Drop the Dead Donkey

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

I've been binge-watching Drop the Dead Donkey on All4 because my own workplace is dysfunctional and run by shitheads but unfortunately I'm not allowed to take violent revenge on any of them. Most of it still holds up, aside from the political references (famously written on the fly to tie in with whatever real-world news was topical at the time) and occasional p r o b l e m a t i c artefacts from the 1990s. I think it's a really good candidate for a reboot or a reimagining, especially given that cable news is even more partisan, corporate and sensationalist now. What does everyone else think?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Very enjoyable at the time. Jeff Rawle gives a great performance as the be- cardiganned put- upon boss, top Lisa Jesusandmarychain lookalike Neil Pearson demonstrates his admirable comedy chops, great ensemble cast interaction , and the whole thing has a very British proto- Larry Sanders backstage backstabbing and shenanigans feel to it. Diddy Andy Hamilton was one of the writers, wasn't he? Good, satirical stuff, although mayhaps some of the jokes didnae quite land if they 'd been written about 45 seconds before broadcast.

I last saw Her Who Played Joy in a brief, wordless part as an MP trying to avoid being outed for the racisms on an episode of " Black Mirror".

[Famous Mortimer]

Aye, two enthusiastic thumbs up from me.

Lots of great people in it and the feeling of it being right up to date was pretty fascinating, too. Big fan of Joy, too - I was about to say they must have cribbed her character a little from Janeane Garofalo in "Larry Sanders", but this predated that by a year so maybe it was the other way round.

[Virgo76]

Loved the Christmas Party episode. e.g.
George waking up in a London tube station inexplicably in possession of a signed portrait of Frankie Howerd (Howerd was still alive then, but it was a close thing).
Actually, I think an explanation was provided for this although in a way it would have been better if it hadn't been.
The topical news element tends to overshadow the fact that it's greatest strength was that it captured the daily tensions of office life better than perhaps any other comedy.
When the final curtain sadly one day falls on Jeff Rawle's career (hopefully a long way in the future) we know the headlines will read, "Harry Potter star dies."
But really he should be best remembered for Drop The Dead Donkey: he was great in it.

[DrGreggles]

Rewatched it all last year.
S1 & 2 both still stand up really well. Such a good cast.

[Icehaven]

Loved it at the time and haven't seen it since so good to hear it's (mostly) stood up. Might have a rewatch as it's on All4.

[paruses]

Think a binge of this is in order. Loved it when it was first on but haven't seen since. Did they change the Alex character halfway through? Or between series?

15-17 year old me aspired to be Joy's boyfriend but also be quite like Neil Pearson - so it would never have worked.

Just remembered Ballykissangel is in it.

[buttgammon]

Not sure why but this programme has repeatedly appeared in my thoughts over the last few weeks, specifically a cringeworthy seduction scene where a woman - possibly Sir Royston's wife? - tries it on with Gus, and Dave bellowing "Western Samoa" down the phone to taunt the Welsh rugby team after we lost to the tiny Pacific nation pre-name change. Maybe it's time for a rewatch?

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

Think a binge of this is in order. Loved it when it was first on but haven't seen since. Did they change the Alex character halfway through? Or between series?

Yes. Alex leaves after season two and season three opens with Gus being tricked into hiring Helen instead of a little suck-up clone of himself.

[Johnny Foreigner]

For some reason, this was broadcast in Belgium at the time, where hardly anyone understood the references to British current affairs. Have not rewatched it since then.

[Barry Admin]

GEGS.

[Bad Ambassador]

Peter Lilley being named Prat of the Week for five years running.

From Wikipedia:

"Shortly after his appointment, Lilley entertained the Conservative Party's annual conference by outlining his plan to "close down the something for nothing society", delivered in the form of a pastiche of the Lord High Executioner's "little list" song from The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Prat.

[Icehaven]

I still can't read or hear Trinidad and Tobago without thinking of how Gus said it when he was concussed or something.

