TRIPPER'S DAY is a six-part British comedy sitcom that proves an average kind of watch for modern viewers, certainly not as funny or memorable as true classics of the genre like FAWLTY TOWERS or even Rossiter's better-known RISING DAMP. It has a similar single-location set-up to other programmes I like better, such as THE THIN BLUE LINE and THE BRITTAS EMPIRE, but the writing is merely passable and the actors are more often than not inclined to mug for attention when they should be playing it more subtly. Leonard Rossiter is good value, of course, and really the only reason to tune in. After his death the show continued with Bruce Forsyth in the lead, renamed SLINGER'S DAY.
6 Reviews
It's fairly mediocre, but deserved to be good.
Sleepin_Dragon27 March 2021
1984 saw the arrival of Tripper's Day, a six part series which saw Leonard Rossiter star as Norman Tripper, manager of Supafare supermarket.
Each episode sees him have run ins with his staff, and be pushed to the limits by tiresome customers, and awkward situations.
Let's be honest, it's not great, personally I think it's well acted, with some lovely characters, including Security Guard Alf, and the lustful Canteen supervisor Hilda.
Unfortunately, the show is let down by very poor scripts, the writing is the major flaw throughout. You can't fault the cast, they deliver what they're given, and sometimes Rossiter was able to elevate it, by too often the scripts were feeble.
Think of a poor mix of Are you being served and Trollied. Sadly Rossiter passed away, so when the show returned a few years later, it would be fronted by Bruce Forsyth, that's my next watch.
It's watchable, but don't expect blu laughs, 5/10.
Each episode sees him have run ins with his staff, and be pushed to the limits by tiresome customers, and awkward situations.
Let's be honest, it's not great, personally I think it's well acted, with some lovely characters, including Security Guard Alf, and the lustful Canteen supervisor Hilda.
Unfortunately, the show is let down by very poor scripts, the writing is the major flaw throughout. You can't fault the cast, they deliver what they're given, and sometimes Rossiter was able to elevate it, by too often the scripts were feeble.
Think of a poor mix of Are you being served and Trollied. Sadly Rossiter passed away, so when the show returned a few years later, it would be fronted by Bruce Forsyth, that's my next watch.
It's watchable, but don't expect blu laughs, 5/10.
Stinker's Day
ShadeGrenade16 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
We shall never know what made Leonard Rossiter agree to star in this feeble Thames sitcom. It certainly couldn't have been the quality of the scripts. Though penned by Brian Cooke, one half of the writing team behind 'Man About The House' and 'George & Mildred', they proved about as funny as anthrax. The show cast Rossiter as 'Norman Tripper', the permanently harassed manager of a supermarket whose staff are either lazy or incompetent. Typical of the show's level of humour is the fact that two characters are named 'Laurel' and 'Hardy' so that Tripper can make a reference to 'Laurel & Hardy' the comedy duo. As Tripper, it is easily Rossiter's least distinguished comedy performance, though this is not his fault. Tripper comes across as a weak 'Basil Fawlty' clone, constantly shouting his not very funny lines to no avail. Midway through the transmission of this series, Rossiter passed away, making 'Tripper's Day' his last ever work for television. Shame. He deserved a better epitaph than this.
Correction
andrew703 July 2004
Erm, the closest Leslie Crowther ever got to this programme was sitting at home watching it with the rest of us.
As the cast list indicates, Leonard Rossiter was the principle actor in this rather below par sitcom. His untimely death prevented him from appearing in a second series so the title was changed to Slinger's Day and Bruce Forsyth stepped in to replace him.
The show also featured an early appearance by Andrew Paul who later went on to play the part for which he is best known - PC Dave Quinnan in The Bill.
As the cast list indicates, Leonard Rossiter was the principle actor in this rather below par sitcom. His untimely death prevented him from appearing in a second series so the title was changed to Slinger's Day and Bruce Forsyth stepped in to replace him.
The show also featured an early appearance by Andrew Paul who later went on to play the part for which he is best known - PC Dave Quinnan in The Bill.
Leonard Rossiter deserved better than this!
