Customer Reviews

Absolutely Fabulous: Complete Series 1

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This TV show is a GREAT SHOW, but do not buy these DVD's because they cut a LOT out. No smoking joints, no tooting lines to account for the little trysts these ladies go through. Without these "actions" as a frame of reference, a person who had never seen this show before might just think these ladies are cuckoo. (well they might be, but for good reason!) Fabulous Darling.

Get ready, darlings, because the comedy masterwork from Jennifer Saunders is back and better than ever on DVD. This disc features all six episodes of Series One, digitally remastered and with a fair few extras.

FASHION - How should Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) prepare for their latest celebrity fashion show? How about starting with a glass of bolly or two?!

FAT - Edina's worst ememy Penny Caspar (Alexandra Bastedo) is coming to town, and she must lose weight, fast! Emergency lyposuction is needed!

FRANCE - The ideal getaway, but will Edina and Patsy get through customs with, er...their stash?

ISO TANK - Banned from attending Saffy's (Julia Sawalha) college open day, Edina sulks in her brand-new isolation tank. But she's got a few tricks up her Lacroix sleeves yet!

BIRTHDAY - The acursed day has arrvived, the dreaded 40th birthday for Edina! And Saffy has had the nerve to invite her two ex-husbands and their new spouses for a birthday lunch! It's a good thing Patsy will be there for "moral support".

MAGAZINE - Edina's estatic. She's got a new man and she's stayed out until morning. Patsy's pretty bloody jealous and she's got to go to work - if she can remember where her office is.

With June Whitfield (Mother), Jane Horrocks (Bubble), Mo Gaffney (Bo) and Dawn French (TV presenter).

I have never seen a British comedy that can make me laugh as much as Absolutely Fabulous can. The show was originally a 10 minute sketch on the French And Saunders Show. Jennifer Saunders soon saw its potential and Absolutely Fabulous was born. The show's pilot episode - Fashion - was first broadcast on 12th November 1992. The show became an instant hit and was the most successful British comedy for years. The chemistry between characters such as Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) is magic, and Saffy Monsoon (Julia Sawahla) as Edina's straight-laced daughter is genius. The show's genius lies behind the fact that the mother is always acting like the child, whereas the child acts like the grown up - forced to do so because of the way her mother acts. Patsy's main goal in life seems to make Saffy's life a living hell, and on the rare occasions that Edina shows love for her daughter, Saffy tries to hold onto as much of it as possible. June Whitfield as Edina's insane mother (whom she shows no love or affection to) and Jane Horrocks as Edina's ditzy office assistant Bubble add to the show's class, while making huge stars of the two.

Season 1 begins with the superb episode Fashion. The episode begins with Edina waking up - and all the perils she must endure to get dressed. She makes no cover up of trying to feel sorry for herself and complaining about anything and everything. She promises Saffy she won't get drunk when she goes out (again, another portrayal of how this is a reversal of what should actually be; the teenager promising the mother she won't get drunk). A fashion show is upcoming for Edina, and she must sort everything out. The show is a success, and to celebrate Edina gets drunk with Patsy - much to her daughter's disappointment, though it comes as no surprise. Fat is the second episode and another good one. Edina's worst enemy Penny Caspar is arriving in town and she must lose weight fast! Emergency lyposuction is essential, and the dream scenes are hilarious! In the episode France, Edina and Patsy take a break from the fashion world and take a trip to France. But problems back home with Edina's ditzy assistant Bubble force her to return home, but they are held up in the airport - and is the substance Patsy bought drugs?!

Iso Tank is another one of the highlights of Series 1. Banned from attending Saffy's college open day on DNA, Edina sulks in her brand new isolation tank - for around 30 seconds with Patsy! The operative word being "isolation"! Edina's way of getting through to her daughter and letting her go to this DNA open day is to adopt a Romanian baby! Patsy's comment to Edina when she sees Saffy at home is, "Oh my God! There's something horrible on the stairs!" Magazine is another classic episode of the show, where Edina is ecstatic with her life. She's got a new man and she stayed out until morning. Patsy's jealous and ends up appearing on television with the presenter (Dawn French) talking about fashion make-overs. But first, she has to find two victims to dress up. The final episode Birthday is another excellent one. It's Edina's 40th birthday, and she feels awful. Saffy has the nerve to invite Edina's two ex-husbands and their new love interests for a meal. Edina is so ungrateful in this episode, and is another perfect example of just how self-centered she really is. Saffy slaps her mother around the face for acting this way, yet Edina's only response is, "Did you just hit me, darling? It's illegal, isn't it?!" This scene (where Saffy's cooking dinner with her apron on, while Edina is crying like a little baby) is just hilarious.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

Series 1 of Absolutely Fabulous is absolutely superb, with countless laughs, gags and outrageous situations. The success of the show is well deserved, and spawned a nationwide catchphrase of "Sweetie, darling!" Series 2, 3 and 4 are all superb - but Series 1 is the one you should be watching if you want to be an avid fan of this amazing and ground-breaking British comedy!

