So… a 4th Series of Bottom is on the way…

[Danny Stephenson]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/hooligans-island.html

Next year it will be 18 years since Richard Richard “Richie Richard” Richard and Eddie Hitler last graced our television screens.

Long enough for a generation to be born, learn to walk and talk, grow up, go to school, nearly learn to read, leave school and register for job seekers’ allowance all without having experienced the wit and wisdom of two of comedy’s greatest characters.

All that is about to change as we find out what happened to two titans of comedy, Richie and Eddie. Are they still wandering round and round Hammersmith roundabout looking for a safe place to cross? Are they still living in one of the dirtiest and least hygienic flats uncondemned by Health and Safety? Are they still drinking neat furniture polish whilst hitting each other over the head with large metal objects, setting fire to each other’s private parts and other areas as they seek to impress gullible members of the opposite sex, and each other? Or are they down the pub?

No, they are abandoned, lost and shipwrecked on a tropical hell hole that is Hooligans’ Island, although they are still hitting each other over the head with large metal objects, still chasing women, (even though there are none on the island) and still waiting for that job seekers’ allowance cheque as they distil something quite like alcohol, only worse.

And they are back on BBC Two in 2013 for six new 30-minute episodes starring Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson. Be afraid. Be very afraid. And a bit bilious.

Rik Mayall says: “How much am I getting paid? Are there any birds in it? And that horrific arse-brained Edmondson’s not in it again is he? Oh, God help me… no, no, alright then, I’ll do it. That useless, foul smelling waste of space and oxygen is really going to get it this time. This is the big one. Tell the audience to brace themselves.”

Ade Edmondson said: “It’s been a while since I last worked with that complete b****** Rik Mayall and I’m very much looking forward to bashing him about the head with various blunt objects. It’s the only language he understands.”

Commissioned by Janice Hadlow, Controller, BBC Two and Mark Freeland, Head of BBC In-House Comedy, Hooligans’ Island will be a BBC Comedy co-production with Phil McIntyre Television. It will be executive produced by Mark Freeland and produced by Jon Plowman.

I’m excited. I’m really excited!

Topic

[Plastic Percy]

There are some nice bits in ‘Guest House Paradiso’. I do quite like the bit at the start where Richey tries to pin a badge to his lapel and just ends up sticking it through his breast.

[Reece]

FEEEEB, ONE BOILED EGG.

[locusceruleus]

Damn, I really was looking forward to it.

Still, best they realise it’s not working at the writing stage than we do when it’s broadcast.

[Connell]

All three series of Bottom are instant classics, and have very little faults, akin to the first 2 live shows. After the third or fourth quality certainly did decline and I’m not too much of a fan of the later stuff.. however I do have a soft spot for Guest House Paradiso and It’s a rather splendid quirky adaptation.

I too am not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed! It’s one of those things you’d want to see out of curiosity, but then if it was dreadful you’d wish it didn’t exist.

[locusceruleus]

Remember years ago, Rik & Ade both said a 3rd series of Bottom had been written but the BBC weren’t interested? I always wondered if that was true. Would certainly be nice to get a script book or something like that if so.

[genericnerdyusername]

But… there was a 3rd series of Bottom?

[Ben Kirkham]

I think locusceruleus means 4th series. Rik and Ade did indeed write a 4th series, which, according to Rik Mayall, was rejected by ‘some lesbian bitch.’ Charming man!

It would be good to see those scripts released, or for them just to make them instead of ‘Hooligan’s Island.’ Presumably, the 4th series was written when they still had a bit of magic, before they plumbed the depths of unfunny with the last two live shows. If ‘Hooligan’s Island’ could be as terrible as those, maybe it’s for the best that it doesn’t happen.

[pfm]

Damn…

[Ben Paddon]

I am relieved that this isn’t happening. Relieved.

[Pete Tranter’s Sister]

The fourth series would’ve been nice to see as it was written off the momentum of the first three.

I wouldn’t mind a new Young Ones series.

WHAT.

[Jonsmad]

Glad ade is not going back. Hes got a new direction in light hearted music Im glad for him.

[genericnerdyusername]

My dad said something to me about Edmonson having turned into a pretentious twat in recentish years. What are people’s thoughts on that?

[pfm]

I bet the BBC (the root-of-all-evil, paedophile-harbouring, building 7-predicting, NWO-whoring organization they blatantly may or may not be, in some people’s unfounded and, ultimately, irrelevant opinions :P) were ultimately to blame for this not happening.

I want to believe that Rik and Ade realised they couldn’t do this new series justice without taking it elsewhere (e.g. Ch4) which they won’t do, probably so as not to fuck up any relationship with the BBC (mainly in Ade’s case, cause remember that could affect Jennifer Saunders and their production company, Mr & Mrs Monsoon). I’m sure it would have been very easy for Rik and Ade to fall out over these details and just decide not to do it at all.

[A Bailey]

I wouldn’t mind a new show in the style of Bottom, but not exactly a followup to it.

Much like Bottom took the formula from The Young Ones but wasn’t actually the same show, I’d like to see a Rik and Ade show that featured them as aging men getting grumpier and grumpier at the world.

