The Navy Lark

Eighteen years and 241 episodes aboard HMS Troutbridge, a Royal Navy frigate run by men whose main skill is hiding their blunders from the commander, "Thunderguts" Povey. Leslie Phillips plays the hapless sub-lieutenant, Jon Pertwee the crafty chief petty officer and Stephen Murray the bewildered lieutenant, with Ronnie Barker playing a string of supporting roles through the first nine series. This is the comfort listen of the list: farce with a steady structure, ideal for a drive or a quiet evening. The service humor and some of the gender jokes belong firmly to 1959 to 1977, but the three leads have the easy chemistry of actors who clearly enjoyed the job.