Rentaghost (1976–1984) User Reviews (11)

Hauntingly Likable

[VictorianCushionCat · 8/10 · 4 April 2012]

Thanks to much repeating in the early 1990s (as part of the 8.15 from Manchester) this mid 70s/early 80s children's spooky comedy remains fresh in my memory, actually a look on YouTube helped too.

Extremely camp, hyperactive, shed-loads of bad jokes, crummy special effects, over-acting, childish nonsense but that is why I love it, it was just so much daft fun. Why should all entertainment be serious or even credible, there is room for rubbish just as long as we and the people who make it know it's rubbish.

All the actors seem to be having great fun, queueing up to add another corny line, but best of all in my view are the pompous next door neighbours the Perkins. Especially when they are given a magic pendant which makes all their wishes come true, which always wrecks havoc on their attempts at a quiet suburban life.

And credit to the late Michael Staniforth for creating easily one of the most memorable Children's TV themes from 'the good old days'

When children's TV was actually GOOD!!

[fiona-21 · 13 October 2002]

One of the overiding memories of my childhood was watching Rentaghost in the afternoon. The early episodes are the best and were actually quite intelligent. Sadly, but inevitably, it eventually just became trashy rubbish with the most ridiculous plots played as pure slapstick .(Luckily, by then, I had grown out of kid's TV so my memories remain untainted).

I just caught an episode on satellite as my young son was watching it (yes - I do feel old!!)and it made me realise how innocent it was to be a child in the 70's. Kid's TV now is so cynical and all about merchandising and product placement. Today's generation will never have the same warm nostalgia about 'Pokemon' or 'Batman of the Future' that my peers have about 'Rentaghost' and it's contemporaries.

"Hear The Phantom Of The Opera Sing A Haunting Melody"

[ShadeGrenade · 9/10 · 24 October 2006]

'Rentaghost' was a children's comedy series by Bob Block, who also wrote the equally bizarre 'Pardon My Genie' and 'Robert's Robots'. It concerned an employment agency, run and staffed by three ghosts - trendy Fred Mumford, Victorian Hubert Davenport and jester Timothy Claypole. All used to 'teleport' by pinching their noses! Their landlord, and frequent victim, was Mr.Meaker. Each week, the Rentaghost gang would try their hand at something new - a taxi service, furniture removals, or entertaining hospital patients - usually with disastrous results. Mr.Claypole was always misinterpreting instructions - once, when asked to help Fred's parents move house - he did exactly that. Another story had Mr.Meaker turn into a budgie, and in yet another, his wife became a cocker spaniel. Whenever the doorbell rang, she barked! Fred's parents didn't know their son was dead - he was killed whilst working abroad - hence on home visits, he had to throw Mother's dinners away ( ghosts don't eat ). All very silly, but done with great panache. And it had one of the greatest theme tunes ever!

It makes me laugh out loud to this day!

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 28 June 2018]

Despite being too young to know the original run of Rentaghost, I'd still class it as one of the funniest shows of my youth. I'm afraid I have to disagree with some of the reviews here, and say I thought the series got better and better as it went on, it got barmier and barmier, the plots became insanely silly, but insanely funny. Such a shame only the first series was made commercially available, as it's a show I'm sure today's youngsters would love it.

Everything a kid could possibly want, the zany Meakers, the mischievous Mr Claypole, the clumsy Dobbin, and the poor Perkins.

Legendary writer Lynda la Plante appeared in one series, as Tamara Novek, she was ok, but the replacement of Nadia Popov played by Coronation Street legend Sue Nicholls was a joy to watch.

Such an amazingly talented set of performers, Stainforth got to show off his roller dancing talents, and the magical Ann Emery got to sing her heart out.

A much loved show, which proved it was great to grow up in the Seventies and early eighties.

Series Nine was hilarious, Suzi Starlight, Bernie St John and the cellar, magical!

10/10

brilliant

[andrewneilmcphail · 9/10 · 14 August 2022]

The only kids' programme to make me giggle, so I am amazed that there are only 10 reviews. The antics didnt seem silly to me, even when I was 15 years old.

garbage

[gazmo-86907 · 2/10 · 20 April 2020]

Just utter nonsense..... its more like rentanabadactor for a very cheap rate!!i am so annoyed at myself for watching more than 1 episode

A Children's Classic

[Dawnfrancis · 24 November 2002]

"We aim to shock, we hope your knees will knock..."

Definitely a classic of its time. A catchy theme tune, lots of puns and running round-what more does a kid need? Basically a sitcom about a group of ghosts trying to get by "down here." I agree with other comments about the earlier ones being a lot better. The later episodes focused too much on the Meaker's house and the dragon in the cellar. Altogether now-"Don't go in the cellar." Still, worth catching the repeats on digital tv.

Watched every single episode.

[chrismonkee · 10/10 · 21 June 2020]

I recall S01E01. I even remember reflecting on it as I stood there in my school playground, thinking on how great it was.

Watched every episode after that. BBC kids' TV was great back then, wasn't much of it, and they knocked out quality, 3:30-6:00pm. And that was all you got.

I agree it got worse as the years rolled on. But, then again, I got older as well. So, who's to say?

so bad it's good!

[dsb-6 · 20 January 2003]

unlike the other reviewers,i am of the age where the later tacky episodes are the ones i remember and love. sure it got sillier as time went on,but that was the charm -all manner of daft jokes and comedy chases -and it stands the test of time! i actually saw an episode last week and as an adult it still made me chuckle -the nonense of it all is infectious -i'm smiling just thinking about it. so check it out -currently on satelite tv on sundays.

If your mansion house needs haunting....

[Spikey-2 · 26 May 2000]

"Ooooh Arthur! What are those lunatics The Meekers up to now?"

Aaahhh, *the* tv show of my childhood. Frequently pantomimonic, the antics of Claypole and the cast of (flippin') spooks amused me for a sizeable chunk of my childhood. The early episodes had actual plot and purpose with the profitless Rentaghost business, the later ones were low on quantity with the Spooks living with the Meekers. Christmas cracker joke scripts, a pantomime horse, Christopher Biggins acting more camp than a weekend at Butlins and an unhealthy dose of bluescreen effects with every episode leading to an all-cast chase around the Meekers' living room table as the theme tune played every week.

Harmless fun for the children of the 70s in the days before childrens television had to be educational and lost any creativity it ever had. Gone are the days of sit-coms for kids, but the spirit (ahem) is kept alive in "Rentaghost's" occasional repeats tucked away in the armpit of satellite television.

A classic. No question. Well, you must excuse me, the astral lift is waiting to whisk me away!

"Come away from the window, Rose....."

surely not?

[rupertbreheny · 24 January 2004]

At 33 years of age I remember the early series as well as the later, and the opening bars of that bloody programme filled me with dread as my best friend always had to rush in from playing outdoors to see the damn thing with me in toe. Not the most fun 30 minutes of my young life waiting to get back outside. Now - Ulysses, that was something much better. "Flying through all the galaxies..."