The Goodies (TV Series) Alternative Roots (1977) User Reviews

Amusing "Roots" parody and crushing anti-racist statement

[ingemar-4 · 7/10 · 10 June 2009]

"Alternative Roots" must be one of the most important and daring Goodies episodes. Together with "South Africa", it is one of the two shows about racism. It is a parody of not one but two other shows: "Roots" and "The Black&White Minstrel Show". The parody of "Roots", certainly made since "Roots" was such a big success, is funny in some ways, has some not so fun under-the-belt jokes, and all in all the first half is only mildly amusing.

But halfway, the show turns another way, gets funnier, and eventually into another side of racism. The Goodies (or rather their ancestors) are forced onto a tourist bus version of a slave ship, and are forced (by a Hitler look-alike) to act in "The Black&White Minstrel Show", the strange show where all men were black-face, and, according to Graeme, spoke in a silly way. The concept seems quite a bit racist, and that is what the Goodies work on. After some very strong statements about the show (which was indeed soon canceled!) the show ends with some pretty good slapstick.

Before learning about "The Black&White Minstrel Show" I found this episode strange, I didn't know what they were mocking, why it was supposed to be funny. After finding some "minstrel material" on YouTube, this show stands out as one that is both good, daring and important, and the step from "Roots" to minstrels is now logical and reasonable to me.

It is extremely hard to rate, since this must be one of the most dated episodes. To be aired today, it would have to be introduced with extra information, especially about "The Black&White Minstrel Show". But then it would work.

Some memorable moments:

• Land of hope and glooory... - Ob! - I beg you a pardon? - Ob! It's all in here: "How to rap minstrel". It's not "land of", it is "land ob"!

• Why can't it be "The White&White Minstrel Show"? - That would be racial prejudice!

• A brand new historic costume series, "I, rastas".

• Right, give those boys a series!

"We Is Revoltin'!"

[ShadeGrenade · 6/10 · 22 April 2007]

The Goodies look into their family histories; Graeme's ancestor, Celtic Kilty, was from a remote part of Scotland where the inhabitants enjoyed hunting the haggis and bathing in porridge; Bill's ancestor, Kinda Kinky, came from Cornwall and was a member of the 'oo ah, oo ah' tribe who wore smocks and drank cider; Tim's ancestor, County Cutie, was an upper-class sheep-stealer. The trio are rounded up by the whip-wielding Tourmaster, taken to the B.B.C. T.V. Centre, London, and auctioned off for use as dancers in light entertainment shows. No-one wants the Goodies' ancestors, so they are put on 'The Black & White Minstrel Show', where they organise a revolt...

Alex Haley's book 'Roots' became a blockbuster television mini-series in 1977. Watched by the highest recorded audience ever, it told of a shameful period in American history - how native Africans were snatched from their homeland and transported by sea ( in the most appalling conditions imaginable ) to the United States to be sold off as slaves. No-one who saw the series can possibly hope to forget it.

Which makes it all the more strange why the Goodies should think it a suitable subject for parody. Had The Goodies been around in the mid-90's, do you think they'd have meted out similar treatment to 'Schindler's List'? I don't think so somehow.

The Goodies' ancestors' whirlwind journey round London is reminiscent of the famous 'Lightning Tours' sketch from Marty Feldman's show.

This may seem like a daft question, but the adventure of the Goodies' ancestors is clearly taking place in the '70's, so how can they exist at the same time as their descendants? The late, great Brian Pringle crops up as the sinister 'Tourmaster', though he's woefully underused. Once the action moves to the B.B.C., the Goodies abandon the 'Roots' spoof and switch their attention to a somewhat less revered show of that era - 'The Black & White Minstrel Show'. Attempting to equate blacked-up Welsh singers with oppressed African slaves is just not on, lads.

Jim Franklin had been taken off directorial duties, and was replaced by Bob Spiers, who had worked on 'Dad's Army' and would go on to helm the second season of 'Fawlty Towers', 'The Comic Strip Presents' and more recently, 'Absolutely Fabulous'. He would stay with the Goodies right until the end.

Funniest moment - despite the appalling taste exhibited by this episode, there are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments, such as the restaurant above the G.P.O. Tower spinning faster and faster to the accompaniment of the theme from Rodgers & Hammerstein's 'Carousel'.

Alternative Roots

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 9 May 2024]

Alternative Roots is another political outing from The Goodies. It is about slavery and racism.

It's targets are The Black and White Minstrel shows which had become increasingly outdated on primetime BBC.

It was also a parody of the blockbuster American series Roots which was broadcast on the BBC. The Tourmaster (Bryan Pringle) rounds up the Goodies ancestors. Graeme Garden's ancestor was Celtic Kilty from the porridge loving highlands. Tim's was County Cutie, upper crust sheep rustlers. Bill's was Kinda Kinky, a country yokel from Cornwall.

Rounded up they were taken to the BBC by the Tourmaster to be auctioned off for light entertainment shows.

Unfortunately no one wants the Goodies so they end up as the Black and White Minstrels. Tim seems to enjoy being one and even gets used to the patter.

It does become messy and unstructured. I found the parody of Roots funnier. The parody of the minstrels went on for too long. The point had been made by then.

Jawdropping

[grayure · 5/10 · 21 September 2008]

I've just seen this unexpectedly. I remember seeing this when it was first on and haven't done so since, and i just don't know what to make of it. We're completely insulated from this sort of thing nowadays and i'd forgotten quite how things used to be back then. I can't decide what i think about this. It has a sort of innocence about it which hasn't existed for a long time now, and it may go some way towards explaining the mystery of the Goodies not being released on DVD or repeated for such a long time. On the other hand, it doesn't let 'The Black And White Minstrel Show' off what it was doing at all, so the question is one of what is a suitable subject for comedy. I sort of feel like i need therapy now. I've given this a 5 because i don't know what to think about this. Maybe that shows how out of touch we all are with our gut feelings nowadays.

I wonder what black people think about it.