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Bottom (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Bottom was a British sitcom
television series that originally aired on BBC2
between 1991 and 1995. It was written by comic duo Rik Mayall
and Adrian Edmondson
who star as Richie and Eddie, two flatmates living on the dole in Hammersmith
, London
. The program ran for three series, and was followed by five stage show tours across the United Kingdom between 1993 and 2003, and a 1999 film Guest House Paradiso
. Bottom is noted for its chaotic humour and violent comedy slapstick
.
In 2008, Bottom came in at number 45 in a poll to determine "Britain's Best Sitcom" by the BBC. The show continues to be shown in the UK on GOLD and Dave, and has been dubbed in other languages. In Spain the show is known as La pareja basura (The Trash Couple) which aired on Canal+
. The theme music was provided by The Bum Notes
, a band that once featured Edmondson, and is a cover of "B.B. Blues" by B.B. King.
Recurring characters:
(located at "11, Mafeking Parade") to their name. The two spend their time coming up with desperate schemes to acquire sex, attacking each other violently, and getting into dodgy deals and scrapes with the law.
Richie is a clumsy, pompous dimwit who attempts to make himself out as being much higher in social status than he actually is, and is both deranged and desperate; obsessed with sex. Eddie, a cheerfully violent drunkard, meanwhile spends his time getting drunk and wasting the dole money, although he occasionally has moments of demented genius. Eddie's friends—the gormless Spudgun and Dave Hedgehog—both fear Richie, thinking he's psychotic
. Although the pair sometimes venture out (the most common location being the local pub, the Lamb and Flag), many of the episodes are set simply within the confines of the pair's squalid flat.
As well as traces of Mayall and Edmondson's earlier characters from their previous sitcom Filthy Rich & Catflap
, the series also has echoes of warped versions of both Hancock's Half Hour
and Steptoe and Son
.
production of Samuel Beckett
's Waiting for Godot
at the Queen's Theatre
. They have said Bottom was often intended to be a cruder cousin to plays like Waiting for Godot.
However, the origins of the characters are rooted much more deeply. Edmondson and Mayall had been working together since the late 1970s, when they teamed up as "20th Century Coyote
". Over the course of their career, they developed the characters of Richie and Eddie, based loosely on their own relationship. The names themselves come from Edmondson's and Mayall's own nicknames for each other; many of Mayall's characters are referred to by some variation of the name "Richard" and "Eddie" is taken from "Eddie Monsoon", Edmondson's nickname since University, which is a play on his then stage name, Ade Edmondson (compare Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous
, who is called "Eddie" by her friend Patsy, and is played by Edmondson's Comic Strip
fellow and wife Jennifer Saunders
). Edmondson played an unrelated character also called Eddie Monsoon in the second series of The Comic Strip in the episode called Eddie Monsoon: A Life (1984).
The duo would use characters similar to Richie and Eddie in The Young Ones
(Rick and Vyvyan, 1982-1984); The Dangerous Brothers
(Richard Dangerous and Sir Adrian Dangerous, 1985); Filthy, Rich and Catflap (Richie Rich and Eddie Catflap, 1987); Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door
(names not mentioned, 1988); and finally in their adaptation of Waiting for Godot (1991). The series also continued an occasional trend of Edmonson's character having a female name — in this case Edward Elizabeth Hitler.
Edmondson admitted on a 1995 appearance on Pebble Mill at One
that the original name for the show was "My Bottom," with the intention of frustrating any continuity announcers introducing the show. Eventually they settled for just Bottom, which both suited the low comedy of the series, and the fact that Richie and Eddie were "at the bottom of life's heap". It also provided the ability to produce episodes titled "'s Up
" and "'s Out
".
There are indications that the third broadcast episode, "Contest
", is actually the pilot
, the first episode to be recorded. Hints of this include Eddie actually having short hair instead of being bald (and having no sideburns), Richie having shorter hair, and subtle differences to the set, like the Hammond organ facing the camera instead of being placed against the back wall. Additionally the shop fascia visible from the living room window says 'Tandoori' whereas in other episodes it reads 'Kebab'. There is also a noticeable difference in the video quality of this episode compared to other episodes in Series One.
The series was scripted and recorded at thirty-five minutes, with it being edited down to thirty minutes in post production. The original length scripts can be found in the several script books released, and several completely removed scenes were included in the 'Fluff' VHS release that consisted mostly of blooper
s and out-takes
. Several (but not all) of these scenes, as well as some smaller sections of dialogue also removed for timing reasons, have been re-inserted for DVD releases (although the packaging does not promote this fact).
