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Absolutely Fabulous
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Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab) is a BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning British sitcom written by and starring Jennifer Saunders and co-starring Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks. It was broadcast on BBC from 1992 to 1996 and 2001 to 2005. The series is currently being remade for the U.S. for 2009.
bsolutely Fabulous grew from a French & Saunders sketch called Modern Mother and Daughter, which starred Jennifer Saunders as the mother and Dawn French as the daughter.
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Encyclopedia
Absolutely Fabulous (also known as Ab Fab) is a BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning British sitcom written by and starring Jennifer Saunders and co-starring Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks. It was broadcast on BBC from 1992 to 1996 and 2001 to 2005. The series is currently being remade for the U.S. for 2009.
Background
Absolutely Fabulous grew from a French & Saunders sketch called Modern Mother and Daughter, which starred Jennifer Saunders as the mother and Dawn French as the daughter. Contrary to persistent popular belief, the show has no connection, other than the character's name, to the earlier film Eddie Monsoon: A Life?, a comedy play written by Saunders' husband Adrian Edmondson in 1984 for the TV series The Comic Strip Presents.... The name Eddie Monsoon is derived from Edmondson's name and is a nickname of his.
According to an article published in The Times , the PR guru who inspired the Edina character played by Jennifer Saunders was Lynne Franks. Franks believed Saunders had observed her and her children in detail after joining them on a family holiday. Josh Howie, Franks' son, reported that his mother was upset because one of her best friends "had taken the piss out of her" in a TV show.
Cast
Main
Supporting
Plot
Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone are two immature, chain-smoking, alcoholic, prosperous but preposterous substance-abusing fashion and fad-obsessed Londoners who value fame and style over substance (unless they are controlled substances). Saffron, Edina's daughter, provides the persistently dour voice of Monsoon and Stone's super-ego. Edina and Saffy live in a house in Holland Park (and not the outskirts, but the "rich heartland" of Holland Park), with Patsy spending most of her time there as well.
The programme circles around Eddy's ongoing struggle to achieve fame, success and a slender figure amidst the disapproval of her daughter and the constant presence of her increasingly senile mother. Throughout, Patsy is at her side encouraging the behaviours that are constantly causing her conflict. Much of the comedy of the show is physical, usually derived from Edina and Patsy's drunken and/or stoned states, with their favourite drinks being Bolly Stolly (a cocktail of Bollinger champagne and Stolichnaya vodka) and later Veuve & Bourb (a mix of Veuve Clicquot champagne and bourbon) or Dom & Bom (a mix of Dom Perignon champagne and Bombay Sapphire gin). The mutual loathing between Saffy and Patsy, as each tries to guide Edina's behaviour, also makes for many comic situations. A recurring gag found new ways for Edina to fall headfirst out of cars, windows, or down her kitchen stairs at least once every series.
Characters
Eddy
Edwina Margaret Rose Monsoon, an only child, was born on 6 August 1951 in London. She later changed her name to Edina and is nearly always called Eddy; only her mother and ex-husband Justin call her Edwina.
Eddy's self-image is based on 1960s counterculture and the world of fashion and celebrity. She is fixated on self-indulgence and her ideas of self-actualisation. Eddy subscribes to every trend that arises, including faux-Eastern new age spiritualism - she calls herself a Buddhist - and feng shui. She aspires to move in the highest circles of creativity, fashion, and celebrity. She considers herself a follower of the latest trends, but, having no real sense of style of her own, Eddy is actually a fashion victim, parading the latest fashion trends without understanding them or understanding what looks good on her. She is also a fan of Lacroix.
She lives in a nice Holland Park house, which she claims cost £1.1m, with her daughter Saffy, and owns a public relations firm whose only steady client is 1960s pop singer Lulu, whose professional relationship with Edina is hanging by a thread. In later years, this was switched to model Twiggy and Spice Girl Emma Bunton, who also went to school with Saffy.
Though failing 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. She is extremely status conscious, loudly clarifying that her house is located in Holland Park whenever someone identifies the neighbourhood as Shepherds Bush.
In an early episode, Edina says that she has always voted Labour, but she notes her disdain for New Labour in the fourth series. She collects hefty alimony payments from her two ex-husbands, Justin and Marshall. Justin (Saffy's father) is gay and for a time has a boyfriend named Oliver, who run an antique shop together. Her first husband, Marshall Turtle – the father of her gay and almost perpetually off-screen son Serge – later marries brash, scheming New-Age Californian Bo Chrysalis (Gaffney), who effortlessly rules over him.
