Come In, Your Time Is Up

Last updated

"Come In, Your Time Is Up"
Dad's Army episode
Episode no.Series 8
Episode 4
Directed by David Croft
Story by Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Original air date26 September 1975 (1975-09-26)
Running time31 minutes
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Is There Honey Still for Tea?"
Next 
"High Finance"
List of episodes

"Come In, Your Time is Up" is the fourth episode of the eighth series of the British situation comedy Dad's Army . It was originally broadcast on Friday, 26 September 1975.

Contents

Synopsis

While out camping, the platoon discover a German aircrew in an inflatable dinghy on a lake.

Plot

Because of a double-booking, the platoon are forced to use the Vicar's garden for a parade. However, Mainwaring's attempts to give them a serious lecture on fieldcraft are interrupted by the persistent concerns of Mr Blewitt. As Mainwaring tries to demonstrate the use of the platoons new bivouac tents, and the best way to eat a hedgehog, Mr Blewitt objects to their "improper" use of the garden and repeatedly reports them to the irritated Vicar. The scene ends with Pike almost accidentally setting fire to the lawn and getting drenched with water by Mr Blewitt.

The following weekend the platoon are in the countryside to try out their bivouac tents. They also make rabbit stew for dinner due to the lack of any hedgehogs in the area. To Mainwaring's annoyance, Warden Hodges' van appears as he has brought out the Vicar, Verger and the Sea Scouts for a camp of their own. This will interfere with the platoon's male bonding, as "comrades under the stars", and Mainwaring suspects Hodges has brought them to that specific spot to deliberately upset him. The joke is on Hodges, however, when he finds he has run out of petrol and is forced to spend the night out there as well.

During the night, a Nazi plane appears overhead on fire, and the men get up with their rifles. However, there is nothing they can do about it, and go back to bed. The following morning, they spot three Nazi pilots floating on a rubber dinghy in the middle of the nearby lake, clearly having bailed out of the plane the previous night. Requisitioning the Sea Scouts' raft, Mainwaring and his men go out to parley with the pilots, using Hodges as an interpreter because of his knowledge of German. Pike suggests they shoot through the dinghy and sink them, but his Captain reminds him about "being a sporting nation and playing with a straight bat". Their efforts meet ridicule as the Germans, despite rising their hands, do not surrender and instead laugh when Hodges falls in the water while trying to tie a rope to their dinghy. It appears the Germans are waiting for nightfall so they can slip ashore and escape.

Knowing that they cannot shoot men with their hands up, the platoon come up with an elaborate plan involving Jones swimming underwater and bursting the dinghy with his bayonet. With predictably disastrous results, the plan goes wrong, and Hodges once again ends up in the water. This time he is taken prisoner by the Germans, who then proceed to open fire on the Scouts' boat. An angry Mainwaring draws his revolver and orders his own men to "Let 'em have it men!", but Wilson points out they will hit Hodges.

Pike comes to the rescue, using a bow borrowed from the Scouts to fire a number of arrows into the dinghy, causing it to start sinking. At last the Germans, realising the game is up, try to surrender. Mainwaring shouts out to Hodges to "ask the Germans if they can swim" to which Hodges replies "I don't care about them! I'm the one who can't swim!"

Cast

Notes

  1. The runtime of this episode is 31 minutes.

Related Research Articles

"The Face on the Poster" is the sixth episode of the eighth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 10 October 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring Dem Bells</span> 1st episode of the 8th series of Dads Army

"Ring Dem Bells" is the first episode of the eighth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 5 September 1975.

"Turkey Dinner" is the sixth episode of the seventh series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Monday, 23 December 1974. Although not a Christmas special, it was the Christmas episode, and was originally planned for transmission on 6 December 1974.

"Battle of the Giants!" is the first special Christmas episode of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 27 December 1971. The episode was recorded 19 October 1971.

"The Love of Three Oranges" is the third Christmas episode of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 26 December 1976.

"The Bullet Is Not for Firing" is the fourth episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Thursday 2 October 1969.

"The Day the Balloon Went Up" is the eighth episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Thursday 30 October 1969.

"The Big Parade" is the first episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 25 September 1970.

"The Test" is the tenth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 27 November 1970.

"Uninvited Guests" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy TV series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 11 December 1970.

"High Finance" is the fifth episode of the eighth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally broadcast on 3 October 1975.

"The Recruit" is the seventh episode of the sixth series of the British television sitcom Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 12 December 1973.

"Everybody's Trucking" is the first episode of the seventh series of the British television sitcom Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 15 November 1974.

"When Did You Last See Your Money?" is the ninth episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 1 December 1972.

"A Brush with the Law" is the eleventh episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 15 December 1972.

"Time on My Hands" is the thirteenth and final episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 29 December 1972.

"A Man of Action" is the second episode of the seventh series British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 22 November 1974.

"The Miser's Hoard" is the fourth episode of the ninth and final series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 23 October 1977.

"Knights of Madness" is the third episode of the ninth and final series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 16 October 1977.

"Wake Up Walmington" is the first episode of the ninth and final series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 2 October 1977.

References