The Mary Whitehouse Experience

Is it not time the BBC put this out on DVD? The show was a clasic.

I agree, it's truly one of the most under appreciated comedies of the Nineties. A brilliant show, with four very funny performers and sharp, witty satire that felt on the cutting edge.

And of course, who could forget the History Today skits. "You know a pair of pants with some cack in it? That's you that is."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nCKYEM8qRc

And of course there were other brilliant characters like Mr Strange ("Milky milky"), Ray, the man with a permanently sarcastic voice ("what a personal disaster"), and Hugh Denni's dad with the inability to dance ("What's this, it's got a groovy beat")

I'll be writing about this for the British Comedy Guide, and plan to give the show a big writeup which it deserves. A DVD release needs to happen but may never happen due to the topical nature of the sketches, and the fact it uses Mary Whitehouse's name in the title without her permission.

Not only should this be released, but Newman and Baddiels show should be put out too; I used to love these when I was younger.

yeah t'was great. used to love newman's jarvis character as well.

Oh yes! Jarvis. Lovey

I loved that show so much.

I still think 'milky milky' to myself sometimes. Even though that wasn't one of my favourite characters at all.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ February 28, 2008, 6:00 PM

Newman and Baddiels show should be put out too

Do you mean In Pieces?

Quote: Aaron @ February 28, 2008, 8:04 PM

Do you mean In Pieces?

Yep, it was great; a big pity they hated each other and split up really.

I uhh, I might have copies. Should you be interested and not have your own, of course.

Or I might not. Whistling nnocently

(I also might have every episode of The Mary Whitehouse Experience, both radio and TV.)

(Or of course ... I might not.)

DUM DUM DUUUUUUUUUUM

Intrigue!

Quote: Magnus D @ February 28, 2008, 5:09 PM

I agree, it's truly one of the most under appreciated comedies of the Nineties. A brilliant show, with four very funny performers and sharp, witty satire that felt on the cutting edge.

Not sure it was underappreciated. At the time it got very good viewing figures and was raved about by student-types. I remember quite enjoying it at the time, although I have a feeling that it's probably one of those shows that has aged quite badly. And In Pieces was dire.

Quote: chipolata @ February 29, 2008, 10:52 AM

Not sure it was underappreciated. At the time it got very good viewing figures and was raved about by student-types. I remember quite enjoying it at the time, although I have a feeling that it's probably one of those shows that has aged quite badly. And In Pieces was dire.

I meant that it's a show underappreciated today. There's no doubt that it made a massive impact at the time and propelled the four performers to stardom (well, at least David Baddiel and Hugh Dennis anyway). But today it's seemingly been forgotten by everyone barring the comedy purists.

It's not actually aged that much at all: it's still a very good show that I loved when I watched it, even if there were some topical references I didn't get.
In Pieces seems to have aged well, because I actually quite enjoyed it when I watched it a few months back. The History Today sketches are arguably funnier than the three on TMWE, and there's some other funny characters on there as well, such as the already mentioned Jarvis (Now I don't want to come over all Prince Charles..oh god) and J.J, who possessed all the characteristics that David Baddiel hated.

Does anyone remember Punt and Dennis's spin-off, The Imaginatively Titled Punt and Dennis Show. I saw the Best of DVD recently and it's held up pretty well: there's some funny stuff there, such as Mr Strange, the Embarrasing Dad, a spoof of a cookery program where Hugh gets incredibly drunk ("I shall be extremely sick in the morning") and a serial with the world's worst assassin.

Sorry if I've rambled on a bit

Just been listening to this on Radio 4 Extra, I found it still fresh and funny and has not dated at all.

When was this on, tiger? I cannot find it on the iPlayer at all.
I never heard the radio versions - didn't they have Mark Thomas on them too? I have a bootleg version of the TV show on DVD.

The show has benefited from never being repeated or released, in that it has a "legendary" reputation. It's not the greatest show the BBC ever made, but it's still really good.

See that Susan Boyle?

That's your girlfriend, that is

Some of it was a bit juvenile but on the whole I remember it as being funny and sharp. The sketch where Ray starts speaking Flemish is pure gold.

I heard Baddiel complain about this but said he didn't like to bang on about it in case he sounded like Bill Oddie