Gay men play an important role in Edina's social self-image, as tokens of fashionability and political correctness. She asserts the former by claiming that "gay men love [her]" and the latter by claiming that "all [her] friends are gay". Taken together, the two would seem to point to unbounded mutual love between Edina and gay men as a class. However, both seem to be questionable. Edina's coveted gay-icon status is belied by the animosity of Oliver, her second husband's partner, although her son Serge's partner seems to be under her spell at first sight. Conversely, there is no evidence in any episode to support Edina's claim to have gay friends, while her feelings towards gay men appear less enthusiastic in deeds than in words, although she is thrilled to learn that her son is gay. Actually, her assertion that "all [her] friends are gay" is used as self-justification. On one occasion, she seconds Patsy's accusation of a "gay mafia" conspiracy to explain their professional failures.
Edina claims to be a Buddhist, practising, in her words, "almost religiously." She also claims to be a vegetarian although she is seen eating meat on a few occasions (even raw meat). For dramatic purposes she had been described as being two stone overweight (although Jennifer Saunders clearly isn't). She frequently moans about being too fat; however, she hasn't the willpower to stay on any diet for long. She often says that one method she has used is to go shopping for clothes two sizes too small for her. Weak-willed as she is, she spends much of her life caught in an emotional tug of war between Patsy, her lifelong friend and corrupter, and Saffy, her sensible goody-two-shoes daughter.
Patsy
Eurydice Colette Clytemnestra Dido Bathsheba Rabelais Patricia Cocteau Stone – always called Patsy, or Pats – is the last of a string of children born to an aging bohemian mother in Paris. She and Eddy were childhood friends, and since her mother despised and neglected her - regarding her more as a rival than a daughter - she came to rely on the Monsoons for most of her food (though she has only been seen eating twice), shelter and comfort. The first few years of her life were spent locked in a room, and the rest were dismal by Patsy's own description, without friends, parties or presents. She claims to have blocked out everything before 1968, though occasionally memories come back to her in the form of flashbacks. Patsy also seems to reveal her extreme intelligence at times, including her high level knowledge of genetics (in which Saffy replies is due to the fact that she is a "human sperm bank"). She is an outrageous, nymphomaniacal, past-her-prime fashion model and "ex-Bond girl" (although her only actual "Bond" film was Bond Meets Black Emmanuelle, Lumley was a genuine Bond Girl in On Her Majesty's Secret Service) who drinks like a fish and smokes like a chimney. She shares a codependent parasitic existence with her old schoolfriend Eddy. This relationship usually results in hilarious, albeit dysfunctional, behaviour and over-the-top conflicts.
Patsy was born on 30 October, although her actual age is never clearly divulged, she often states herself to be between 39 and 43. In one episode ("Cold Turkey") a nurse guesses that she is around 65 years old. Patsy also has a sister named Jackie, (as revealed in the episode "Happy New Year") whom Eddy abhors and who twice tried to kill Patsy with drug overdoses. Jackie intimidates Patsy into stating that Patsy is the elder of the two and says, in the same episode, that she is 72, to which Patsy's reply was "my God, then how old does that make me". Patsy usually seems as hard as nails and as cold as ice – especially in her behaviour toward Saffy, her chief rival – but she sometimes reveals a more vulnerable side: in flashbacks to her bleak life with her mother, in her overeager admiration for the awful Jackie, and in those rare moments when Eddy temporarily withdraws her friendship.
Unlike Eddy, she is usually stylishly dressed, and almost invariably wears her hair in a characteristic blonde beehive. She has a well-paying, do-nothing job as a fashion director for a fashion magazine, which she received after sleeping with the publisher. She then went on to work in "Jeremy's" - an exclusive high street fashion store, with celebrity clients such as Minnie Driver. It is hinted that Patsy has been involved in some questionable activities, such as adult films; she uses her knowledge from that time to blackmail Saffron's prospective mother-in-law. When faced with a situation that someone else might find alarming or disconcerting (such as discovering that Saffron cast a man to play Patsy in a play), Patsy often responds with a cool "yeah cheers, thanks a lot."
During the 1960s in Morocco, Patsy underwent a sex change and briefly lived as a man; but, as Eddy says "It fell off". She is very promiscuous up until "The Last Shout", then begins to lose her power over men. In two episodes ("Door Handle" and "The Last Shout"), it is revealed that Patsy lives in the storeroom above Oddbins, a chain of UK liquor stores. She says that she has not eaten anything since 1973, having had a "stomach bypass". In the episode "New Year's Eve", however, she painfully chews and swallows a potato crisp, then pronounces it "delicious" though she is visibly shaken from having actually eaten something; and in the Christmas Special "Cold Turkey" she renders the entire assembly speechless by demurely asking for a small slice of turkey during Christmas dinner (however, it makes her choke).
