Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (TV Series) The P.R. Course (1973) User Reviews

Frank causes more chaos.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 9 September 2023]

Fed up of the never ending cycle of getting jobs, and losing them straight away, Frank signs up for a course on Public Relations, it's the first time he's been away from home for some time.

Another cracking episode from the second series, and it's a bit different, seeing Frank away from Betty, and in a place full of strangers, it worked very well.

The scene in the dining room is a scream, it was obvious that Frank was going to cause mayhem somehow, but the result was so funny.

There are a few moments where the cast look like they're going to burst into laughter, if looks as though they had a lot of fun making this.

There are two seasoned actors here, James Cossins and Christopher Biggins, I'd forgotten how prolific Biggins was, there weren't many sitcoms in the 70's that he didn't appear in, Cossins is excellent, it's a joy seeing Frank push Mr Watson's buttons.

8/10.

"Every day in every way, I'm getting better and better!"

[ShadeGrenade · 10/10 · 9 March 2010]

My very favourite episode of 'Some Mothers'. It proves if nothing else that the show was not reliant on elaborate stunts, when needed the scripts and performances could carry the comedy.

After getting fired from his latest job - a sewer worker - Frank applies to go on a course to become a Public Relations officer. At a house in the country, he meets Watson ( James Cossins ), and impresses him with his use of 'every day in every way, I'm getting better and better'.". Frank makes friends with Eddie Roberts ( Robin Halstead ) with whom he shares a dormitory. Also present is Lang ( Mark Griffith ), a recalcitrant figure who despises public relations and is only there because his rich parents paid for the course. With Frank thrown into the mix, things are bound to go disastrously wrong...

For the second episode in a row, Frank is away from home ( though the R.A.F. experience took place before he met Betty ), and living in confined quarters with a bunch of men. Fortunately, the plot manages to be different enough for this to not become a major problem. Frank accidentally starting a fight in the dormitory is a good example. The late James Cossins is wonderful as the manager of the course, who believes the P.R. man's overwhelming priority must be loyalty to his company. Frank points out that this conflicts with another priority, that of honesty.

The others agree and walk out en masse. Watson explodes with anger and chases after Frank.

Funniest moment - the cafeteria scene. Frank is given a plate of beans which he cannot eat as he has had 'a bit of trouble'. He tries to replace it, only to get another, then another, and when he tries to push the plates back into the dispensing machine, succeeds in wrecking it, sending food flying everywhere ( I'm sure a similar scene appeared in a 'Hancock's Half-Hour' episode but I'll be blowed if I can recall which one it was ).

Mark ( later to change his name to David ) Griffith is also good as 'Lang', who despises Watson and all that he stands for. Jill Damas appeared in a couple of sex comedies, one of which was the wonderfully-titled 'Can You Keep It Up For A Week?' ( 1975 ). Christopher Biggins, another one of the would-be executives, was 'Lukewarm' in 'Porridge'.

Second funniest moment - Watson trying to tell his pupils what every P.R. man/woman has to do. He gives them a letter at a time, starting with "P". Frank looks horribly embarrassed. Watson continues: "E!". Nothing. He tries again. "R!". Same. On uttering "S!", Frank thinks he has the answer: "Perspires?".