The fourth and last series of "Please Sir!" found the show adrift in its direction following the departure of 5C at the end of the previous series and John Alderton as Hedges two episodes earlier. Student characters in particular had been marginalised, perhaps while the producers tried to settle on a new younger cast. New writers had also been brought in which can mean a loss of focus. However this episode written by Tony Bilbow is very good.
The scene is set with a welcome return for Eric Duffy (Peter Cleall) who is giving advice to his younger brother George (supposedly 11 but looking much older) on the teachers he will encounter at Fenn Street. He expects his form teacher to be the rather lenient Mr Wyatt (played by the almost always non-speaking Gregory Scott). However George then discovers that his teacher will in fact be former army officer and physical training instructor Mr Dix (Glynn Edwards) who is new to Fenn Street.
Mr Dix is not just strict - he is aggressive bordering on bullying. He shows contempt not just for the pupils but for the other staff. Nowhere is this more demonstrated than in his treatment of Potter. Potter initially admires Dix as a fellow army veteran and disciplinarian. At first Dix seems to accept Potter on good terms but then in front of a class he launches into a devastating attack on his record and character, essentially denouncing him as a coward and fraud. While the Potter character was generally to be laughed at, here Dix has gone way too far and treated him cruelly, evoking our sympathy. In many ways Dix has just said what almost everyone at Fenn Street really believes about Potter but is too polite to say. There is a noted contrast with how Hedges (John Alderton) used to gently mock Potter's pretensions while leaving his dignity intact and the way Dix humiliates him. Potter is a man who needs his delusions and the other characters are content to let him have them; Dix shows no such respect.
All the other staff except the easily-fooled and weak Headmaster are angry with Dix and want him out - but how? Again there is a useful contrast with Deputy Head Miss Ewell. Although she is strict like Dix and somewhat cold she remains fair and ultimately has respect for the pupils and her staff colleagues. Despite her rank Dix - who isn't even a permanent teacher - insults her and seems to particularly resent her as a woman.
The episode ends with a confrontation between Duffy and Dix. The fearless, imposing but always fair Duffy is perhaps the only person with Fenn Street connections who seems capable of sorting out Dix. This being a comedy the resolution takes a humorous turn but it's all well-done.
All considered then a promising episode but the show would need invigorating characters like Dix and in particular more memorable new pupils to recover its old quality.
The scene is set with a welcome return for Eric Duffy (Peter Cleall) who is giving advice to his younger brother George (supposedly 11 but looking much older) on the teachers he will encounter at Fenn Street. He expects his form teacher to be the rather lenient Mr Wyatt (played by the almost always non-speaking Gregory Scott). However George then discovers that his teacher will in fact be former army officer and physical training instructor Mr Dix (Glynn Edwards) who is new to Fenn Street.
Mr Dix is not just strict - he is aggressive bordering on bullying. He shows contempt not just for the pupils but for the other staff. Nowhere is this more demonstrated than in his treatment of Potter. Potter initially admires Dix as a fellow army veteran and disciplinarian. At first Dix seems to accept Potter on good terms but then in front of a class he launches into a devastating attack on his record and character, essentially denouncing him as a coward and fraud. While the Potter character was generally to be laughed at, here Dix has gone way too far and treated him cruelly, evoking our sympathy. In many ways Dix has just said what almost everyone at Fenn Street really believes about Potter but is too polite to say. There is a noted contrast with how Hedges (John Alderton) used to gently mock Potter's pretensions while leaving his dignity intact and the way Dix humiliates him. Potter is a man who needs his delusions and the other characters are content to let him have them; Dix shows no such respect.
All the other staff except the easily-fooled and weak Headmaster are angry with Dix and want him out - but how? Again there is a useful contrast with Deputy Head Miss Ewell. Although she is strict like Dix and somewhat cold she remains fair and ultimately has respect for the pupils and her staff colleagues. Despite her rank Dix - who isn't even a permanent teacher - insults her and seems to particularly resent her as a woman.
The episode ends with a confrontation between Duffy and Dix. The fearless, imposing but always fair Duffy is perhaps the only person with Fenn Street connections who seems capable of sorting out Dix. This being a comedy the resolution takes a humorous turn but it's all well-done.
All considered then a promising episode but the show would need invigorating characters like Dix and in particular more memorable new pupils to recover its old quality.