Saffy
Edina and Justin's daughter, Saffron Monsoon, was born on 17 March 1975 in London. Although most people call her "Saffy", Eddy usually refers to her as "sweetie", "darling", "sweetie-darling" and twice "little budgerigar" – meaning, according to Saunders, the voice of conscience in the household. Eddie once complained, "God! It's like living with a chronically depressed budgerigar!" and another time called Saffy "little budgerigar girl." Patsy, on the other hand, calls her "you little bitch troll from hell", "the bitch daughter" and "you little piece of dribble-piss", etc. As the ever-virtuous high-minded intellectual, Saffy is the perfect foil for Eddie and Patsy, enduring bombastic abuse and immature snideness from both, especially regarding sex. Many times Eddie and Patsy refer to her as being virgin, and even she herself makes comments regarding it (when she is about to marry Paolo and tells her father that they want to marry soon, she says "Nothing like that" referring to a possible pregnancy) but in the chapter "Morocco" it is made obvious that she is no longer a virgin. She defends herself by constantly criticising them both, remorselessly assuming the moral high ground and the voice of reason. However, her mother's neglectful ways, innumerable slights, and occasional outright cruelties have taken their toll, making her excessively serious and rather bitter.
She dresses conservatively – indeed, drably – and almost always behaves responsibly; as a result, many unpleasant chores come her way, and she frequently must rescue Patsy and Eddie from sticky situations. Despite this, Patsy resents Saffy so intensely that once she even sells her into slavery in Morocco. Her mother sometimes treats her affectionately, and in one episode even defends her honour against a married-with-children college professor who she feels is deceitfully trying to seduce her (Edina punches him in the face). In reality, it is Saffron who initiated the seduction with innumerable cups of tea and conversation that included girlish giggling and an eyelash on her cheek. Nevertheless, Edina longs for a more exotic, fashionable daughter, and frequently tells her so. Saffy, for her part, passionately wishes to belong to a more normal family, and is once arrested for spying on a random family for her "Observations Diary." Her older brother Serge ran away from home in desperation as a teenager and never calls or writes; nevertheless, he's Eddie's favourite child, even though she can no longer remember what he looks like.
In series four, after completing her education, she writes a play about her life with her mother called "Self Raising Flower"; she means the play to be tragic and is confused when the audience starts laughing. At one point, she becomes involved with New Labour, and says her role model is Cherie Blair. In series five - when she returns home pregnant from a stint of humanitarian work in Uganda - Eddy has nightmares at the prospect of being a grandmother until she learns that Saffy's lover is black, making the baby mixed race and, as such, a fabulous fashion accessory – "the Chanel of babies!" Saffy later gives birth to a daughter and names her Jane; Eddy, however, persists in calling her "Lola".
At some point (presumably when she came of age) Saffron became the legal owner of the house that she and Edina live in (it had previously belonged to her father). In the final episode of the series she at last liberates herself from her mother and Patsy by throwing them out.
Mother (Mrs. Monsoon)
Edina's mother, Mrs. Monsoon, is a good-natured woman who often pretends to be rather senile. She is despised by her daughter Edina but much loved by her granddaughter. She has an ambiguous relationship with Edina and seems to regard her with indifference, giving all her motherly devotion to Saffy. In the first few series, she is a valuable ally for Saffy in her struggle for domestic control, often mentioning embarrassing facts from Eddy's and Patsy's childhood.
Edina addresses her, usually indirectly, as "The Old Woman" and once "Old Caca", never as "Mum" or "Mother". Edina's insults never seem to affect her; in fact, she usually manages to drop a few hard-hitting but humorous insults of her own. Sometimes she recognises the eccentricities of Edina, Patsy and visitors to the house. At times she even seems to see the dysfunctional qualities in Saffy.
In the first episode she is apparently not in regular interaction with the other characters, appearing only in Edina's flashback to her teenage years. By the second episode Fat she is in evidence visiting Edina's home to see Saffy. By the third episode France when she meets Patsy there it seems the two have not seen each other in many years ("Still blonde then?", remarks Mother); here Patsy seems to resent her and apparently the feeling is mutual. (Also, in this early episode where the characters are apparently still being firmed-up, Edina does hug her and call her "mum".) After this it is apparent that like Patsy, Mother is a regular visitor to Edina's home, and that Patsy and Mother seem basically to like one another, despite the odd snide comment.