The final episode of the second series, "'s Out
", was not shown as part of the original broadcasts nor initial repeat run. The episode was set on Wimbledon Common, and involved Richie and Eddie encountering a flasher
; on 15 July 1992, after the episode was filmed but before it had aired, Rachel Nickell was sexually assaulted and murdered in front of her young son on the Common. Out of sensitivity, and with a hunt for the killer in progress, the BBC decided not to broadcast the episode at that time. It first appeared on the VHS release of series two, before finally being shown for the first time as part of a re-run of series two on 10 April 1995, following the first run of the third series.
Following series two, the series went out of production, with Edmondson and Mayall concentrating on other solo projects, as well as starting the very popular Bottom stage shows; but the series had been so well received that in late 1994, a third series was written and filmed, and broadcast at the start of 1995.
Despite Richie and Eddie seemingly being killed at the end of series three (something which also happened in the episode "Hole", only for them to reappear unharmed in the following episode), a fourth series was written, but turned down by the BBC.
'*' = Episodes where the episode features only the two main characters
'+' = Episodes where no part of the episode is set in the flat
and seemingly forget their lines and are forced to ad lib - although some audience members have reported the pair supposedly corpsing at the same set points in repeat performances, therefore making it unclear when genuine corpsing has taken place. During these breaks from the script, the two take part in bouts of one-upmanship, often referencing real-life events (most notably Mayall's well-publicised quad bike
accident in 1998) and the area of the venue.
The stage productions were far cruder than the television incarnation, featuring stronger language and new elements such as Richie's latent bisexuality
and occasional desire to have sex with Eddie, such is Richie's desperation to have sex with anything. All five live shows were given the 18 certificate
in the UK, as opposed to the 15 certificate
given to the TV series.
A performance of each live show was recorded and released on VHS
and later DVD. These shows have now been shown on Dave. The audio from the same performances were also edited for audiotape release.
, released in 1999. Strangely, the DVD release was advertised as the "Bottom movie", although this had been denied on its cinema release, as in 1999's interview on UK breakfast show The Big Breakfast the week prior to its British cinema release. Nevertheless, despite the characters being given new surnames ("Richard Twat" - which he insists is pronounced "Thwaite" - and "Eddie Elizabeth Ndingobamba"), they are effectively the same characters, transposed to the situation of running a grotty remote guest house next to a nuclear power plant. The style of humour was very much in the same vein as Bottom, with a storyline of the pair feeding guests radioactive fish, causing massive amounts of vomiting.
However, in December 2004, almost exactly one year after the Weapons Grade Y-Fronts tour had ended, Adrian Edmondson told the British Daily Mirror newspaper that the pair felt it was "[...] definitely time to stop. We're both getting too old. We both realised that the show wasn't as engaging as it used to be. We were starting to look a bit ridiculous. [...] We're both nearly fifty and we're starting to feel slightly undignified talking about wanking and knobs constantly." In April 2010, Edmondson confirmed to the Daily Express that he'd quit comedy, stating that his interest in it has declined for many years, and wanted to focus more on his band, claiming it is 'more fun than doing comedy.' He also rubbished the idea of a potential reunion with Rik Mayall, saying it is 'very unlikely'.
However, on 5 March 2011, the duo made a surprise reunion when Ade Edmondson partook in Let's Dance for Comic Relief
. The pre-recorded VT, which saw Ade highlight his sentimental side and his adoration for poetry, ended with Rik Mayall hurling a custard pie in his face. During his performance, dubbed "The Dying Swan," Rik appeared again, this time live on stage, to abruptly end Ade's performance by hitting him several times with a frying pan. Backstage, Ade mentioned that it had been eight years since they've "done anything like that. He went on to come out on top of the voting results and won a place in the final; (in which Rik returned, once again, to drop a ton weight upon Ade)
Following this, Adrian Edmonson mentioned that he and Rik Mayall had conceived an idea for a sitcom set in a retirement home. "Rik and I have an idea for a sitcom for when we are very, very old. We want to set it in an old people's home 30 years hence. It will be like Bottom, but we will be hitting each other with colostomy bags!" Edmonson said.
In Australia, Bottom: Series One Episodes 1-3 (Comedy Bites) was released on 4 March 2010.