Robsnide12 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Following the flop of the series 'The Losers', Leonard Rossiter stayed away from television comedy for a long time. He finally returned, in 1984, with this show set in a supermarket. Written by Brian Cooke ( one half of the writing team behind 'Father dear Father' and 'Man About The House' and 'George & Mildred' ), it should have been a big success. It was not, and the quality of the scripts was mainly to blame. Rossiter then had the misfortune to die mid-way through its run. Thankfully, he probably never saw the hostile reviews it got. A second season would never have occurred had he lived. The ratings began to improve after the star's death, and so it was decided to reboot it as 'Slinger's Day' starring Bruce Forsyth. That was better, but not much. The only noteworthy thing about Tripper's Day is the catchy electronic theme, composed by Paddy Kingsland.
Checkout Capers!
Rabical-912 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
'Tripper's Day' is only really remembered for the fact that it was the final work of Leonard Rossiter. After the screening of the second episode, Rossiter died of a massive heart attack at the age of 57, so it is perhaps due to this that it is generally not regarded as the fondest remembered of his work.
Brian Cooke wrote the show especially for Rossiter, who had turned down other sitcom roles due to the fact that they were carbon-copies of Rigsby and Reggie Perrin. Rossiter was Norman Tripper, the constantly shouting manager for a North London supermarket named Supafare.
Tripper's staff were stereotypical sitcom layabouts - among the crew were elderly and senile security guard Alf Battle ( Gordon Gostelow ), sex-mad canteen supervisor Hilda Rimmer ( who seems to have a thing going with Norman and was played by Pat Ashton ), union leader Hardie ( Philip Bird ), David John's gormless Laurel ( I wonder why those characters were named so? ) and even more incompetent Higgins ( Andrew Paul ), lazy checkout girls Marlene ( Charon Bourke ) and Dottie ( Vicky Licorish ), nervous trainee manager Mr. Christian ( Paul Clarkson ) and back-chatting secretary Sylvia ( the gorgeous Liz Crowther ).
It was not a bad show. It just seems that viewers were still too fond of Rossiter's earlier work to accept him so soon in a role that is not normally associated with him. Pat Ashton had some good lines as Hilda ( and she still managed to look sexy in a canteen smock ). Gordon Gostelow was annoying as Alf however. He did not so much speak his lines as mumble them.
Ratings were acceptable enough for a sequel to appear the following year - this time entitled 'Slinger's Day', which had game show host Bruce Forsyth stepping into Rossiter's shoes.
'Rising Damp' fans may be disappointed but those who just like a care-free, non PC laugh should be in for a good time
Brian Cooke wrote the show especially for Rossiter, who had turned down other sitcom roles due to the fact that they were carbon-copies of Rigsby and Reggie Perrin. Rossiter was Norman Tripper, the constantly shouting manager for a North London supermarket named Supafare.
Tripper's staff were stereotypical sitcom layabouts - among the crew were elderly and senile security guard Alf Battle ( Gordon Gostelow ), sex-mad canteen supervisor Hilda Rimmer ( who seems to have a thing going with Norman and was played by Pat Ashton ), union leader Hardie ( Philip Bird ), David John's gormless Laurel ( I wonder why those characters were named so? ) and even more incompetent Higgins ( Andrew Paul ), lazy checkout girls Marlene ( Charon Bourke ) and Dottie ( Vicky Licorish ), nervous trainee manager Mr. Christian ( Paul Clarkson ) and back-chatting secretary Sylvia ( the gorgeous Liz Crowther ).
It was not a bad show. It just seems that viewers were still too fond of Rossiter's earlier work to accept him so soon in a role that is not normally associated with him. Pat Ashton had some good lines as Hilda ( and she still managed to look sexy in a canteen smock ). Gordon Gostelow was annoying as Alf however. He did not so much speak his lines as mumble them.
Ratings were acceptable enough for a sequel to appear the following year - this time entitled 'Slinger's Day', which had game show host Bruce Forsyth stepping into Rossiter's shoes.
'Rising Damp' fans may be disappointed but those who just like a care-free, non PC laugh should be in for a good time
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