Yanks Go Home (1976–1977) User Reviews

We'll Meet Again

[ShadeGrenade · 6/10 · 7 August 2006]

Eyebrows were raised when in the year of America's Bicentennial celebrations, Granada produced a sitcom bearing the unfortunate title of 'Yanks Go Home!'. Devised by Peter Eckersley, it was set in the Lancashire town of Warrington in 1942, which has become overrun by G.I.'s who, according to the surly locals, are 'over paid, over sexed, and over here'. The local girls find these new arrivals fascinating, and not just because they are handing out chocolate, gum and stockings.

With the B.B.C.'s 'Dad's Army' about to end, I.T.V. clearly hoped to pinch some of its audience. They gave the show a big build-up, including a 'T.V. Times' cover and article, but alas it proved only moderately successful. The main problem was that the subject matter had already been covered by 'Dad's Army' itself, in a wonderful episode entitled 'My British Buddy!'. Each episode had a different writer ( such as H.V. Kershaw, John Stevenson, Anthony Couch, Michael Carter, and Julian Roach ), so the characterisations were somewhat inconsistent. The obvious canned laughter did not help either. Alan MacNaughtan played 'Colonel Ralph Kruger' in the first season. Bruce Boa was particularly good as the swaggering 'Sergeant Gus Pulaski'. Future 'Coronation Street' actress Meg Johnson was glamorous barmaid 'Phoebe Sankey', whose dippy daughter 'Doreen' ( Catherine Neilsen ) married 'Private Floyd Tutt' ( Jay Benedict ) in the final episode 'First Of The G.I. Brides'. Other reliables were Norman Bird, Harry Markham, David Ross and Peter Sallis. Best amongst the cast though was Freddie Earlle, whose 'Corporal Pasquale' was straight out of 'Sgt.Bilko'.

'Yanks Go Home' saw the return to television of Stuart Damon, not seen since 'The Champions'. He played 'Corporal Vince Rossi', and later wrote an episode. Not a great show then, but a good try. In 2012, Network released the entire series on D.V.D.

''Them's the ones we're supposed to be at war with!''

[Rabical-91 · 6/10 · 9 February 2016]

On paper this sitcom looked like a born hit - a sound premise, a fine cast and rounded characters. However, unfortunately, 'Yanks Go Home' ( created by Peter Eckersley ) amounted to, if not quite nothing, very little. Only two series were ever made.

'Yanks Go Home', inspired by the 'Dad's Army' episode 'My British Buddy', was one of several military themed shows to follow in the footsteps of Jimmy Perry and David Croft's hit show and focused on US Air Force Pilots being stationed in a small village somewhere in Lancashire. The arrival of the soldiers turns the heads of the females of the village though the males are less than impressed by them, particularly the local pub landlord Harry Duckworth ( David Ross ), who denounces them as being 'over paid, over sexed and over here'.

The G.I's included loud Sgt. Gus Pulaski ( Bruce Boa ), smooth Cpl. Vince Rossi ( Stuart Damon of 'The Champions' fame ), dim-witted Cpl. Pasquale ( Freddie Earlie ), Pvt. Floyd Tutt ( Jay Benedict ), who later got married to the sexy ( if scatterbrained ) Doreen Sankey ( Catherine Neilson ) whose mother is local barmaid Phoebe Sankey ( future 'Coronation Street' star Meg Johnson ), Pfc.Burford Puckett ( Richard Oldfield ) and Colonel Ralph Kruguer ( Alan MacNaughton ). Upon arrival in England, they are greeted by Leonard Chambers, the town clerk who bores everyone rigid with his 'our town is your town' speech when he meets the G.I's for the first time.

'Yanks Go Home' overall was really not very good. Every week a different writer was used, resulting in the show looking messy and disjointed. The obvious laugh track did the show no favours either. Overall, it's a bit of a curate's egg. Best of all in the cast was Stuart Damon, for whom this was his first regular TV series since 'The Champions'.