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
television series that originally aired on BBC2
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
between 1991 and 1995. It was written by comic duo Rik Mayall
Rik Mayall
Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall is an English comedian, writer, and actor. He is known for his comedy partnership with Ade Edmondson, his over-the-top, energetic portrayal of characters, and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s...
and Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones and Bottom , for which he also wrote together with his long-time collaboration partner Rik Mayall.-Early life:Edmondson, the second of four children, was...
who star as Richie and Eddie, two flatmates living on the dole in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The program ran for three series, and was followed by five stage show tours across the United Kingdom between 1993 and 2003, and a 1999 film Guest House Paradiso
Guest House Paradiso
Guest House Paradiso is a 1999 British slapstick comedy film written by and starring comic duo Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, and directed by Edmondson his directorial debut. The film is semi-officially based on their comedy television series Bottom...
. Bottom is noted for its chaotic humour and violent comedy slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
.
In 2008, Bottom came in at number 45 in a poll to determine "Britain's Best Sitcom" by the BBC. The show continues to be shown in the UK on GOLD and Dave, and has been dubbed in other languages. In Spain the show is known as La pareja basura (The Trash Couple) which aired on Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
. The theme music was provided by The Bum Notes
The Bum Notes
The Bum Notes are/were a jazz ensemble featuring British actor Adrian Edmondson. Their music was used in the BBC sitcom Bottom, which was co-written and starred Edmondson along with co-star Rik Mayall. The memorable end-credit sequence, featuring silhouettes of Edmondson and Mayall fighting and...
, a band that once featured Edmondson, and is a cover of "B.B. Blues" by B.B. King.
Cast and characters
- Adrian EdmondsonAdrian EdmondsonAdrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones and Bottom , for which he also wrote together with his long-time collaboration partner Rik Mayall.-Early life:Edmondson, the second of four children, was...
as Edward "Eddie" Elizabeth Hitler - Rik MayallRik MayallRichard Michael "Rik" Mayall is an English comedian, writer, and actor. He is known for his comedy partnership with Ade Edmondson, his over-the-top, energetic portrayal of characters, and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s...
as Richard "Richie" Richard
Recurring characters:
- Steve O'Donnell as Spud-gun
- Christopher RyanChristopher RyanChristopher Ryan is an English actor. Ryan is perhaps best known for his role as Mike "The Cool Person" in the BBC comedy series The Young Ones.-Early life:...
as Dave Hedgehog - Lee CornesLee CornesLee Cornes is a British actor.He appeared in three series of Blackadder, as a talking extra, in two episodes of The Young Ones and in the TV show Bottom, as barman, 'Dick Head'. He made an appearance in the first episode of Filthy, Rich & Catflap as a binman. He also starred in children's drama...
as Dick Head
Plot
Eddie and Richie are two crude, perverted lunatics, with no jobs, very little money and only a filthy flat in HammersmithHammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
(located at "11, Mafeking Parade") to their name. The two spend their time coming up with desperate schemes to acquire sex, attacking each other violently, and getting into dodgy deals and scrapes with the law.
Richie is a clumsy, pompous dimwit who attempts to make himself out as being much higher in social status than he actually is, and is both deranged and desperate; obsessed with sex. Eddie, a cheerfully violent drunkard, meanwhile spends his time getting drunk and wasting the dole money, although he occasionally has moments of demented genius. Eddie's friends—the gormless Spudgun and Dave Hedgehog—both fear Richie, thinking he's psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
. Although the pair sometimes venture out (the most common location being the local pub, the Lamb and Flag), many of the episodes are set simply within the confines of the pair's squalid flat.
As well as traces of Mayall and Edmondson's earlier characters from their previous sitcom Filthy Rich & Catflap
Filthy Rich & Catflap
Filthy Rich & Catflap was a BBC sitcom produced in 1986 and broadcast early the next year.The series featured former The Young Ones stars Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as its three title characters respectively...
, the series also has echoes of warped versions of both Hancock's Half Hour
Hancock's Half Hour
Hancock's Half Hour was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy, series of the 1950s and 60s written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sid James; the radio version also co-starred, at various times, Moira Lister, Andrée Melly, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr...
and Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son
Steptoe and Son is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about two rag and bone men living in Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC from 1962 to 1965, followed by a second run from 1970 to 1974. Its theme tune, "Old...
.
