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Overkill (Murder Most Horrid)
''Murder Most Horrid'' is a British black comedy anthology series starring Dawn French. It was broadcast on BBC Two for four series runs, in 1991, 1994, 1996 and 1999. Created by Paul Smith, who also co-created ''Colin's Sandwich'' (with Terry Kyan, as noted below) and has written for ''The Brittas Empire'', among other programmes, the series starred French as a different character in each episode. Many episodes were directed by Bob Spiers, who also worked with French on '' The Comic Strip Presents...'' and ''French and Saunders''. Format Most episodes parodied the thriller and murder mystery genres with one episode lampooning the trials and tribulations of being a children's presenter in general, and '' Blue Peter'' in particular. In 1998, this episode ("Murder at Tea Time") was repeated to celebrate the 40th anniversary of ''Blue Peter'', as part of a section entitled "Spoof Peter", which also featured (among others) the ''Python'' skit "How to Do It". Each episode was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss. Writers and comedians often use it as a tool for exploring vulgar issues by provoking discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for their audience. Thus, in fiction, for example, the term ''black comedy'' can also refer to a genre in which dark humor is a core component. Popular themes of the genre include death, crime, poverty, suicide, war, violence, terrorism, discrimination, disease, racism, sexism, and human sexuality. Black comedy differs from both blue comedy—which focuses more on crude topics such as nudity, sex, and Body fluids—and from straightforward obscenity. Whereas the term ''black comedy'' is a relatively broad term covering humor relating to many serious subjects, ''gallows humor'' tends to be used more specifical ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thriller (genre)
Thriller is a genre of fiction, having numerous, often overlapping subgenres. Thrillers are characterized and defined by the mood (psychology), moods they elicit, giving viewers heightened feelings of suspense, Psychomotor agitation, excitement, Surprise (emotion), surprise, anticipation (emotion), anticipation and anxiety. Successful examples of thrillers are Alfred Hitchcock filmography, the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Thrillers generally keep the audience on the "edge of their seats" as the plot builds towards a climax (narrative), climax. The cover-up of important information is a common element. Literary devices such as red herrings, plot twists, unreliable narrators, and cliffhangers are used extensively. A thriller is often a villain-driven plot, whereby they present obstacles that the protagonist must overcome. The most common genres that overlap with the thriller genre include crime fiction, crime, horror fiction, horror and detective fiction. Characteristics Writer Vla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steven Moffat
Steven William Moffat (; born 18 November 1961) is a Scottish television writer, television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work as showrunner, writer and executive producer of the science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and the contemporary crime drama television series '' Sherlock'', based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. In the 2015 Birthday Honours, Moffat was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama.United Kingdom: Born in Paisley, Scotland, Moffat, the son of a teacher, was formerly a teacher himself. His first television work was the teen drama series ''Press Gang''. His first sitcom, ''Joking Apart'', was inspired by the breakdown of his first marriage. Later in the 1990s, he wrote ''Chalk'', inspired by his own experience as an English teacher. Moffat, a lifelong fan of ''Doctor Who'', wrote the comedic sketch episode ''The Curse of Fatal Death'' for the Comic Relief chari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS. The TARDIS exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. With various companions, the Doctor combats foes, works to save civilisations, and helps people in need. Beginning with William Hartnell, thirteen actors have headlined the series as the Doctor; in 2017, Jodie Whittaker became the first woman to officially play the role on television. The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the series with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation, a plot device in which a Time Lord "transforms" into a new body when the current one is too badly harmed to heal normally. Each acto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Press Gang
''Press Gang'' is a British children's television comedy drama consisting of 43 episodes across five series that were broadcast from 1989 to 1993. It was produced by Richmond Film & Television for Central, and screened on the ITV network in its regular weekday afternoon children's strand, Children's ITV, typically in a 4:45 pm slot (days varied over the course of the run). Aimed at older children and teenagers, the programme was based on the activities of a children's newspaper, the ''Junior Gazette'', produced by pupils from the local comprehensive school. In later series it was depicted as a commercial venture. The show interspersed comedic elements with the dramatic. As well as addressing interpersonal relationships (particularly in the Lynda-Spike story arc), the show tackled issues such as solvent abuse, child abuse and firearms control. Written by ex-teacher Steven Moffat, more than half the episodes were directed by Bob Spiers, a British comedy director who had previous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ian Hislop
