A Bit of Fry and Laurie: Difference between revisions

[[File:FryandLaurie.jpg|frame]]

 

 

The programme was a sketch show cast in a rather eccentric and at times high-brow mould. Elaborate wordplay and innuendo formed the cornerstone of its material; some sketches deliberately threatened to cross the line into vulgarity, but would always finish just before reaching that point.

 

 

The first three series were broadcast on [[BBC 2]] between 1989 and 1992, and were well-received. The fourth series was shown on [[BBC 1]] in early 1995. It had been recorded whilst Stephen Fry was simultaneously preparing for his West End debut (in Simon Gray's ''Cell Mates''), and a combination of the extra workload and poor reviews for his stage performance led to Fry having a nervous breakdown and fleeing to Belgium. The series met with mixed reviews and the show was not renewed.

** "It's a [[Expospeak Gag|simple arsenous monoxid nicotinal preparation taken bronchially as an infumation.]]"

** "But it can't be natural, can it?" "Perfectly natural leaf!" "Yes, but setting fire to it and inhaling it?" "Well, it's more natural than Baked Alaska or nylon socks?"

* [[Author Filibuster]]

* [[Blackmail Is Such an Ugly Word]]: "I dislike the word brothel, Mr. Jowett. I prefer to use the word brothels. Yes, this is a brothels".

* [[Brick Joke]]: And how. [[Yes Minister|Paul Eddington]] makes a cameo and is asked how he would rate his own comic timing. He pauses, frowns, responds "Good question, I'll have to think about that," and leaves. {{spoiler|Several sketches later, he interrupts the very last line of the show to respond: "Impeccable, I'd say." Roll credits.}}

* [[Butt Monkey]]: Hugh gets punched, hit with a cricket bat, or otherwise beaten up with shocking regularity.

*** [[Enforced Method Acting|Well, that explains why he always made it look so realistic. ]]

* [[Catch Phrase]]: "Please, Mr. Music, will you play?"; "Soupy twist"; "m'colleague"

* [[Crosscast Role]]

* [[Department of Redundancy Department]]: During [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME77DsLu2wI this sketch] that involves a speech on education and discipline:

* [[Double Entendre]]: Or just smut

* [[Drop the Cow]]: a method used a few times was for the characters to segue into [[Who Writes This Crap?]], for example accusing each other of having no idea how to properly end the sketch.

* [[Eagle Land]]: The "Kickin' Ass" song, and American army general; "Get your ass in here!"

** ''America. America. America, America, America, America. Americaaaa-aa-AAA-aAa. America, America, America, America. The States. The States. The States, the States... the States. America. AMERICAAAA... [[Groin Attack|(thud)]]''

* [[Precious Puppies]]: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZToV6JTujfk Puppy Appeal]

* [[Excuse Question]]: Parodied.

* [[Fake American]]: Hugh Laurie plays an American country singer in one sketch.

* [[Fingerless Gloves]]: The "light-metal" rocker "The Bishop" wears just one, with his pontifical vestments.

* [[Gargle Blaster]]: In seasons 3 and 4, the show would end with a cocktail being picked and chosen. These started at the season with the relatively reasonable, such as the Whiskey Thunder, involving whiskey, angostura bitters, lemon juice, a pint of oh-so-fresh dairy cream, two olives, and a peanut. They would then range up to the increasingly absurd, such as the mug of Horlicks (Think broadly similar to hot chocolate, and notably nonalcoholic) all the way up the the finale, which cannot be described in less than two paragraphs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F_gYLLK-Yo

* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]: The premise of a [[Game Show]] called "Don't Be Dirty!", the show that shows that you don't ''have'' to be dirty. Basically, it involves contestants trying to talk about potentially risque subjects (or if not risque, involving the possibility of [[Double Entendre|double entendres]], such as "Preservation of [[Bigger Is Better in Bed|Hardwoods]]") without "being dirty".

