Come in, Your Time is Up
Encyclopedia
"Come in, Your Time is Up" is the fourth episode of the eighth British
comedy series Dad's Army
that was originally broadcast on Wednesday, 26 September 1975.
, are interrupted by the persistent concerns of Mr Blewett. As Mainwaring tries to demonstrate the use of the platoons new bivouac tents, and the best way to eat a hedgehog, Mr Blewett objects to their 'improper' use of the Vicar's Garden. The scene ends with the platoon almost accidentally setting fire to the lawn.
The following weekend the platoon are in the countryside to try out their bivouac tents. To Mainwaring's annoyance, the Chief Warden's van appears - he has brought out the Sea Scout
s for a camp of their own. This will interrupt with the platoons male bonding, as 'comrades under the stars', and he suspects Hodges has brought them to that specific spot to deliberately upset him. The joke is on Hodges, however, when he runs out of petrol and is forced to spend the night out there as well.
In the night, a Nazi plane appears overhead, and they get up with their rifles. However there is nothing they can do about it, and go back to bed. The following morning, they spot three Nazi pilots floating on a rubber dinghy in the middle of the nearby lake, clearly having bailed out of the plane the previous night. Requisitioning the Sea Scouts boat, Mainwaring and his men go out to parley
with the pilots, using Hodges as an interpreter because of his knowledge of German. Their efforts meet ridicule and the Germans do not surrender, and instead laugh when Hodges falls in the water. It appears the Germans are waiting for nightfall so they can ship ashore, and escape.
Knowing that they can't shoot men with their hands up, the platoon come up with an elaborate plan involving Jones swimming underwater and bursting the dinghy with his bayonet. With predictably disastrous results, the plan goes wrong, and Hodges once again falls into the water - this time he is taken prisoner by the German raft, who then proceed to open fire on the British boat. An apoplectic Mainwaring orders his own men to fire "Let 'em have it men!", but Wilson points out they will hit Hodges.
Pike comes to the rescue, firing a number of arrows into the dinghy, causing it to start sinking. At last the Germans, realising the game is up, try to surrender. Mainwaring shouts out to Hodges "ask the Germans if they can swim?" to which Hodges replies "never mind them! I'm the one who can't swim!
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy series Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
that was originally broadcast on Wednesday, 26 September 1975.
Synopsis
Mainwairing's platoon discovers a German aircrew in an inflatable dinghy on a lake. Pike suggests they shoot through the dinghy and sink them, but his Captain reminds him about 'being a sporting nation and playing with a straight bat.' Wilson comes up with a more civilised strategy, but Pike remains poised with his gun, just in case.Plot
Because of a double-booking, the platoon are forced to use the Vicar's Garden for a parade. However Mainwaring's attempts to give them a serious lecture on fieldcraftFieldcraft
Fieldcraft is a term used especially in American, Canadian and British military circles to describe the basic military skills required to operate stealthily and the methods used to do so, which can differ during day or night and due to weather or terrain...
, are interrupted by the persistent concerns of Mr Blewett. As Mainwaring tries to demonstrate the use of the platoons new bivouac tents, and the best way to eat a hedgehog, Mr Blewett objects to their 'improper' use of the Vicar's Garden. The scene ends with the platoon almost accidentally setting fire to the lawn.
The following weekend the platoon are in the countryside to try out their bivouac tents. To Mainwaring's annoyance, the Chief Warden's van appears - he has brought out the Sea Scout
Sea Scout
Sea Scouts are members of the international Scouting movement, with a particular emphasis on water-based activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and rowing. Depending on the country and the available water these activities are on lakes, rivers or sea in small or large ships. Sea Scouting...
s for a camp of their own. This will interrupt with the platoons male bonding, as 'comrades under the stars', and he suspects Hodges has brought them to that specific spot to deliberately upset him. The joke is on Hodges, however, when he runs out of petrol and is forced to spend the night out there as well.
In the night, a Nazi plane appears overhead, and they get up with their rifles. However there is nothing they can do about it, and go back to bed. The following morning, they spot three Nazi pilots floating on a rubber dinghy in the middle of the nearby lake, clearly having bailed out of the plane the previous night. Requisitioning the Sea Scouts boat, Mainwaring and his men go out to parley
Parley
Parley is a discussion or conference, especially one between enemies over terms of a truce or other matters. The root of the word parley is parler, which is the French verb "to speak"; specifically the conjugation parlez "you speak", whether as imperative or indicative.Beginning in the High Middle...
with the pilots, using Hodges as an interpreter because of his knowledge of German. Their efforts meet ridicule and the Germans do not surrender, and instead laugh when Hodges falls in the water. It appears the Germans are waiting for nightfall so they can ship ashore, and escape.
Knowing that they can't shoot men with their hands up, the platoon come up with an elaborate plan involving Jones swimming underwater and bursting the dinghy with his bayonet. With predictably disastrous results, the plan goes wrong, and Hodges once again falls into the water - this time he is taken prisoner by the German raft, who then proceed to open fire on the British boat. An apoplectic Mainwaring orders his own men to fire "Let 'em have it men!", but Wilson points out they will hit Hodges.
Pike comes to the rescue, firing a number of arrows into the dinghy, causing it to start sinking. At last the Germans, realising the game is up, try to surrender. Mainwaring shouts out to Hodges "ask the Germans if they can swim?" to which Hodges replies "never mind them! I'm the one who can't swim!