Bottom thread

[AsparagusTrevor]

I think there are signs of decline in series 3, but it's still bloody funny for the most part - and contains my favourite episode ('Hole').

I reckon Finger, the episode where they go on honeymoon, is probably the worst episode of the lot, but it still has some funny bits.

[Flouncer]

Does anyone know if the scripts for series 4 were written or if it was just Rik & Ade wanting to do a 4th series and the Beeb saying no? Some scripts from unseen shows would be fucking ace, obviously the violence and squalor are a big part of the comedy but people often forget how wordy Bottom could be and the amount of gags in there, the episodes work great in script form.

I think some of the stuff they'd written for series 4 was reworked into the live shows. Not sure how far along they'd got with it though.

[Wonderful Butternut]

"Oh you bastard Eddie! How come you never flush the toilet!"

There was also an episode where Eddie was coming back from the dole office having been told the £3 (or whatever) he had should last him another 2 months.

[Glebe]

Never fails to cheer me up:

Bottom Live - Cock up and mistakes live on tour, Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall.

[sheddyian]

I rewatched Bottom a few years back, and felt there was a difference between the first two series which quickened by the 3rd series.

The first seemed much heavier in dialogue, and all the better for it. Each episode feels like a play. By the 3rd series this seems to take the backseat and is substituted with extra slapstick. The dialogue in earlier episodes makes you think : Rik's monologue about the couple's all having sex, as noted earlier. Sets out his character and his feelings, as well as being funny. That style of dialogue seems lacking as you reach the 3rd series.

That's not to say even the 3rd series is bad, just that it's not as good as the first.

Ditto the live stage shows. The first isn't too bad, but there's a horrible decline if you watch them in sequence as I did.

Think of the first live show as a Bottom pantomime and it doesn't disappoint.

Mayalls reactions may be from Eric Morcambe but his monologues are straight out of Tony Hancock.

[Lemming]

Love the first three live shows, 2 is probably the weakest of the trilogy but still well funny. 4 and 5 are a bit patchier but still extremely funny in parts. Bottom Live 5 gives us the whole sequence in which Richie ingests the poisonous "elixir" - "FUCK YOU, YOU MORTAL", "It has been an hour since I partook of the elixir... ooh fuck, and then my bollocks exploded".

[Shit Good Nose]

don't think he did any other comedy stuff actually (except Alien 3! arf!)

OI!!!!!  I'm watching you...


Series is brilliant - one of the best British sitcoms ever - but chalk me up as another who thinks the live shows were quite poor.  I saw the first one live and was thoroughly disappointed, and they just got worse with each one.  It's like the only purpose they served was allowing the lads to swear more.

A mention for Guest House Paradiso though - pleased to see that's been (deservedly) reappraised in recent years.

[BeardFaceMan]

but why were the live shows so unfunny for the most part, that's what I never understand

I put the decline of the live shows down to Ade generally losing interest in comedy over the years, his heart wasn't in it, he was just going through the motions. The last 2 shows felt like Bottom fan-fiction in places, he couldn't really be arsed.

A mention for Guest House Paradiso though - pleased to see that's been (deservedly) reappraised in recent years.

Yeah, I never uinderstood the hatred for that film. It's not a masterpiece but it's an excellent companion to the tv show. It's worth it for the vomit corridor bit alone. And how the fuck did they get Vincent Cassel for it? It's an great cast all round, really.

[ASFTSN]

well I mean he was a fucking good actor isn't he? wonder how they got him.

I'm just going to imagine him and Rik got on well during the filming of the pub scene in American Werewolf In London.

[Andy147]

well I mean he was a fucking good actor isn't he? wonder how they got him. don't think he did any other comedy stuff actually (except Alien 3! arf!)

He was Heslop in Porridge ("I read a book once. Green, it was."), and Flint in the Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads episode where they're trying not to hear the result of the England game.

[Alternative Carpark]

He was Heslop in Porridge ("I read a book once. Green, it was."), and Flint in the Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads episode where they're trying not to hear the result of the England game.

Was also a regular in a Peter Tinniswood sitcom, South of the Border, and had a guest role in an episode of Last of the Summer Wine.

He toured in a stage version of The Canterbury Tales in 1994, as the Miller, and did a lot of comedy in that, including some stand-up stuff to the audiences.

I would think, as ASFTSN said, that Glover might well have known Mayall via their having appeared together in American Werewolf in London.

[Shit Good Nose]

Yeah, I never uinderstood the hatred for that film. It's not a masterpiece but it's an excellent companion to the tv show. It's worth it for the vomit corridor bit alone. And how the fuck did they get Vincent Cassel for it? It's an great cast all round, really.

It's infinitely better than any of the live shows, that's for sure.  Kitchen fight is tops too.

I remember when me and a mate went to see it at the cinema the night it opened and it was just us two and one other bloke in there, and he sat on the very front row far right hand corner.  Very odd.

[Fr.Bigley]

It's infinitely better than any of the live shows, that's for sure.  Kitchen fight is tops too.

I remember when me and a mate went to see it at the cinema the night it opened and it was just us two and one other bloke in there, and he sat on the very front row far right hand corner.  Very odd.

I bet it was Brian Sewell

[SpiderChrist]

Love the first three live shows, 2 is probably the weakest of the trilogy but still well funny. 4 and 5 are a bit patchier but still extremely funny in parts. Bottom Live 5 gives us the whole sequence in which Richie ingests the poisonous "elixir" - "FUCK YOU, YOU MORTAL", "It has been an hour since I partook of the elixir... ooh fuck, and then my bollocks exploded".

