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The Facts of the Case Are These

TV Comedy

Sometimes, I come across something fun in my research which I just have to share. The following is the official synopsis for the famous One Foot in the Grave episode “The Trial”. It is, frankly, difficult to imagine it being written by anyone other than David Renwick.



Victor is summoned for jury service at the Crown Court... and ends up as the man on trial

The facts of the case are these

A man is found with his wrist cut, following a visit by a youth from the local garden centre who bears a striking resemblance to Plug of The Bask Street Kids

The prisoner delivers an impassioned thirty-minute speech, in which he speaks of threats on his life and his acute desire for some OK Fruity Sauce

After struggling to work out various clues, Victor comes to the conclusion that he himself is the guilty man and has committed murder inside his own house.

Mrs Warboys flies back from Ireland to make a statement, but is refused a hearing on the grounds that she is too boring

And then, just when it seems that all is lost, a letter from Victor's brother Alfred provides a vital piece of evidence that saves the day...

In comparison, the Radio Times capsule for the original broadcast of the episode on the 28th February 1993 is simply the following:

“Popular sitcom about a grumpy old man for whom nothing ever seems to go smoothly. Victor is called up for jury service and ends up as the man on trial.”

Which essentially only uses one line of the full synopsis.

That full synopsis is fun for a number of different reasons. Most obviously, it shows Renwick’s thought process for the episode: that Victor is both awaiting a real trial, and actually experiencing a mock trial. This does eventually become text in the episode – killing a woodlouse and being sentenced to death – but it’s all done fairly subtly. It being stated so obviously is its own joy.

But my favourite line in that extended synopsis is the following:

“Mrs Warboys flies back from Ireland to make a statement, but is refused a hearing on the grounds that she is too boring”

Which is, obviously, very funny indeed. But I was especially reminded of the line when reading of the sad death of Doreen Mantle the other day.

Because the thing Doreen did so brilliantly in One Foot in the Grave is taking what could have been an immensely irritating character who you were desperate to get rid of, and turned her into a delight to watch. To the point where, even when you’re watching Richard Wilson’s 30-minute tour de force monologue, Mrs Warboys is right there in your head anyway. And part of the reason “refused a hearing on the grounds that she is too boring” is funny is because it conjures up Mantle’s confused, tedious face.

Her performance manages to echo not only into an episode she isn’t actually in, but a text description of an episode she isn’t actually in. I’m not sure you can get any more captivating.

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