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Alas Smith and Jones

1984 – 1998Show10 seasons62 episodes

Comedy
73
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.4

A nostalgic, fast-paced comedy series about society and politics.

Good for family movie night · friends night · party vibe

Where to watch

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Not streaming in any country yet.

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Not for scares, suspense or tears.

Shows with

Episodes

10 seasons · 62 episodes · best: S5E1 "The New Version" 8.2

Episodes

7.2
7.6
7.8
7.7
7.7
7.4
8.0
7.5
7.5
7.2

Story

A British comedy sketch television series featuring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones that ran on BBC One and BBC Two from 31 January 1984 to 14 October 1998. From series 5 in 1989 the 'Alas' title was dropped and became simply Smith and Jones.

Feels like

  • British Sketch Comedy
  • Political Satire
  • Absurdist Humor
  • Iconic Duo Performance
  • Social Commentary
  • Nostalgic BBC Era
  • Witty Dialogue
  • Short-Form Entertainment

Cast

6 of 6 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Martin Shardlow
Written by
Mel Smith, John Irwin, Griff Rhys Jones
Produced by
Jon Plowman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

January 31, 1984 · October 14, 1998 · Ended

First aired
January 31, 1984
Last aired
October 14, 1998
Status
Ended
Length
10 seasons · 62 episodes
Content
Strong Language
Genres
Comedy
Original language
English

Tropes

Ridiculous Exchange Rates, Seinfeldian Conversation, Couch Gag +9

  • Ridiculous Exchange Rates
  • Seinfeldian Conversation
  • Couch Gag
  • Namesake Gag
  • Those Wacky Nazis
  • Shoot the Messenger
  • Acting Unnatural
  • Mundane Made Awesome
  • Forbidden Fruit
  • Department of Redundancy Department
  • Alter-Ego Acting
  • Cool and Unusual Punishment

12 of 19 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Is Alas Smith and Jones worth watching?"

Questions about Alas Smith and Jones

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is Alas Smith and Jones worth watching?

73
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 73 (IMDb 7.4).

Does Alas Smith and Jones get better after season 1?

Yes: season 1 has an IMDb average of 7.2, and season 7 peaks at 8.0. The highest-rated episode is The New Version (season 5, episode 1) at 8.2, and the lowest is George Smiley, British Spy. (season 1, episode 5) at 6.5.

Is Alas Smith and Jones okay for kids?

Strong language

Yes: its content advisories are strong language, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

How long does it take to watch Alas Smith and Jones?

31 h

About 31 hours: 62 episodes in 10 seasons of about 30 minutes each, aired from 1984 to 1998.

Will Alas Smith and Jones make me laugh?

Very funny

Yes, a lot: the humor is mostly situational comedy (9 of 10) and satire (9 of 10).

Can I half-watch Alas Smith and Jones?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with meta narrative at only 3 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.