Loathe Story

The hate between the two characters was there for all to see in more stories, but Harold finally snaps in this episode, beaten at Badminton, Harold finally reaches the stage where he wants to murder his old man. Fortunately a Psychiatrist is on hand to offer some help.

This is a really funny episode, from the slightly perverted shrink, to the memories of his father's poor parenting, this has some great moments.

The badminton match at the start is funny, Albert supping brown ale, able to beat his hapless son, but the standout scenes come from Harold's memory of a failed dinner date. The last person you'd want anyone to meet would be old man Steptoe, and naturally when Harold takes a young Joanna Lumley, complete with posh mother to meet the old man, everything goes wrong.

Lots to look out for, including the psychiatrist's erotic sketches, so funny. 9/10

Albert and Harold play Badminton in the yard surrounded by horse manure. Harold is displeased that Albert has beaten him. Later that night, talking in his sleep Harold walks up to Albert's bed with a meat cleaver. You might think he is pretending but he is not.

Harold visits a psychiatrist interested in mammaries and Harold goes back to his childhood ones, he also reminisces about his early memories with Albert coming out of the pub drunk.

Joanna Lumley plays Harold's posh girlfriend who turns up to the house with her snooty mother for afternoon tea and gets fleas.

Funniest moment was Albert serving drinks in specimen glasses he got from the hospital.

The dream scene with a young Joanna Lumley is my favourite in British comedy history. The rest of the episode is mediocre in comparison but I still cry with laughter nearly 50 years later when Albert offers Bunty's Mater a cucumber sandwich. Followed by Divided We Stand. They were at their peak during this time.