Hippies (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Hippies is a six-part British
television comedy series broadcast from 12 November to 17 December 1999. It was created by Arthur Mathews
and Graham Linehan
, the writing partnership most famous for Father Ted
, but the scripts were written by Mathews alone.
It starred Simon Pegg
, Sally Phillips
, Julian Rhind-Tutt
and Darren Boyd
.
' and is set around Ray Purbbs (Pegg), who is the editor of a counterculture
magazine called Mouth (a parody of Oz
, International Times
, Frendz and other underground magazines of the time), which he produces in his flat in Notting Hill Gate
. He is aided by Alex Picton-Dinch (Rhind-Tutt), Hugo Yemp (Boyd) and Jill Sprint (Phillips), Sprint is also Purbbs' girlfriend, or he thinks she is his girlfriend.
The series delved into late 1960s culture and involved the characters in various ridiculous situations in this setting.
. As such it received a significant amount of pre-release hype which viewers felt let down by after watching the first few episodes, as it did not meet their expectations. In general it was badly received by critics.
A second series was commissioned, but was never written after Mathews was put off by the negative critical reaction.
Hippies has never been repeated on any terrestrial BBC
channels, although it has been repeated on Paramount Comedy 2 (now Comedy Central Extra
), the now defunct UK Play, and G.O.L.D..
The series was released on Region 0
DVD in the UK in March 2008.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television comedy series broadcast from 12 November to 17 December 1999. It was created by Arthur Mathews
Arthur Mathews (writer)
Arthur Mathews is an Irish comedy writer and actor who, often with writing partner Graham Linehan, has either written or contributed to a number of popular television comedies, most notably Father Ted. He is a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology...
and Graham Linehan
Graham Linehan
Graham Linehan is an Irish television writer, actor, comedian and director who, often in partnership with Arthur Mathews, has written or co-written a number of popular television comedies...
, the writing partnership most famous for Father Ted
Father Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
, but the scripts were written by Mathews alone.
It starred Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
, Sally Phillips
Sally Phillips
-Career:Sally Phillips was the only woman in the 1990 Oxford Revue THRASH which also starred Ed Smith. She did nine consecutive Edinburgh Festivals, appearing in shows such as Ra-Ra-Rasputin, Arthur Smith's version of Hamlet and Cluub Zarathustra with Simon Munnery, Stewart Lee, Richard Thomas,...
, Julian Rhind-Tutt
Julian Rhind-Tutt
Julian Alistair Rhind-Tutt is an English actor. He is best known for his starring role as "Mac" McCartney in the comedy television series Green Wing, the second series of which finished on Channel 4 in May 2006...
and Darren Boyd
Darren Boyd
Darren Boyd is an English actor well known for his roles in Smack the Pony, Green Wing, Whites and most recently for playing the role of John Cleese in Holy Flying Circus. He is a classically trained singer, and played a jazz musician in NBC’s Watching Ellie...
.
Synopsis
Hippies is set in 1969 in 'Swinging LondonSwinging London
Swinging London is a catch-all term applied to the fashion and cultural scene that flourished in London, in the 1960s.It was a youth-oriented phenomenon that emphasised the new and modern. It was a period of optimism and hedonism, and a cultural revolution. One catalyst was the recovery of the...
' and is set around Ray Purbbs (Pegg), who is the editor of a counterculture
Counterculture
Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior...
magazine called Mouth (a parody of Oz
Oz (magazine)
Oz was first published as a satirical humour magazine between 1963 and 1969 in Sydney, Australia and, in its second and better known incarnation, became a "psychedelic hippy" magazine from 1967 to 1973 in London...
, International Times
International Times
International Times was an underground newspaper founded in London in 1966. Editors included Hoppy, David Mairowitz, Pete Stansill, Barry Miles, Jim Haynes and playwright Tom McGrath...
, Frendz and other underground magazines of the time), which he produces in his flat in Notting Hill Gate
Notting Hill Gate
Notting Hill Gate is one of the main thoroughfares of Notting Hill, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Historically the street was a location for toll gates, from which it derives its modern name.- Location :...
. He is aided by Alex Picton-Dinch (Rhind-Tutt), Hugo Yemp (Boyd) and Jill Sprint (Phillips), Sprint is also Purbbs' girlfriend, or he thinks she is his girlfriend.
The series delved into late 1960s culture and involved the characters in various ridiculous situations in this setting.
Episodes
| # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Protesting Hippies | 12 November 1999 |
| 1.2 | Hairy Hippies | 19 November 1999 |
| 1.3 | Sexy Hippies | 26 November 1999 |
| 1.4 | Hippy Dippy Hippies | 3 December 1999 |
| 1.5 | Muddy Hippies | 10 December 1999 |
| 1.6 | Disgusting Hippies | 17 December 1999 |
Critical reaction
The series was Mathews and Linehan's immediate follow up to the hugely popular and highly successful, Father TedFather Ted
Father Ted is a comedy series set in Ireland that was produced by Hat Trick Productions for British broadcaster Channel 4. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May...
. As such it received a significant amount of pre-release hype which viewers felt let down by after watching the first few episodes, as it did not meet their expectations. In general it was badly received by critics.
A second series was commissioned, but was never written after Mathews was put off by the negative critical reaction.
Hippies has never been repeated on any terrestrial BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
channels, although it has been repeated on Paramount Comedy 2 (now Comedy Central Extra
Paramount Comedy 2
Comedy Central Extra is a television channel shown in United Kingdom and on some digital/cable services in the Republic of Ireland. The channel was previously a so-called 'timeshuffle' service, offering programmes from Paramount Comedy at different times. It has since started broadcasting some...
), the now defunct UK Play, and G.O.L.D..
The series was released on Region 0
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...
DVD in the UK in March 2008.