‘ALLO ‘ALLO! The Funniest Moments From The TV Series

‘Allo ‘Allo! is a somewhat different series from all the rest. Unlike classic sitcoms, it features overarching storylines that are continued throughout all seasons, and a concept that still sets the series apart from others. We’re talking about the accents of the actors. The main characters represent four different nationalities — French, German, English, and Italian. The creators of the series, Lloyd and Croft, felt that listening to multiple languages would be too difficult for viewers, so they implemented a clever tool: all characters speak with theatrical foreign accents representing their respective languages. English characters speak with a posh English accent. French characters emphasize how they pronounce “r”, while Germans pronounce “w” firmly and speak as if they were on military parade. Italians try to make every word sound similar to Italian “mamma mia.”

Although it may seem so at first glance, ‘Allo ‘Allo! wasn’t primarily intended to mock the war, but to parody the series Secret Army from the 1970s. Many elements and characters are directly taken from it. For example, the café owner having an affair with a waitress under his wife’s nose, a woman chained to a bed in the room above who taps on the floor to draw attention to herself, or the subplot of art forgery.

The series was such a huge hit that it ran for 9 seasons. One of our favorite characters is Lieutenant Gruber, so we start this compilation of the funniest moments in ‘Allo ‘Allo! with him.

The British Are Coming (Cognac and matches)

The British Are Coming is the first episode of the first season of ‘Allo ‘Allo! In this very first episode, René learns that the Resistance movement intends to hide two English airmen with him, and he cannot oppose it. Of course, initially, he does. Eventually, a large number of Germans come to his café. The operation to hide the airmen involves a series of tasks that René must perform. One of them is to receive the forger, Mr. Leclerc. René is supposed to recognize Mr. Leclerc when he approaches the bar and asks for cognac and matches, to which René is supposed to respond that there are no matches, and the forger will then introduce himself. However, the operation goes horribly wrong because René mistakes the forger for Lieutenant Gruber. See what came of it.

The British Are Coming (Leclerc in a very safe place)

Before Mr. Leclerc first arrived at René’s café, as the Resistance leader mentioned, he was in a very safe place — in prison. The French Resistance had to meticulously plan and successfully execute the operation to escape Mr. Leclerc from prison. The chance of success was so difficult to estimate, and Leclerc was so elderly, that the members of the Resistance decided to extract him from prison themselves without informing him of their intention beforehand. The operation was successful, but the way the Resistance decided to free Leclerc still makes me laugh to tears. See for yourself.

The Crooked Fences

The Crooked Fences is the sixth episode of the sixth season of ‘Allo ‘Allo! The Germans want to sell the painting The Fallen Madonna. They order René to find them an expert. A meeting takes place, during which Monsieur Alphonse pretends to be the expert. Four Germans enter the back room, and when Alphonse appears, they put paper bags over their heads. Alphonse gets one too. René introduces everyone as “Colonel X,” “Captain X,” “Lieutenant X,” “Private X” (which Helga corrects to “Corporal X”), and “Monsieur X.” They manage to make a deal where René gets the painting, and the Germans get the weight of a golden cuckoo clock, but during the meeting, all five “X” individuals manage to reveal their true identities through slips of the tongue.

Hitler’s Last Heil

Hitler’s Last Heil is the third episode of the eighth season. In this episode, Gruber impersonates Hitler. He does it so well that even René doesn’t recognize him. Although Gruber is convinced that René does recognize him.

Arousing Suspicions

Arousing Suspicions is the first episode of the eighth season of ‘Allo ‘Allo! In this episode, Herr Flick from the Gestapo searches Helga’s quarters in search of the Madonna painting. He is convinced that Helga stole it from him. To avoid recognition, Herr Flick disguises himself as a woman. Helga catches him in the act. Additionally, Helga’s superior reprimands him. The woman does not recognize him as a man, let alone as someone from the Gestapo. She kicks him out of the quarters and orders him to exercise with the others in physical education classes. The sight of Herr Flick with fruit-filled artificial breasts in women’s lingerie is sure to amuse everyone.

Puddings Can Go Off

Puddings Can Go Off  is the nineteenth episode of the fifth season. In this episode, the English policeman who thinks he can speak French brings René two explosive Christmas puddings. René, as usual, gets annoyed with yet another elaborate package from the Resistance movement but accepts them. He doesn’t expect to receive six more packages shortly afterward. Six pregnant women visit the café. Did René actually impregnate them, or do the women have a surprise for him?

The Execution (gin)

The Execution is the fourth episode of the first season of ‘Allo ‘Allo! René receives a bottle of gin from Michelle of the Resistance. It’s no ordinary gin; it’s downright explosive, as it contains nitroglycerin inside. Michelle brings the bottle for safekeeping until it’s time to use it to blow up a German train. The delivery puts René in trouble because Lieutenant Gruber wants to have some gin, and other people want it too.

The Execution (hens)

When René’s wife learns about the gin, she gives a bit to her mother, and then to the hens, hoping they will lay more eggs, which leads to an explosion. The scene of the exploding hens is priceless. When one of the hens survives the explosion and continues to walk, René says, “We are looking at a walking legend!” That cracks me up every time.