Absolutely Fabulous
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Absolutely Fabulous (popularly referred to as "Ab Fab") is a British sitcom written by and starring Jennifer Saunders with Joanna Lumley.
The show, broadcast by the BBC in the United Kingdom, grew from a sketch called "Modern Mother and Daughter" that was originally written and performed for the comedy show French and Saunders, which co-starred Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French, and has aired off and on since it first debuted on November 12, 1992. Contrary to persistent popular belief, the show has no connection other than the character's name, to the earlier film , a comedy play written by Saunders's husband Adrian Edmondson for the TV series The Comic Strip Presents.... (The name Eddie Monsoon is derived from Edmondson's name and is a nickname of his.)
With its outlandish depictions of drug and alcohol abuse and irresponsible, irreverent and frequently illegal behaviour, the series gained a large and loyal following -- as well as attracting censure from various groups.
The characters played by Lumley (Patsy) and Saunders (Eddie) became popular subjects for emulation by female impersonators and Halloween revellers. While the programme was widely popular in Britain and gained noteworthy attention in the United States, where it was broadcast by the Comedy Central network (and, from 2003, by the Oxygen Network), it has found a particularly strong following among gay men in both of these countries as well as in Australia and Canada, where the show has been broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the CBC and Comedy Network respectively. Ab Fab first aired in Canada in 1994 on the CBC.
As of July 2005, Saunders has announced she will not be writing or playing Edina, stating "The 6am calls to go to make-up and all the promotional work wear you down. I would like to write and direct - that would be my joy." It seems therefore likely that the show's fifth season will be its last.
Premise
-->Edina Monsoon (Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Lumley) are two immature, prosperous but preposterous substance-abusing fashion and fad-obsessed Londoners who value fame and style (and controlled substances) over substance. Saffron (Julia Sawalha), Edina's teenage daughter, provides the persistently dour voice of Monsoon and Stone's superego.
Edina owns a public relations firm whose only steady client is fading 1960s pop singer Lulu, who is barely hanging on by a thread. (In later years, this switched to model Twiggy and former Spice Girl Emma Bunton.) Though flailing desperately in her business, Edina is desperate to give off the aura of success, wealth and fabulousness (even as her outrageously mismatched and poorly-fitted wardrobe belies this) while she collects hefty alimony payments from her two ex-husbands. Her secretary Bubble, a charming disaster, can't remember what a television is called but can speak several foreign languages.
Meanwhile, cohort Patsy, although always stylishly dressed (unlike Edina) portrays an outrageous, sexually charged, past-her-prime fashion model who shares a codependent parasitic existence with Edina and who has a well-paying, do-nothing job with a fashion magazine, which she received after sleeping with the publisher. This relationship usually results in hilarious, albeit dysfunctional behaviours, and over-the-top conflicts with all characters who happen to interact with Patsy.
Edina's daughter Saffron is depicted as the straitlaced, long suffering milquetoast intellectual who endures bombastic abuse and immature snideness from both main characters, especially with regards to sexuality. But in this series, being the voice of reason only adds to the hilarity of the outrageous relationships of the characters.
The show circles around Edina's constant struggle to achieve fame and success amidst the disapproval of her daughter and the constant presence of her doddering, senile elderly mother. Throughout Patsy is at her side encouraging the behaviours that are constantly causing her conflict. Also in and out of her life are her first husband Justin, who is also Saffron's father (along with his lover, Oliver), and her other ex-husband Marshall, with his scheming New-Age California wife Bo. Marshall is the father of Eddy's son, Serge, who is only seen in one episode. Serge was played by American actor Josh Hamilton and it was revealed that Serge was gay.
Much of the comedy of the show is physical, usually derived from Edina and Patsy's drunken states and over the top substance abuse. A recurring gag found new ways for Edina to fall headfirst out of automobiles, windows, or down her kitchen stairs at least once every season. Episodes also found the pair travelling to locations like New York, Paris and Morocco, usually with complaining daughter in tow.
Trivia
Written by: Jennifer SaundersDirected by: Bob Spiers
Produced by: Jon Plowman
5 series , and several one-off specials
Broadcast (in the U.K.): 1992-1996; 2001-2003
- Edina is allegedly based on Lynne Franks.
- At least two "final episodes" were made with the characters older and not much wiser, but the series returned due to popular demand.
- There have been two "spin-offs" of the show. One, called "Mirrorball," found the same cast placed in a totally different plot and setting, playing new characters. The pilot was sold. However, as the first season was being planned, Jennifer Saunders decided to do a new season of Absolutely Fabulous. The second, as of yet untitled (though the rumour is it may be called The Bo Show), is a spin-off based around the character of Bo, played by Mo Gaffney.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
- In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, Absolutely Fabulous was placed 17th.
- The theme song is called "This Wheel's on Fire" written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko and performed in this instance by Julie Driscoll and Adrian Edmonson. The song was also sung by Marianne Faithful and PP Arnold for the "Last Shout" Special in 1996. This version does not appear on the new BBC Video DVD release.
- Pet Shop Boys recorded the 1994 Comic Relief single using excerpts of dialogue from the series put to dance music. The music video featured clips from the show and specially recorded footage of the Pet Shop Boys with Patsy and Edina.
- Junior Vasquez later recorded another single using excerpts of dialogue from Seasons One and Two called "I am Thin and Gorgeous."
- The name of the main character, Edina Monsoon, is a play on the surname of Jennifer Saunders' husband, Adrian Edmonson. Eddie Monsoon was created by Adrian Edmondson in 1984 as an idea for The Comic Strip.
- Patsy's full name, bestowed on her by a hippie mother played by Eleanor Bron, is Eurydice Colette Clytemnestra Dido Bathsheba Rabelais Patricia Cocteau Stone.
- The names of all 5 main cast members start with the letter J
Cast
- Jennifer Saunders - Edwina Margaret Rose Monsoon ("Edina", "Eddy")
- Joanna Lumley - Eurydice Colette Clytemnestra Dido Bathsheba Rabelais Patricia Cocteau Stone ("Patsy Stone", "Pats"), Edina's best friend
- Julia Sawalha - Saffron Monsoon ("Saffy"), Edina's daughter
- June Whitfield - June Monsoon ("Mother" or "Gran"), Edina's mother
- Jane Horrocks - Bubble, Edina's assistant; celebrity personality Katy Grin
Minor roles
- Kathy Burke as Magda
- Mo Gaffney as Bo Turtle (neé Crysalis)
- Helen Lederer as Catriona
- Christopher Malcolm as Justin
- Christopher Ryan as Marshall Turtle
- Harriet Thorpe as Fleur
- Naoko Mori as Sarah
- Adrian Edmondson as Hamish
- Miranda Richardson as Bettina
- Patrick Barlow as Max
- Dawn French as Kathy
- Marcella Detroit as God's Angel in "The Last Shout"
- Marianne Faithfull in a fantasy/dream sequence as God
- Anita Pallenberg in a fantasy/dream sequence as the Devil.
- Helena Bonham Carter as Saffron (in a dream sequence)
- Germaine Greer as Edina's mother (in a dream sequence)
- Mandy Rice Davies as Patsy (in a dream sequence)
- Richard E. Grant as Justin (in a dream sequence)
- Eleanor Bron as Patsy's mother (in flashback sequences)
- Kate O'Mara as Jackie Stone, Patsy's sister
- Celia Imrie as Claudia Bing, PR boss and Edina's biggest rival.
Special Guests
The following all appeared as themselves in the series: