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LOVELY SWEETIE...
Does the name "Edina Monsoon" mean anything to you? How about "Patsy"? "Saffy"? "Bubble"? If not, you are missing something major, believe me. These names refer to characters from a british sitcom entitled "Absolutely Fabulous". And this title couldn't be more accurate...
This sitcom is one of the funniest, wittiest and brilliant comedy to ever come out of England. The first time the show aired was back in 1992 on the BBC. It ran for three season completing only 18 episodes. And after first being rejected by every American Network, it was finally picked by the "Comedy Central" channel where it acquired a fervent cult following. As a matter of fact, they started to shoot new episodes in 2000 due to the show's big popularity. Jennifer Saunders, the "brunette" part of the duo, plays the lead character Edina Monsoon simply as "Eddie". She collaborates on the writing of every episode.
The concept for this series actually began as a sketch from the "French and Saunders" comedy team composed of Jennifer and her partner "Dawn French". They are a well-known stand-up duo which has been very popular in England for many years. They did a sketch on a reversal mother-daughter relationship with Dawn playing the role of the daughter that "Julia Sawalha" would eventually snatch on the series. The sketch was very well-received, giving Dawn and Jennifer the idea to develop a series around it. Although Dawn isn't part of the regular cast, she appeared once on the show as a television host in the episode called "Magazine".
This little TV gem is like a mini-series and some sort of a saga, the episodes having a continuous format. It is centered around Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders), a woman in her late thirties who is loud, eccentric, bitchy, never far away from a bottle of gin with a joint in one hand and a cigarette in the other. She refers to most people as "sweetie" and "darling".
She has two children: a son named "Serge" who is away but often talked about by his mother (who worships him...) and a daughter, Saffron or "Saffy" who lives at home and is the complete opposite of her mother. She is very straight-laced, almost like a geek, dressing like a woman in her 40's and acting like the "straight man" to Edina and Patsy's antics...
The core of the show is the relationship between Edina and her daughter, in a reversal mother-daughter relationship. The daughter in this case being the responsible adult while the mother acts like a spoiled teenager. Edina treats Saffron like a slave, ordering her around as if she was her maid while Saffy disapproves of everything her mother does vehemently, this being the key in the comedic aspect of the show.
There is also the relationship between Edina and "Patsy" which is also a very important element in the series. Patricia Stone is a total alcoholic and drug-addict in her late 40's even though she only admits being 39. She is completely addicted to sex in every shape and form and runs after any man within her sight. Both Eddie and Patsy are completely fascinated and enthralled by the fashion world and spend countless hours shopping and looking at magazines, bitching about the models while secretly worshipping them...
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MY OBESSSION...
I discovered "Ab Fab" as it is often called back in 1993. I was in a gay bar, trying to find something to do. Then, a music video airing on a monitor screen caught my attention. The song was called "Absolutely Fabulous" from "The Pet Shop Boys". Even though I couldn't hear the sound, the video was so crazy that I couldn't help but be fascinated.
We would see what looked like scenes from a sitcom, with bits of dialogue and comedic stunts by two loud women who looked more like drag queens than anything else. I was instantly fascinated by these very strange characters. I had never heard of "Ab Fab" before and remember thinking how I would love to see the shows the video was obviously based on. I did some research and eventually found out it was taken from a British television show even though I still didn't know much about it. After all, at this point the Internet wasn't a part of our world yet and I couldn't get much information on the show.
I went back to that bar many times, always hoping to see this video again. A few months after that, I saw an ad on television talking about the show which would be aired soon. I watched every episode but have to admit that, although I enjoyed it at the time, it was nowhere near as much as I do now. I taped most of the shows on their original run but didn't really watch them much after that.
But then a while ago, I bought a tape called "AbFab moments" and rediscovered it in a whole new way, with a more sophisticated and adult perspective than before. So, I went and bought each and every tape and started to watch them incessantly. The acting is so good that I can't help but pop in a tape of the "saga" in the VCR as often as possible.
