The Peter Serafinowicz Show
Encyclopedia
The Peter Serafinowicz Show was a BBC Two
comedy sketch show written by and starring Peter Serafinowicz
. The first series started on the 4 October 2007 at 21:30 as part of the newly launched "Thursdays Are Funny" brand on BBC2 and Thursdays on ABC2
. On 1 August 2008, American cable network G4
began broadcasting the show as part of their "Duty Free TV" block of international programming.
On December 13, 2008, a 45 minute compilation episode, The Peter Serafinowicz Show: Best Of aired on BBC Two. Serafinowicz impersonated Terry Wogan
to host the episode. Although the series was culled from was aired without a laughter track, the audience reactions, which had been recorded at the time on all six shows but not used, were utilised on the clips in this special, presumably to establish continuity with the subsequent Christmas special, itself being broadcast with a complete laughter track.
One series has been made so far; the BBC has since decided not to produce a second series. A Christmas Special was aired on 23 December 2008. Sketches from the special have been released online and include Mactini and iToilet.
, on YouTube
, under the name "Immenstrides". Robert Popper
, who co-wrote, and co-starred in, both seasons of Look Around You
with Serafinowicz, co-wrote four episodes of The Peter Serafinowicz Show and was a programme consultant for the entire series.
, using the same mannerisms as Chris Tarrant
(Five have now created a real show based on the same principles).
In addition to Serafinowicz, recurring castmembers include Belinda Stewart-Wilson
, Catherine Shepherd
, Paul Putner
, Alex Lowe
, Bronagh Gallagher
and Benedict Wong
. Robert Popper, Sanjeev Kohli
and Matt Berry
also made onscreen appearances.
. Serafinowicz posted a mock BBC News interview on YouTube
stating he was leaving of his own accord due to being "unhappy with the BBC's decision to not recommission the series."
The series was released on DVD on February 1, 2010.
ceremony.
The series was also nominated for Best Comedy Programme at the 2009 BAFTA Television Awards
.
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
comedy sketch show written by and starring Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Serafinowicz
Peter Szymon Serafinowicz is an English actor, comedian, writer, composer, voice artist and occasional director.-Early life:Serafinowicz was born in Liverpool, England. He attended Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Primary School and St Francis Xavier Secondary School...
. The first series started on the 4 October 2007 at 21:30 as part of the newly launched "Thursdays Are Funny" brand on BBC2 and Thursdays on ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
. On 1 August 2008, American cable network G4
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
began broadcasting the show as part of their "Duty Free TV" block of international programming.
On December 13, 2008, a 45 minute compilation episode, The Peter Serafinowicz Show: Best Of aired on BBC Two. Serafinowicz impersonated Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
to host the episode. Although the series was culled from was aired without a laughter track, the audience reactions, which had been recorded at the time on all six shows but not used, were utilised on the clips in this special, presumably to establish continuity with the subsequent Christmas special, itself being broadcast with a complete laughter track.
One series has been made so far; the BBC has since decided not to produce a second series. A Christmas Special was aired on 23 December 2008. Sketches from the special have been released online and include Mactini and iToilet.
Background
The show was commissioned after Serafinowicz posted O! News, a parody of E! NewsE! News
E! News, previously known as E! News Daily and E! News Live, is a nightly entertainment newsmagazine program airing on E!: Entertainment Television. The program debuted on September 1, 1991 and talks about Hollywood celebrities and gossip...
, on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, under the name "Immenstrides". Robert Popper
Robert Popper
Robert Popper is a BAFTA winning comedy producer, writer and actor, best known as co-creator of the mock BBC documentary Look Around You, in which he also plays the part of Jack Morgan...
, who co-wrote, and co-starred in, both seasons of Look Around You
Look Around You
Look Around You is a British television comedy series devised and written by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz, and, in the first series, narrated by Nigel Lambert...
with Serafinowicz, co-wrote four episodes of The Peter Serafinowicz Show and was a programme consultant for the entire series.
Format
The show is a mixture of sketches based on parodies of British television, using Serafinowicz's and other actors' impressions of notable television personalities. Examples include Heads or Tails, which is a parody of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK game show)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show which offers a maximum cash prize of one million pounds for correctly answering successive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty...
, using the same mannerisms as Chris Tarrant
Chris Tarrant
Christopher John "Chris" Tarrant, OBE is an English radio and television broadcaster, now best known for hosting the first version of the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in the United Kingdom and later Ireland, as the two national versions of the show merged in 2002.Chris...
(Five have now created a real show based on the same principles).
In addition to Serafinowicz, recurring castmembers include Belinda Stewart-Wilson
Belinda Stewart-Wilson
Belinda Stewart-Wilson is an English actress, best known for her role in the TV sitcom The Inbetweeners as Polly McKenzie.-Early life:The daughter of Sir Blair Stewart-Wilson, a British Army officer, Stewart-Wilson grew up on military postings in the UK, Germany, and Austria before her family...
