French and Saunders
French and Saunders | |
---|---|
BBC2 (1987–1993) (1994–2017)BBC One | |
Release | 9 March 1987 25 December 2017 | –
French and Saunders is a British
In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, the duo were voted among the top 50 comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders. Their last special, French and Saunders Christmas Celebrity Special, aired on 27 December 2005 on BBC One. In 2006, both French and Saunders announced their sketch show was now dead, and that they had moved on to more age-appropriate material. Their last time performing as a duo, the Still Alive tour, ran initially until late 2008, then resumed in Australia in summer 2009. In 2009, the duo were jointly awarded the BAFTA Fellowship.
History
Background (1978–1987)
French and Saunders began to establish themselves in what was referred to as the "underground comedy" scene, along with many other prolific actors and comedians whom they would work with during the next twenty-plus years. In 1983, they starred in an edition of
French and Saunders (1987–2007)
In 1987, French and Saunders created their eponymous sketch show, which carried over six series and nine specials until 2005, with compilations of previous material appearing until 2017. The show began humbly, but established its own niche.
The first series was intentionally set up to look like a low-budget variety show in which the duo were constantly attempting grandiose stunts and often failing miserably. Often a "famous" guest star would be brought on but then treated badly. Also featured during this series were a troupe of geriatric dancers, called The Hot Hoofers, and a bongos/keyboard music duo called Raw Sex, actually Comic Strip collaborators Simon Brint and Rowland Rivron in character as stepfather and stepson Ken and Duane Bishop respectively. Alison Moyet and Joan Armatrading each appeared in one episode. The dancing and music were included to fulfill the series' mandate as a light entertainment series to include "a certain amount of variety" rather than pure comedy (as the BBC's budget for Light Entertainment was considerably higher than that of their Comedy department).[2]: 95 The show-within-a-show premise was dropped with the second series in 1988.
As the show progressed, ratings skyrocketed, eventually prompting the BBC to move it from
The show also contained numerous
The sixth and final series aired in 2004, and returned to the metafictional premise of the first series. In this series, the two lampooned themselves as incapable of getting any work done: Saunders later characterised it as "a fairly accurate rendition of our writing process", but asserted that, while they appeared to others to be procrastinating, they were actually generating writing ideas.[2]: 100, 103 The series also starred Liza Tarbuck as a heavily fictionalised version of herself, forced to be the fictional show's producer despite her actual career goal of creating and producing game shows, and Lorna Brown as the production assistant, Abba. Maggie Steed appeared in two episodes as the duo's agent, Mo, based on their real agent, Maureen Vincent,[2] while Eileen Essell and Brenda Cowling appeared briefly in several episodes as Abba's imagination of French and Saunders, respectively, as old women. The show ended with a final Christmas special in 2005. A compilation series, A Bucket o' French and Saunders, aired in 2007.
In 2008 the pair retired the show, after performing a sketch with the singer Anastacia, in which French dressed in a similar outfit to the US star. French said she was left feeling "humiliated".[3]
Post-show developments (2007–present)
In Christmas 2010, French and Saunders are featured in three two-hour radio shows on BBC Radio 2. This was followed by further specials in 2011 for Easter and the Bank Holidays.
In 2020, the duo debuted a podcast titled French & Saunders: Titting About on Audible. The podcast features the pair in relaxed, often nostalgic conversations about a new topic in each episode. Series 2 was released in 2021, and Series 3 in 2022. Series 4 was released in 2023.
In 2021, it was announced that Gold had commissioned a new one-off special titled French and Saunders: Funny Women. The special, which was filmed on the set of their original sketch series, features a discussion by French and Saunders and focuses on the history of women who have contributed to comedy.[4] It was broadcast on Gold on 17 July that year.
Cast
In addition to French and Saunders themselves, the sketch series featured several regular and recurring cast members, who were chosen for their "funny bones" and willingness to "be part of the gang".[2]: 100–101
Although the amount of music in the show decreased over time, Raw Sex remained regular cast members through series 4. Betty Marsden also appeared in series 1 as Madame, the show's choreographer. Singer Kirsty MacColl appeared in one episode of series 2 and five episodes of series 3, sometimes performing jointly with Raw Sex.