There were FIVE live shows? Fuck my hat. I like the first one, didn't care at all for the next two and didn't even know there were two more after that.

But yeah, so much gold in the tv shows, especially series 1 and 2.

Shop Assistant: Can I help you, sir?
Eddie: This is a sex shop, isn't it?
Shop Assistant: Yes.
Eddie: (slaps money down) I'll have five quids worth then!
Shop Assistant: Very droll, sir, I haven't heard that one before.
Eddie: Haven't you? Shall I tell it again?
Shop Assistant: No thank you sir, I'd rather have a pineapple inserted violently into my rectum.
Eddie: You've been working here too long mate.

[JaDanketies]

Nothing wrong with Guest House Paradiso. Or Kevin and Perry Go Large, or Freddie Got Fingered.

[ASFTSN]

Edward Hitler get into the lavatory with me THIS INSTANT.

(to pub) We're.....toilet inspectors.

[Shit Good Nose]

Are Americans aware of it?  Has it ever aired on BBC America?  If so, any ideas what they think of it?

[Dirty Boy]

The entire Falklands chat with the one legged bloke in Parade
(not verbatim)
Eddie: How did you get on then?
Bloke: I'd rather not talk about it...
Eddie: Yeah? embarrassing was it? Shit your pants did you? Cry did you?
Bloke: Quite the opposite actually.
Eddie: What, you sucked water in through your eyes?
Bloke... no. I took Harris point single handed.
Richie: Ooh that sounds nasty, i shut Tuckers finger in the tank door didn't i Eddie?
Eddie: I don't know this is all a load of bollocks.


Bloke: That's where i got the GC.
Eddie: Did you see a doctor about it? You probably got some germs in the cut...
Bloke: No! George Cross.
Eddie: Oh, it was him was it? Well you should have known better mate.

Favourite three episodes then? I'll go for Gas, Parade and Culture ta very much.

[Dirty Boy]

Are Americans aware of it?  Has it ever aired on BBC America?  If so, any ideas what they think of it?

They think it was made in the 60's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd_JNdv8esY

[idunnosomename]

And that you can brew tea in cold water

[Hand Solo]

And that Phil Jupitus was Rik Mayall.

[ASFTSN]

Eddie: How did you get on then?
Bloke: I'd rather not talk about it...
Eddie: Yeah? embarrassing was it? Shit your pants did you? Cry did you?
Bloke: Quite the opposite actually.
Eddie: What, you sucked water in through your eyes?

Perfection

[Benjaminos]

Those stupid faux-misunderstandings are my favourite, I think.

E: How do you feel?
R: I get my hands, and go like that *squeezing motions*

L: Now, can you see alright?
E: No.. that's why I wear glasses.

R: Alright, take it easy, you bitch! I mean, your bitchness.. I mean, lady bitch of.. oh god. Eddie, what do you call them?
E: Jugs. What do you call them?

[Lemming]

And when the misunderstandings are a double-subversion:

Richie: If only I had a huge wad!
Eddie: Yeah. Either that, or a huge pile of cash.
Richie. Yeah!

Love the joke that Eddie's interpretation was correct, and Richie just decided to state "if only I had a massive cock" in the middle of the pub, with no relation to the plot.

[idunnosomename]

And that Phil Jupitus was Rik Mayall.

how the fuck does an american know who phil jupitus is. Even i had forgotten about him

[Hand Solo]

how the fuck does an american know who phil jupitus is. Even i had forgotten about him

Dark Ages was a massive hit across the pond.*

*No. A lot of them watch QI don't they. They think it's smart rather than a tepid limited booking list revolving door of  'comedians' hastily shouting knob-gags over eachother despite context or subject matter.

[Shit Good Nose]

Dark Ages was a massive hit across the pond.*

*No. A lot of them watch QI don't they.

Yes, and Countdown is quite popular as well.  He's been in dictionary corner loads of times.

[Rizla]

I would think, as ASFTSN said, that Glover might well have known Mayall via their having appeared together in American Werewolf in London.

Glover, Mayall, and indeed most of the actors in the Slaughtered Lamb scene were cast as a job lot - Landis had seen a west end play that they were all in and just said "get those cunts for the pub scene mate, they're skill".

I've mentioned my sighting of Brian Glover here before, early 90's (around the time of Gas) browsing the scottish lit section of Waterstones in Princes St, wearing the most beautiful deep maroon crombie coat. What a superb actor, this scene alone makes him a legend. Also great in this Play for Today,  The Fishing Party (one of a trilogy. He also wrote a couple, the one about the black pudding festival is good if you can find it, Thicker Than Water.

[PowerButchi]

Not to mention his hilarious turn as Mr Sugden in Kes.

[El Unicornio, mang]

Are Americans aware of it?  Has it ever aired on BBC America?  If so, any ideas what they think of it?

I thought they might as The Young Ones has a large cult following in the US, mostly among the type of people into punk/alternative music/films and of a certain age range (40s/50s, it was aired on MTV in the 80s) and I figured they might seek it out due to the cast members and the slapstick violence/grotty British living vibe, but it seems to be pretty much unknown over there.

It was my favourite show as a teenager and definitely due a rewatch. The Gasman and Xmas episodes being the ones I recall liking the most.