Paul Evans
Despite being too young to know the original run of Rentaghost, I'd still class it as one of the funniest shows of my youth. I'm afraid I have to disagree with some of the reviews here, and say I thought the series got better and better as it went on, it got barmier and barmier, the plots became insanely silly, but insanely funny. Such a shame only the first series was made commercially available, as it's a show I'm sure today's youngsters would love it.Everything a kid could possibly want, the zany Meakers, the mischievous Mr Claypole, the clumsy Dobbin, and the poor Perkins.Legendary writer Lynda la Plante appeared in one series, as Tamara Novek, she was ok, but the replacement of Nadia Popov played by Coronation Street legend Sue Nicholls was a joy to watch.Such an amazingly talented set of performers, Stainforth got to show off his roller dancing talents, and the magical Ann Emery got to sing her heart out.A much loved show, which proved it was great to grow up in the Seventies and early eighties.Series Nine was hilarious, Suzi Starlight, Bernie St John and the cellar, magical!10/10
VictorianCushionCat
Thanks to much repeating in the early 1990s (as part of the 8.15 from Manchester) this mid 70s/early 80s children's spooky comedy remains fresh in my memory, actually a look on YouTube helped too.Extremely camp, hyperactive, shed-loads of bad jokes, crummy special effects, over-acting, childish nonsense but that is why I love it, it was just so much daft fun. Why should all entertainment be serious or even credible, there is room for rubbish just as long as we and the people who make it know it's rubbish.All the actors seem to be having great fun, queueing up to add another corny line, but best of all in my view are the pompous next door neighbours the Perkins. Especially when they are given a magic pendant which makes all their wishes come true, which always wrecks havoc on their attempts at a quiet suburban life.And credit to the late Michael Staniforth for creating easily one of the most memorable Children's TV themes from 'the good old days'
ShadeGrenade
'Rentaghost' was a children's comedy series by Bob Block, who also wrote the equally bizarre 'Pardon My Genie' and 'Robert's Robots'. It concerned an employment agency, run and staffed by three ghosts - trendy Fred Mumford, Victorian Hubert Davenport and jester Timothy Claypole. All used to 'teleport' by pinching their noses! Their landlord, and frequent victim, was Mr.Meaker. Each week, the Rentaghost gang would try their hand at something new - a taxi service, furniture removals, or entertaining hospital patients - usually with disastrous results. Mr.Claypole was always misinterpreting instructions - once, when asked to help Fred's parents move house - he did exactly that. Another story had Mr.Meaker turn into a budgie, and in yet another, his wife became a cocker spaniel. Whenever the doorbell rang, she barked! Fred's parents didn't know their son was dead - he was killed whilst working abroad - hence on home visits, he had to throw Mother's dinners away ( ghosts don't eat ). All very silly, but done with great panache. And it had one of the greatest theme tunes ever!
dsb-6
unlike the other reviewers,i am of the age where the later tacky episodes are the ones i remember and love. sure it got sillier as time went on,but that was the charm -all manner of daft jokes and comedy chases -and it stands the test of time! i actually saw an episode last week and as an adult it still made me chuckle -the nonense of it all is infectious -i'm smiling just thinking about it. so check it out -currently on satelite tv on sundays.
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