, Catherine Shepherd
Catherine Shepherd
Catherine Margaret Shepherd is an English actress and writer, with a career spanning radio, theatre, film and television.She was educated in South London at the James Allen's Girls' School...
, Paul Putner
Paul Putner
-Life and career:He was born in East Grinstead. He studied at LAMDA where he won, amongst other prizes, the Kenneth More prize for comedy acting.His first significant TV role saw Putner as numerous characters in The Glam Metal Detectives shown on BBC2. His real break in comedy came after he set up...
, Alex Lowe
Alex Lowe (actor)
Alex Lowe is an English actor and comedian, who is best known as the creator and voice behind the character 'Barry from Watford' on Steve Wright's BBC Radio 2 show and Absolute Radio's Iain Lee Show-Barry from Watford:...
, Bronagh Gallagher
Bronagh Gallagher
- External links :*...
and Benedict Wong
Benedict Wong
Benedict Wong is an English actor and comedian.Wong was born in Manchester and attended school in Salford. His first role was in a 1993 BBC Radio play called Kai Mei Sauce, written by Kevin Wong. He appeared alongside Sean Lock in the situation comedy 15 Storeys High, and as Dr. Franklin Fu in the...
. Robert Popper, Sanjeev Kohli
Sanjeev Kohli
Sanjeev Singh Kohli is a Scottish Asian comedian, writer and actor. He is most famous for his role as Navid Harrid in the sitcom Still Game and as Rajesh Majhu in the radio sitcom Fags, Mags and Bags.- Early life :...
and Matt Berry
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles "Matt" Berry is an English actor, writer, comedian and musician. Berry is perhaps best known for his appearances in The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace and The Mighty Boosh; he also had his own series, Snuff Box...
also made onscreen appearances.
Ratings
| Episode | Airdate | Ratings | Audience share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 October 2007 | 1.5 million | 7% http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/oct/05/2 |
| 2 | 11 October 2007 | 1 million | 5% http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/oct/12/tvratings.television |
| 3 | 18 October 2007 | 800,000 | 4% http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/oct/19/tvratings |
| 4 | 25 October 2007 | 900,000 | 5% http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/oct/26/television.tvratings |
| 5 | 1 November 2007 | 900,000 | 4% http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/02/tvratings.television |
| 6 | 9 November 2007 | 800,000 | Unknown |
Cancellation
The show was cancelled after its first series by the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. Serafinowicz posted a mock BBC News interview on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
stating he was leaving of his own accord due to being "unhappy with the BBC's decision to not recommission the series."
The series was released on DVD on February 1, 2010.
Recurring characters and sketches
- O! News: A parody of E! NewsE! NewsE! News, previously known as E! News Daily and E! News Live, is a nightly entertainment newsmagazine program airing on E!: Entertainment Television. The program debuted on September 1, 1991 and talks about Hollywood celebrities and gossip...
, featuring apparent programme teasers and celebrity interviews. - Acting Masterclass: A famous actor gives acting tips to a group of trainees. Actors featured have been Michael CaineMichael CaineSir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
, Al PacinoAl PacinoAlfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
, Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
, Robert De NiroRobert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
, Ralph FiennesRalph FiennesRalph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
(with the mannerisms and speech of a Rising DampRising DampRising Damp is a television sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV, first broadcast from 1974 to 1978. It was adapted for television by Eric Chappell from his well-received 1971 stage play, The Banana Box The series was the highest-ranking ITV sitcom on the 100 Best Sitcoms poll run in...
era Leonard RossiterLeonard RossiterLeonard Rossiter was an English actor known for his roles as Rupert Rigsby, in the British comedy television series Rising Damp , and Reginald Iolanthe Perrin, in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin...
) and Marlon BrandoMarlon BrandoMarlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
(with the body of Jabba the HuttJabba the HuttJabba the Hutt is a fictional character in George Lucas's space opera film saga Star Wars. Designed as a large, slug-like alien, his appearance has been described by film critic Roger Ebert as "Dickensian," a cross between a toad and the Cheshire Cat....
). Serafinowicz plays the featured actor; Catherine Shepherd, Alex Lowe, Benedict Wong, Belinda Stewart-Wilson and Sanjeev Kohli play the students. - Brian Butterfield: A grossly overweight pitchman who appears in various advertisements for shoddy products and services of his own design, including a karaokeKaraokeis a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
bar, dieting, a hotel, a firm of injury solicitors, a private detective service, and a speaking clockSpeaking clockA speaking clock service is a recorded or simulated human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observatory on 14 February 1933.The format of the service is...
service, which usually gives out inaccurate times. This character is somewhat similar to the actor Basil SoperBasil SoperBasil Soper is a British actor and voice-over artist, best known for his work on the Basil Brush show and famous for presenting "The Personal Injury Helpline" adverts....
