Absolutely Fabulous Episode Guide by ClintJCL@gmail.com
Season 1
1. (S1E1) "Fashion" - 12 Nov 92
2. (S1E2) "Fat" - 19 Nov 92
3. (S1E3) "France" - 26 Nov 92
4. (S1E4) "Iso Tank" - 03 Dec 92
5. (S1E5) "Magazine" - 10 Dec 92
6. (S1E6) "Birthday" - 17 Dec 92
Season 2
7. (S2E1) "Hospital" - 27 Jan 94
8. (S2E2) "Death" - 03 Feb 94
9. (S2E3) "Morocco" - 10 Feb 94
10. (S2E4) "New Best Friend" - 24 Feb 94
11. (S2E5) "Poor" - 03 Mar 94
12. (S2E6) "Birth" - 10 Mar 94
Season 3
13. (S3E1) "Door Handle" - 30 Mar 95
14. (S3E2) "Happy New Year" - 06 Apr 95
15. (S3E3) "Sex" - 20 Apr 95
16. (S3E4) "Jealous" - 27 Apr 95?
17. (S3E5) "Fear" - 04 May 95?
18. (S3E6) The End / SERIES FINALE - 11 May 95?
Additional:
19. The Last Shout -- a movie-length additional episode
* PLOT SYNOPSIS:
1. (S1E1) "Fashion" - 12 Nov 92
Edina hits a bottleneck in her attempt to give up drinking: she doesn't
want to quit.
2. (S1E2) "Fat" - 19 Nov 92
Edina becomes obsessed with her weight and makes up her mind to do
something about it. The question is what? Surgery, liposuction or perhaps
even diet and exercise.
3. (S1E3) "France" - 26 Nov 92
Edina and Patsy set off on holiday to Provence in France. Things go from
bad to worse when their luxury chateau turns out to be a second class
chalet with only ping pong for amusement. Luckily Saffron rescues them
with supplies of cigarettes, wine and food.
4. (S1E4) "Iso Tank" - 03 Dec 92
Edina's new isolation tank seems to be the perfect thing for life's
problems, except for one thing: she hates being alone.
5. (S1E5) "Magazine" - 10 Dec 92
Patsy is jealous of Edina's new boyfriend and tries to split them up.
Patsy does a deal with Saffron who helps her do a make-over for the
magazine which involves Saffron, Mother and Patsy appearing on TVAM.
6. (S1E6) "Birthday" - 17 Dec 92
Edina is turning 40 and she is depressed. Saffron organizes a surprise
party with just the family. Eddy spits the dummy and plans to spend the
entire day in bed.
7. (S2E1) Hospital
Patsy is the centre of tabloid attention after a drunken night with an MP.
Edina has an ingrown toe nail and has to go to the hospital for a minor
operation; Patsy decides to go along for a face-lift after seeing her
pictures in the papers and her age in print.
8. (S2E2) Death
Edina's father has died. Saffy tries, amid the usual chaos and
disinterest, to organize the funeral. Edina begins to think about her own
mortality.
9. (S2E3) Morocco
Patsy has a photo shoot Marrakech. Edina sees it as the perfect
opportunity to get her Pop Specs into a glossy mag. Saffy wants to go to
study the indigenous population, and is given first hand experience when
Patsy sells her to the white slavers.
10. (S2E4) New best Friend
An old school friend of Edina's comes to stay and Patsy is neglected.
Things, of course do not go to plan, and Pats and Edds find themselves
friendless in London, but not for long.
11. (S2E5) Poor
Harrods have stopped delivering, and Edina must cut back her expenditure.
While Saffron has the accountant telling Edina she is poor, Eddina is
discovering the wonders of the supermarket.
12. (S2E6) Birth
When Pasty burns down Edina's kitchen they are all forced to move into the
living room. When confind in a small space, with nothing to do, Edina and
Patsy become strangely introspective...
13. (S3E1) Door Handle
Things are going downhill, while Edina is trying to organise her life (and
find that doorhandle) Saffron is left to clean up the mess, and celibrate
her birthday without her mother.
14. (S3E2) Happy New Year
Despite the arrival pf Patsy' long lost sister (or perhaps beacuse of it)
Edina and Patsy spend New Years Eve in front of the Teli.