Origins and production
The idea for Bottom was spawned when, in 1991, Edmondson and Mayall co-starred in the West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production of Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
's Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
at the Queen's Theatre
Queen's Theatre
The Queen's Theatre is a West End theatre located in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. It opened on 8 October 1907 as a twin to the neighbouring Gielgud Theatre which opened ten months earlier. Both theatres were designed by W.G.R...
. They have said Bottom was often intended to be a cruder cousin to plays like Waiting for Godot.
However, the origins of the characters are rooted much more deeply. Edmondson and Mayall had been working together since the late 1970s, when they teamed up as "20th Century Coyote
20th Century Coyote
20th Century Coyote was a comedy group famous for first uniting Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson. Mayall started the group at Manchester University with friend Lloyd Peters and some others and attempted to gain a lunchtime residency at the Band on the Wall club...
". Over the course of their career, they developed the characters of Richie and Eddie, based loosely on their own relationship. The names themselves come from Edmondson's and Mayall's own nicknames for each other; many of Mayall's characters are referred to by some variation of the name "Richard" and "Eddie" is taken from "Eddie Monsoon", Edmondson's nickname since University, which is a play on his then stage name, Ade Edmondson (compare Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous
Absolutely Fabulous
Absolutely Fabulous, also known as Ab Fab, is a British sitcom created by Jennifer Saunders, based on an original idea by her and Dawn French, and written by Saunders, who plays the leading character. It also stars Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha, along with June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks...
, who is called "Eddie" by her friend Patsy, and is played by Edmondson's Comic Strip
The Comic Strip
The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, known for their television series The Comic Strip Presents.... The core members are Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Peter Richardson and Jennifer Saunders, with frequent appearances by Keith Allen, Robbie Coltrane and...
fellow and wife Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award.She first came into...
). Edmondson played an unrelated character also called Eddie Monsoon in the second series of The Comic Strip in the episode called Eddie Monsoon: A Life (1984).
The Young Ones (TV series)
The Young Ones is a British sitcom, first broadcast in 1982, which ran for two series on BBC2. Its anarchic, offbeat humour helped bring alternative comedy to television in the 1980s and made household names of its writers and performers...
(Rick and Vyvyan, 1982-1984); The Dangerous Brothers
The Dangerous Brothers
The Dangerous Brothers was a stage and TV act by anarchic comedy duo Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, performing respectively as "Richard Dangerous" and "Sir Adrian Dangerous". Although originating before the show, they appeared in a number of brief sketches in the 1980s TV programme Saturday Live...
(Richard Dangerous and Sir Adrian Dangerous, 1985); Filthy, Rich and Catflap (Richie Rich and Eddie Catflap, 1987); Mr. Jolly Lives Next Door
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door is a 1987 comedy film made for British television as part of The Comic Strip Presents... series and was originally broadcast on Channel 4.-Plot:...
(names not mentioned, 1988); and finally in their adaptation of Waiting for Godot (1991). The series also continued an occasional trend of Edmonson's character having a female name — in this case Edward Elizabeth Hitler.
Edmondson admitted on a 1995 appearance on Pebble Mill at One
Pebble Mill at One
Pebble Mill at One was a popular British lunchtime chat show broadcast live originally on BBC2 before transferring to BBC1. It was produced from the Pebble Mill facilities of BBC Birmingham, and uniquely was hosted from the centre's main reception area rather than a traditional studio...
that the original name for the show was "My Bottom," with the intention of frustrating any continuity announcers introducing the show. Eventually they settled for just Bottom, which both suited the low comedy of the series, and the fact that Richie and Eddie were "at the bottom of life's heap". It also provided the ability to produce episodes titled "'s Up
's Up
"s Up" is the fifth episode of the first series of British sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on Tuesday 15 October 1991.-Synopsis:...
" and "'s Out
'S Out
s Out is an episode produced for the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. For reasons of sensitivity, however, it did not air until 10 April 1995 - nearly three years after it was produced...
".
There are indications that the third broadcast episode, "Contest
Contest (Bottom episode)
"Contest" is the third episode of the first series of British sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on Monday September 30, 1991.-Synopsis:...
", is actually the pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
, the first episode to be recorded. Hints of this include Eddie actually having short hair instead of being bald (and having no sideburns), Richie having shorter hair, and subtle differences to the set, like the Hammond organ facing the camera instead of being placed against the back wall. Additionally the shop fascia visible from the living room window says 'Tandoori' whereas in other episodes it reads 'Kebab'. There is also a noticeable difference in the video quality of this episode compared to other episodes in Series One.