For series 5, Mel and Sue served as assistant writers and appeared in four of the seven episodes. In series 6, the show returned to the show-within-a-show format of series 1, with Liza Tarbuck appearing in each episode as the fictional show's producer and Lorna Brown as the PA.
The show also featured dozens of guest stars. Notably, Saunders' Absolutely Fabulous co-stars Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, and June Whitfield all guest-starred as themselves, with Whitfield appearing on the show three years before the beginning of Ab Fab. The spouses of the duo, Lenny Henry and Adrian Edmondson, both appeared on the show respectively, while the producer, Jon Plowman, made occasional uncredited cameos. Recurring Ab Fab actors Patrick Barlow, Harriet Thorpe, Helen Lederer, and Kathy Burke also appeared, as did French's The Vicar of Dibley co-star Gary Waldhorn, and Jam & Jerusalem regulars Maggie Steed, Rosie Cavaliero, and Pauline McLynn.
Regular
Actor | Role(s) | Series 1 | Series 2 | Series 3 | Series 4 | Series 5 | Series 6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dawn French | Herself / Various | Regular | |||||
Jennifer Saunders | Herself / Various | Regular | |||||
Simon Brint | Ken Bishop / Various | Regular | |||||
Rowland Rivron | Duane Bishop / Various | Regular | |||||
Betty Marsden | Madame | Regular | |||||
Kirsty MacColl | Herself | Guest | Regular | ||||
Lorna Brown | Abba | Regular | |||||
Liza Tarbuck | Liza | Regular |
Recurring
- Kevin Allen (8 episodes, 1990–1996)
- Patrick Barlow (8 episodes, 1990–2003)
- Kathy Burke (7 episodes, 1988–1999)
- Sean Chapman (3 episodes, 1994–2002)
- Sidney Cole (4 episodes, 1993–1995)
- Brenda Cowling (5 episodes, 2004)
- Adrian Edmondson (4 episodes, 1988–2017)
- Eileen Essell (4 episodes, 2004)
- Mel Giedroyc (4 episodes, 1996)
- Lenny Henry (4 episodes, 1988–1996)
- Lulu (3 episodes, 1988–2017)
- Patsy Kensit (3 episodes, 1996)
- Kate Moss (4 episodes, 1996)
- Sue Perkins (4 episodes, 1996)
- Maggie Steed (3 episodes, 1998–2004)
- Harriet Thorpe (8 episodes, 1987–2003)
- Ian Tough(3 episodes, 1993–1996)
- Janette Tough(5 episodes, 1993–2005)
- Tim Wylton (4 episodes, 1993–2004)
- Jon Plowman (3 episodes, 2003–2017) (uncredited)
- Keturah Sorrell (5 episodes, 1987) (uncredited)
Episodes
French and Saunders first broadcast on 9 March 1987 on
The series additionally included compilation specials, starting in 1995 with the two-part "French and Saunders Go To the Movies", which highlighted their movie parodies from the series. A second two-part compilation special, "I Can't Believe it's Music" and "I Can't Believe it's Not Music" from 2005, showcased their classic music parodies from singers such as Alanis Morissette, ABBA, The Corrs, Guns N' Roses, and Björk. In 2007, the compilation series "A Bucket o' French and Saunders", which featured a mixture of new material and old clips, was broadcast to highlight the 20th anniversary of the series. However, this proved unpopular with viewers and the initial seven-part series was edited down to six episodes. On 25 December 2017, a new compilation special, "300 Years of French and Saunders", marked the 30th anniversary of the series, and again consisted mainly of old clips, while new material featured spoofs of Gogglebox and Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Live shows
French and Saunders toured rarely, with UK tours in 1990 and 2000. They began what was announced as their final tour at
- Live 1990
- Live in 2000
- French and Saunders: Still Alive! The Farewell Tour
Recurring sketches and characters
- Sharon and Karen (1987–1988): A pair of naughty schoolgirls who call out "Miss!" every time things go wrong.
- The Extras (1987–2003): Unnamed extras who infuriate every director with their overacting, and every actor with their overfamiliarity.
- Jim and Jim (1987–1993): Also known as "The Fat Men", the "Dirty Old Men", or simply "Men". Whether at the pub, in front of the telly, or trying out for panto, they think they're God's gift to women and sexually harass any woman they meet.
- Teen Talkers (1987–1988): Two chatty teenagers who discuss changes in the facilities in a series 1 episode, and contraception in a series 2 episode.