[Pete Part Three]

Adrian Edmonson is no longer interested in the type of audience Bottom used to attract.

[Ben Kirkham]

Interesting that the reason it’s not coming back may be because of quality issues, when Jennifer Saunders has let Absolutely Fabulous carry on well past its sell by date. Ab Fab should have ended with The Last Shout, when it was still brilliant. A rare one or two bright spots aside, Series 4 onwards has been a disaster.

[Ben Kirkham]

“All three series of Bottom are some of my favourite comedy ever”

Yes, absolutely. If I had to list favourite episodes it would be:

Gas
Bottom’s Up
Accident
Digger
Culture
Holy
‘s out
Hole
Finger
Carnival

Worst one would have to be:

Parade (what’s THAT all about?)

In particular, Culture contains classic gag after classic gag all the way through, as does Hole.

[Danny Stephenson]

You missed Contest, which is probably my favorite episode. Here’s a question to Bottom fans, was Contest meant to be the pilot? It seems like one…

[MANI506]

I’ve always felt that Contest was the first recorded – no evidence to back this up though.

Might watch the series again this weekend. Digger and Hole are two of the strongest I think.

I love Parade! Sad Ken is classic!

[Danny Stephenson]

To me there are some very different ideas and joke types in that episode. It’s brilliant.

Eddie: ‘What are these black bits all over the place?”
Richie: “it’s just a couple of greenfly for heaven’s sake, they’re dead now, they’ve been under the grill for ages… really! i watched them pop…”

Eddie: “Hey, I’ve just had a FANTASTIC idea…” *downs his pint*
Richie: “………….Well?”
Eddie: “………….What?”
Richie: “What was the fantastic idea?”
Eddie: “To drink *that*”

Eddie: “Well, I shall leave you ‘Mabel’, but I feel it right to warn you that if your nephew reads anymore “art magazines”. you very well may go blind.”

Fucking awesome

I can’t possibly rate them, other than noticing that Contest for me has some fucking cracking performances, but the ones that stand out for me are the kind of setting pieces like ‘Hole’ and ‘S Out where they can interact with different things other than the flat.

[p2p_productions]

SHE’S GOT A TATTOO ON HER FACE!

[Danny Stephenson]

WELL, STOP SMILING YOU STUPID COW…

[Ben Kirkham]

“You missed Contest, which is probably my favorite episode. Here’s a question to Bottom fans, was Contest meant to be the pilot? It seems like one…”

Oh bugger, I was supposed to include Contest, but completely forgot. Yes it’s completely brilliant and the Wikipedia entry speculates on that being the first episode. Both characters have slightly different hair and I think it makes a point of setting up stall and introducing the situation. Richie even says at one point ‘I think I’ve reached my Bottom.’

Every time I watch Parade I just find it really odd. There’s something a bit ‘off’ about some of the performances. Can’t really explain it.

Classic exchange from ‘Hole’:

RICHIE STARES OFF INTO THE DISTANCE.

‘RICHIE: You know, if we ever pull through to the other side of this one, I’m gonna change the way I live. Get myself back to Blighty, find myself a piece of land. Find myself a beautiful woman. Heck, maybe even raise some kids!

EDDIE: Nah, quit dreaming. We’re not gonna pull through to the other side of this one, Skip.

RICHIE: You’ve got to dream, Eddie! YOU’VE GOT TO HOLD ON TO THE DREAM!

EDDIE: Can I ask you a question?

RICHIE: Shoot from the hip, baby, that’s always been you’re style.

EDDIE: Well, I suppose it’s kinda out of left field. But my question is this: WHY ARE WE TALKING SUCH COMPLETE AND UTTER BOLLOCKS????

On the page, it doesn’t sound anywhere near as funny. But Mayall and Edmondson’s delivery and timing is so faultless.

Also:

RICHIE: My mother used to make sandwiches for the Hammersmith Conservative Association!

EDDIE: Yeah, but nobody used to eat them, did they?

RICHIE: They did, they did! What about the guy who got the convulsions and the permanent brain damage?

EDDIE: Well, he’s president of the Board of Trade now, isn’t he?

[Danny Stephenson]

I’d like to see the scripts for these fabled 4th series.

I know that scripts books exists for Series 1 and 2 anyone know of one for Series 3?

[Ben Kirkham]

I’ve searched before for script books for series 3 and the unmade series 4, but no luck. Danny, you and I should really go out for a pint at some point! :)

[Mr-Stabby]

i have a memory of reading somewhere that ‘Contest’ was indeed the pilot episode. What gives it away is the hairstyles (Richies is shorter, Eddie actually has some) but also it is the only show in the run shot on old BBC tube cameras. Can’t remember for the life of me where i read it though.

[Mr-Stabby]

By the way, if you’re into such things (it is an acquired taste) i highly recommend these vids where some bloke has edited Bottom episodes. I dunno why but i find them really amusing for some reason :D

Here’s the one for ‘Parade’. With a bit of Red Dwarf added for good measure :)

[Reece]

some bloke has edited Bottom episodes

You can’t beat Bottom YTPs. :P

[Author]

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