Wilson hasn’t featured too heavily in this series so far – I think because his role was as a foil for, and antidote to, Mainwaring’s pompousness he often faded a little into the background. But that was not the case with the episode A. Wilson (manager) in which he (very briefly) manages to achieve the promotions at work and in the Home Guard that Mainwaring’s jealousy has so far denied him.
This episode, from series 4, is almost entirely focused on the relationship between Wilson and Mainwaring and in particular on the jealousy that Wilson’s promotion unleashes in his boss. This territory is explored again in The Honourable Man but with more gentleness. In this episode Mainwaring’s anger is total and his response is vicious.
Like Mum’s Army, this is a rather touching episode and you sense in Wilson years of frustration at the way his path has been repeatedly blocked by Mainwaring. In this clip, Wilson walks through the ruins of his bank branch and then, inevitably, returns to Walmington to resume his former life – it’s touching stuff and evidence of Perry & Croft’s willingness to stray outside of normal sitcom territory.
50 Moments that made Dad’s Army is a series of blog posts each focusing on one moment that helped define the popular comedy series. There will be one post for each of the 50 days leading-up to the 50th anniversary of the first broadcast of the first episode of the series on 31st July 1968. 50 Moments that Made Dad’s Army is brought to you by walmington-on-line.co.uk and copyright of all video clips belongs to the BBC.