, who appears in real advertisements on British television for the Personal Injury Helpline. He also appeared as a panellist on the comedy panel show Shooting StarsShooting StarsShooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its axing in 2011...
on 29th August 2011. - A Guide to Modern Life: A spoof on British self-helpSelf-helpSelf-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
TV programmes of the 1970s. Advice is given on dealing with major life changes ('Let's... Get Married', 'Let's... Have a Baby', 'Let's... Get Fit', 'Let's... Have a Good Night's Sleep'), as well as more unusual acts ('Let's... Have an OrgyOrgyIn modern usage, an orgy is a sex party where guests engage in promiscuous or multifarious sexual activity or group sex. An orgy is similar to debauchery, which refers to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures....
' and 'Let's... Pretend to Have Witnessed a MurderMurderMurder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
'). The husband-and-wife who feature in the segments are played by Serafinowicz and Belinda Stewart-Wilson respectively. - Sherlock Holmes: A parody of Sherlock Holmes (Serafinowicz) and Dr. Watson (Alex Lowe) involving slash fictionSlash fictionSlash fiction is a genre of fan fiction that focuses on the depiction of romantic or sexual relationships between fictional characters of the same sex...
. Watson congratulates Holmes on solving a case, which ends in Holmes forcibly kissing and undressing Watson. The two are later shown in bed (Watson's reaction suggests he's been raped), where Holmes states that his emotions run high after he's solved a case. - Buy It Channel: A parody of shopping channelShopping channelShopping channels are television specialty channels that present shopping related content, particularly for home shopping enthusiasts.-USA:* America's Store* Home Shopping Network* Jewelry Television* QVC* Shop at Home Network* ShopNBC...
s in which unusual problems arise, such as one of the presenters being a vampireVampireVampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
, or both presenters trying to rid the studio of an antAntAnts are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
infestation. The two presenters are played by Serafinowicz and Catherine Shepherd. - Michael-6: A robotic talk showTalk showA talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
host who attempts to help his troubled guests. Although equipped with technologically advanced systems, such as "gender scanning" and "lie detectionLie detectionLie detection is the practice of attempting to determine whether someone is lying. Activities of the body not easily controlled by the conscious mind are compared under different circumstances. Usually this involves asking the subject control questions where the answers are known to the examiner...
", he has a tendency to malfunction at the end of every sketch, causing harm to studio members. His malfunctioning usually includes the secretion of white fluid, similar to that of the robotic life-forms in WestworldWestworldWestworld is a 1973 science fiction-thriller film written and directed by novelist Michael Crichton and produced by Paul Lazarus III. It stars Yul Brynner as a lifelike robot in a futuristic Western-themed amusement park, and Richard Benjamin and James Brolin as guests of the park.Westworld was the...
or the Alien seriesAlien (film series)The Alien film series is a science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battle with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien"...
. The studio technician who always ends up getting choked by Michael-6 is played by Peter Serafonowicz's brother James Serafinowicz (also a writer/producer on the series). - BBN News: A newsreader attempts to improvise reading the news, only to be buzzed every time he says something incorrect. Thus the sketch becomes a battle to read the entire story correctly. It is based on ITV NewsITV NewsITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
, having a similar set and the same opening theme. The title of the sketch is also a combination of the abbreviations "BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
" and "ITN". - Ringo Remembers: A documentary in which Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
reflects on particular (fictional) points in his career. During the course of the segments, Serafinowicz plays not only Ringo, but the other three Beatles as well. Benedict Wong also appears as Yoko Ono. - Sinister: A company that makes odd food items. Examples include Internet Ham (a type of ham ordered online) and furniture advertised in the manner of the Marks & SpencerMarks & SpencerMarks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
advertisements for food. The slogan of Sinister, "A family company", is the same as that of real company S. C. Johnson & SonS. C. Johnson & SonS.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. , previously known as S. C. Johnson Wax , is a privately held, global manufacturer of household cleaning supplies and other consumer chemicals based in Racine, Wisconsin. It has operations in 72 countries and its brands are sold in over 110...