Later episodes reveal that Mother had been a sort of surrogate mother to Patsy, whose own mother neglected her; however, their relationship is ambiguous. Patsy shows her some respect, even helping her and calling her "Mrs M". Mrs Monsoon sometimes makes condescending remarks about Patsy, even in her presence, once telling Edina that "poor-dear-sad-old Patsy" is not a suitable or reliable friend. Mother has occasionally confused a transvestite for Patsy.
When Mrs. Monsoon's husband dies ("Death"), Edina infuriates Saffy by responding to the news with a blank stare and the question "Did he leave a will?". Mother doesn't seem to care much either, realising that she'll have a bit more room at her house. Patsy attempts to comfort her by awkwardly patting her head and saying "I condole you", adding cheerfully that Mr. Monsoon "chose the right season to go," as black is in this season. Mother seems to appreciate this fashion tip. Oddly, in this episode, Mrs. Monsoon states that she was married for "nearly forty years". It was established in series 1, episode 5, that Eddie turned 40, the implication thus being that Eddie was born before her parents were married.
Mrs. Monsoon displays a kleptomanical streak at times, taking random items from Edina's household (mugs, ashtrays, clothing) and donating them to the charity shop she volunteers at, "Bric-n-Brac-n-Knic-n-Knack-n-Things." She's been known to turn Edina's high-style clothing into other things (such as "the only genuine LaCroix-Versace-quilty-bedspread in existence"). In series 4, episode 5, "Small Opening", she is seen to be stealing larger pieces of furniture and asks for Patsy's help to remove a wardrobe that has become "stuck on the stairs" that she is donating to Sheltered Housing.
After series three her mental faculties begin to decline and she increasingly inhabits a strange world of her own. In only one scene throughout the entire run of the show are she and Edina alone together, and it's an awkward experience for both of them.
Dora Bryan appears twice as a friend of Mother's, confusingly playing 'Millie' in the 1996 two part special, "The Last Shout" and then 'Dolly' in series 4, episode 2, "Fish Farm". Millie is married to Mac (Ed Devereaux) and has been living in Florida for many years. Since Dolly also has an adopted American accent and displays dance moves at inappropriate moments as did Millie, it's likely they're meant to be the same character.
Bubble and Katy Grin
Bubble is Eddy's personal assistant, played by English actress Jane Horrocks. The character speaks with a strong Lancashire accent, exhibits a daft fashion sense and acts in an apparently foolish manner. She is unable to remember the names of common objects or understand basic concepts. Frequent comedic dialogue between Edina and Bubble involves Edina dragging vital information out of her unresponsive PA. Bubble's function in the PR company is simply to flatter Edina's vanity by comparison.
Alongside her usual personality Bubble demonstrates rare glimpses of intelligence, even special abilities. She is revealed to be fluent in French but also speaks in French sounding gibberish. Bubble has the most eclectic fashion sense out of all the characters. Her outfits are frequently bizarre, overtly theatrical and parodic of fashion.
At one point in the show Bubble is made editor of Vogue magazine but it is unclear that she took up the position, eventually returning to Edina's company. Bubble resigns as Edina's PA on two further occasions: Edina dismisses Bubble for gross incompetence but Bubble sues - and wins - the right to keep her job. However, the details of her job are unspecified and she is demoted to Edina's maid. Bubble later abandons Edina when the PR company is on the verge of a takeover.
Bubble's lookalike cousin Katy Grin (also played by Horrocks) is a slick but aggressive and arrogant television presenter who speaks with standard Received Pronunciation. Katy Grin shows no real affection for any of the characters and gleefully issues bitchy backhanders at the protagonists. She has an unnamed baby son born through artificial insemination from an anonymous father.
The creation of Katy Grin was due in part to Jane Horrocks' reluctance to reprise the role of Bubble as the show progressed, turning down the chance to appear in the 1996 special The Last Shout. When the series was revived Horrocks urged Jennifer Saunders to replace Bubble with the character Yitta Hilberstam, an Icelandic waitress Horrocks had played in Saunders' sitcom pilot, Mirrorball. Horrocks ultimately returned to Absolutely Fabulous when Saunders created Katy Grin for series 4.
Another character portrayed by Horrocks is the American character called 'Lola'. Lola worked with Bo and Marshall on their TV Ministry. The character appeared in the 2002 Special "Gay" and participated in Saunders' scathing parody of televangelism in the USA.
