History Series / AreYouBeingServed

* Young Mr. Grace, the ancient owner of the store. DirtyOldMan, but generally a pleasant, if easily confused boss. Though described as "young", he is well over 80: the query, "That's ''Young'' Mr. Grace?!" elicits the response, "Old Mr. Grace doesn't get around much any more." (However, after the actor who played Young Mr. Grace dropped out of the show, they tried an Old Mr. Grace for a while: he was obviously played by a younger actor under gobs of makeup.)

** One troper, having seen the series only in reruns on an old black-and-white TV, was completely unaware until finding this very page.

** At least one troper, having seen the series only in reruns on an old black-and-white TV, was completely unaware until finding this very page.

* BrotherChuck: Mr. Lucas and Mr. Grainger disappear without a word of acknowledgment.

* {{Humphrey}}: Mr. Humphries is the Co-TropeNamer with Sir Humphrey Appleby of ''YesMinister''.

* TheBoxingEpisode/ProWrestlingEpisode: Captain Peacock is challenged to a boxing match, but backs out. Mr. Humphries is chosen to take his place in a wrestling match and loses. Then Mrs. Slocombe enters the ring.

* TheBoxingEpisode: Captain Peacock is challenged to a boxing match, but backs out. Mr. Humphries is chosen to take his place in a wrestling match and loses. Then Mrs. Slocombe enters the ring.

** In another episode, Miss Belfridge's (Candy Davis) pink dress gets lifted in a draft from an electric fan nearby and she struggles to keep it down when her white panties are shown.

** Miss Belfridge's white panties are displayed when her pink dress gets drafty from an electric fan in a separate episode.

* MarilynManeuver: This happened to Shirley Brahms thrice in "The Club" (twice in which her unmentionables are shown). When she and the other staff members are in a basement and Mr. Lucas presses a button on a wall, which causes air from a floor vent to blow up her skirt and make it drafty as a joke, revealing her white bustier or corset and matching undies.

* MarilynManeuver: This happened to Shirley Brahms in one episode, with her wearing a dress that billows every time one of her co-workers causes it to get drafty by jokingly using a fire extinguisher.

* DelusionsOfEloquence: Mrs. Slocombe was occasionally prone to this.

* CatchPhrase: "Are you free?" "You've all done very well!" "Thank you, Mr Grace!" "Glass of water for Mr. Grainger." "And I am unanimous in that." "They'll ride up with wear."

* CuteKitten: One episode has Mrs. Slocombe's cat about to give birth, whereupon she smuggles it into work. The wrath of Captain Peacock is avoided via CutenessProximity.

* EverythingsCuterWithKittens: One episode has Mrs. Slocombe's cat about to give birth, whereupon she smuggles it into work. The wrath of Captain Peacock is avoided via CutenessProximity.

Came twentieth in ''BritainsBestSitcom''.

* DingSportswearPantyhoseAndTropes: The show's ThematicThemeTune has this. ("Ground floor: Perfumery, / Stationery and leather goods"). So good it was turned into a techno dance number, ''Are U Being Served?'' by Australian band ''Regurgitator''. It ''rocks''.

* DawsonCasting, to a minor extent (Mr. Lucas was supposed to be in his mid-twenties when the show began, but the actor, Trevor Bannister, was 36 years old. In fact, he was only a few months younger than Nicholas Smith, who played Mr. Rumbold, and nearly a year ''older'' than John Inman, who played Mr. Humphries. Inverted for "Old" Mr. Grace who was played by Kenneth Waller age 54; his younger brother was played by an actor 28 years older than him.)

* SexySecretary: Young Mr. Grace (and his brother Old Mr. Grace) had multiple sexy secretaries during the series. Just the sight of them often put quite a lot of stress on his weak heart, and in the sequel series ''Grace and Favour'', a sexy secretary's bikini top popped off (off-screen, of course), and gave Young Mr. Grace a fatal heart attack

* [[ThatsWhatSheSaid That's What She Said]]: Mr. Mash indulges in a bit of this with the perfume salesgirl in "His and Hers".

* VideoCredits: Since the episodes are practically teleplays, the clips are of the actors--sometimes not in-character--after completing the episode.

* MarilynManeuver: This occurred to Shirley Brahms in one episode, with her wearing a dress that billows every time one of her co-workers causes it to get drafty by jokingly using a fire extinguisher.

* DawsonCasting, to a minor extent (Mr. Lucas was supposed to be in his mid-twenties when the show began, but the actor, Trevor Bannister, was 36 years old. In fact, he's only a few months younger than Nicholas Smith, who played Mr. Rumbold. Inverted for "Old" Mr. Grace who was played by Kenneth Waller age 54; his younger brother was played by an actor 28 years older than him.)

* SocialSemiCircle: None of the actors have their back to the camera when sitting at a table or gathered in a meeting. Instead they leave one side of the table empty or line up.

* TedBaxter: Captain Peacock, to an extent.