Terror (Bottom episode)
Encyclopedia
Terror is the second episode of the third series of British
television
sitcom, Bottom
. It was first broadcast on 13 January 1995.
. When he fails to give them any sweets, they "trick" him by ramming a toy trident into his crotch. Realising that it's Halloween
, Richie forms a plan; he and Eddie will go trick-or-treating to raise money for a party which will feature, in Richie's words "lots of booze and birds and shaggy-shaggy-shag." They go down to the local costume shop, and Richie returns with a woman's devil outfit, while Eddie ends up dressed up in a giant banana costume. To make sure that people give them money, Richie asks Eddie to bring along an electric cattle prod
which they have somehow obtained; unfortunately, when he tries to use it the electricity arcs back and causes Richie's bowels to loosen, ruining one of his three pairs of tights
.
A few hours later, Richie and Eddie have managed to get some sweets (and apples with razor blades embedded), but no money. Eddie then spots the kids that he saw at the start of the episode, and suggests that he and Richie beat them up and take their sweets. The reverse happens, however; the kids beat up Richie and Eddie, and take all their sweets. Determined to press on, Richie knocks on the door of the next house they come to, which turns out to be owned by Spudgun. When it turns out that he doesn't even know what trick-or-treating is, Richie orders Eddie to zap him with the cattle prod. Eddie misinterprets the request however and zaps Richie instead, causing him to soil himself again. After discreetly changing his tights for the second time, Richie takes the cattle prod and tries to zap Spudgun, only for the electricity to arc back on himself again, resulting in his final pair of tights being ruined. A humiliated Richie then changes his plan and tells Spudgun that he and Eddie are having a party that night, but everyone has to put in some money for the beer. This time Spudgun agrees, and Richie tells him to invite everyone he knows.
While preparing for the party, Eddie creates a batch of exploding carrots, and Richie creates some snacks using sprouts that are nearly a year out of date, a large amount of curry
spices and gunpowder
. Richie tries to prove that they're safe to eat, but passes out immediately after eating one, and awakes an hour and a half later, now (unknowingly) shooting flames out of his backside whenever he breaks wind. Spudgun arrives, but it turns out that Dave Hedgehog is the only person he knows apart from Richie and Eddie, and Richie's planned "shagathon" ends up reduced to the four sitting around and drinking Eddie's highly corrosive homebrew
. While Eddie, Spudgun and Hedgehog don't mind this, Richie is sorely disappointed, and goes on a rant against God, claiming that he would be better off serving the Devil. This gives him the idea to try and call up the Devil, in a half-hearted Satanic ritual with the other three serving as his acolytes. Richie forces the others to eat his sprouts, then does so himself, and they all pass out.
The four wake up some time later (now all with flaming flatulence), and immediately hear a knocking noise from the front door. Richie answers it with some apprehension, and finds a young woman named Doreen wearing a Halloween Devil's mask, causing Richie to think that she's the Devil. He invites her in and, asks for twenty-five years of non-stop sex in exchange for giving her his immortal soul. Reacting to the increasingly strange situation, she then removes her mask and reveals herself as Doreen Hedgehog, Dave's daughter. She's been sent to find out why her dad's out so late. Spudgun then accidentally breaks wind, and the jet of flame from his rear end detonates the box of explosive carrots Eddie had prepared earlier.
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
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom, Bottom
Bottom (TV series)
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...
. 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 TreatTrick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating or "Guising", is a customary practice for children on Halloween in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats such as candy with the question "Trick or treat?"...
. When he fails to give them any sweets, they "trick" him by ramming a toy trident into his crotch. Realising that it's 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...
, Richie forms a plan; he and Eddie will go trick-or-treating to raise money for a party which will feature, in Richie's words "lots of booze and birds and shaggy-shaggy-shag." They go down to the local costume shop, and Richie returns with a woman's devil outfit, while Eddie ends up dressed up in a giant banana costume. To make sure that people give them money, Richie asks Eddie to bring along an electric cattle prod
Cattle prod
A cattle prod, also called a stock prod, is a handheld device commonly used to make cattle or other livestock move by striking or poking them, or in the case of a Hot-Shot-type prod, through a relatively high-voltage, low-current electric shock...
which they have somehow obtained; unfortunately, when he tries to use it the electricity arcs back and causes Richie's bowels to loosen, ruining one of his three pairs of tights
Tights
Tights are a kind of cloth leg garment, most often sheathing the body from about the waist to the feet with a more or less tight fit, hence the name....