I didn't really "get" it at the time it first aired and it took me a while to really appreciate all the subtleties in the acting which is the strongest aspect by far. All critics agreed that this show is outstanding. I don't know why but I wasn't that impressed with it back then. I probably didn't have the proper insight into understand how powerful the acting is. But now, that's a whole new story. The "satire" aspect of it all is quite remarkable. Here is a brief description of the major characters....
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This is the lead character. Eddie is a woman who is in search of herself, through massage, spiritual journeys, colonic irrigation and drug use. She is selfish, rude, obnoxious, very loud and completely adorable. The actress portraying her is Jennifer Saunders, a british comedy actress. As part of the very popular "French and Saunders" duo in Britain with Dawn French, she has done everything from parodying "Marilyn Monroe" to emulating "Batman". Jennifer played a bit part in the movie "Spice world" and appeared in the video "Who do you think you are" by the "Spice Girls".
She also had a small recurring role on "Friends" (the american television sitcom) as Emily's mother, the woman who almost married Ross until he belted Rachel's name at the altar... She is amazingly gifted and I must admit that the main reason I watch the tapes of Ab Fab over and over again is because I am fascinated by her acting abilities. And this series has succeeded in giving us a delirious look at the fashion world and the effect it can have on women of "a certain age"... |
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Patsy is Eddie's best friend, by her own accord. She is a woman in her late forties, although she only admits being "39". She drinks whiskey for breakfast (usually at 2 pm), not being able to eat anything after her stomach "bypass". She had countless face-lifts and surgeries, hoping to recapture her good looks of yesteryear. Man-hungry, she's had countless one-night stands almost. And in the words of Saffy, "She's been a walking sperm bank most of her life".
The actress who plays her is called "Joanna Lumley" and is a distinguished stage actress who, among other things, has appeared in a few episodes of "The Avengers", the popular series from Britain in the 60's with Diana Rigg and Patrick Mcknea. She also had a small part as a "Bond girl" in the 1960's. Joanna is a very gifted actress and all her scenes with "Eddie" are pure magic. They're usually drunk and stoned out of their minnds, talking about anything and everything and bitching everyone in the process. Patsy resents "Saffron" very much, feeling she has taken her place in Eddie's heart in some way. |
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Saffron, or "Saffy" as her mother calls her is a young woman living with her mother (Edina) and who is, in a way, the sole responsible adult in this sitcom, acting as the "straight man" to Eddie and Patsy's antics. She can scream and yell as loud as her mother when she has to and tries her best to take care of her (as if it was her daughter) while Eddie verbally abuses her in any way possible while still loving her as best as she could.
The role is played by Julia Sawalha, a young actress who has made a few television series in England, "Frontpage" being one of them. She was also the voice of one of the main character in the animated movie "Chicken Run" in 2000. As you might have noticed already, she bears a striking resemblance to Helena Bonham-Carter the famous british movie actress who mostly plays in art-house movies but finally had a big hit in the remake of "Planet of the Apes" by Tim Burton in 2001. |
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This character, played by Jane Horrocks, takes the expression "bird brain" to a whole new level. Bubble is so dumb she makes Dan Quayle look like a Nobel prize winner! She is the assistant of Edina, who owns a PR (public relations) company. Edina once referred to her as a little "bookmark" and implied that she employs Bubble only to make herself look better and certainly much smarter.
To see this actress play it dumb to the extreme is a great pleasure and, although only a recurring character seen sporadically, she lit up the screen every time she's on. Just watch her different dumbfounded expressions and you'll see just how extraordinary she is... There is an episode called "ISO tank" where, through Edina's dream, we see Bubble as a completely new character, very bright and efficient and the transformation is a blast. |
| This character, known only as "mother" or "gran" (her real name is never established in the series...), is the mother of Edina. The two of them have a tumultuous relationship, Edina always insulting her, calling her "old woman", "senile" and every name in the book. The character is played by June Withfield, a distinguished stage and TV actress who has had a long career in Britain. She is seen sporadically and brings a nice touch to this already delightful ensemble with remarkable wit and style, holding her own against the rest of the cast. |
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YES DARLING...