- White Room (1988–2005): Dawn and Jennifer interact in a room with white walls and bubble-wrapped furniture. Dawn always knocks at the door and usually announces herself as "Dawn French, your comedy partner" or "Dawn French from teleovision", while Jennifer sits on the couch and tries to make her feel uncomfortable. The two sometimes impersonated celebrities or other characters within the sketch, and occasionally it was used as a springboard to another sketch, such as a parody of Noel's House Party or Dr. Tanya Byron's intervention.
- History of Dance (1988–1996): French and Saunders try out different dancing styles (e.g., Irish jig, flappers, 90's clubbers, disco, sock hops), but the dancing always goes wrong in the end.
- Jackie and Leanne (1988–1996): Dramatic young women who are obsessed with mail-order catalogues and plan for events such as holidays and weddings far in advance.
- Pear Tree Farm (1988–2005): A farm whose owner (French) repeatedly changes its line of business, always assisted by her mentally disabled, unpaid employee (Saunders), who often unintentionally reveals unpleasant truths the owner has been hiding. Originally, the farm was home to Star Pets, which supplied animals to TV and film productions; subsequent businesses included an animal crematory and a children's nursery. French's character first appeared in series 2, but the farm and Saunders' character didn't appear until series 3.
- Star Test (1990): A spoof of the show of the same name, serving as a platform to parody the interview subjects, who included Sonia, Bros, Wendy James of Transvision Vamp, and Tanita Tikaram.
- The Expert (1990–2000): A talk show host (Saunders) introduces Dawn as an "expert" on a subject such as the royal family or outer space, but Dawn constantly shows herself to have no knowledge in the area. The sketch appeared on TV only in series 3, but was revived for the 2000 live tour, wherein the show's title was "PMTV".
- The Fat Women (1990–1998): Living in a country house, they spend their days at the races, drinking whiskey, getting severe injuries and brushing them off as minor incidents. They also insult anybody who interferes in their business.
- The Sound of Music (1993): A segment hosted by Ken and Duane, in which they briefly discussed the history of music as a lead-in to music video parodies. Segments often opened with Ken reading the lyrics to a popular song in a monotone.
- Madonna (1993–2005): Often mentioned, particularly in White Room sketches, and occasionally parodied, such as in spoofs of In Bed with Madonna, "Into the Hollywood Groove", "Me Against the Music", and The English Roses.
- The Stylists (1996–2004): Wardrobe stylist Daniel (Saunders) and hair and makeup artist Terry (French), chain-smoking, flamboyantly gay men who style celebrities (series 5) and assist the Old Masters (series 6).
- Olde Elizabethan Shakespearean Times (1996): Two unhygienic women in Elizabethan England enjoy living a backwards peasant way of life, whether cooking disgusting recipes using urine, or gossiping about the locals at the pub.
- Junior and Emma (1996–1999): Public school girls who have been abandoned by their parents and stay at school during the holidays.
- Special Effects Specialists (1998–2004): Propsmen who excel in making the worst props ever used in such big-budget films as Titanic, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Troy.
- Catherine Zeta-Jones (2003–2004): Always refers to herself as "Catherine Spartacus-Zeta-Douglas-Jones" and usually discusses differences between her lifestyle in Wales and in Hollywood.
- Jodie & Jordan Solve Your Problems (2004): Hypersexual cam girls who provide advice to viewers, invariably suggesting they "shag [someone's] brains out".
- Mother and Daughter: A daughter (usually French) gets into an argument with her mother (usually Saunders), often over something insignificant.
