Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1980s Television
    1980s Television Comedy Shows A UK TV 2 Mins Read

    Alas Smith and Jones

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 8 4 – 1 9 8 8 (UK)
    43 x 30 minute episodes
    1 x 60 minute special

    Debuting on 31 January 1984, this clever comedy sketch series with Mel Smith (son of a betting shop owner) and Griff Rhys Jones (son of a doctor) basically picked up where they left off on Not the Nine O’clock News.

    Mimicking the title of the 1970s Western series starring Pete Duel and Ben Murphy, the programme was written by Smith and Jones, Clive Anderson, Rob Grant and Doug Naylor (creators of Red Dwarf). The 40-minute 1988 Christmas special was called Alas Sage and Onion.

    In 1988 the duo produced The World According To Smith and Jones for LWT, returning to the BBC for Smith and Jones In Small Doses and Smith and Jones (1990-1995). The latter was in the same format as Alas… but the quality declined.

    alas_62

    The series – which started on BBC2 but transferred to BBC1 – is probably best remembered for the ”head-to-head” scenes where the idiotic Smith attempted to explain something straightforward to the even dimmer Jones:

    Mel: I think I might emigrate to Australia

    Griff: Oh no, don’t do that, mate, don’t do that.

    Mel: But it’s a beautiful country . . .You can tell that when you’re watching all the films and everything, can’t you? What’s that one with all the wild animals in the outback, what’s it called? . . . “Dingo’s ate my baby” . . . you know, it was in Australia, what was it called? . . er . . . Meryl Streep was in it . . .

    Griff: Out of Africa?

    Mel: That’s the one, yeah

    Griff: Yeah.

    An attempt to revive Alas Smith and Jones was made in 1998. Mel Smith died in 2013.

    Related Posts

    • Mr Smith
      Mr Smith
      1 9 8 3 (USA) 13 x 30 minute episodes A circus orangutan is separated from his trainer, drinks a mixture…
    • Smith and Jones in Small Doses
      Smith and Jones in Small Doses
      1 9 8 9 (UK) 4 x 20 minute episodes These four 20-minute comedy dramas were two-handers starring the old Oxbridge…
    • Colin's Sandwich
      Colin's Sandwich
      1 9 8 8 - 1 9 9 0 (UK) 12 x 30 minute episodes Paul Smith and Terry Kyan, part…
    • Wildside
      Wildside
      1 9 8 5 (USA) 6 x 60 minute episodes Five upstanding citizens of Wildside County - a rough and tumble…
    • Smith and Goody
      Smith and Goody
      1 9 8 0 (UK) 7 x 30 minute episodes This Thames Television series starred Mel Smith and Bob Goody and…
    • Storyboard
      Storyboard
      1 9 8 3 - 1 9 8 9 (UK) 13 x 60 minute episodes This highly regarded Thames anthology…
    • Special Squad
      Special Squad
      1 9 8 4 - 1 9 8 5 (Australia) 43 x 60 minute episodes This Crawford cop show screened on…
    • Tea Ladies, The
      Tea Ladies, The
      1 9 7 8 (Australia) 8 x 30 minute episodes This short-lived Australian comedy series from ATV-0 was set in Parliament…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleAirbase, The
    Next Article As Time Goes By

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site
    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small.
    Thank you so much. Enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    You may also like

    • Smith and Jones in Small Doses
      Smith and Jones in Small Doses
      1 9 8 9 (UK) 4 x 20 minute episodes These four 20-minute comedy dramas were two-handers starring the old Oxbridge…
    • Not The Nine O'clock News
      Not The Nine O'clock News
      1 9 7 9 - 1 9 8 2 (UK) 28 x episodes This satire series launched many successful TV careers…
    • Colin's Sandwich
      Colin's Sandwich
      1 9 8 8 - 1 9 9 0 (UK) 12 x 30 minute episodes Paul Smith and Terry Kyan, part…
    • Alias Smith & Jones
      Alias Smith & Jones
      1 9 7 1 - 1 9 7 3 (USA) 1 x 90 minute episode 49 x 52 minute episodes Infamous…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.