Are You Being Served?

Set in the busy ladies and menswear departments of the fictional Grace Brothers in central London, this sitcom follows a tightknit but bickering shop floor staff as they get through sales days, deliveries and the regular parade of eccentric customers. Humor comes from cheeky double entendres, pratfalls and pointed digs at class differences, with each episode built around misunderstandings, petty rivalries and the staff's attempts to keep the store running. The ensemble includes outspoken shop stewards, prim managers and flamboyant sales assistants, and the show leans on repeating character traits and running gags rather than twisting plots, so episodes are easy to drop into without prior knowledge.

Created by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, the series premiered in 1972 and became a fixture of British television. The show starred Frank Thornton, John Inman, Mollie Sugden, Wendy Richard and Nicholas Smith, among others, and ran through much of the 1970s into the 1980s.

It didn't rack up major television awards, but it proved durable in the ratings and the cast became closely associated with their roles, enjoying long careers tied to the show. The series' popularity kept it in public view long after its original run.

The program left a noticeable mark on British pop culture, with its stock characters and cheeky lines slipping into comedy shorthand. Performances and catchphrases were often imitated, and the series turned workplace banter and innuendo into a recognizable TV formula, influencing later sitcoms that used ensemble stores or offices as comic microcosms.

Critics and audiences have mixed memories of the show, reflected in a current vote average of 7.2/10 from 89 votes. Many viewers praise the ensemble timing and broad farce, while others point out that the humor and stereotypes can feel dated today. Key themes are class satire, workplace hierarchy, and sex comedy delivered through recurring gags and familiar character types.