John Birkin Movies

This compendium of material from the BBC sketch comedy program French & Saunders pokes fun at everything from Baywatch and the Batman franchise to Björk and Ingmar Bergman, stopping along the way to mock British tennis players and postcolonial biddies. Most of the material dates from the early to mid-'90s; all of it features future Absolutely Fabulous writer/actress Jennifer Saunders and Vicar of Dibley star Dawn French, who parody pop culture figures (Liam Neeson and Mel Gibson in a faux Braveheart/Rob Roy crossover) and inhabit their usual assortment of original characters. Guest players include supermodel Kate Moss and singer/actress/celebrity wife Patsy Kensit. The title refers to the duo's parody of Madonna's Truth or Dare, which, bowing to that film's British title, is called "In Bed With French & Saunders." Other French & Saunders collections include French & Saunders: At the Movies, French & Saunders: Gentlemen Prefer, and French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Miraculously, the Gasforth soccer team makes it all the way to the semifinals. As a result, Inspector Raymond Fowler trains his staff to prepare for riots in the street. Neither the team nor Fowler could have picked a worse time for their individual "projects"; Mayoress Wickerham has launched a campaign to attract foreign investors to the community. "Come On You Blues" was first telecast on December 12, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Havoc reigns supreme when a BBC film crew elects to produce a documentary about the members of the Gasforth police squad. Not only do the filmmakers continually get in the way of due process, but their presence also sparks a vicious war of egos amongst the various inspectors and constables. No one is more starstruck than Inspector Raymond Fowler, whose camera-hogging must be seen to be believed. "Fly on the Wall" was originally shown on November 28, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Thin Blue Line launched its second season with the November 14, 1996, episode "Court in the Act." Inspector Raymond Walker of the Gasforth police squad faces a formidable new opponent in the form of the excessively politically correct Mayoress Wickerham (Lucy Robinson). Meanwhile, the rest of the officers are thoroughly confused by the station's new "time saving" electronic equipment. And while trying to help the CID trap a local drug dealer, Detective Inspector Grim is thwarted by one of his own men, Constable Kevin Goody (whose garish new uniform unexpectedly saves everyone's job!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rowan Atkinson of Mr. Bean fame was the star of the BBC sitcom The Thin Blue Line. The setting was the tiny British town of Gasforth, where a squad of dedicated, but basically inept police officers held sway. Atkinson was cast as Inspector Raymond Fowler, whose self-absorption was matched by his clumsiness. Other members of the squad included Raymond's former live-in lover Sgt. Patricia Dawkins, chronically depressed Detective Inspector Grim, Constable Maggie Habib, and Constables Kevin Goody and Frank Gladstone. During the second season, two new characters were added to the mixture: Mayoress Wickerham, whose efforts at imposing "political correctness" at all costs only served to make bad situations worse, and CID Detective Boyle, whose efforts to work hand and glove with the squad usually resulted in botched arrests and public relations disasters. All of the episodes were directed by Atkinson's former Mr. Bean colleague John Birkin. Written and co-produced by Ben Elton, who admittedly patterned the program after the classic British comedy-ensemble series Dad's Army, The Thin Blue Line yielded 14 half-hour episodes between November 13, 1995, and December 23, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Though the traditional British "Rag Week" is hard to explain to American viewers, suffice to say that the annual ceremony involves elaborate pranks and practical jokes. On this particular Rag Week, the police officers at the Gasworth district house steel themselves for the usual onslaught of stunts and gags. As the other coppers contend with a recalcitrant telephone system, Inspector Fowler and Sgt. Patricia Dawkins get mixed up with a purportedly fake bank robbery. "Rag Week" was first shown on December 4, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Gasworth police squad faces a new onslaught of crises large and small in this episode written by series creator Ben Elton. WPC Maggie Habib develops a crush on a local fireman, only to find out that the object of her affections is more interested in Constable Kevin Goody! At the same time, Detective Inspector Grim does his best -- which is none too good -- to crack a case involving drug dealers. As for Inspector Raymond Fowler, he has his hands full with an inveterate practical joker. "Fire and Terror" first aired on November 20, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Advertised as a Christmas special when it originally aired on December 26, 1995, "Yuletide Spirit" was actually the final first season episode of the British sitcom The Thin Blue Line. Everyone at the Gasforth police station suffers when a disgruntled Inspector Raymond Fowler loses the starring role in an amateur Christmas pantomime. Worse is to come, as the station is transformed into a makeshift maternity ward for a homeless couple. Meanwhile, in keeping with the tenor of the season, Detective Inspector Grim and Detective Constable Kray chase down a gang of crooked carolers! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rowan Atkinson once more stars as the eminently clumsy and clueless Mr. Bean in this 30-minute comedy special. The fun begins with the first of three brief sketches, "The Hospital," in which Bean gets his hand stuck in a teapot, then tries to get instant service at the local outpatient ward. In "Camera," our hero prepares a dour security guard for a very special photograph. And in "Bedtime," Bean sees nothing illogical in using a calculator to cure his insomnia. Originally telecast in Britain on September 20, 1995, "Goodnight Mr. Bean" has since been issued to video in such compilations as The Final Frolics of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 1. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

That least handy of handymen, the redoubtable Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), wreaks his usual havoc in this 30-minute BBC comedy special. The action is subdivided into four brief segments: In "New Year's Eve Party," Mr. Bean improvises some (yechh!) tasty snacks for his guests; in "Department Store," our hero goes to great lengths to purchase a marked-down recliner; and in "Home Improvement" and "The Ride Home," the titles tell all (Crash! Bang! Ouch! Sorry!). Do It Yourself Mr. Bean was originally telecast in Britain on January 10, 1994, and seen in America not long afterward. This special was later included in such video compilations as The Perilous Pursuits of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 2. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A spin-off of Channel 4's Vic Reeves' Big Night Out, the British sketch-comedy series The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer was yet another outlet for the peculiar humor of Reeves and his partner Bob Mortimer. Regular features included "Slade at Home," "Stars in Their Eyes," and "The Petomaines" (which, one imagines, was as aromatic as its title -- not to mention the title of the series itself). Other highlights were provided by the team's Hibernian alter egos, Mulligan and O'Hare, and their "drag" characters Wright and Arrowsmith. And as a bonus, Vic and Bob demonstrated how to build a coconut (you had to be there). A joint production of Channel X and BBC2, the 12 half-hour episodes of The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer were seen from September 21 to October 26, 1993, and from May 5 to June 9, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The spectacularly accident-prone Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson embraces the holiday spirit -- and nearly crushes it to death -- in this 30-minute comedy special, comprising three interrelated sketches. In "Christmas Shopping," Bean purchases a balky string of tree lights before making a shambles of a department store toy section; in "Christmas Eve," he manages to acquire a free turkey and a free tree, then attempts to conduct a Salvation Army band; and in "Christmas Dinner," Bean has quite a surprise in store for his long-suffering girlfriend. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean" originally aired in Britain on December 29, 1992. This special has since been released as a separate entity on video, as well as in such compilations as The Merry Mishaps of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 1. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi