From being largely a background character in the very early series, Pike has gradually come into his own across the years. With the death of James Beck leaving a noticeable hole in the ensemble, Ian Lavender stepped up impressively to fill the void and writers Croft and Perry seem to have recognised this as by this stage Pike had become one of the most prominent sources of laughs. Having stolen the opening episode of series 8, Ring Dem Bells, with his Nazi officer impersonation, Pike is once again the focus here as he receives his call up papers and develops a nervous facial tic as a result. This gives Lavender the opportunity to play broad physical comedy with a more emotional layer underneath. A separate plot about a blood drive dovetails nicely with the main plot towards the end, culminating in a sweet final scene with a celebratory fish and chip meal. If When You've Got to Go still isn't quite at the level of the show's heyday, it easily maintains an uptick in quality that followed the lacklustre ending of series 6 and first half of series 7. It's good to see the material improving and the ensemble back on form. If it's clear that Dad's Army is nearing the end of its natural lifespan, it's rocky transition into old age is blossoming into a graceful dotage.