The series was scripted and recorded at thirty-five minutes, with it being edited down to thirty minutes in post production. The original length scripts can be found in the several script books released, and several completely removed scenes were included in the 'Fluff' VHS release that consisted mostly of blooper
Blooper
A blooper, also known as an outtake or boner is a short sequence of a film or video production, usually a deleted scene, containing a mistake made by a member of the cast or crew. It also refers to an error made during a live radio or TV broadcast or news report, usually in terms of misspoken words...
s and out-takes
Outtake
An outtake is a portion of a work that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and DVD reissues of many albums and films as bonus tracks or features, in film often, but not...
. Several (but not all) of these scenes, as well as some smaller sections of dialogue also removed for timing reasons, have been re-inserted for DVD releases (although the packaging does not promote this fact).
The final episode of the second series, "'s Out
'S Out
s Out is an episode produced for the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. For reasons of sensitivity, however, it did not air until 10 April 1995 - nearly three years after it was produced...
", was not shown as part of the original broadcasts nor initial repeat run. The episode was set on Wimbledon Common, and involved Richie and Eddie encountering a flasher
Indecent exposure
Indecent exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of his or her body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior. Indecent exposure laws vary in different...
; on 15 July 1992, after the episode was filmed but before it had aired, Rachel Nickell was sexually assaulted and murdered in front of her young son on the Common. Out of sensitivity, and with a hunt for the killer in progress, the BBC decided not to broadcast the episode at that time. It first appeared on the VHS release of series two, before finally being shown for the first time as part of a re-run of series two on 10 April 1995, following the first run of the third series.
Following series two, the series went out of production, with Edmondson and Mayall concentrating on other solo projects, as well as starting the very popular Bottom stage shows; but the series had been so well received that in late 1994, a third series was written and filmed, and broadcast at the start of 1995.
Despite Richie and Eddie seemingly being killed at the end of series three (something which also happened in the episode "Hole", only for them to reappear unharmed in the following episode), a fourth series was written, but turned down by the BBC.
Episodes list
The following is a list of all the episodes of Bottom. Every episode's name is meant to be a suffix to the word Bottom.Series 1 (1991)
| Title | First broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| "Smells Smells (Bottom episode) "Smells" is the first episode of British sitcom Bottom. The episode was originally transmitted on Tuesday 17 September 1991.-Synopsis:Richie and Eddie are finding it impossible to attract women and they attempt to pick up women using sex spray supposedly loaded with pheromones.-Plot:Richie and... " |
Richie and Eddie take advantage of a revolutionary new sex-spray and head to the pub. | |
| "Gas Gas (Bottom episode) "Gas" is the second episode of the first series of British sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on Tuesday September 24, 1991.-Synopsis:... " |
After accidentally beating up the Gas Man, Richie and Eddie must remove an illegal gas pipe without disturbing their violent neighbour. | |
| "Contest Contest (Bottom episode) "Contest" is the third episode of the first series of British sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on Monday September 30, 1991.-Synopsis:... " * |
After Eddie spends their £11.80 dole on a second-hand copy of Parade Parade (British magazine) Parade was a British magazine for men.It was originally known as Blighty between 1916 and 1920 and was intended as a humorous magazine for servicemen... , the pair place a bet on the "Miss World Miss World The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951... " contest. |
|
| "Apocalypse Apocalypse (Bottom episode) "Apocalypse" is the fourth episode of the first series of British sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on Tuesday 8 October 1991.-Synopsis:... " |
After receiving £600 from his auntie's will, Richie ends up receiving a curse from a Gypsy fortune teller. | |
| "'s Up 's Up "s Up" is the fifth episode of the first series of British sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on Tuesday 15 October 1991.-Synopsis:... " |
Richie and Eddie are left in charge of their landlord's shop. | |
| "Accident Accident (Bottom episode) "Accident" is the sixth and final episode of the first series of British sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on Monday 28 October 1991. This episode sees the first appearance of Eddie's "real friends" Spudgun and Dave Hedgehog .-Synopsis:Richie breaks his leg, but he is determined not to let it... " |
Richie breaks his leg, but is determined not to let it spoil his birthday celebrations. | |
Series 2 (1992)
| Title | First broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| "Digger Digger (Bottom episode) "Digger" is the first episode of the second series of British TV sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on 1 October 1992.-Synopsis :After visiting a dating agency, Richie and his 'Butler', Jives prepare to entertain aristocracy, with Richie having sold his kidney on the black market to afford the... " |
Richie secures a date by pretending to be an aristocrat Aristocracy Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy... . |
|
| "Culture Culture (Bottom episode) Culture is the second episode of the second series of British TV sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on 8 October 1992. It is the second episode to feature only the two main characters.- Synopsis :... " * |
When their TV is 'taken away', Richie and Eddie desperately try to find ways to fend off boredom. | |
| "Burglary Burglary (Bottom episode) "Burglary" is the third episode of the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on the 15 October 1992.-Plot:The episode begins with Eddie staggering drunkenly into the flat... " |
Richie and Eddie catch a burglar. | |
| "Parade Parade (Bottom episode) "Parade" is the fourth episode of the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on 22 October 1992. This was the first of three episodes not to be set in the flat at all.-Plot:... " + |
Richie and Eddie get free money from an identity parade. | |
| "Holy Holy (Bottom episode) Holy is the fifth episode of the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on October 29, 1992.-Synopsis:It's Christmas time in Hammersmith once again, and Richie and Eddie experience a Christmas miracle.-Plot:... " |
Richie and Eddie experience a Christmas Day miracle Miracle A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws... . |
|
| "'s Out 'S Out s Out is an episode produced for the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. For reasons of sensitivity, however, it did not air until 10 April 1995 - nearly three years after it was produced... " + |
Richie and Eddie go camping Camping Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no... out on Wimbledon Common. |
Series 3 (1995)
| Title | First broadcast | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|
| "Hole Hole (Bottom episode) "Hole" is the first episode of the third series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on 6 January 1995. It is notable as the last of only three episodes to feature only the two main characters, however it is the only one of the three to be set entirely outside of the flat... " * + |
Richie and Eddie are trapped at the top of the tallest Ferris wheel in western Europe which is due to be blown up the very next day. | |
| "Terror Terror (Bottom episode) Terror is the second episode of the third series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on 13 January 1995.-Synopsis:One night, Eddie answers the door, and is greeted by a group of children playing Trick or Treat. When he fails to give them any sweets, they "trick" him by... " |
The pair plan a Halloween Halloween Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day... party and go trick or treating. |
|
| "Break Break (Bottom episode) Break is the third episode of the third series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on 20 January 1995.- Plot :Richie and Eddie return home in the afternoon from the pub, having bought a last-minute 75% discounted seaside holiday to Bridlington, leaving that night at... " |
The duo prepare for their holidays in Doncaster. | |
| "Dough Dough (Bottom episode) "Dough" is the fourth episode of the third series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on 27 January 1995.-Synopsis:... " |
Eddie begins forging money, forcing the duo and their friends to enter a pub quiz to pay off a thug. | |
| "Finger Finger (Bottom episode) Finger is the fifth episode of the third series of British television sitcom, Bottom. It was first broadcast on February 3, 1995.-Synopsis:Richie storms into the flat one day loudly complaining at Eddie, who ruled Richie out in the first innings of that morning's cricket match despite being nowhere... " |
The pair descend upon a luxury hotel disguised as honeymooners Mr and Mrs Cannonball Taffy O'Jones | |
| "Carnival Carnival (Bottom episode) Carnival is the sixth and final episode of the third and final series of British television sitcom Bottom. It was first broadcast on 10 February 1995.-Synopsis:... " |
Richie and Eddie have the best seats for the annual Hammersmith riots and then try to make videos for the BBC | |
'*' = Episodes where the episode features only the two main characters
'+' = Episodes where no part of the episode is set in the flat
Stage shows
The television series spawned five extremely popular live tours, each accompanied by a live recording released on VHS and DVD. The two performers often corpseCorpsing
Corpsing is a British theatrical slang term used to describe when an actor unintentionally breaks character during a scene by laughing or by causing another cast member to laugh...
and seemingly forget their lines and are forced to ad lib - although some audience members have reported the pair supposedly corpsing at the same set points in repeat performances, therefore making it unclear when genuine corpsing has taken place. During these breaks from the script, the two take part in bouts of one-upmanship, often referencing real-life events (most notably Mayall's well-publicised quad bike
Quad bike
A Quad bike is recognised by UK law as a vehicle with four wheels and a mass of less than 550 kg.To drive a quad bike on a public road, in the UK, requires a B1 licence as well as tax, insurance and registration.-19th century:...
accident in 1998) and the area of the venue.
