The Misfit

1970 - United Kingdom

Think of writer Roy Clarke and you think immediately of the string of long running, highly successful, comedy series he created for the BBC - series like Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances. It is less commonly known that Clarke's first television series was for Independent Television - The Misfit produced by ATV in 1970-71, in which Ronald Fraser played Basil Allenby-Johnson ("Badger" for short) returned from a colonial life in Malaya to an England he longer recognised. Even less well known is the fact that Fraser's character was born a couple of years earlier in an episode of the BBC drama The Troubleshooters, also written by Clarke. The Misfit ran for 13 episodes and each week gave viewers Allenby-Johnson's bemused take on a different aspect of 70's "Swinging Britain" with episode titles like "... on the Place of Women in the Home" and "... on Europe and Foreigners and Things". There was no shortage of targets - industrial relations (in which both management "cowardly, weak and obsessed with youth to the exclusion of ability" and trades unions "these days you get what you are ready to strike for" took a pasting); feminism; permissive and undisciplined youth; age prejudice by employers; student demos; the press; and the health service. In one episode Badger was appalled to discover that the forces of revolution had even wormed their way into the church.

Comments like "Few sights are more peaceful than the tranquil and undisturbed stillness of the nationalised labour force" earned Badger the nickname "the Alf Garnett of the middle classes". He was certainly right wing, but whereas in Till Death Us Do Part Johnny Speight deliberately made Alf Garnett an unlikeable bigot, Badger's swipes were usually justified in the context of the stories and struck a chord with many viewers, winning the series a big following. Ronald Fraser enjoyed playing the character, saying at the time "He epitomises all that was great about the Edwardian gentleman. Honest as the day is long. Loyal, faithful, loving people whatever their colour or creed, and loved by them. And unable to understand the Permissive Society. I'm absolutely in sympathy with him, except that I'm not quite so square." The series won Roy Clarke the 1970 Writers Guild Award for the best writer of a British TV series. Fittingly the final episode guest starred Michael Bates. Bates had much in common with Badger's colonial past, having been born in the Far East and served as a wartime Ghurka Major. Bates of course, went on to star in Clarke's Last of the Summer Wine a year or two later.

Published on January 6th, 2019. Review: Dave Rice.

Read Next...

And Mother Makes Three

Almost a direct follow on from the BBC's hugely popular Not In Front Of The Children starring Wendy Craig who was in an almost constant state of domestic discord...

Also tagged Britcom

Madigan

A grim-faced loner of the New York homicide division fights crime in an action packed cops and robbers series.

Also released in 1970

His and Hers TV series

Role reversal comedy that was perhaps a little ahead of its time...

Also released in 1970

Crime of Passion TV series

In France crime passionnel (or crime of passion) was a valid defence during murder cases; during the 19th century, some cases could result in a custodial sentence for two years for the murderer.

Also released in 1970

Curry and Chips

Poorly received sitcom by Johnny Speight who attempted (and many would say failed) to highlight the stupidity of racism.

Also tagged Britcom

Doctor In The House

Hospital comedy based on Richard Gordon's series of books, which had previously been adapted for the cinema starting with a 1954 production starring Dirk Bogarde. New medical students arrive at St Swithin's Hospital...mayhem ensues

Also tagged Britcom

Brights Boffins

Children's comedy series about a group of scientists who work in a rambling long-forgotten Government establishment called Halfwitt House.

Also released in 1970

Girls About Town TV series

Two married women, one with her head in the clouds and the other with her feet on the ground, decide it's time their husbands took more notice of them.

Also released in 1970

keeping up appearances

Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet), who spends her entire time trying to climb the local social ladder, much to the dismay of her long suffering husband Richard.

Also tagged Roy Clarke