Alas Smith and Jones

Jan 31, 1984

The first of six programmes starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones with Annabel Leventon, Annette Lynton, Shane Rimmer. Andrew Francis, Raymond Mason and a special guest appearance by Nicholas Ball. A hard-hitting exposé of sperm banks, Samurai accountants and chiropody, all done with impeccable taste and integrity.

Feb 7, 1984

With Ken Morley, Hugh Thomas and Geoff Capes. The 'right to know' team look into orange juice cartons and discover divorce, pornography, bran and two donkeys.

Feb 14, 1984

Guest stars Tony Robinson and Brenda Blethyn. This is your only chance to discover what the Pope really gets up to at home, how the French Resistance resisted and the secret of Roger Moore's success.

Feb 21, 1984

Witness Margaret Thatcher 's finest hour, sample the exciting qualities of real ale and spend a day with the Great Gobbo in this week's tasteful programme.

Feb 28, 1984

Join the police on a night siege and probe the soft underbelly of the pop world. Yes, it's another exciting episode in the Smith and Jones 'Guide to Life'. This week: how to become a barbed-wire consultant and solve the enigma of correlation.

Mar 6, 1984

The last of six programmes starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones, with Andrew Francis, Tony Robinson, Brenda Blethyn, Annabel Leventon, Annette Lynton and Hugh Burden. Alas the last Alas... but beware these scholars of history, literature and contemporary comment may well return to enlighten you. Tonight's dissertation is on the Spanish Civil War. Ole.

Oct 31, 1985

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones begin their side-splitting six week series with a show that has everything: comedy, music and a nasty skin complaint.

Nov 7, 1985

With Chris Barrie and Robin Driscoll. The critics have hailed this series as, "The most expensive comedy programme since Tender is the Night. Miss the Nine 0 'Clock News to catch it."

Nov 14, 1985

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones bring you the third programme of this 425 part epic science series. This week they ask the question which has baffled millions: "How does James Burke get away with it ?"

Nov 21, 1985

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones host this special charity edition in aid of those unfortunate millions who have been on the Terry Wogan show. With Stephen Fry, Gwen Taylor and Robin Driscoll.

Nov 28, 1985

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones bring you the hit entry of this year's Leningrad Television Festival where it won the coveted 'Zinc Daisy of Stalin Award' for the most agriculturally informative comedy show of the year. With Stephen Fry and Robin Driscoll.

Dec 5, 1985

Conclusion of the series. Not to put too fine a point on it the show starts on a rubbish tip and ends with a fart.

Sep 18, 1986

A bad year on the horses and a worse one on the property market means that BBC2 is proud and extremely lucky to present The New Series.

Sep 25, 1986

Starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones with Alexandra Dane, Peter Dawson, Robin Driscoll, Nigel Harman, Peter McCarthy , Gareth Milne and Sylvestra Ie Touzel.

Oct 2, 1986

With special appearances by Mick Channon, Gary Glitter, Leslie Grantham, Jools Holland, Hazel O'Connor and Janet Street-Porter.

Oct 9, 1986

More fun and frolics as the whacky duo think it a super wheeze to rehash an old Terry and June script.

Oct 16, 1986

Two men, two minds, two visions... one porpoise.

Oct 23, 1986

Last Smith and Jones for a while. Featuring the definitive opus of Peter Leander Brewis, 'Concerto for string quartet and next-door neighbour', recorded earlier in the year at the Oddfellows Hall, Peckham.

Oct 15, 1987

They're back to back, head to head and side by side, but fortunately not on top of each other.

Oct 22, 1987

The Show They Tried to Ban! ... is not on tonight. They succeeded. So there's this instead. With Tracie Bennett and John Humphrys.

Oct 29, 1987

Starring Pete Duel and Ben Murphy. Special guest appearances by Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones.

Nov 5, 1987

Nobody could ever accuse Alas Smith and Jones of poor taste. It costs a fortune.

Nov 12, 1987

Guest starring Roger Lloyd Pack and Linda Lusardi.

Nov 19, 1987

Probably the most refreshing and part-reaching comedy show in the world with Kim Clifford.

Nov 26, 1987

Last chance to get your complaints in before the series finishes. With Janice Cramer Robin Driscoll Nigel Harman, Peter McCarthy and Garfield Morgan.

Nov 16, 1989

Starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones with Chris Langham and Heather Tobias.

Nov 23, 1989

With Chris Langham, Josie Lawrence and Kate Williams.

Nov 30, 1989

Mount Olympus - luxurious home of Greece's first family - the Gods. Follow their triumphs and disappointments in the classic soap opera Olympus.

Dec 14, 1989

In Olympus II, Sara Crowe as Aphrodite and Miranda Richardson as Hera.

Dec 21, 1989

With Chris Langham, Rosemary Martin and Heather Tobias.

Dec 28, 1989

Starring Jane Horrocks, Chris Langham, Rosemary Martin, Andy Taylor, Heather Tobias, Kate Williams. With the final episode of that classic soap Olympus.

Nov 22, 1990

The boys are back. Head to head, back to front and upside down. For new viewers, Smith is the slightly larger one and Jones is slightly Welsh.

Nov 29, 1990

A second bumper package of humorous skits featuring loveable, chubby Mel Smith and cheeky chappie Griff Rhys Jones.

Dec 6, 1990

A third foray into the funny, farcical and felicitous world of the comical duo whose names begin with the letters 'j' and 's'.

Dec 13, 1990

Discover how the pyramids were built. Accompany Sir John Harvey-Jones on his latest troubleshoot. And discover why the drivers of F-registration Montegos should beware the next budget.

Dec 20, 1990

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, so hang the decorations and the fairy lights and join Smith and Jones on a trip to funnyland.

Dec 26, 1990

Tonight's show guarantees no references to Christmas, hangovers, boxing, sleighbells, or the works of Charles Dickens.

Jan 3, 1991

Last in the series starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. A preview of a new movie about the Welsh mafia, and clairvoyant Doris Cockney.

Oct 22, 1992

Return of the British Comedy Award-winning series starring Mel Smith Griff Rhys Jones. Among the subjects promised in this new series are endangered species, courtship in the 50s, dustcart trophies, traffic wardens, political speeches, the postal system and street vendors - and of course a weekly 'head to head'.

Oct 29, 1992

More subjects are given an unexpected twist - plus musical set-pieces.

Nov 5, 1992

More comedy sketches, musical set-pieces, and a 'head to head' problem that needs to be discussed.

Nov 19, 1992

Another fast-moving sequence of sketches, songs and 'head-to-head' problems.

Nov 26, 1992

The award-winning duo. More fun and frolics from the slightly larger one who comes from London and the slightly thinner one who comes from Wales.

Dec 3, 1992

Last in the comedy series starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. A collection of comic items as the double award-winning duo add to the gaiety of nations.

Sep 6, 1995

The long-time collaboration between Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones continues as they return with a six part comedy series full of observational humour, man-to-man duologues and hard-hitting lunacy.

Sep 13, 1995

With Jonathan Kydd and Steffanie Pitt.

Sep 20, 1995

Maggie Philbin joins Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones in their new comedy series to launch Thick Aid - a charity helping the stupid to help themselves. Plus, other comic sketches including the problem of ordering food in a Japanese restaurant, and Mel worrying that he is getting too old to, "pull the birds."

Sep 27, 1995

More fast-moving comedy and sharp-edged sketches from Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. Including sketches about a visit to a brothel which specialises in correction, a cabinet minister who has trouble with his equipment, and the duo consider adopting children from foreign countries. Tonight's special guest is Lynda Baron.

Oct 4, 1995

In a programme originally scheduled for 13 September, Dinsdale Landen plays an unintelligible country squire when he joins Mel and Griff. The duo discuss the joys of body piercing and present sketches including a comic look at the law of probability.

Oct 18, 1995

Last in the series of fast-moving comedy and sharp-edged sketches, from Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. With guests Stratford Johns and Geraldine James.

Jun 19, 1997

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones return with six new programmes of comic sketches, characters and the traditional head-to-head chats.

Jun 26, 1997

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones star in the second of six programmes of new comic sketches, characters and the traditional head-to-head dialogues.

Jul 3, 1997

Tonight, Mel thinks he has a resemblance to Tom Cruise, and Mr Green and Mr Brown try to pick up some free wine at the bottle bank.

Jul 10, 1997

Tonight's show features a spoof of the James Bond films, the return of the cabaret duo, and Jimbo and Timbo the incompetent builders trying to eat a Chinese takeaway.

Jul 17, 1997

This week's programme features a modern slant on the ten commandments, the advent of widescreen TV, and the special effects men at a fertility clinic.

Jul 24, 1997

The last in the current series of comic sketches, characters and head-to-head confrontations with Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. The programme features the sound effects men in charge of Hitler's Nuremberg Rally PA system, a look at life in an inflation-hit South American republic and the resident cabaret musos dispensing more words of wisdom.

Sep 9, 1998

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones return for another series of comic sketches, including more head-to-head discussions.

Sep 16, 1998

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones continue their series of comic sketches. There's a spoof of Alfred Hitchcock 's classic film Rear Window and new dance sensation Conga Britannica.

Sep 23, 1998

Mel and Griff try to find out if their friend Frank, played by Alun Armstrong, is wearing a toupee.

Sep 30, 1998

This week Griff tries to combat Mel's snoring and the duo unearth a long-lost satire programme of the sixties.

Oct 7, 1998

The duo play soldiers with a timekeeping problem, Mel goes to an all-night celebrity party, and there's a head-to-head on the problems of managing an all girl band.

Oct 14, 1998

Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones conclude their series of comic sketches with the duo revealing an amazing breakthrough in personal technology. With guest, rock guitarist Brian May.