The stage productions were far cruder than the television incarnation, featuring stronger language and new elements such as Richie's latent bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
and occasional desire to have sex with Eddie, such is Richie's desperation to have sex with anything. All five live shows were given the 18 certificate
18 certificate
The 18 certificate is issued by the British Board of Film Classification to state that, in its opinion, a film, video recording, or game should not be seen or purchased by a person under 18 years old....
in the UK, as opposed to the 15 certificate
15 certificate
The 15 certificate is issued by the British Board of Film Classification to state that, in its opinion, a film, video recording, or game should not be seen or purchased by a person under 15 years old....
given to the TV series.
A performance of each live show was recorded and released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and later DVD. These shows have now been shown on Dave. The audio from the same performances were also edited for audiotape release.
| Title | Year | Recording location |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom Live Bottom Live Bottom Live – The Stage Show is a live stage show based on the UK TV series Bottom. It ran in 1993 and was recorded for VHS release at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton... |
1993 | Southampton Southampton Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest... Mayflower Theatre Mayflower Theatre The Mayflower is a Grade II listed theatre, in the city centre of Southampton, United Kingdom, with a capacity of 2,300. It features West End theatre shows when they tour the UK. The theatre opened on the 22 December 1928, as The Empire Theatre, part of the Moss Empire theatre group... |
| Bottom Live: The Big Number Two Tour Bottom Live: The Big Number Two Tour Bottom Live: The Big Number Two is a live stage show based on the UK TV series Bottom that was filmed in Oxford.-Act one:After a strange, half-mentioned turn of events, Richie and Eddie are about to meet the queen. Richie is very excited over it while Eddie keeps forgetting it, because he 's... |
1995 | Oxford Oxford The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through... New Theatre New Theatre New Theatre or New Theater may refer to:In the United Kingdom* The New Theatre , Wales* The New Theatre * The Noël Coward Theatre, London * New Theatre , The University Of Nottingham's student run theatre... |
| Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island is a live stage show that was viewed at Bristol in 1997, written by and starring Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmonson. This is the third installment of five live Bottom shows, and one spin-off movie named Guest House Paradiso.... |
1997 | Bristol Hippodrome Bristol Hippodrome The Bristol Hippodrome is a theatre in the centre of Bristol, England with seating on three levels giving a capacity of 1,951. It frequently features West End theatre shows when they tour the UK as well regular visits by Welsh National Opera, and an annual pantomime.- History :The theatre was... |
| Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity Bottom Live 2001: An Arse Oddity -Plot:The first act involves Eddie and Richie once again on the tropical island from Bottom Live 3: Hooligan's Island. However, this is effectively a "play within a play": after the first act, the pair are on their way to the bar when they fall down chutes into a grey dome in which they become... |
2001 | Nottingham Royal Concert Hall Nottingham Royal Concert Hall The Royal Concert Hall in the English city of Nottingham, is part of the city's Royal Centre, which also incorporates the Victorian Theatre Royal... |
| Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour Bottom Live 2003: Weapons Grade Y-Fronts Tour is a live stage show based on the UK TV series Bottom. It ran in 2003 and was recorded for VHS and DVD release at the Cliffs Pavilion Theatre in Southend... |
2003 | Southend The Cliffs Pavilion |
Guest House Paradiso
Following the 1997 "Hooligan's Island" tour, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson wrote a spin-off movie together, which Edmondson directed, entitled Guest House ParadisoGuest House Paradiso
Guest House Paradiso is a 1999 British slapstick comedy film written by and starring comic duo Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, and directed by Edmondson his directorial debut. The film is semi-officially based on their comedy television series Bottom...
, released in 1999. Strangely, the DVD release was advertised as the "Bottom movie", although this had been denied on its cinema release, as in 1999's interview on UK breakfast show The Big Breakfast the week prior to its British cinema release. Nevertheless, despite the characters being given new surnames ("Richard Twat" - which he insists is pronounced "Thwaite" - and "Eddie Elizabeth Ndingobamba"), they are effectively the same characters, transposed to the situation of running a grotty remote guest house next to a nuclear power plant. The style of humour was very much in the same vein as Bottom, with a storyline of the pair feeding guests radioactive fish, causing massive amounts of vomiting.