I just LOVE this show. There is something quite perverse and yet, immensely satisfying in seeing two aging women, bitching and moaning, being very rude and always completely drunk and stoned. You could say that it is not "politically correct" and yet, that is the whole point. It wants to entertain and also teach us something about ourselves in the process. There is a bit of Edina and Patsy in every one of us, women and men, gay or straight...
Jennifer Saunders said in an interview on "60 minutes" a couple of years ago that she compacted all vices known to human kind into these two characters. And yet, with all their faults and rude behavior, they come out as being totally adorable. Jennifer also said that she gradually made them worse because she felt the public liked them too much. Well, we like those characters because they say and do things which we could never do in real life and yet, sometimes wish we could.
Haven't you ever thought about telling your boss EXACTLY what you think of him and to "shove" it somewhere? Or just be very rude to someone who has done you wrong or is just getting on your nerves? Throw a temper tantrum when you don't get what you want? Spend all your days drinking, smoking, gossiping and having a riot?
Maybe it's just me but when I watch that show, it gives me a break from this sad existence we all have to live through. Yes, I would love to do exactly what I want when I want to and yell at whomever I want without giving a damn... Of course, I can't do that but I certainly enjoy watching on TV someone who does!
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ANOTHER TWIST...
A new thing in the story of Ab Fab developed. The three seasons along with the movie "The Last Shout" were supposed to be the end of the saga. And Jennifer Saunders was getting ready to do a new series called "Mirrorball" with the same cast as different characters. They went so far as to shoot a pilot but it wasn't picked up by the network. Therefore, they decided to bring back those very popular characters and started to shoot new material for a fourth season.
The new shows have aired all through 2001 on the "Comedy Central" channel. But I don't have access to that station where I live. Therefore, it wasn't possible for me to view them. Little did I know that I would get to do just that very soon as a twist of fate intervened. I was asked to shoot a new movie in Januray 2002. This one would be done with the "Catalina Video" company which is based in Los Angeles. It was my first time in Hollywood and I must admit, it was quite exciting.
I arrived in Los Angeles around 6 pm, got some lunch and was in my hotel room an hour later. As I relaxed watching television, I started to flip the channels and suddenly, it dawned on me that I might be able to see a new Ab Fab episode. I knew the show had aired on Monday nights on Comedy Central and was hoping to see the reruns.
I was happy to find out that there was a special that night as two episodes would air back to back. "Lucky me" I thought to myself. The first show I saw was called "Paralox" where Patsy injects herself with "paralox", a chemical poison she would inject herself to paralyze her face in order to avoid wrinkles, an obvious parody of "Botox" so popular as a cosmetic procedure these days. As the episode progressed, I wasn't really convinced that what I watched was funny. My being in such a lousy mood only altered my perception at that precise moment. The fact is that those episodes are still cherished by me to this day, now that I bought them on DVD two years later.
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So to honor this series which has given me such joy over the years (Patsy and Edina are just part of my psyche now, pure and simple), I wanted to make a little descrition of every episode of the beginning of this saga which is, usually, where all the magic lies. I love every episode they shot of that series and am looking forward to the ones in the future but the fact is that none of them will come close to matching the originals in originality, as it is the case with practically everything in this world.
