Dawson's Weekly

Season

1975

UK

7.8

Les Dawson puts his innate comic ability to excellent use as the hapless protagonist in this series of half-hour comedy plays from 1975, written by the incomparable Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. From a depressive who rapidly succeeds in reducing his health visitor to a state of acute melancholia to a 'resting' actor who is becoming increasingly restless, there's no shortage of roles allowing Dawson to vent his permanent gloom, cause mayhem...or in most cases, both. With regular support from Roy Barraclough and a wealth of special guests, Dawsons Weekly demonstrates yet again why Les Dawson is hailed as a comedy genius.

Episode List

S1 • E1

Les Miserables

Les claims to be depressed when his GP sends him to see a psychiatrist, suggestion of a frontal lobotomy sees him leave quicker than he arrived, and a health visitor shows up just in time to stop a razor doing damage.

S1 • E2

Where There's a Will

Les joins the rest of the Dawsons for the reading of his late uncle's will, a chance to grab £28,125 leaves him desperately looking for a wife, and an extremely lonely heart asks for some advice about the opposite sex.

S1 • E3

Stage-Struck

Les complains that a lack of work has left him eating cold baked beans, an advert in the newspaper leads him to the office of a new agent, and a role with a repertory company turns out to be quite a disappointment.

S1 • E4

Accident Prone

Les ends up in hospital when a road accident leaves his bike a write-off, the doctor reacts badly when the stretcher-bearer offers a full diagnosis, and a male geriatric nurse reveals the truth about his blood transfusion.

S1 • E5

All Pools Day

Les is wrestled to the floor when he goes to the post office in his helmet, a clerk insists that he'll have to join the queue if he wants a postal order, and a mistake with his pools coupon forces him to return to the window.

S1 • E6

The Clerical Error

A vicar gets a shock when the agency send Les to look after his children, showing off his babysitting bible does very little to calm the nerves, and a distressed woman shows up at the door while he's trying on a cassock.

S1 • E7

Strangers in the Night

Les takes the overnight sleeper to brae bonny Scotland causing disruption and mayhem in his wake. Dressed to the nines, he cruises the buffet car hunting for crumpet.