Ikenna Nwabueze The sitcom was indeed one of the best from Uk. A lot of people in Britain will be surprised to learn that the sitcom is often on TV in countries in Africa. I fell in love with it a long time ago when I first saw an episode in Africa. Just watched an episode on ITV today (2015) and could not stop laughing. Rigsby got into a boxing match with Philip. The plot was hilarious. I can understand why some people find the comedy racist in today's PC world.In my view the writers were using the sitcom to educate people with views similar to those of Rigsby back then. If they succeeded in changing the thinking a few such people then they achieved a lot. That crusade is still relevant today.I don't find it racist even after years in the Uk as a black man. Art is a great way to initiate change and in my view to seek to remove from TV anything that we perceive as controversial or uncomfortable is a wrong approach.

that_ealing_feeling Despite the fact that many posters seem to think Rising Damp was guilty of racism, the reverse was actually true. Don Warrington's character Philip was often the target of boorish remarks by Leonard Rossiter's landlord Rigsby (not really malicious by the standards of 1970s England, just ignorant: a real 1970s racist wouldn't rent a room in his own house to a black man anyway), but it's Rigsby that we find ridiculous, not Philip. Throughout the series, Philip is consistently portrayed as the most intelligent, charming, attractive, sophisticated and grown-up of all the characters, and he's certainly no deferential Uncle Tom. ... that's not racism, is it?

naseby This deservedly rates as ten-out-ten. Sure, it only ran for 27 episodes, but when you mention this to anyone, they can't believe it only ran for that amount - that's a sure sign that in its short run over four years it had the desired impact. Leonard Rossiter was at the top of his game in this/the '70's. Miserly landlord Rigsby (Rossiter) is always at odds with his regular tenants, Alan (Richard Beckinsale), Phillip (Don Warrington)and Miss(Ruth)Jones (Frances De La Tour). Phillip, being a black African chief especially incurred Rigsby's bigoted racist wrath.Strangely, Phillip's African chief was exposed as a sham in the film version. (Which it has to be said, included scripts from the series and wasn't too good, especially with another character filling the void for the late Beckinsale). Wherever there's debate, or another new tenant to either criticise, or get on the good side of, it created a classic comedy situation. Rigsby constantly tried to bed the unimpressed Miss Jones (as he always called her), who, ironically for him, was sex-starved and seeking attention.The excellent Henry McGhee played a suave, posh 'conman' tenant named 'Seymour' in one episode, whom Rigsby played up to but fell foul of. (So much so, that although McGhee was already a stalwart from 'The Benny hill Show', he mentioned that more people called out to him in the street "Hey, Seymour!" remembering his role in 'RD'). Rigsby's selfish, bigoted attitude provided some great slanging matches between him and the regular tenants. Temporarily with Ms De La Tour's departure for a few episodes, Canadian actress Gay Rose provided the younger character, Brenda for us all. Although pretty non-descript and not a replacement, she still held her own against Rigsby, whilst finally making Alan come out of his shell with the opposite sex. Richard Beckinsale was absent for one series, but it still made its mark. (A popular comedy actor, he was starring in the excellent 'Porridge' prison comedy in the '70's as well). Everyone has a favourite episode, but while they may have a least favourite, that and others are still great in their own right. Writer, Eric Chappell excelled with this comedy and although he had other successes, this has to be his finest. It has to be said that the PC brigade have got their teeth in to the series when repeated (cut), at least on British channel ITV3/4 which misses the point, especially as it wasn't originally shown in this edited version - however offensive to some, to display Rigsby's right-wing and bigoted views and to have him brought down to earth. A good episode which demonstrates this, to check out, is 'Food Glorious Food', on the subject of poverty, charity, race - perfect fodder for Rigsby's ranting! I just had to buy the DVD box set of this, and so should any situation comedy fan.

Graham Watson Rigsby was the third of the golden trio of bigots on British TV sit coms in the 70's, the others of course being Alf Garnet and Eddie Booth. Alf Garnet was an obnoxious and overbearing loud-mouth who never knew when to shut up ( he mellowed a bit by the 1980's in the revamped IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH). LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR was a comedy centered at all times on blatant "in your face" racial goading as well as infantile boorish insults that even back then was tiresome .I can't say this about RISING DAMP or the main character Rigsby. Sure racial remarks were part and parcel of Rigsbys repertoire.For example in one episode you only had to look at the expression on Rigsbys face to see what he was thinking when Philip said he did not like the color of an ashened face sick tenant, or the episode when Rigsby mocked hunger and poverty in Africa!However, by contrast with RISING DAMP you could also laugh at Rigsbys Scrooge like and eccentric behavior over money and his shortcomings when dealing with women; i.e his narcissistic obsession over Miss Jones is point in case. No matter how hard he worked he couldn't get this man hungry spinster to take an interest in him! In addition his pre WWII upbringing and social values were often at odds with the social changes in 1970's, i.e long haired students living on a grant. Also his insensitivity and impatience towards his tenants and their problems provided an extra dimension of comedy.In one episode he was trying to reason with a suicidal tenant to come down off his roof rather than jump then asked him while up there if he could straighten the TV aerial to improve the reception. This was a real party piece that had a Tony Hancock style of incompetence to it rather than it being mean spirited.He was not well educated but he was likable and despite obvious flaws in his character, when forced to, often displayed loyalty towards Alan and Philip despite there different values. For example in the episode PERMISSIVE SOCIETY he stood up and confronted an irate father of one of Alans girl friend's also, in the episode NIGHT OUT he stood no nonsense and made a fool of the waiter and insulted the owner.Lastly, women were not spared Rigsbys rudeness, the episode WINE AND ROSES he runs into an old battle-axe who he mistakingly thinks is his blind date. "I've never been so insulted in all my life" she barks, "well you should try to go out more often!" Rigsby snaps -- utterly hilarious. I.e. he spread his ignorance and rudeness evenly across class and gender boundaries! Politically incorrect? Of course, what isn't nowadays, yet, certainly watchable today which I can't say for TILL DEATH AS DO PART or LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR.