The Darker Side of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet

[Auf Wiedersehen, Pet]

We all know Pet can be fun and light hearted, but sometimes it can get quite dark.
Series 1 has 'The Accused' episode which delved into beating up women, which wasn't nice, and I find it a darker episode of all 40. We then have Ally being a nasty character in Series 2, and beating up Vicky, sort of....

Do you find any episodes or scenes being dark and going down the serious side of life?

[Tracy]

The Alien was the darkest for me. Magowan was a fearful character and played so well. We have all known 'Magowans' in life and some have been on the end of their fists or feet or both. I found the whole episode chilling and uncomfortable despite the humour injected.

[terryleather]

Aye. Magowan punching/headbutting Nev and intimidating the lads was quite dark. I always wished that Bomber had been around to knock him out.

[AWPfanfromNZ]

Looking back at the original series, it really showed the rawness in society back then. Series One really brought to home what was going on during the Thatcher years and the early 80s - for starters, men leaving their families in search of work and the sacrifices that they made (not seeing their families and the strain it would put on their marriages - look at the problems Dennis and Bomber had!) divorce was starting to become a norm (i.e - Dennis and Vera and eventually Marjorie and Oz), men abandoning their families (Oz abandoning Marjorie and Rod because he didn't want to take on the role of husband/father). Series Two showed how they would all end up working for a Newcastle mobster to bring money in because work was so slim which is a shame they had to do that, earn money from someone dishonest but as Oz said - "his money is just as good as anyone elses". I can't say New Zealand experienced the same as what the UK did during that decade but we had our issues (our Labour govt in the 1980s adopted some things from Thatcherism and exercised it - privitisation, deregulation, etc. which saw many people in NZ jobless and seeking welfare). Series Three also displayed some rawness in the early 21st century, like drugs, black labour, homosexuality, etc. which can be compared to Series One. A lot of people have disagreed with that in Series 3 but remember - it couldn't be displayed on TV as they were taboo subjects!! But I will always give credit to the Dick and Ian for the rawness in Series One.

[dan slider]

Lots of darkness in series 1.
Usually down to the bad lighting in the Hut!

[Magowan]

The Accused is very dark and usually one I don't watch unless I'm doing a walkthrough viewing of the whole show, the reason why is probably down to the fact that something like that is frightening because it can actually happen to you in real life if you're not careful.

[RHill]

Watching a loud carefree happy-go-lucky Oz throughout series 1, then suddenly seeing him in a hospital bed with his eyes shut and a marked face was very disturbing for me.

[ruggedscot]

Can remember reading somewhere a few years ago about a guy who was sent down for smuggling. Then I saw the name Magoawn and had a sly smile to myself.

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/n ... -1-3081731

[AWP Corsa Tim]

As long as he didnt smuggle Moxey's Dartboard..

[peng50]

Den's mood towards the end of series 1 was really dark - the laying of the bricks "she loves me, she loves me not" and where Nev tells him to "snap out of it man" showed just how complicated den's
life had become and how dark his mood was

[AWPfanfromNZ]

His regret showed when he saw Oz in hospital

[Lou]

I was only 11 when series one came out and can remember watching the brothel scene with all the family.
In those days( God , get me, I sound ancient!) anyway, kids didn't quite know as much as they do now and I remember thinking to myself " I don't think I'd like to do that for a job' I asked my mom what they were doing and she said " oh they just sit with the men and have a drink and a meal"
Although it was probably toned down even then. I can't compare as I have never been to a brothel!!!!!!
Anyway, even now when I watch it I think it's seedy.

[Tracy]

Aye, not exactly the Chicken Ranch was it ?!

[HerrPfister]

I asked my mom what they were doing and she said " oh they just sit with the men and have a drink and a meal"

So, er, presumably 'Suzie Wong' was more worried that Oz would get indigestion, or heartburn...

[Tracy]

I asked my mom what they were doing and she said " oh they just sit with the men and have a drink and a meal"

So, er, presumably 'Suzie Wong' was more worried that Oz would get indigestion, or heartburn...

Oz tucking into a bowl of noodles and Suzie shouting, "Langsam Langsam !"