Sarah
Sarah is a quiet, shy, studious girl and Saffron's best friend since childhood. In the beginning of the series, she rarely drinks, regarding "low-alcohol cider" as "brilliant," saying that "once, at a party, I drank a whole can!" By season 4, Sarah carried a flask in her jacket, drinking even while working as the stagehand on Saffron's play. Sarah is Saffron's Patsy-figure in tempting Saffy to try drinking alcohol and teasing her about her romantic endeavours, real or imagined. Because of her timid demeanour, Sarah is often the subject of Edina's derision and physical abuse. Edina consistently refers to her as "Titicaca" and once set her hair on fire with a candle. This triggered Sarah to seek professional counselling, which seemed to drive her into a deeper state of imbalance. In the 4th and 5th series, Sarah starts to unravel, becoming more and more unstable, and eventually takes to stalking Spice Girl Emma Bunton, another friend of Saffron's. At this point, Saffy realises Sarah needs more professional help and reports her to the police.
Justin
Justin is Saffron's father and Edina's second ex-husband. He is gay and keeps an antique shop with his partner Oliver, a frequent guest in the early series. Justin tries hard to be the best father he can to Saffron and the two of them have what is probably the healthiest relationship on the show; however, he sometimes seems quite afraid of Edina, and it is never explained why he left the infant Saffy in her care. Justin and Edina put up with each other for Saffron's sake but are not always successful in carrying out this charade. At times Edina seems to be extremely bitter over the dissolution of their marriage, and she is also jealous of the warm relationship he shares with Saffy. Patsy and Justin have a variable relationship. They often act antagonistically toward each other, but other times seem to get along well. Oliver and Saffy are friends, even though he despises Patsy and loathes Edina. Justin is Canadian and usually walks with a cane.
Marshall
Marshall Turtle is Edina's first husband and father to Serge, Saffy's half-brother who managed to escape the Monsoon household early on. Numerous references are made to Serge throughout the series, but he is only seen once in a special late in the series. Marshall is an unsuccessful movie producer in Hollywood who later begins pursuing other money-making schemes with his wife, Bo. Bo dominates him easily, and when he's with her he seems more like a young child than a husband; she watches what he eats and once even changes his soiled underwear for him. Early in the series, however, Marshall manifests a more masculine, adult persona when he appears with Sondra, a grief therapist, and Cherysh, a classic California airhead. Although Marshall is generally kind to Saffy, perhaps pitying her for having to live with Edina, he does comply with Bo's attempt to steal her baby to be sold through their own private adoption agency to Hollywood actors wishing to adopt. It was hinted later in the series that Marshall had some gay feelings, which he explored with a leather daddy.
Bo
Bo Turtle (née Chrysalis) ("Hey, it's me - Bo! Hi, Hi, Hi!") is Marshall's wife throughout most of the series (although in series one, she is one of several of Marshall's L.A. girlfriends). She is a loud and obnoxious American who at random will shout "Praise Jesus!" or "Let's hold hands!", but with warm and caring tendencies, except on certain occasions, such as when she tried to steal Saffy's baby—however, she actually stole the placenta. She is a nurse by training, but we see her in this role only once in the series when Patsy is living in New York. Bo has many wacky wigs and costumes. She tends to have a drug and alcohol problem when she's experiencing hardships. Both Bo and Marshall experiment with different religious groups throughout the show, including Christianity, Judaism, and Scientology.
Bettina & Max
Bettina & Max are the often mentioned designer friends of Edina's. They were first mentioned in the original French and Saunders sketch 'Modern Mother and Daughter'. Bettina is the "Queen of Minimalism" and was friends with Edina when they were youngsters, much to Patsy's annoyance. She married Max, another designer. They first appeared in flashback in series 2's fourth episode, "New Best Friend", when Patsy was "horrifically injured" by an art installment in their minimalist home. This precedes a visit from the couple to Edina's home in the present time. The impending visit infuriates Patsy, leading to a serious falling out with Edina, who is trying desperately to prepare her home for the minimalist designers. However, upon arrival, the couple are completely disorganised, slovenly, distraught and at odds with each other, mainly it seems thanks to the birth of their son, a baby whom neither seems able to cope with. After Edina sleeps with Max, she ejects them from their home. The two reappear in the 2004 special "White Box", when Edina hires them to redesign her kitchen. Max is now gay and they are divorced. Bettina is under heavy medication as a result of Edina's interference in her marriage. There are several contradictions about these characters. In the series 1 episode "France", it is stated that Edina is in fact designing Bettina's kitchen as the first of her forays into interior design. In "White Box" it is stated that Bettina and Max's only child is a daughter, rather than a son. The daughter had herself taken into the care of the local authority. In the original 'Modern Mother and Daughter' sketch, Edina teases Saffron that she "adores" Bettina's son Cosmo, implying that Saffron and Cosmo are possibly the same age. In the AbFab series, Cosmo was never mentioned and appeared not to exist.