15. (S3E3) Sex
Pasty and Eds are busy planning an orgy, Saffron is planning a lecture on
genetics and mother is just a little confused.
16. (S3E4) Jealous
It's awards time of the month in PR land. Edina seems set to sweep the
board, especially as she's paid for the awards -- but arch-rival Claudia
Bing has other ideas. Meanwhile, Saffy received extra special tuition from
her psychology lecturerer.
17. (S3E5) Fear
Patsy moves in to live with Edina when Saffy moves out. However it proves
to be a turbulent arrangement, especially when they can't find the tin
opener. Further trouble errupts when Lulu arrives at Edina's office to
terminate her contract and sign with a high-powered American agency. Patsy
loses her job when her magazine folds, leaving the high-living pair
contemplating old age and a crossroads in their lives.
18. (S3E6) The End
Patsy and Edina go there seperate ways, but can they live without each
other?
19. The Last Shout
movie-length episode--really not that great, IMNSHO.
Saffron gets married, or soemthing.
* Contributors:
Dave Chapman (dave@cheers.demon.co.uk)
ME (ClintJCL@gmail.com)
* Starring:
Jennifer Saunders as Edina Monsoon
Joanna Lumley as Patsy Stone
Julia Sawalha as Saffron Monsoon
June Whitfield as June Monsoon (mother)
* Recurring Guests:
Jane Horrocks as Bubble
The show was written by Jennifer Saunders, produced by Jon Plowman and
directed by Bob Spiers, for BBC-TV.
The airdates in this guide are the dates the episodes were first aired
in the UK. Season 1 was originally shown on BBC2 and then repeated on
BBC1 between 16th Sep 93 and 28th Oct 93 (not 7th Oct). Seasons 2 and
3 were shown on BBC1.
The character of Bubble only appears in 11 of the 15 episodes listed
in this guide -- hence the "recurring guest" listing. The main four
characters appeared in all the episodes.
Edina and Saffron live at the fictional address 34 Claremont Avenue,
London, W11 4BS.
The series currently airs on the cable channel Comedy Central in the
US. On 9th January 1995, the New York Times reported that Roseanne has
acquired the rights to make a US version of the series.
The theme tune is entitled "This Wheel's on Fire", and is sung by
Julie Driscoll & Adrian Edmondson. The lyrics are:
Wheels on fire,
Rolling down the road.
Best notify my next of kin,
This wheel shall explode.
"This Wheel's on Fire" is written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko (from
The Band), and is available on Dylan's "The Basement Tapes" and The
Band's "Music from Big Pink".
In Spring 1994, the Pet Shop Boys released a charity single for Comic
Relief entitled "Absolutely Fabulous", which featured sampled
dialogue from the series. In the UK, the CD single featured four
different mixes, and it's catalogue number is CDR 6382.
All 12 episodes from the first two seasons are available on four
videos in the UK. They are released by BBC Video, half a season per
tape, and the catalogue numbers are (in order of half-seasons) BBCV
5124, BBCV 5125, BBCV 5412 and BBCV 5413.
In the US you can buy the UK-released tapes from Laughinghouse Video
(714-956-9032) for $29.99 each. The price includes a NTSC copy of
each tape, in addition to the PAL original. They cost about 12 pounds
($18) each in the UK.
I've heard rumours that the series will be getting an official US
video release - can anyone confirm this ?
The scripts for the two seasons are available in two books written by
Jennifer Saunders. They are called "Absolutely Fabulous" (BBC
Books, 1993, ISBN 0-563-36976-0) and "Absolutely Fabulous 2" (BBC
Books, 1994, ISBN 0-563-37086-6).
The January 1995 issue of the glossy "womens' magazine" Marie Claire
(UK edition) included a 16 page magazine called "The Marie Claire Ab
Fab Mag". It is written by "Edina and Patsy", and was published on
9th December 1994. The supplement isn't being distributed in the US,
but once the issue goes into back-issue status (about middle of Jan
'95), you should be able to order it from +44 (0)181-519-3969.
Thanks to Wesley Kim (mstar.com) and Melinda Casino's Britcom
Booklist for helping me fill in the details of the above merchandise.
Guide (C) Dave Chapman 1994. Permission is granted by the copyright holder
to distribute this guide on the sole condition that it is unmodified and no
fee is charged.