Bad Lads Army
Encyclopedia
Lads' Army is a British reality TV programme, specifically of the kind that constitutes a historically derived social experiment - other examples being The 1900 House
and The Frontier House. Shown on ITV
, Bad Lads Army is based on the premise of subjecting today's delinquent individuals to the conditions of conscripts
to British Army
National Service
of the 1950s in order to see if this could rehabilitate them.
The programme was derived from an earlier one called simply Lads Army (a play on Dad's Army
) in which a number of volunteers underwent four weeks of basic training for 1950s National Service. Unlike the three sequel series (the ones whose titles began with "Bad"), the original programme's experiment was merely to see if members of the modern British public could cope with the 1950s training, and how they compared to the public of that period. The success of the original series led to the experiment being repeated with the recruits being petty criminals, often given the option to undergo the training by courts as an alternative to serving pending sentences, in order to explore the proposition that it would be beneficial to reinstate National Service for petty criminals and delinquents as an alternative to more conventional sentences.
The programme format is simple. The recruits are issued period uniforms and equipment and fed, quartered and trained according to the standards of the era. Their free time is limited to visits to the NAAFI with period refreshments and facilities. The recruits form a single platoon
made up of two sections
, each under the care of a section leader. During training the sections compete against each other, building a sense of competition but also of teamwork and loyalty. Success brings modest rewards. Praise is given for whole-hearted attempts at tasks. The NCO
s and Officers
running the training are all, or have been, professional British soldiers.
Each series had a slightly different format to its predecessors, although the theme of 1950s military training is common to all. The 3rd series had the volunteers train to become officers while the 4th series had the volunteers train to become paratroopers.
Within each series a small number of recruits have either walked out (after a 24 hour cooling off period, generally in the guard house), or been ejected. The majority of the remainder claim some benefit from the experience and some have chosen the British Army
as a career at the end of it.
The narrator for the first series was Kevin Whately
, then Dennis Waterman
took over until the show ended in 2006.
Sergeant Sullivan is now a tutor at York Uni
The 1900 House
The 1900 House is a historical reality television programme made by Wall to Wall/Channel 4 in 1999. The show is about a modern family that tries to the live in the way of the late Victorians in 1900 for three months in a modified house...
and The Frontier House. Shown on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, Bad Lads Army is based on the premise of subjecting today's delinquent individuals to the conditions of conscripts
Conscription in the United Kingdom
Conscription in the United Kingdom has existed for two periods in modern times. The first was from 1916 to 1919, the second was from 1939 to 1960, with the last conscripted soldiers leaving the service in 1963...
to British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
of the 1950s in order to see if this could rehabilitate them.
The programme was derived from an earlier one called simply Lads Army (a play on Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
) in which a number of volunteers underwent four weeks of basic training for 1950s National Service. Unlike the three sequel series (the ones whose titles began with "Bad"), the original programme's experiment was merely to see if members of the modern British public could cope with the 1950s training, and how they compared to the public of that period. The success of the original series led to the experiment being repeated with the recruits being petty criminals, often given the option to undergo the training by courts as an alternative to serving pending sentences, in order to explore the proposition that it would be beneficial to reinstate National Service for petty criminals and delinquents as an alternative to more conventional sentences.
The programme format is simple. The recruits are issued period uniforms and equipment and fed, quartered and trained according to the standards of the era. Their free time is limited to visits to the NAAFI with period refreshments and facilities. The recruits form a single platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
made up of two sections
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
, each under the care of a section leader. During training the sections compete against each other, building a sense of competition but also of teamwork and loyalty. Success brings modest rewards. Praise is given for whole-hearted attempts at tasks. The NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s and Officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
running the training are all, or have been, professional British soldiers.
Each series had a slightly different format to its predecessors, although the theme of 1950s military training is common to all. The 3rd series had the volunteers train to become officers while the 4th series had the volunteers train to become paratroopers.
Within each series a small number of recruits have either walked out (after a 24 hour cooling off period, generally in the guard house), or been ejected. The majority of the remainder claim some benefit from the experience and some have chosen the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a career at the end of it.
The narrator for the first series was Kevin Whately
Kevin Whately
Kevin Whately is an English actor.Whately is known for his starring role as Neville Hope in the British television comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, his role as Dr Jack Kerruish in the drama series Peak Practice, and as Robert "Robbie" Lewis in the crime dramas Inspector Morse and...
, then Dennis Waterman
Dennis Waterman
Dennis Waterman is a British actor and singer, best known for his tough-guy roles in television series including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks.-Early life:...
took over until the show ended in 2006.
Series names
- Lads' Army
- Bad Lads' Army
- Bad Lads' Army Officer Class
- Bad Lads' Army Extreme
Sergeant Sullivan is now a tutor at York Uni
External links
- Bad Lads Army Fansite
- Bad Lads Army Music from the series
- Bad Lads Army - Not All Bad Corporal Richard Nauyokas's Web site