Can We Get On Now, Please?

Tramps, drunks, ladies of the night, erring husbands, irate wives, and disgruntled neighbours all contributed to the steady flow of offenders who appeared before the magistrates. Clerk to the Justices, Mr Pettigrew (Hugh Paddick) tried to run an efficient court but he was at odds with the Chairman of the Bench, Mr Butterfield (Robert Dorning) and justices Mrs Myrtle Prior (Sheila Steafel) and Mr Skinner (Michael Barrington). Miss Teasdale (Valerie Phillips), the assistant clerk, was too inexperienced to help and Mr Bailey (Charles Lamb), the usher, was too old to care.

Directed by —, Can We Get On Now, Please? leans on a strong ensemble — Sheila Steafel, Hugh Paddick, Robert Dorning — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1980.