Absolutely Fabulous - Complete Series 1-3 (1994)

Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, June Whitfield and Julia Sawalha star in the award-winning TV comedy series that defined the early 90s. Enjoy Eddie and Patsy's hilarious escapades with this great box set and crack open the Bolly!

All eighteen episodes from the first, second and third series.

Bust A Gut Funny

Jennifer Saunders is one of the sharpest, funniest, wittiest writers I'm aware of, as well as a very gifted physical comic who is at least as manic as John Cleese. So she whipped up this program, surrounded herself with some brilliant actresses, and wrote some parts for them all that allow them to maximize their use of what they do best.

And really, what else can I say? Sharp, irreverent, witty, brilliant, and utterly hilarious. It's actually quite rare for me to watch a TV program more than once. I shall be watching all 18 episodes of ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS more than once. Because it is -- please forgive me for saying it -- absolutely fabulous.

June 18, 2008

Drunk, stoned, nastier than yesterday

In past times, when I'm clearly outnumbered, I would just keep silent about my objections and opinions. I had a heart attack last year and now I am changing that. So, here goes about Absolutely Fabulous, my first viewing of the popular show that I heard so much about - even noted in this current edition of Oprah as a not-to-be-missed DVD series.

I found myself not laughing at all. Amazed, yes. Sad, yes. Puzzled, yes - especially that the audience was screaming with laughter and - eventually - actually applauding at all the abusive comments that were hurled - with no regard for anyone but the sender.

I'm sure this makes me sound like a bleeding heart and maybe I am, but this show is just not my idea of what makes funny, well, funny.

What am I missing here? I love to laugh as much as anyone. I have close girlfriends. I don't have a daughter (and if I did, I would be proud to have one like Saffy) but I do have three sons who are all kind, caring young men. I had a mother who was as immature and irresponsible as Eddie, so maybe I am one of the viewers who just kept waiting for things to "go somewhere" and they never did. People stayed stoned, drunk and abusive and stuck. Would someone please tell me what makes this funny? Are the Brits all that uptight that when they cut loose from that, it makes for uproarious humor? Is that it? It that what's funny to all those who obviously loved the show?

The writing was sharp and clever, in a "good retort" kind of way - if that's your thing. The production values were first rate. The acting was another story altogether. Nobody who doesn't have palsy or Parkinson's Disease walks like Eddie or moves her head and mouth constantly like Katherine Hepburn did in her later years. Her flailing, frantic arm movements were waaaay over the top and made it impossible to take her in - on any level. She was plain annoying. Patsy was Patsy and stayed interminably one-note in every episode. I'm a member of an international women's playwriting group and am a produced playwright. Basic in any script is that you have to show more than one side to a character if you are playing to any kind of intelligent audience. People change people. Events change people. Life changes people. Where was any evidence of this? The first show left me askance with my mouth open in disbelief, along with everyone else, but then I expected more to follow than a repetition of the formula: bored, drinks, drugs, shop, wake up bored and nastier than yesterday.

Absolutely Fabulous just didn't cut it for me. In fact, I returned it to the Library instead of making myself sit through the series - something I would have done in the past. Just for the record, and my opinion only, I think this show may be cathartic for those of us who never wanted to leave the old days behind, or for those who are still angry at the establishment or those who just plain have a pretty sick sense of humor.

Just wanted to make my vote count, along with all the rest, and am learning, late in life, that I don't have to like everything or shut up.
May 28, 2008

AbFab

One of my favorite subversive TV shows. Hilarious Brit comedy about 2 alcoholic, sarcastic, deeply twisted middle-aged women. May 6, 2008

Absolutely Fabulous 1-3

This video was everything I remembered the show being. It is fun and better to share with those who have never seen "the girls". We are still going through our series and savoring each night! April 8, 2008

Absolutely outrageous

The two principal characters are completely degenerate, much to Eddy's daughter's (Saffy) disgust. The utter shallowness of the characters and their complete lack of maturity would certainly be depressingly lame material in the hands of mediocre actresses but not here. Hysterical! March 10, 2008

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