General in charge, blackmails him to get the airfield moved 200 yards.
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#8 - The Face on the Poster
Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/10/1975
Mainwaring has visions of promotion for himself and Wilson and of expanding the platoon into a company, so he embarks on a recruitment drive. A poster is drawn up and Jones is voted to be on it. Unfortunately a mix-up at the printer's results in Jones being branded an escaped prisoner of war instead.
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#9 - We Know Our Onions
Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/21/1973
The platoon has gone to a camp to undergo an efficiency test. Meanwhile Walker has a van load of onions he's sold to Hodges, who isn't letting them out of his sight, thus he has pursued the platoon to the camp. Later, with no blank shells to use on the test, Mainwaring has a brainwave regarding what to use as ammunition!
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#10 - Ring Dem Bells
Season 8 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/5/1975
The Colonel orders Mainwaring and the platoon to make a training film with a couple of well-known actors, but unknown to Mainwaring they are to play the Germans. Mainwaring refuses to take part but the rest of the platoon is still ordered to do so. When the filming is cancelled, Mainwaring and the men, still dressed as German soldiers, are spotted in the local pub and the alarm is raised.
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#11 - Everybody's Trucking
Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/15/1974
As all the road signs have been removed from the area, the platoon is ordered to put up temporary ones to help a large convoy on manoeuvres that is due to drive through the area, but due to the condition of the ground Jones's van gets stuck in the mud.
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#12 - The Deadly Attachment
Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/31/1973
The platoon finally gets to grips with the enemy when it has to guard some Nazi submariners. But the Germans turn the tables on Mainwaring and try to escape, resulting in Jones ending up with a grenade down his trousers.
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#13 - Mum's Army
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/20/1970
Capt. Mainwaring decides to enlist women to the platoon to assist with the war effort. After initial interviews go rather less than satisfactory, a Mrs. Fiona Grey walks into his office and into his life. Mainwaring is flattered that Fiona not only has similar views to him about the war, but also is complementary about his persona. He finds himself falling in love. Unfortunately the men very quickly realise and start to gossip behind his back and Fiona decides to leave, but can Mainwaring get to the station in time to stop her?
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#15 - Come In, Your Time Is Up
Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/26/1975
Capt. Mainwaring gives a lecture on field craft in the vicar's garden, covering what to eat and how to erect a tent. Later, apart from having to put up with the vicar, verger, Hodges and a gang of boy scouts, their field manoeuvres are also interrupted by three German airmen who have been shot down and are trapped in their dinghy in the middle of the lake. "Hӓnde hoch! Hӓnde hoch!"
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#16 - The Two and a Half Feathers
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/13/1970
LCpl. Jones goes to a reunion of his old regiment. While he is away an old comrade who fought in the same battle joins the platoon and accuses Jones of cowardice. Upon his return Jones has to tell the real story.
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#18 - Shooting Pains
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/11/1968
When news that the Prime Minister is to pay a visit to the area a shooting contest is held to see which of the local platoons will form the honour guard. Walker gets a crack shot from the theatre touring show (Barbara Windsor) to take part as a member of the platoon but a surprise is in store for everybody.
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#19 - The Godiva Affair
Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/6/1974
The platoon dresses up as Morris Dancers as part of a carnival to raise money for the town's Spitfire fund, which is still £2,000 short. A Lady Godiva figure will lead the parade but there is confusion over who this will be.
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#20 - The Recruit
Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/12/1973
Capt. Mainwaring has gone into hospital for an operation on ingrowing toenails. Meanwhile Wilson as acting CO has asked the vicar and the verger to join the platoon to make up the numbers. Note: This is the first episode not to feature James Beck as Pte. Joe Walker, although Beck is still included in the closing credits.
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#21 - The Honourable Man
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/28/1973
When a relative of Sgt. Wilson dies, he inherits his title. Then, when a Russian factory worker visits the town to boost Anglo-Russian relations, Mainwaring is asked to present the key to the town - until the mayor hears about Wilson's title, and asks Mainwaring to step down.
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#23 - Keep Young and Beautiful
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/13/1972
Vanity swoops through the platoon after Parliament decides that Home Guard members who are not fit for battle must be reassigned to the ARP and ARP wardens that are fit and able should be reassigned to the Home Guard. The platoon obviously doesn't want this to happen so resort to some rather shocking measures to fool the Area Commander into believing the men are suitable staying where they are.
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#24 - Something Nasty in the Vault
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/9/1969
The bank takes a direct hit during an air-raid, but the bomb fails to explode, leaving Mainwaring and Wilson stuck in the vault with it. When the bomb disposal officer leaves to collect the right tools, the platoon members take matters into their own hands.
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#25 - Never Too Old
Season 9 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/13/1977
LCpl. Jones wants to marry Mrs. Fox but has to get Capt. Mainwaring's permission. During the reception an invasion alert is called and Jones spends his wedding night on the beach doing guard duty. Note: as the end of the series, it aired on Remembrance Sunday and ended with a tribute from the platoon to the real Home Guard.
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