* [[The Ghost]]: Mr. Dalliard, and Valerie from the Tony & Control sketches. Marjorie is ''almost'' [[The Ghost]], but does make one appearance.

* [[Having a Gay Old Time]]: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtaPaQwSQPA Parodied.]

* [[Hurricane of Puns]]

* [[Incredibly Lame Pun]]

'''John:''' Very. }}

* [[Luke Nounverber]]: "Peter Comeinmyear"

** Lest we forget: [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|"Ted Cunterblast"]]

* [[Meaningless Meaningful Words]]: The [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttjOqTW-8CA "Young Conservatives"] sketch. "I thought at one point he was going to say something which made sense..." "Yes, he ''just'' avoided it."

** There's also where Stephen says "A unique child delivered of a unique mother" and Hugh looks at the camera as if he's about to say another "We're talking about..." line, then [[Crowning Moment of Funny|thinks better of it]].

* [[Mundane Made Awesome]]: "Berwhale the Avenger", which appears to be a small Leatherman knife.

* [[Murder Simulators]]: One sketch involves the conclusion that, since people are mimicking Stephen punching Hugh (by punching Hugh themselves) it would be a good idea for Stephen to give Hugh money on screen. Turns into an [[Overly Long Gag]].

* [[Never Say That Again]]: The "annoying guy at the vet" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znZuH2BU0FE sketch].

'''Laurie:''' Don't say it again! }}

* [[No Fourth Wall]]

* [[Noodle Implements]]: The interviews between sketches abuse this:

** One sketch has Stephen and Hugh explaining they've cancelled a script due to complaints about excessive violence and sex, forcing them to give a vague summary:

'''Stephen''': Very violently. }}

* [[Only Sane Man]]

* [[Oxbridge]]

* [[Parody]]

** The "John and Peter" sketches parody [[The Eighties|eighties]] "boardroom" dramas, featuring [[Large Ham|Large Hams]] talking [[Serious Business]], with [[Quick Nip|copious drinking]] and [[Gosh Dang It to Heck|mild language]]. ("Damn it three times round the carpark and back in for another DAMN!")

** The "Control and Tony" sketches parody spy dramas, with both characters acting ridiculously stilted and polite, almost childlike, about matters of national security.

* [[Pluralses]]: In the Shoe Shop sketch. "[[Blackmail Is Such an Ugly Word|I dislike the word 'brothel', Mr. Jowett.]] I prefer the word 'brothels'. Yes, this is a brothels."

* [[Precision F-Strike]]: At the end of the "fusking clothprunker" sketch mentioned below.

'''Hugh''': I told him to mind his [beep]ing language, m'lud. }}

* [[Product Placement]]: Spoofed with the episode sponsored by "Tidyman's Carpets".

* [[Sophisticated As Hell]]

* [[Spy Speak]]: Thoroughly averted in the "Tony and CONTROL" sketches, discussing matters of international espionage as if explaining them to a 3-year-old.

* [[Straw Critic]], an [[Author Tract]], since Fry and Laurie aren't fond of caustic critics.

* [[Table Space]]: "Pass The Marmalade!" ("Arse the Parlor Maid?") sketch

* [[Translation: "Yes"|Translation: Yes]]: The entire "Strom" sketch is based on variants of this joke.

* [[Two of Your Earth Minutes]] - "Twenty of your Earth pounds", yes, Mr Dalliard's friend again.

* [[Unusual Euphemism]]: "Ram it up your pimhole, you fusking clothprunker"

* [[Vox Pops]]: One of the classic comedy uses, several times in each episode between sketches. Featured either Fry or Laurie [[Hollywood Dress Code|dressed as an easily recognizable British stereotype]] and saying something dirty ("Well, I'm aroused every morning by a very insistent cock"), satirical ("I was beaten as a child and it didn't do me any harm!" ''[slaps self]'') a play on words ("So I just told him to stuff it!... but he said it had been dead too long"), or just a non-sequitur ("They've got hotter pavements, I know that").

[[Category:British Series]]

[[Category:Sketch Comedy]]