Jackie Stone & Patsy's Mother
Two members of Patsy's family are seen in the course of the series. Her mother, an Absinthe swilling, bohemian nymphomaniac (portrayed by Eleanor Bron), is seen in flashback in three episodes, and was said by Jackie to have given birth to a numerous amount of illigitemate children, with Jackie and Patsy being the last of them. This technically makes Jackie and Patsy half-sisters. In series 1, episode 6, "Magazine", Patsy recalls the misery of her upbringing for Saffy's benefit, which ends with her mother dying in a retirement home. In series 2, episode 6, "Birth", Patsy again recalls her relationship with her mother, this time recalling the trauma of her birth. Another flashback sequence in series 5, episode 8, "Cold Turkey", explains Patsy's aversion to celebrating Christmas thanks to her mother's hatred of the holiday.
Patsy's sister "Jackie" appears in two separate episodes. In series 3, episode 2, "Happy New Year", Jackie (played by Kate O'Mara), visits Patsy and Edina on New Year's Eve 1994, hoping to be able to stay for the long term at Edina's house. Patsy aids her in stealing money and jewellery from Edina, before Jackie returns to Paris to run her charity for unwanted cats. In the course of the episode, it is revealed that there are many other Stone siblings, but nobody knows how many, as their mother "was such a slut". Jackie also forces Patsy to claim that she is the older of the two, by burning her with a cigarette. Jackie admits to being 72 years old when she is alone with Patsy. Jackie later returns in series 5, episode 8, "Cold Turkey", when she is summoned to the hospital where Patsy is feared to be dying, apparently from the effects of a voodoo doll in Jackie's possession. In the hospital, the two sisters recall how Jackie stole the 'only man Patsy ever loved'. After forcing Patsy to leave her everything in her will, Jackie appears to be preparing to murder Patsy through a massive heroin overdose, but in fact, is herself discovered dead the next morning. The implication being that Patsy managed to switch the tables and that she in fact murdered Jackie.
Fleur, Catriona & Magda
Three recurring characters throughout all the AbFab seasons are Fleur, Catriona and Magda, played by Harriet Thorpe, Helen Lederer and Kathy Burke respectively. Initially, the three appear in season one, episode six, "Magazine" as colleagues of Patsy's. Magda is the editor of the magazine where Patsy is Fashion Director, whereas Fleur and Catriona are either editors or directors of other departments - their roles never being specified. Fleur is obsessed with make up, whereas Catriona just wants to feature her friends in the magazine at every opportunity. Magda talks in headlines and rarely constructs a complete sentence, whereas Fleur and Catriona seem extremely dim.
All three reappear at the beginning of season two, in the first episode "Hospital", when they gather around Patsy's hospital bed, prior to her plastic surgery. When Patsy visits the magazine's office again in episode 4, "New Best Friend", none of the three colleagues are present. In this episode the office is populated by Hamish, the magazine's restaurant critic, played by Jennifer Saunders' husband, Adrian Edmondson; Carmen, a travel writer played by Jo Brand; and Suzy, the layout artist, played by Meera Syal.
In series three, episode four, "Fear", the trio meet up in Edina's kitchen, after the magazine has closed. Magda is appointed the new editor of HQ magazine in New York, taking Patsy with her and Edina offers Catriona the job of her PA, having fired Bubble. Fleur states she intends to fall back on her "Revlon" connections to find work. In the two part special in 1996, "The Last Shout", Catriona is still working as Edina's PA, although this seems to be temporary while Bubble is away editing French Vogue! Fleur and Magda are both guests at Saffron's wedding, which is the last time Magda appears in the series. By series four, it seems that Fleur and Catriona have now become friends with Edina and Katy Grin. In episode four, "Donkey" they are part of a regular dining group with Edina, Patsy and Katy, and by the final episode of series 4, "Menopause", both are working for Edina in her TV production company. Catriona then joins 'Menopause Anonymous' and attends a meeting held in Edina's house. The two appear again in the special "Gay", having returned from London Fashion Week with Patsy. In season five, episode six, "Schmoozin'", Fleur and Catriona appear to be working at 'Jeremy's' with Patsy and intend to complain to Jeremy about Patsy's behaviour. They rescind this when Patsy threatens to kill Fleur. Their final appearance is in the 2003 Christmas Special, "Cold Turkey" (aka "Drinkin'") when they visit Patsy in hospital.
