[VicDakin]

The Desperate Hours.
One of my alltime fav sitcoms,very few shows can combine pathos.laughter ,sadness and social commentry,this episode has Leonard Rossiter guest starring as an escaped criminal,ive watched this episode alot and its still great.
It's a cold winter day and the Steptoes are reduced to putting pfennigs in the meter. They are visited by two escaped convicts,elderly Frank and the younger Johnny. When Johnny denounces Frank as introducing him to crime and ruining his life,Harold sympathises and says that Albert has always held him back. Frank defends Albert,telling Harold to respect his father. When the two finally leave,having given Harold their last shilling for the meter, Johnny agrees to let Frank go with him,just as Harold has always allowed himself to return to Albert. Steptoe and Son feel sad that their visitors have gone.