Ian David Hislop (born 13 July 1960) is a British journalist, satirist, writer, broadcaster, and editor of the magazine ''Private Eye''. He has appeared on numerous radio and television programmes and has been a team captain on the BBC quiz show '' Have I Got News for You'' since the programme's inception in 1990. Family and personal life Hislop was born on 13 July 1960 in Mumbles, Swansea, to a Scottish father, David Hislop, from Ayrshire, and a Channel Islander mother born in Jersey, Helen Rosemarie Hislop (née Beddows), who left for Wales in her late teens. Hislop did not know his grandparents. His paternal grandfather, David Murdoch Hislop, died just before he was born. His maternal grandfather, William Beddows, was originally from Lancashire. When he was five months old, Hislop's family began to travel around the world because of his father's job as a civil engineer. During his infant years, Hislop lived in Nigeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong. While in Saudi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Private Eye
''Private Eye'' is a British fortnightly satire, satirical and current affairs (news format), current affairs news magazine, founded in 1961. It is published in London and has been edited by Ian Hislop since 1986. The publication is widely recognised for its prominent criticism and Parody, lampooning of public figures. It is also known for its in-depth investigative journalism into under-reported scandals and cover-ups. ''Private Eye'' is Britain's best-selling current affairs magazine, and such is its long-term popularity and impact that many of recurring in-jokes in Private Eye, its recurring in-jokes have entered popular culture in the United Kingdom. The magazine bucks the trend of declining circulation for print media, having recorded its highest ever circulation in the second half of 2016. It is privately owned and highly profitable. With a "deeply conservative resistance to change", it has resisted moves to online content or glossy format: it has always been printed o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nigel Planer
Nigel George Planer (born 22 February 1953) is a British actor, comedian, musician, novelist and playwright. He played Neil in the BBC comedy '' The Young Ones'' and Ralph Filthy in ''Filthy Rich & Catflap''. He has appeared in many West End musicals, including original casts of ''Evita'', ''Chicago'', ''We Will Rock You'', ''Wicked'', and ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory''. He has also appeared in ''Hairspray''. He won a BRIT award in 1984 and has been nominated for Olivier, TMA, WhatsOnStage and BAFTA awards. Early life Planer's father's Hungarian-Romanian family left Nazi Germany in 1933 and settled in Mortlake, London. He established a medical equipment company, which pioneered technology in controlled-rate freezers, IVF and stem cells. Nigel, who has two brothers, was born in Westminster, London. He attended King's House School in Richmond and Westminster School in central London, where he wrote a satirical play about the school with fellow pupil Stephen Poliakoff. Hav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bonjour La Classe
''Bonjour la Classe'' is a British television comedy series which was broadcast on BBC1 in the beginning of 1993. Created and written by Paul Smith and Terry Kyan, the series centred on Laurence Didcott, a new teacher of French at the fictional prestigious ''Mansion School''. Didcott discovers a prevailing attitude at Mansion, among staff, benefactors and even students and parents that places what is best for the school (e.g. fundraising, school image) ahead of the education of the pupils and their wellbeing. The scenes at the school were shot in the winter of 1992. Cast *Nigel Planer – Laurence Didcott *Polly Adams – Jean Halifax *Timothy Bateson – Leonard Wigley *Victoria Carling – Harriet Humphrey *Robert Gillespie – Gilbert Herring *David Troughton – Eric Sweety *Nicholas Woodeson – Leslie Piper *Peter Woodthorpe – Donald Halifax *Rebecca Callard – Lucy Cornwell *Bryan Dick – Adam Hunley *David Larkin – Clive Crotty *Daniel Newman – Hugo Botney *Simeo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alas Smith And Jones
''Alas Smith and Jones'' is a British comedy sketch television series starring comedy duo and namesake Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones that originally ran for four series and two Christmas specials on BBC2 from 1984 to 1988, and later as ''Smith and Jones'' for six series on BBC1 until 1998. A spin-off from ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'', the show also had a brief run in the United States on A&E and PBS in the late 1980s, as well as on CBS in the early 1990s during their late-night block. History Background The show's creation followed the ending of ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' in 1982. Rowan Atkinson and Pamela Stephenson followed individual career paths, whilst Smith and Jones opted to form a double act instead. The first post-''Not…'' appearance as a duo was in a short sketch in the BBC1 comedy special ''The Funny Side of Christmas'' in 1982, where Jones played a complete stranger who annoyed hospital patient Smith to the extent that Smith's character walked out in a r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Not The Nine O'Clock News
''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' is a British television sketch comedy show which was broadcast on BBC2 from 1979 to 1982. Originally shown as a comedy alternative to the '' Nine O'Clock News'' on BBC1, it features satirical sketches on then-current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos, and spoof television formats. The programme features Rowan Atkinson, Pamela Stephenson, Mel Smith, and Griff Rhys Jones, as well as Chris Langham in the first series. Format The format was a deliberate departure from the stream-of-consciousness meta-comedy pioneered by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', returning to a more conventional sketch format. Sketches were mostly self-contained, lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes, and often had a degree of naturalism in performance. The series launched the careers of several high-profile actors and writers, and also led to other comedic series including ''Blackadder'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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