Like Bubble, the two characters seem extremely dimwitted, but somehow manage to hold down jobs at various magazines or shops. Catriona often appears to be oblivious of any conversations taking place around her, and indeed when the magazine they all work for closes, it isn't until much later, back at Edina's house, that she grasps the news.
Episodes
Absolutely Fabulous first aired on 12 November 1992, and ran for three series until 4 May 1995, when the sixth episode of series 3 was billed as the last-ever episode. However, the following year in November 1996, two specials, called "The Last Shout", were broadcast and were also billed as the last-ever episodes. Both 'last episodes' featured end sequences with flashes to the future. However, after writing Mirrorball, Jennifer Saunders decided she had more ideas, and on 31 August 2001 the fourth series premiered. A further series and three specials followed, the last of which aired on 25 December 2004. In July 2005, Saunders announced she would not be writing or playing Edina again, 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".
Special guests
Many celebrities appeared in the series, most of them as themselves. They were:
Theme song
The theme song for Ab Fab is called This Wheel's on Fire written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko and performed in this instance by Julie Driscoll and Adrian Edmondson. The song was also sung by Marianne Faithfull and P. P. Arnold for The Last Shout Special in 1996. This version does not appear on the new BBC Video DVD release. Hermine Demoriane sang a French version of the theme song over the closing credits of the episode 'Paris'. More recently, it has been sung by Blondie lead singer, Debbie Harry along with Saunders' husband Adrian Edmondson as well, who also guest-starred in the 2002 Christmas Special "Gay".
Due to copyright issues, the theme song is missing from many (but not all) of the US Region 1 DVDs, being replaced by an instrumental version of the song. Also excised from the US DVD release is the musical number from "Chicago" performed by Horrocks, Gaffney and Ryan, during a dream sequence in series 5, "Birthin'"
In addition to the official theme song, in 1994, the Pet Shop Boys recorded a song for Comic Relief 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.
Other countries
In the United States, Absolutely Fabulous has been broadcast on Comedy Central, PBS, BBC America, and since 2003 Oxygen Network as well. In Canada, since 1994, all episodes have been broadcast on BBC Canada, the CBC and The Comedy Network. In Australia, all series were originally shown on the ABC, and on cable it aired on UK.TV and moved to The Comedy Channel in 2007. Repeats of the first three series were also shown on the Seven Network. The ABC continues to show it sporadically and shows Christmas Specials and occasional repeats of Series Five or Six episodes. In Portugal it was shown in RTP2. In Serbia, the first series was aired in 1998, through a network of local television stations; in 2004 the series was aired in its entirety on B92 while in the Czech Republic all episodes have been shown. In the Republic of Macedonia, all episodes have been shown a couple of times on Sitel. In the Netherlands, the series is popular, still being broadcast by the VPRO. In Sweden, the show is broadcast by TV4 Plus. In Germany, it was broadcast by the franco-German TV network arte and is currently shown on TIMM. In France, before it was rerun on terrestrial TV arte, it was successively premiered on Pay TV channel Canal +,cable channel Jimmy and is now broadcast on France 4. In Finland, the series was broadcast by YLE TV1. In Estonia, the series was broadcasted by ETV. In Brazil it was aired on Multishow. In Poland, two series was broadcast by Wizja Jeden, later by TVP3 and BBC Entertainment.
New Zealand broadcast all five series on TVNZ One which is free to air and UK.TV Broadcast from 2007 - 2008 All 5 Series. In India, all the 5 seasons, including the specials, have been shown on BBC Entertainment.
Remakes
Absolutely Fabulous inspired a French feature film, called Absolument fabuleux, in 2001. This was written and directed by Gabriel Aghion, and starred Josiane Balasko as Eddie and Nathalie Baye as Patsy. Jennifer Saunders had a small cameo alongside Catherine Deneuve as a spectator at a fashion show. French gay icon and Patsy Stone lookalike Amanda Lear was asked to play the part of Patsy but turned it down laughingly, saying she'd "already lived it".
A proposed American remake that would have starred Carrie Fisher was put into motion by Roseanne Barr but never got off the ground. However, Barr did incorporate many elements of the show into the final season of her eponymous show Roseanne in which her character wins the lottery, Saunders and Lumley reprise their Absolutely Fabulous characters Edina and Patsy. Mo Gaffney also appeared in the episode, but not as her character Bo.
An American sitcom called High Society was not a direct remake of Absolutely Fabulous but was clearly inspired by it. This toned-down adaptation starred Jean Smart and Mary McDonnell and lasted only a shortened single season, but did garner an Emmy nomination for Jayne Meadows in the role of McDonnell's character's mother.