Lananeeneenoonoo
Lananeeneenoonoo | |
---|---|
London Records | |
Past members | Dawn French Jennifer Saunders Kathy Burke |
Lananeeneenoonoo was a British spoof all-girl group consisting of comedians
In 1989, along with Bananarama, they created a
The Sugar Lumps
French, Saunders and Burke returned for Comic Relief in 1997 as the Sugar Lumps, along with
Side projects and other appearances
Saunders won an international acclaim for writing and playing
French starred as
Featuring French and Saunders
- The Comic Strip Presents(1982–2012)
- The Young Ones (1982-1984) (appearing in the episodes "Interesting" and "Time")
- Happy Families (1985)
- Girls on Top (1985–1986)
- Let Them Eat Cake (1999)
- Jam & Jerusalem (2006–2009)
- Coraline (2009)
- Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016)
- Death on the Nile (2022)
Featuring French
- Murder Most Horrid (1991–1999)
- The Vicar of Dibley (1994–2007)
- Wild West (2002–2004)
- Lark Rise to Candleford (2008–2011)
- Psychoville (2009–2011)
- Roger and Val Have Just Got In(2010–2012)
- The Wrong Mans(2013–2014)
- The Trouble with Maggie Cole (2020)
Featuring Saunders
- Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012)
- Mirrorball (2000)
- The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle (2007)
- Dead Boss (2012)
- Blandings (2013–2014)
Video and DVD releases
UK video
- French and Saunders: The Video (Best of Series 1 & 2) (1990)
- French and Saunders Live (4 Front Video) (1991)
- French and Saunders: Series 3 (1993)
- French and Saunders at the Movies (Best of Series 4) (1994)
UK DVD
- French and Saunders Live (Universal) (2001)
- The Best of French and Saunders (or Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders) (2002)
- French and Saunders at the Movies (also includes the 1999 Christmas Special) (2005)
- French and Saunders: Complete Series 1–6 (2008)
- French and Saunders: Still Alive (2008)
USA video
- French and Saunders at the Movies (1997)
- Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders (1997)
- French and Saunders: Ingenue Years (1998)
- French and Saunders: Living in a Material World (1998)
USA DVD
- Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders (2002)
- French and Saunders at the Movies (2002)
- French and Saunders: The Ingenue Years (2003)
- French and Saunders: Living in a Material World (2003)
- French and Saunders on the Rocks (2005)
- French and Saunders: Back with a Vengeance (2005)
Australian video
- French and Saunders: Series 3 – Complete and Un-edited(ish) – (Part One) (1993)[8]
- French and Saunders: The Best of Series 4 (1994)[9]
- French and Saunders: Series 3 – Complete and Un-edited(ish) – (Part Two) (1996) [10]
- French and Saunders: Live (2002)
Australian DVD
- French and Saunders: Live (2003)
- French and Saunders at the Movies (with 1999 Christmas Special) (2005)
- The Best of French and Saunders (2005)
- French and Saunders: Complete Series 1–6 (2008)
- French and Saunders: Still Alive – The Farewell Tour (2008)[11]
- French And Saunders: Series One Episodes 1–3 (Comedy Bites) (4 March 2010)
- Dawn French Bundle (2011)
International broadcasters
Country | TV Network(s) |
---|---|
Australia | UK.TV/The Comedy Channel (repeats)
|
Canada | BBCK on BBC Kids |
France | Arte (first runs), Pink TV (France) (repeats) |
Germany | EinsFestival, Arte
|
New Zealand | UK.TV
|
Portugal | RTP2 (first runs), BBC Prime/BBC Entertainment (repeats) |
Singapore | BBC Entertainment |
Thailand | BBC Entertainment |
United States | BBC America |
References
- ^ The TV Museum Youtube channel: a trailer for the programme, transmitted 6 October 1983, appears on their YouTube website
- ^ ISBN 9780241001561.
- ^ "French and Saunders: How they proved that women are funny". 27 December 2023 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
I looked in the mirror and I thought: 'Yes, this isn't it, this isn't what Anastacia looks like.' But instead of finding it funny, I just thought: 'Oh I don't like it.' "It just felt like I wasn't in control of the comedy. The joke was on me. I hadn't controlled it in any way.
- ^ Cottrell, Imani (29 January 2021). "Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders to reunite for French and Saunders: Funny Women". rts.org.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ISBN 0-85112-398-8
- ^ Brown, Joe (1989), "Girls Just Wanna Make Bucks", The Washington Post, archived from the original on 5 November 2012, retrieved 30 July 2009
- ^ Parry, Mared (4 November 2021). "New M&S Christmas advert stars Hollywood actor Tom Holland as Percy Pig". OK! Magazine. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ^ Australian Board of Classification Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Australian Board of Classification Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Australian Board of Classification Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Australian Board of Classification Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Official website
- French and Saunders at British Film Institute Screen Online
- French and Saunders at the BBC
- French and Saunders at IMDb
- French and Saunders at epguides.com
- French and Saunders receive the BAFTAFellowship