. - Parodies of infomercialInfomercialInfomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
s. One example, hosted by Lola Llarlagh (Belinda Stewart-Wilson) and Nancy Cholesterholes (Serafinowicz) is for "Gem Mania", a product that allows people to attach gemstoneGemstoneA gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
s to anything, with a progressively better special offers which ends with the company offering an infinite number of the product. - A multi-part pop culturePopular culturePopular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
parody which runs through the entire episode. In one example, Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
character Darth VaderDarth VaderDarth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
(Serafinowicz) falls for Commander Ada Larkin (Catherine Shepherd), a female co-worker wearing a pink version of his armour. The sketches cover his ill-fated attempts to court her; Paul Putner plays Ada's current boyfriend. - Various parodies of sex line advertisements featuring different types of call workers, such as pirates, cavemenCavemanA caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
, zombieZombieZombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
s, drunksDrunkennessAlcohol intoxication is a physiological state that occurs when a person has a high level of ethanol in his or her blood....
and Basil FawltyBasil FawltyBasil Fawlty is the main character of the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, played by John Cleese. The character is often thought of as an iconic British comedy character, and has been deemed unforgettable despite only a dozen half-hour episodes ever being made....
impersonators. - Parodies of adverts for partworkPartworkA partwork is a written publication released as a series of planned magazine-like issues over a period of time. Issues are typically released on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, and often a completed set is designed to form a reference work on a particular topic.-Publication:Partwork series...
magazines, which give away collectable items with each issue, or parts of items that require assembly once all parts have been collected. Examples of the magazines advertised include elephantElephantElephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s, trainTrainA train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s, and a magazine about ringRing (jewellery)A finger ring is a circular band worn as a type of ornamental jewelry around a finger; it is the most common current meaning of the word ring. Other types of metal bands worn as ornaments are also called rings, such as arm rings and neck rings....
s, wings, BingsBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, mings, stingsBee stingA bee sting is strictly a sting from a bee . In the vernacular it can mean a sting of a bee, wasp, hornet, or yellow jacket. Some people may even call the bite of a horse-fly a bee sting...
, kings and tings. - Detective drama shows have been parodied, including Columbo and a multi-part parody placing Hercule PoirotHercule PoirotHercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters, appearing in 33 novels and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975 and set in the same era.Poirot has been portrayed on...
(Serafinowicz) and Miss MarpleMiss MarpleJane Marple, usually referred to as Miss Marple, is a fictional character appearing in twelve of Agatha Christie's crime novels and in twenty short stories. Miss Marple is an elderly spinster who lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur detective. She is one of the most famous...
(Bronagh Gallagner) together, in which they distract their assistants (Paul Putner, Alex Lowe) so they can "have it offSexuality in older ageSexual drive can be considerable at any age and for either gender. While the human body has some limits on the maximum age for reproduction, sexual activity can be performed or experienced well into the later years of life.-Increasing Physical Limitations:...
" with each other. In the final part, when Poirot learns that he has made Marple pregnantPregnancyPregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
, he runs out of a windowDefenestrationDefenestration is the act of throwing someone or something out of a window.The term "defenestration" was coined around the time of an incident in Prague Castle in the year 1618. The word comes from the Latin de- and fenestra...
. - A parody of Laurel and HardyLaurel and HardyLaurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
called "Soap and Water", where Stan LaurelStan LaurelArthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
(Serafinowicz) repeatedly says the word "fuckFuck"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
", resulting in him and Oliver HardyOliver HardyOliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
(Paul Putner) being arrested. - Parodies of game showGame showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s such as The Weakest LinkThe Weakest LinkThe Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment...
and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK game show)Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show which offers a maximum cash prize of one million pounds for correctly answering successive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty...
. - Parodies of reality showReality televisionReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
s such as The X FactorThe X Factor (TV series)The X Factor is a television talent show franchise originating in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for Pop Idol. It is a singing competition, now held in various countries, which pits contestants against each other. These contestants are aspiring pop singers drawn from...
and Big BrotherBig Brother (TV series)Big Brother is a television show in which a group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the outside world but continuously watched by television cameras. Each series lasts for around three months, and there are usually fewer than 15 participants. The housemates try to win a cash...
. - A parody of the Cillit BangCillit BangCillit Bang is the brand name of a range of cleaning products sold by the consumer products manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser. The products marketed under the brand name include a degreaser, cleaning crystals, and a grime, rust, mould and limescale remover....
commercials for a product called Kitchen Gun, which is a firearmFirearmA firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
that the host 'Derek Bum' uses to blast away at kitchen surfaces and appliances, and Toilet Grenade, a hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
covered in white paint that demolishes the toilet bowl to eliminate limescaleLimescaleLimescale is the hard, off-white, chalky deposit found in kettles, hot-water boilers and the inside of inadequately maintained hot-water central heating systems...
.
Awards
For his performances in this series, Serafinowicz was awarded the Best Entertainer prize at the 2008 Rose d'OrRose d'Or
The Rose d’Or is one of the most important international festivals in entertainment television. It was founded in Montreux in 1961 and has taken place in Lucerne since 2004. Producers, executives from independent and public service broadcasters and heads of production companies from over 40...
ceremony.
The series was also nominated for Best Comedy Programme at the 2009 BAFTA Television Awards
British Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
.