[BeardFaceMan]

GEGS.

That might be the only ever cryptic crossword clue I have ever laughed at or thought made sense.

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

It's particularly appealing to me at the moment because it's set in 90s sitcom world where you can punch coworkers with no repercussions.

Although having said that, it breaks with the usual sitcom convention of the "reset" button with a number of mini arcs throughout the series. Gus developing a fear of death -> being hospitalised with a heart attack; George's marriage disintegrating -> he meets someone new -> she's after a marriage visa -> he briefly attempts to become an office tyrant; Sally becomes pregnant -> she has a miscarriage; Sally finds religion -> is insufferable -> goes back to her old self. I like those arcs, it's a good way to explore the characters and keeps the show from getting stale.

[studpuppet]

I remember my parents going to a taping and their 'hot take' (as I believe the teenagers call it) was that the actress who plays Sally looked like a student once she was out of costume (I checked and she was only 31 when it started).

[thr0b]

Launching 1000 fetishes.

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

Joy is my spirit animal.

"Are you going to spend the entire evening deliberately annoying people?"

"Why else would I come?"

[Gurke and Hare]

The ending is

Spoiler alert

proper depressing.

[close]

[FalknerHinton]

Henry: "I say, I heard a rather unsettling rumour at my club"

Damien: "Not Saville again..."

That was from series 2 in 1991. Makes you realise just how everyone in that industry knew I guess.

Love the first five series, don't like the sixth as much.

[rectorofstiffkey]

The ending is

Spoiler alert

proper depressing.

[close]

Yep absolutely! 

Spoiler alert

proper downer, that montage with 'What becomes of the broken-hearted'.  Particularly Damien being presented with his straw model camera in his cage.

[close]

[BeardFaceMan]

Yep absolutely! 

Spoiler alert

proper downer, that montage with 'What becomes of the broken-hearted'.  Particularly Damien being presented with his straw model camera in his cage.

[close]

George's

Spoiler alert

"Come on, Marjorie, let's go home" as the plane flies overhead

[close]

was absolutely heartbreaking.

[buttgammon]

Yep absolutely! 

Spoiler alert

proper downer, that montage with 'What becomes of the broken-hearted'.  Particularly Damien being presented with his straw model camera in his cage.

[close]

George's

Spoiler alert

"Come on, Marjorie, let's go home" as the plane flies overhead

[close]

was absolutely heartbreaking.

Spoiler alert

Okay, this is possibly why I haven't rewatched it. Really depressing stuff.

[close]

[Billy]

George's

Spoiler alert

"Come on, Marjorie, let's go home" as the plane flies overhead

[close]

was absolutely heartbreaking.

This saddened me so much on first watch I couldn't physically move for several minutes afterwards.

[BeardFaceMan]

This saddened me so much on first watch I couldn't physically move for several minutes afterwards.

Things that like don't usually get me but that's probably the biggest kick in the feels I've ever had from a comedy show.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Watched it for the first time a few years ago (save for channel hopping onto the odd bit and not really getting it when it aired) and really did enjoy it. And yes Joy is the best.

[Hobo With A Shit Pun]

Joy is unique in being a formative childhood influence on me in both the Shelley/Diana from Waiting For God/Sheila Sabbatini in Surgical Spirit way AND the Faruza Balk way.

Prompted by this thread, I just started a rewatch - Is that Geoffrey McGivern adding context at the start of each repeat?

[BeardFaceMan]

Prompted by this thread, I just started a rewatch - Is that Geoffrey McGivern adding context at the start of each repeat?

It is, yes. They're there on the DVD release too, handily, means you can always rewatch them and not be clueless to the topical jokes.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Here's a fun little quiz: Who are the two *other* actors what provide a link to this show and " Between The Lines"?

[Icehaven]

Just had a look on All4 and realised there's more than 6 episodes per series, which is relatively unusual for a British sitcom from the 90s onwards isn't it? Or are there loads of examples?