The American sitcom Cybill, which was not directly intended as a remake, shared some elements of Ab Fabs comedic style, particularly in the boozy, campy antics of Christine Baranski's Maryanne.
In 2000, a short-lived Canadian adaptation called P.R., starring Diane Flacks and Ellie Harvey, also aired.
It was announced on October 7 2008, that an American version of the series is currently in the works. The series will be relocated to Los Angeles. Saturday Night Live writer Christine Zander is currently writing the scripts. Saunders will executive produce along with Zander, and BBC Worldwide's Ian Moffitt. The new series is produced by Sony Pictures Television, along with BBC Worldwide and indie Tantamount, and will be made for Fox, which greenlighted the pilot as a possible Fall 2009 entry. Kathryn Hahn has been cast as Eddie and Kristen Johnston as Patsy.
Mirrorball
Mirrorball was a show written by Saunders that featured a completely different plot and set of characters, but starred all of the main cast of Absolutely Fabulous. It did not progress beyond the pilot episode; however, it ultimately inspired Saunders to write another series of Ab Fab.
The pilot of "Mirrorball" is included in the Special Features of the American DVD release of the fourth season. Several jokes and plotlines of the pilot episode were used in the eventual season premiere of the fourth season of Ab Fab, albeit with the original characters.
DVD releases
All episodes of Absolutely Fabulous have been released on DVD in Region 2 (UK), by 2 Entertain Video, with the exception of the 2004 Christmas Special.
Series 1-5, in addition to the specials "The Last Shout" and "Ab Fab: New York" (Released under the title "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Special" and "Absolutely Fabulous: Gay" in the UK), have also been released on DVD by Warner Brothers and BBC Video in Region 1 (US/Canada). The original French and Saunders sketch is an 'extra' on the Series One DVD (on both the UK, US and Australian versions), and the pilot of Mirrorball is an extra on the DVD of Series 4. Each series' DVD also features a fifteen-minute outtake reel. On 16 October, the 2004 Christmas special "White Box" will be released on DVD with two featurettes ("How to Be Absolutely Fabulous" and "Ab Fab Moments") and the original sketch from French and Saunders that served as the basis for it. It is unknown at this time whether or not the 2005 Comic Relief special will be included as another extra on this DVD.
On 27 May 2008, Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything was released on DVD in region 1. All episodes from the five seasons of AbFab are included. The 9 Discs included are,
- Disc 1 - Season One;
- Disc 2 - Season Two;
- Disc 3 - Season Three;
- Disc 4 - Season Four Episodes 1-4;
- Disc 5 - Season Four Episodes 5-6
- Disc 6 - White Box;
- Disc 7 - Season Five Episodes 1-4;
- Disc 8 - Season Five Episodes 5-8;
- Disc 9 - Absolutely Special
Disc 9 is a compilation of the specials, The Last Shout and Gay.
Region 4
| Series | Release Date | Information | Episodes |
|---|
| Series 1 | 3 October 2001 | Includes 15 Minutes Of Outakes | 1.Fashion, 2.Fat, 3.France, 4.Iso Tank, 5.Magazine, 6.Birthday | | Series 2 | 28 February 2002 | Includes Photo Gallery & 15 Minutes Of Outakes | 1.Hospital, 2.Death, 3. Morocco, 4.New Best Friend, 5.Poor, 6.Birth | | Series 3 | 1 July 2002 | Includes 15 Minutes Of Outakes | 1.Door Handle, 2.Happy New Year, 3.Sex, 4.Jealous, 5.Fear, 6.The End | | The Last Shout | 20 July 2001 | Part 1 & 2 | The Last Shout Part 1 & 2 | | Series 4 | 8 August 2002 | Includes 15 Minutes Of Outakes | 1.Parallox, 2.Fish Farm, 3.Paris, 4.Donkey, 5.Small Opening,
6.Menopause | | White Box | 3 November 2005 | ??? | Christmas Special - Series 5 | | Series 5 | ??? | Includes Movie Length "Gay". Not on all Copies However. | 1.Cleanin', 2.Book Clubin', 3.Panickin', 4.Huntin', Shootin', Fishin', 5.Birthin', 6.Schmoozin', 7.Exploitin', 8.Cold Turkey | | The Complete Collection | 20 April 2006 | Every Single Episode except The Last Shout | Series 1,2,3,4 & 5 |
Footnotes
External links
- at British TV Comedy Guide
- at Episode World
- at the British Sitcom Guide
- at the British Film Institute Screen Online
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