Future of Bottom
Though the pair are currently working apart, a fourth series was at one point written, but the BBC declined the script, despite announcing that Bottom would return in a voice-over during the end-credits of the original broadcast of the final episode. (Mayall has commented, in typical style, that it was "rejected by some lesbian bitch"). Edmondson has, however, stated in interviews that he would like to make another series of Bottom with Mayall, but "in about fifteen years' time, when they are old men". Rik Mayall maintains that they will work together again in the future, they just need "a good idea".However, in December 2004, almost exactly one year after the Weapons Grade Y-Fronts tour had ended, Adrian Edmondson told the British Daily Mirror newspaper that the pair felt it was "[...] definitely time to stop. We're both getting too old. We both realised that the show wasn't as engaging as it used to be. We were starting to look a bit ridiculous. [...] We're both nearly fifty and we're starting to feel slightly undignified talking about wanking and knobs constantly." In April 2010, Edmondson confirmed to the Daily Express that he'd quit comedy, stating that his interest in it has declined for many years, and wanted to focus more on his band, claiming it is 'more fun than doing comedy.' He also rubbished the idea of a potential reunion with Rik Mayall, saying it is 'very unlikely'.
However, on 5 March 2011, the duo made a surprise reunion when Ade Edmondson partook in Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief is a British television programme shown on BBC One, featuring celebrities performing famous dance routines to raise money for the charity Comic Relief. The programme is currently presented by Steve Jones and Alex Jones, who replaced previous host Claudia Winkleman in...
. The pre-recorded VT, which saw Ade highlight his sentimental side and his adoration for poetry, ended with Rik Mayall hurling a custard pie in his face. During his performance, dubbed "The Dying Swan," Rik appeared again, this time live on stage, to abruptly end Ade's performance by hitting him several times with a frying pan. Backstage, Ade mentioned that it had been eight years since they've "done anything like that. He went on to come out on top of the voting results and won a place in the final; (in which Rik returned, once again, to drop a ton weight upon Ade)
Following this, Adrian Edmonson mentioned that he and Rik Mayall had conceived an idea for a sitcom set in a retirement home. "Rik and I have an idea for a sitcom for when we are very, very old. We want to set it in an old people's home 30 years hence. It will be like Bottom, but we will be hitting each other with colostomy bags!" Edmonson said.
DVD releases
| DVD Title | Disc # | Year | No. of Ep. | DVD release | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 DVD region code DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region... |
Region 2 DVD region code DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region... |
Region 4 DVD region code DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region... |
|||||
| Complete Series 1 | 1 | 1991 1991 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1991.-Events:*1 January – The Independent Television Commission replaces the Independent Broadcasting Authority... |
6 | — | 18 August 2003 | 6 October 2005 | |
| Complete Series 2 | 1 | 1992 1992 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1992.-Events:*7 January – Debut of Cold Blood – The Massacre of East Timor, an edition of the documentary strand First Tuesday concerning the Santa Cruz massacre.... & 1995 1995 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1995.-Events:*3 February – An edition of the live morning ITV discussion programme The Time, The Place is abruptly ended ten minutes early... |
6 | — | 30 August 2004 | 2 March 2006 | |
| Complete Series 3 | 1 | 1995 1995 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1995.-Events:*3 February – An edition of the live morning ITV discussion programme The Time, The Place is abruptly ended ten minutes early... |
6 | — | 8 August 2005 | 6 July 2006 | |
| Complete Series 1 - 3 | 3 | 1991 1991 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1991.-Events:*1 January – The Independent Television Commission replaces the Independent Broadcasting Authority... - 1995 1995 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1995.-Events:*3 February – An edition of the live morning ITV discussion programme The Time, The Place is abruptly ended ten minutes early... |
18 | 30 September 2003 | 3 October 2005 | 5 October 2006 | |
| The Very Best of... | 1 | 1991 1991 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1991.-Events:*1 January – The Independent Television Commission replaces the Independent Broadcasting Authority... - 1995 1995 in British television This is a list of British television related events from 1995.-Events:*3 February – An edition of the live morning ITV discussion programme The Time, The Place is abruptly ended ten minutes early... |
5 | — | 5 August 2002 | 8 August 2002 | |
In Australia, Bottom: Series One Episodes 1-3 (Comedy Bites) was released on 4 March 2010.
External links
Comedy Guide- Bottom at Brtitsh TV Comedy Guide
- Britfilm's review of Guest House Paradiso