Are You Being Served? Season 7 Episode 6 Anything You Can Do

Are You Being Served? is a classic British sitcom that aired from 1972 to 1985. Set in the fictional Grace Brothers department store, the show focuses on the comical day-to-day mishaps of the store's staff, each with their own peculiarities and idiosyncrasies. In Season 7 Episode 6, titled Anything You Can Do, the staff of Grace Brothers find themselves facing yet another challenge that disrupts the store's traditional, if somewhat farcical, environment.

The episode begins with the usual bustling activity of the department store. The staff are engaged in their daily routines, serving customers with their own unique brands of service, which range from the sycophantic to the crude to the downright absurd. The characters, from the pompous floorwalker Captain Peacock to the flamboyant Mr. Humphries, the matronly Mrs. Slocombe with her ever-color-changing hair, to the junior Mr. Spooner, all interact with their regular dose of snappy dialogue and humorous quips.

Amidst this backdrop, the employees learn about a new cost-cutting efficiency drive implemented by the Grace Brothers management. The management has decided to introduce an exchange program with a nearby store, which is reputed for its high efficiency and modern sales techniques. This foreign store staff's methods stand in stark contrast to the traditional ways of Grace Brothers, setting the stage for an episode filled with competition and humorous friction.

The staff of Grace Brothers, feeling proud and defensive of their own methods, don't take kindly to the notion that they could be outdone, especially by outsiders. They rally together to prove that their own time-honored approaches are superior. The storyline follows the comic juxtaposition of the contrasting selling styles and the lengths to which each staff member will go to assert their supremacy. A series of competitive escapades ensues, drawing on the strengths and weaknesses of the diverse crew.

As attempts to outdo one another unfold, the employees engage in a range of antics to demonstrate their prowess. This includes adopting and adapting the other store's methods, much to the amusement—and sometimes dismay—of their customers. The situation grows increasingly absurd as the staff adopt outlandish tactics to impress. The junior, Mr. Spooner, tries to win customers over with his youthful energy and fresh ideas. Meanwhile, the stately Mr. Rumbold, always attempting to align with Grace Brothers' upper management directives, finds himself in the difficult position of mediating the competitive spirit that has overtaken his staff.

In the midst of the competition, Mrs. Slocombe and Miss Brahms, the ladies' department duo, provide their usual sharp and saucy banter, bringing an added layer of humor to the episode as they tackle the challenge in their own unique fashion. With every snide comment and side-eye glance, they subtly underline the ridiculousness of the rivalry that's developed. While the men are caught up in their antics, these ladies showcase their own savvy approach to customer service.

The episode is rich with the show's trade-mark one-liners, sight gags, and innuendos, as the cast navigates the gender and social dynamics of the 1970s workplace in a way that ranges from the sharply observant to the blissfully ignorant. As with most episodes of Are You Being Served?, the humor of Anything You Can Do straddles the line between broad farce and a deeper commentary on British society—albeit in a light-hearted and frequently slapstick manner.

As the plot progresses, the challenge between the two department stores increases to a fever pitch. The Grace Brothers staff, usually at odds with each other over the most trivial of matters, discover that their true strength lies in their ability to put aside differences and work together. The episode highlights not just the comedy born from rivalry, but also the camaraderie and team spirit that emerge when their collective pride is at stake.

Will the staff of Grace Brothers be able to prove their mettle and retain their dignity? Will the new techniques of their rival store prove too sophisticated and effective, or will traditional service charm triumph? These are the questions that drive the narrative forward in Anything You Can Do. All the while, customers pass in and out of the store, largely oblivious to the humor-fueled turmoil around them.

Anything You Can Do, like many episodes of Are You Being Served?, is a testament to the enduring appeal of the program. Its characters are larger than life, yet strangely relatable, and their exploits continue to resonate with audiences who appreciate the timeless charm of British sitcoms. Regardless of the outcome of this rivalry, the engaging staff ensures that the trip to Grace Brothers is always an entertaining one.