Sykes (TV Series) Ankle (1972) User Reviews

Ankle

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 15 November 2020]

There are some nice touches early in the episode. Hattie reminding the cuckoo clock that it was one short with its cuckoo sound.

Eric comes in the house and expected the television to have warmed up so he could watch Blue Peter.

However when Sykes carelessly discards a biscuit tin in his next door neighbour's garden. Charles Brown alleges he has tripped, injured his ankle and is going to his solicitor.

Eric and Hattie are waiting for him hand and foot as Charles demands more and mor attention. Hattie even lends him their television set.

Eric suspects that Charles is over exaggerating and wants to get his own back.

An amusing episode but it had its thunder stolen with a similar themed Steptoe & Son story.

Slaves to the telly.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 7 April 2023]

Charles Brown is injured as a result of a biscuit tin being launched into his garden, to try and appease him, and stop Brown from talking legal action, Sykes and Hattie take extra special care of the demanding patient.

It's a solid episode, it isn't one of my favourites, but there are some fine moments, that sequence with the coal bucket was pretty funny, and I enjoyed Sykes grumbling about the shows he missed on the telly, overall I'd say it's a decent watch.

Perhaps not the most original story you'll ever see, but Sykes does provide some cracking physical humour.

It put me in mind of an episode of One foot in The Grave, Monday morning will be fine, in which The Meldrews are burgled, and sit staring at the counter of the room where the TV once stood.

6/10.

Sykes the servant!

[Yonilikka-22 · 9/10 · 2 July 2017]

Eric is given the job of throwing out some rubbish, so he loads it into an old biscuit tin. A gust of wind carries it over the fence into Mr.Brown's garden. He trips over it and - so he says - breaks his ankle. He retreats to bed. Frightened he might sue them for compensation, Eric and Hat become his unpaid servants.

The early episodes of the 1970's 'Sykes' were remakes; the original version of this story went out in 1961. I have not seen it, but this colour version is very good, giving Wattis full rein to boss his neighbours about. It is a bit like the 'Steptoe & Son' classic 'Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs, Downstairs' which was two years in the future. The only negative point is the unnecessary dig at Brian Rix, a very good comic performer.

Funniest moment - a film sequence showing Eric and Hat continually trooping upstairs to attend to Brown's needs. Eric carries a bucket of coal at one point; the bottom falls out and the stair carpet is suddenly covered in nutty slack!