Command Decision (Dad's Army)
Command Decision is the third episode of the first series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Wednesday 14 August 1968.
| "Command Decision" | |
|---|---|
| Dad's Army episode | |
| Episode no. | Series One Episode 003 |
| Directed by | David Croft[1] |
| Story by | Jimmy Perry and David Croft[1] |
| Produced by | David Croft[1] |
| Original air date | Wednesday 14 August 1968 8.20pm[1] (recorded Monday 29 April 1968)[1] |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
Synopsis
Leadership agrees with Captain Mainwairing, but the men, still without uniforms and arms, are getting restless. The platoon's fortunes take a turn when old campaigner Colonel Square arrives with an offer of rifles and horses. There is a catch; to secure the weapons, Mainwaring must hand over command to Colonel Square.
Plot
The platoon are all feeling blue due to their lack of rifles. Mainwaring promises them some before the week is out, but time is running short. He eventually puts the platoon under the command of Colonel Square on a promise of rifles, but after being forced to ride horses holding elephant-shooting muskets, he takes control again. In the end, rifles arrive.
Cast
- Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring
- John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson
- Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jones
- John Laurie as Private Frazer
- James Beck as Private Walker
- Arnold Ridley as Private Godfrey
- Ian Lavender as Private Pike
- Caroline Dowdeswell as Janet King
- Geoffrey Lumsden as Colonel Square
- Charles Hill as Butler
- Gordon Peters as Soldier
Notes
- First appearance of Colonel Square.
- This is one of three episodes where Mainwaring ceases to control the platoon for a period of time. The others are If the Cap Fits... and Room at the Bottom.
Radio episode
| "Command Decision" | |
|---|---|
| Dad's Army episode | |
| Episode no. | Series One Episode 003 |
| Story by | Harold Snoad & Michael Knowles[1] |
| Produced by | John Dyas |
| Original air date | Monday 11 January 1974 6.15pm[1] (recorded Thursday 21 June 1973)[1] |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
References
- Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2000). The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army. Orion. p. 48. ISBN 0-7528-4637-X.
Further reading
- Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2000). The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army. Orion. p. 48. ISBN 0-7528-4637-X.
- McCann, Graham (2001). Dad's Army: The story of a classic television show. Fourth Estate. ISBN 1-84115-308-7.