Break out the Bolly and the Japanese nibbly bits! Edina and Patsy are simply FABULOUS in this DVD set, featuring all 6 episodes from Series 1.

"Fashion" - Edina (Jennifer Saunders) is busy planning the fashion parade of the season, complete with Princess Anne wearing a Vivienne Westwood basque!

"Fat" - Eddy is in full panic-mode. Her arch-rival from the 60s, Peggy "The Stick" Caspar (Alexandra Bastedo) is coming and she has to get thin in time!

"France" - The ideal getaway...or maybe not. When Eddy and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) decide to take a weekend jaunt to the rustic vineyards of France, they end up getting more than they bargained for...

"Iso Tank" - Saffy (Julia Sawalha) has forbiden her mother to attend the Annual College Open Day, so Eddy is upstairs sulking in the isolation tank, but don't count on Eddy giving up so easily...

"Birthday" - The acursed day has arrived! It's Eddy's 40th and she's convinced the buzzards have started circling. Saffy has organised a sit-down lunch and Eddy is determined to ruin it.

"Magazine" - Eddy has a new boyfriend and Patsy decides to visit her office...my my, how things change!

Extra features: outtakes, photo gallery and the original "French and Saunders" skit which inspired the series.

You will LAUGH YOURSELF SILLY at the antics of Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley as BRITISH TELEVISION's most beloved looney women, EDINA and PATSY! SEE the zany couple living in a constant state of frazzled excitement, DRUNKEN EXCESS, and fashion creativity! Visit their psychologicall WARPED WORLD in SIX EPISODES from the show's first season! Includes "Fashion," "Fat," "Frances," "ISO Tank," "Magazine" and "Birthday!" ENJOY the OUTTAKES and PHOTO GALLERY of the stars!

One of the funniest television series ever. Can watch these multiple times and still laugh. Hilarious update on Lucy and Ethels wacky adventures!

What do you get when you put the worst of the 60's, 70's and 80's and set it in the 90's? Well it must be Absolutely Fabulous.

Fashion - We meet Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders), her daughter Saffron (Julia Sawalhia) and her best friend Patsy (Joanna Lumley). Edina and Patsy are putting on a fashion show (which we never see.)

Fat - An old chum, who is hyper critical, is visiting Edina. Edina is too fat and she will do anything to loose weight except diet or exercise.

France - Patsy and Edina are going to France on holiday but they don't speak French! When Saffy finds out that Bubble has received a notice that Edina needs to sign, they travel over. The four of them sharing the small cottage is just hilarious. But Patsy is in for the big shock when she returns home, she enjoyed ping pong without drugs!

Iso Tank - Hey, Edina is into every new fad and so she has bought an isolation tank. Saffy and her friends are getting ready for a school presentation. So Edina and Patsy decide to embarrass her by attending the presentation. Well Patsy is really after Saffy's hot study mate. At the school, the ladies are asked to meet with the headmaster and he turns out to be an old mate of the two.

Birthday - It's Eddie's 40th birthday --- do I need to say more. Well, the fun is we meet Eddie's two exes and their current mates. Mo Gaffney makes her first appearance and the mate of Eddie's first.

Magazine - Eddie has a boyfriend and Patsy is no longer the center of her life. So Patsy is determined to break them up but Saffy wants them stay together. We find out that Patsy actually has a job and we meet the members of the magazine.

DVD EXTRA: This disc has 16 minutes of outtakes.

I had not seen many British comedies before this one. I was somewhat uncertain as to how good it would be. What a surprise. This is one of the best comedies I have seen. You will laugh from beginning to end. Other than some references to certain UK things I'm not familiar with, it's a show that works well for US audiences too. If you like to laugh then you'll love this series.

I Love this show, it's so funny, but you have to understand British humor. Even if you don't you'll still laugh till you pee.

Patsy and Edie are hands down the FUNNIEST women in television. After seeing these, you will realize how many American shows used them as an example. Guaranteed to make you laugh outloud even if you are all alone. Yet, under all the fun and laughs there is always a sublte political satire that rings true.


This is by far the most intelligent writing in tv history but it entertains better than the best of them.

Buy the complete series one and you will be back for the rest.