| Edina has organized a celebrity fashion show. This is here that we take our first peep at Edina's "murder" dress sense, always draped in some deliciously tacky "Christian Lacroix" concoction. We also find out just how much Patsy likes men and hates Saffron. Divine... |
| Edina wants to lose weight so she can confront "Penny Casper Morse", a former model she knew in her teenage years who had tormented her. So, will she try to cut down on her enormous food intake and do some exercise? Of course not! She'd rather take huge amounts of speed and go through lipo-suction to lose the undesired pounds. But will she succeed? |
| Aurevoir Angleterre, Bonjour France! Patsy and Edina are going on a vacation in the South of France. But they end up in some rustic cottage, mistaking it for the place they rented (the "Chateau" which is only 400 meters away...). They'll have to make the best of it with hilarious results! |
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| Edina threatens to adopt a Romanian baby if Saffron doesn't let her go to her presentation on DNA at college. With Bubble now being a model of efficiency, Edina asks her to take care of it only to try to cancel it minutes after but... Is it too late? "The deal went through and the merchandise is on the way" is the response she gets when she asks where Bubble is. OOPS! |
| It is Edina's 40th birthday and to say she doesn't take it well would be a complete understatement. Saffy has organized a birthday party with "family" (gran, Edina's two ex-husbands with their lovers and Patsy...). Will Edina even show up and, while at it, wreak havoc? |
| Well, Edina has a new man in her life and Patsy is "bloody" jealous. Also, "Pats" has to find two models in a huff for a dubious tv show or her reputation will be tarnished. Will Saffy accept to help the woman who has resented her, in her own words, "since the day I was born"? |
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| Patsy, caught in a sex scandal, has one week to look 35 for a story on "Hello" magazine. And Edina has to get an "operation" on her foot. So, Patsy decides to tag along and have a facelift. But wait... Will everything go as planned? |
| Edina's father is dead. But is it art? This is one of my very favorite episodes. It is brilliant and Jennifer is at her best as a daughter losing her father and not giving a damn... |
| Eddie, Patsy and Saffy all go on a trip to Marrakesh for a photo shoot. Will things go as planned? Of course not! Let's just say that white slavery is not quite what Saffy had in mind... |
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| A couple, Eddie's friends from way back, are coming to stay for a while... They have a new baby but as we all know, infants don't mix well with designer dresses now do they... And Patsy doesn't really like to be neglected so she'll try to get herself a new best friend. The fighting scene between Eddie and Patsy is just priceless with both of them acting like spoiled brats... |
| Eddie's two ex-husbands are cutting off the alimony payments. Will Eddie be... poor? To see Eddie and Patsy cavort through town with Eddie's new car ("practically the size of a bicycle..." in Patsy's words), infringing on traffic laws and social common sense is a pure delight to me. |
| After Patsy "accidentally" sets the kitchen on fire with a cigarette, Edina, Saffy and Pats all get trapped in the living room, mistakenly locked in by that "old woman". Will they all get along? And how was Saffy's birth anyway? |
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| Edina has to redo the kitchen destroyed by the fire. She's seen a door-handle she likes in New York City. So, why not fly on a Concorde to go get it? And if the last scene of that episode doesn't get to you, nothing will... Enough said. |
| It is New Year's Eve and Jackie, Patsy's sister (the actress who played a small role on "Dynasty" in the 80's as Alexis Carrington's sister...) is coming for a visit. Edina wants to go out and have fun but how can she do that with a house full of people and Patsy hanging on her sister's every word? |
| Edina wants to get in touch with her inner sexuality after seeing an issue of "Razzle" from 1972 in her son's room... So, Patsy suggests, why not hire two male prostitutes and have an orgy? But, will DNA get in the way? |
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| Edina wants to win the PR person award. But the competition is fierce and her one and only other adversary is right there to fight it on. Will she win or get pissed drunk and pass out on a garbage disposal boat? (Don't ask, just watch...). |
| Saffy moves out which leaves Edina feeling like an "orphan". She decides to change the direction of her life and tries to find herself while Patsy makes a move to New York. Is it the end of a beautiful friendship? |
| Wanting to find her inner self, Edina chooses to live in a community while Patsy goes to New York on a new job assignment. Will they get what they're after or has it always been right there, at home? |
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| This was the last effort from Jennifer Saunders to definitely "close" the chapter on the lives of Eddie and Patsy or so we thought at the time. Saffron is getting married, Eddie "dies" and meets God (played by Marianne Faithful...) and Patsy reminisces about her past as a porn movie starlet. This one is not as good as the previous material but is a lot better than the new season, that's for sure! It was released on VHS in 1998 and is also now available on DVD. |