Customer Reviews

The New Statesman

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

 

 

I'm so excited I can't stand it! Britcom aficianados (sp?) are in for a special treat. Rik Mayall's vicious and viciously funny New Statesman is finally coming to DVD. If you've only ever seen RM on Young Ones or Bottom, the new character is very different. But there are plenty of trademark Mayall-isms. The propensity for shouting, the sexual morals of a rabid mink in heat, cheating, lying, victimizing the terminally stupid, blackmail, insults so clever and cutting in their wording that you gasp in admiration. The part that hurts? He almost always gets what he wants; he's a winner. Not fair, is it.

I rate this up there with Yes, Minister, & Father Ted as some of the best stuff to come out of Britain. It is just inconcievable that the Right Wing in this country could ever get skewered in the manner they seem to get away with in Britain. My favorite moment has to be when Mayall is with Hugh Laurie & Steven Fry at Mussolini's...or maybe it's when B'stard is shaking down the Nazi he has been protecting for his gold stash...'It wasn't 40,000. It was only 37,000!' Oh, there are so many golden moments!

I've been to the UK a few times. Last time was in 1993. There I picked up PAL VHS copies of a show called the New Statesman. Never heard of it, but I loved Rik from the Young Ones so I gave it a shot. One of the BEST British comedies never to be shown in the US. A treat for Doctor Who fans is that Pat Troughon's son, David, is one of the co-stars.

Just get it. You won't be sorry.

I WAS VERY HAPPY WHEN I LEARNED THIS FIRST RATE BRITCOM WOULD BE RELEASED, IN ITS ENTIRETY, ON DVD. BUT THE SOUND LEVELS GO UP AND DOWN, AND MUCH OF THE CLEVER DIALOGUE IS LOST DUE TO LOUD SOUND EFFECTS, BACKGROUND NOISE AND MUSIC, AND THE INTRUSIVE LAUGH TRACK. THIS COULD ALL HAVE BEEN ALLEVIATED BY SUBTITLES OR CC - NEITHER OF WHICH IS PROVIDED. A SHAME.

I'd forgotten how much fun "The New Statesman" was. Sharp wit and lots of familiar faces if you're a fan of British comedy at all. Rik Mayall is great at portraying the ultimate political cad. Check out his early work in "The Young Ones" and my personal favourite "Bottom".

It's been more than 10 years when I watched the last episode...
It's the best of Brit TV comedy and if you never watched it - now is the time.
Not so good quality (some kinda of VHS pic), no subtitles (not nice), but this is excellent gift that you can make for yourself.
.a