Americans Invade Britain

[prof-pseudo · 3/10 · 25 March 2014]

It's WWII. Fearing a German invasion of Britain, an American invasion, the lesser of two evils, is welcomed – briefly. As a result the Lancashire town of Warrington has been overrun by American Airman who are interested in one thing . . . it's just never clear what that is. This could have been a wonderful program and run for several series. There were three fundamental flaws; poor scripts, poor characterization, and poor attention to detail.

Poor scripts: The individual plots lacked any real humor. They lacked the awkward situation seed from which characters can interact with each other (eg Dad's Army – bomb in the vault). It is this interaction that allows the witty lines we enjoy. In YGH the actors all delivered their lines but lacking the awkward situations there could be little humorous interaction. It would also seem that many of the DA plots may have been loosely based on actual events. This just didn't seem to be the case with YGH.

Poor characterization: Nearly all, if not all, of the characters lacked any depth. There were peculiar characters to be sure, but they were flat. The "hillbilly" from Kentucky with the funny accent was flat. His humor rested on his sad attempt at a Kentucky accent. Compare this to Manuel on Fawlty Towers. Manuel's humor was much more than his accent; his facial expressions, his mannerisms, the slapstick with Basil, and the timing of his lines all added to the characterization and fun. And the poor characterization was not limited to only the American characters – certainly the British characters were equally shallow.

Poor attention to detail: There are several errors in detail that by themselves may not have made any difference had everything else been up to par. But they indicated a lack of interest on the part of the crew, writers, and producers. I'm not talking about minor error in details like incorrect service ribbons on their uniforms or the wrong wheels on a jeep, but rather significant errors showing a lack of basic details and that would not have required a great deal of research to correct.

• The "American Expeditionary Force" was WWI not WWII. And they most likely would have identified themselves not as "US Army" but "(US) Army Air Corp".

• Sgt. Gus Pulaski should not be wearing an officers cap. A "crush cap" or "fifty mission" cap, as is often seen worn in movies/programs by B17/B24 pilots/officers (think 12 O'Clock High or even Hogan's Heroes). Sgt. Pulaski would have worn the same cap as the other enlisted men in the program.

• Sgt. Gus Pulaski carries a swagger-stick or short-stick. This has never been part of a uniform in the US Army. That said, there were a few US Army officers who carried a stick during WWII, Gen. George Patton being a notable among them. Generals have a little more latitude than does a sergeant.

• While Americans cussed (cursed) with the best of them, at that day and age most would not have done so in front of women. They would also have been more polite, using "Yes, sir; No, sir; Yes, ma'am; No, ma'am" when speaking to a woman, an elder, or most civilians for that matter. This is not to imply that all of them were choir boys, far from it.

Side note: I'm often surprised when I hear American characters on British programs use the expression, "god damn". While it is used in the US from time, it is not used nearly as often as is "fuckin'" and I suspect that in the WWII time period neither were used often (especially not with ladies present). On the other hand I have often heard Brits use god damn.

• In one of the early episodes the General mentions hearing the latest "scuttlebutt". Scuttlebutt is a Navy term and would not yet have permeated civilian life sufficiently to result in an Army general to using it.

• In YGH there is a class distinction between the American officers and enlisted, at least on the officer's part, that is not typically an American trait. While it does/did exist to some extent it was not as strong as it was portrayed. It would seem to me that the emphasis placed on the distinction is nearer that of a British unit. An American enlisted man would fully understand and agree that an officer out ranks him, but would not agree that that officer is "superior" to him.

• The two ranking officers (colonel and general) are older and imply a career officer in the "regular Army" verses a "shave tail" or "90 day wonder" (newly created 2nd Lt.) picked up in the draft or hurried enlistment. Thus it is not typical that such officers would have been so lenient when it came to cleanliness, order, obedience, and respect. Such officers would be interested in making promotion and retirement.

So there it is. The program has it's inadequacies but it's worth a look, everyone has their own tastes. While not the funniest sitcom it has interesting moments and isn't completely worthless.