.
A few hours later, Richie and Eddie have managed to get some sweets (and apples with razor blades embedded), but no money. Eddie then spots the kids that he saw at the start of the episode, and suggests that he and Richie beat them up and take their sweets. The reverse happens, however; the kids beat up Richie and Eddie, and take all their sweets. Determined to press on, Richie knocks on the door of the next house they come to, which turns out to be owned by Spudgun. When it turns out that he doesn't even know what trick-or-treating is, Richie orders Eddie to zap him with the cattle prod. Eddie misinterprets the request however and zaps Richie instead, causing him to soil himself again. After discreetly changing his tights for the second time, Richie takes the cattle prod and tries to zap Spudgun, only for the electricity to arc back on himself again, resulting in his final pair of tights being ruined. A humiliated Richie then changes his plan and tells Spudgun that he and Eddie are having a party that night, but everyone has to put in some money for the beer. This time Spudgun agrees, and Richie tells him to invite everyone he knows.
While preparing for the party, Eddie creates a batch of exploding carrots, and Richie creates some snacks using sprouts that are nearly a year out of date, a large amount of curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
spices and gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
. Richie tries to prove that they're safe to eat, but passes out immediately after eating one, and awakes an hour and a half later, now (unknowingly) shooting flames out of his backside whenever he breaks wind. Spudgun arrives, but it turns out that Dave Hedgehog is the only person he knows apart from Richie and Eddie, and Richie's planned "shagathon" ends up reduced to the four sitting around and drinking Eddie's highly corrosive homebrew
Homebrewing
Homebrewing is the brewing of beer, wine, sake, mead, cider, perry and other beverages through fermentation on a small scale as a hobby for personal consumption, free distribution at social gatherings, amateur brewing competitions or other non-commercial reasons...
. While Eddie, Spudgun and Hedgehog don't mind this, Richie is sorely disappointed, and goes on a rant against God, claiming that he would be better off serving the Devil. This gives him the idea to try and call up the Devil, in a half-hearted Satanic ritual with the other three serving as his acolytes. Richie forces the others to eat his sprouts, then does so himself, and they all pass out.
The four wake up some time later (now all with flaming flatulence), and immediately hear a knocking noise from the front door. Richie answers it with some apprehension, and finds a young woman named Doreen wearing a Halloween Devil's mask, causing Richie to think that she's the Devil. He invites her in and, asks for twenty-five years of non-stop sex in exchange for giving her his immortal soul. Reacting to the increasingly strange situation, she then removes her mask and reveals herself as Doreen Hedgehog, Dave's daughter. She's been sent to find out why her dad's out so late. Spudgun then accidentally breaks wind, and the jet of flame from his rear end detonates the box of explosive carrots Eddie had prepared earlier.
Pop culture references
- A poster for the band The Jesus and Mary ChainThe Jesus and Mary ChainThe Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
can be seen clearly during the fight scene with the kids dressed as devils. There is also a Slayer poster (for their 'Divine Intervention' album)seen as the kids walk away discussing their plunder from beating Richie and Eddie.
- A poster for the video game Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is a scrolling fighting game for the Super NES and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, developed by Software Creations and published by LJN in 1994...
can be seen during the same fight scene as listed above.
Consistency Errors
- Richie, Eddie, Hedgehog and Spudgun are expecting a visit from the DevilDevilThe Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
. They all become nervous when they find out the Devil drinks virgin's blood. However, in previous episodes, Eddie has mentioned that he has had sex with several girls (Ethel Cardew in "'S Up," Lady Natasha in "Digger," and two casual girlfriends, one of whom 'works in Sketchley's on a Saturday afternoon,' the other who lives in Chiswick, in "'S Out") and Hedgehog even has a daughter - who appears in this very episode when she is mistaken for the Devil.
Cast
- 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...
- Richard Richard - Adrian Edmondson - Eddie Hitler
- Steve O'Donnell - Spudgun
- 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:...
- Dave Hedgehog - Lisa Coleman - Doreen Hedgehog
- Paul 'Des' Ballard - Small Devil #1
- Mohammed GeorgeMohammed GeorgeMohammed "Mo" George is an actor who played Gus Smith on the soap opera EastEnders from 2002 to 2008. Before appearing in EastEnders, George made guest appearances in Holby City, Bottom and The Last Detective...
- Small Devil #2