Ep 10. Menace from the Deep

In the third season of the iconic British sitcom, Dad's Army, fans were treated to an episode that saw the Home Guard taking on an ocean menace, in Menace from the Deep.

In this tenth episode of the season, the members of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard are on high alert as rumours of a German U-Boat in their coastal waters persist. The group is tasked with patrolling the beach, on the lookout for any suspicious activity.

The opening scene introduces us to the hapless team, as they attempt to assemble a floating mine in the local pond with predictably hilarious results. Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe) and Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier) survey the scene, as Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn) tries to explain his ingenious (but doomed) plan.

As the team prepare to head to the beach, Frazer (John Laurie) reveals that he is in possession of a secret weapon - a depth charge. The item in question is an old whisky barrel, filled with sawdust and firework powder, which Frazer proudly declares can sink a U-Boat.

As the group reaches the beach, they are approached by a civilian, a Mr. Hodges (Bill Pertwee), who is the town's chief air raid warden. He informs them that a U-Boat has been sighted close to the shore and reprimands Mainwaring for not informing him of the situation earlier.

The Home Guard takes to the water in a rowboat, with the intention of dropping Frazer's depth charge on any suspicious objects they encounter. After a few humorous moments, including spilling a basket of sandwiches and getting stuck in a fishing net, the group spots a barrel in the water.

Mainwaring hatches a plan to catch the U-Boat by bluffing, ordering the group to bring the barrel back to shore and making it clear that they have captured a German spy. The plan works, and within moments, a U-Boat captain and his crew surrender themselves to Mainwaring.

The U-Boat crew is taken to a local hotel, where they are guarded by the Home Guard. But it soon becomes clear that the German soldiers are far from defeated, and a comical game of cat and mouse ensues as the crew attempts to escape. Meanwhile, Mainwaring receives a surprise visit from a mysterious woman (played by Barbara Windsor) who mistakes him for her blind date.

The episode concludes with a high-speed boat chase, as the German U-Boat hurries towards open water, pursued by the Home Guard in various boats. With the help of Frazer's depth charge, the U-Boat is eventually sunk, but not before causing chaos and destruction along the way.

In classic Dad's Army style, Menace from the Deep is a fast-paced, fun-filled romp, full of haphazard plans, amusing one-liners, and slapstick comedy. The cast is on top form, with Arthur Lowe delivering his trademark pompousness as Captain Mainwaring, and John Laurie providing his usual dour Scottish humour as Frazer.

Overall, Menace from the Deep is an enjoyable, entertaining episode of a much-loved sitcom that continues to capture the hearts of audiences over 50 years after it first aired. Fans of Dad's Army will not want to miss this memorable and entertaining episode.