Review for Don't Drink The Water: The Complete Series

Another unexpected yet welcome release from Network, 'Don't Drink the Water' is the further adventures of 'Blakey' (Inspector Cyril Blake) after his retirement from the Luxton Bus Company ('On the Buses'). Gone is any reference to his previous cohorts with the exception of nervy Pat Coombs, who in this series plays his sister.


Catching sight of the promise of a new and idyllic life in Spain for his retirement, Blakey decides to buy a villa in Spain. Although he would have liked to have gone on his own, he needs the extra cash to make the purchase and finance his retirement so he persuades his sister to go halves with him.


Naturally things are not quite as described in the brochure and the flat is un-finished with building work still in full flow (a common theme in seventies comedy and used in films like 'Carry on Abroad' and the spin-off movie for 'Are You Being Served?'). The lifts don't work, it's boiling hot, the food inedible (well, it's foreign for starters) and the plumbing is faulty. In other words, a whole lot of stuff to get Blakey doing his trade-mark gurning.


'On the Buses' continues to delight new audiences with its unapologetically working-class themes and humour, as well as its deliciously un-pc themes and narratives. 'Don't Drink the Water' may not fare as well.


It was voted into the top 5 'worst sit-coms of all time', and, although this seems a bit harsh as there are chuckles to be had, it's so repetitively formulaic that it's really difficult to set up the case for the defence.

It was launched with something of a drum-roll, with special features and a cover in the TV Times. Pat Coombs was great box-office at the time, appearing regularly in the ever popular Dick Emery Show amongst many others. In theory, she and Blakey would make a great comedic team.


Previously unavailable till now (other than the opening episode which was offered up as an extra on the Season 7 DVD of 'On the Buses'), dedicated fans of 'OTB' will want to add this to their collection as the final last gasps of that series, and all related to it.


The picture quality is fine throughout, acceptable for TV of this vintage and originally mastered on video in the main (with exteriors on 16mm). The two disc set is great value with both seasons offered up in full, though there are no extras.



Here's an episode breakdown with original air dates.

Season 1, Episode 1: Home Frome Home
Original Air Date—27 July 1974
Cyril Blake has finally left the bus depot and he and his sister move into their new flat in Spain, but nothing goes right.
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Season 1, Episode 2: The Food
Original Air Date—3 August 1974
As if Cyril hasn't got enough to deal with, he now has to deal with a water shortage.
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Season 1, Episode 3: Dry Run
Original Air Date—10 August 1974
During his long and illustrious career as an inspector on the buses ex-inspector Cyril Blake has seen a lot of bad breakdowns but nothing like the problems the water-lorry causes while bringing fresh water supplies to his tiny flat.

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Season 1, Episode 4: The Lift
Original Air Date—17 August 1974
Dorothy is filled with fear and panic at the thought of her first Spanish shopping trip, it's bad enough that she is confused over the difference between pounds and kilo's without the lift causing her problems as well.
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Season 1, Episode 5: Careful What You Eat
Original Air Date—24 August 1974
In the early seventies England had a lot of power-cuts, something Cyril and Dorothy are glad to see the back of now they are located in sunny Spain. The unthinkable happens and a power-cut in Cyril's flat sends him into hysterics.
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Season 1, Episode 6: The Fuse
Original Air Date—31 August 1974
Cyril is determined to re-wire his flat, as he is fed up with the Spanish electrical service, the results end up in disaster of course and end him up in serious trouble with the local Spanish police.
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Season 1, Episode 7: The Smell
Original Air Date—7 September 1974
Dorothy wants to pack up her bags for England and leave Cyril by himself in Spain, all because of the nasty smell coming from the drains. It's up to Carlos to investigate the problem and save the day.

Season 2

Season 2, Episode 1: What, No Telly?
Original Air Date—1 November 1975
One of the few things Cyril Blake misses about his English homeland is the television schedule, wanting the same service in his new Spanish home ends up in even more misery for the grumpy Cyril and his sister Dorothy.
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Season 2, Episode 2: The Romance
Original Air Date—8 November 1975
Old-fashioned and stuffy Cyril is flabbergasted when his shy and plain sister Dorothy is asked out to dinner by a good-looking Spanish stranger but during this dinner the love-struck Dorothy hears a proposal that leaves her dumbfounded.
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Season 2, Episode 3: A Helping Hand
Original Air Date—15 November 1975
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Season 2, Episode 4: The Neighbours
Original Air Date—22 November 1975
Cyril and Dorothy are looking forward to the England versus West Germany football match especially as it is taking place in Spain but patriotic Cyril's pride in his national team is to be put under a stern test by his German neighbours.
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Season 2, Episode 5: Fred
Original Air Date—29 November 1975
A furious Dorothy intends to go on an economy drive as Cyril's new and mysterious friend Fred is causing him to go astray and spend large sums of money .Dorothy's confrontation with Fred nearly destroys the Blake's retirement plans.
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Season 2, Episode 6: Keeping Fit
Original Air Date—6 December 1975
The keep fit antics of his German neighbours cause a flabby and out of condition Cyril, to go on his own personal get fit campaign, all seems promising until he slips his disk and Dorothy has to call the local physician.