Joanna Lumley Movies
The daughter of a high-born British military major, actress Joanna Lumley was a model before entering films with 1968's Some Girls Do. In 1976, she took on the Diana Rigg-like female lead on the British TV action series The New Avengers, costarring Patrick MacNee of the old Avengers. Joanna also costarred in two of Blake Edwards' Pink Panther movies of the '80s. Thoroughly jettisoning her previous cool-glamour image, Joanna Lumley costarred with Jennifer Saunders in the 1993 British TV sitcom Absolutely Fabulous as a pair of boozing, bawdy functionaries in the '90s fashion world (the series was picked up by the American cable network Comedy Central in 1994). So popular was Ms. Lumley's characterization of potty-mouthed, cheap-thrill-seeking Patsy that, shortly after the premiere of Absolutely Fabulous, she was being imitated in TV commercials by comic actor John Cleese! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1990
A Ghost in Monte Carlo is based on one of the millions of romance novels penned by Barbara Cartland. True to the Cartland canon, the story is set long ago (1875) and far away (The Riviera). Sarah Miles is top-billed as a pompadoured former madam, while Oliver Reed dispenses tons of Armor Star as a lascivious rajah. Christopher Plummer struts about bedecked with medals as a military hero, and Samantha Eggar is a mystery woman shrouded in black. But the story is carried by Lysette Anthony, the niece of Sarah Miles, who tries to break into upper-crust society--a goal impeded by a long-standing thirst for vengeance on the part of one of the older stars. A Ghost in Monte Carlo was produced in Europe by Sir Lew Grade, and first seen in the US over the TNT Cable Network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A Perfect Hero, Christopher Matthews' novel about a grotesquely disfigured war hero, was transformed into a six-part British TV drama in 1991. Nigel Havers starred as Hugh Flemming, a Cambridge-educated bomber pilot who was shot down in flames during the 1940 Battle of Britain. The rest of the drama dealt with Flemming's Herculean efforts to adjust to his horrific wounds -- both actual and psychological -- in the postwar era. According to studio publicity, actress Fiona Gillies' terrified reaction to Havers' facial makeup was genuine; she was not permitted to see his "remade" face until the cameras started turning. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nigel Havers, James Fox, (more)
A sort of mannered, British version of The Odd Couple (1970), this drama won four of the seven major BAFTA Awards for which it was nominated. Albert Finney stars as Reggie Cunningham-Jarvis, a former Royal Air Force squadron leader who is utterly debilitated by the death of his wife, allowing his estate to decay. At the suggestion of a social worker, Reggie is paired with Roy Southgate (Tom Courtenay), a retired milkman, orderly homebody, and fellow recent widower. Roy moves in and begins caring for Reggie's manor, and an unlikely friendship between the two men develops, although Reggie treats Roy more as a servant than a roommate. Their relationship becomes tested, however, with the arrival of Lizzie Franks (Joanna Lumley), a shop owner hoping to seduce Reggie for his riches. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay, (more)
- 1998
Jennifer Saunders wrote, directed, and compiled this collection of hilarious moments from the television series Absolutely Fabulous, in which Saunders (as Edina) and Joanna Lumley (as Patsy) play a pair of glamour-obsessed refugees from the late '60s and early '70s trying to stagger through the 1990s. Framed as a homemade documentary about Edina's mother, this clip show preserves Patsy and Eddy's occasional triumphs and more frequent disasters in fashion, relationships, nightlife, and parenthood. Absolutely Fabulous Moments also includes a collection of never-before-seen outtakes and bloopers from the show. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1992
In this satirical British sitcom, which became a cult hit on American cable, a grotesquely self-centered fashion victim chain-smokes, swills champagne, abuses drugs, munches caviar, terrorizes her daughter, and tries in vain to mingle with the beautiful people -- all in the company of her sleek, slutty, boozed-up best friend. Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) (aka Pats and Eddy) are '60s survivors and fashion-world wannabes; Pats works for magazines, while Eddy owns a PR firm whose biggest client is '60s has-been Lulu, of "To Sir With Love" fame. These women live in a cloud of self-delusion about the supposed glamour of their London lifestyle, forever attempting to claw their way past the velvet rope. Pats inhabits the attic of a liquor-store franchise, while Eddy lives in a well-to-do flat thanks to the double alimony from her two ex-husbands, a gay antiques dealer and a recovering alcoholic. When she's not being horrible to her dowdy, unflappable teenaged daughter, Saffron (Julia Sawalha), and her oblivious, tongue-in-cheek mother (June Whitfield), Eddy stages fashion shows, jets off to photo shoots, pays charlatans to put her in touch with her inner child, and tries every weight-loss cure known to man -- except curbing her decadent lifestyle. Thanks to its shrill satire, over-the-top costumes, outrageous excess, and all-around camp appeal, Absolutely Fabulous became a pop-culture phenomenon that spawned two Sesame Street characters, a slew of slang expressions ("Sweetie darling, I'm chanting as we speak"), and even a Pet Shop Boys charity single. The actual theme song, sung by Julie Driscoll and Adrian Edmondson, is a cover of "This Wheel's on Fire," a '60s obscurity written by Bob Dylan and the Band's Rick Danko.
"AbFab," as it's known, began its life as a sketch called "Modern Mother and Daughter" on the BBC comedy show French & Saunders. Although frequent Saunders collaborator Dawn French played the daughter part in the original sketch, she bowed out in favor of half-Jordanian, half-British actress Sawalha, a Press Gang vet who was closer to the character's age. Patsy -- played like a coked-up Dynasty caricature by former Bond girl and New Avengers star Lumley -- wasn't a part of the original sketch but quickly became a favorite of drag queens everywhere. In addition to cameos from celebrities such as Helena Bonham Carter and Naomi Campbell, AbFab includes frequent appearances by Little Voice star Jane Horrocks (as Eddy's airhead assistant, Bubble) and Nil by Mouth star Kathy Burke (as straight-talking magazine editor Magda). Although one BBC development executive's reaction to the pilot was, "I don't think women being drunk is funny," a beeb secretary handed out tapes in secret to her friends, and soon the buzz about the show became deafening. The first series premiered on BBC1 on November 12, 1992, but didn't make its American bow until July 1994, when Comedy Central began airing perpetual reruns of the show. Three six-episode series were broadcast in the U.K. in 1992, 1994, and 1995, followed by a two-part TV movie, Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout, in November 1996. In 2000, as Saunders was working on a new program called Mirrorball that reunited much of the AbFab cast, she decided to switch gears and revisit her best-known characters in a fourth AbFab series, which began airing on August 31, 2001. Co-funded by Comedy Central, the new series began its U.S. run a few months later, on November 12, 2001. Although Roseanne purchased the rights to develop an American version of the show in 1994, the first international adaptation of the program to see the light of day was the 2001 French film Absolument Fabuleux. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
"AbFab," as it's known, began its life as a sketch called "Modern Mother and Daughter" on the BBC comedy show French & Saunders. Although frequent Saunders collaborator Dawn French played the daughter part in the original sketch, she bowed out in favor of half-Jordanian, half-British actress Sawalha, a Press Gang vet who was closer to the character's age. Patsy -- played like a coked-up Dynasty caricature by former Bond girl and New Avengers star Lumley -- wasn't a part of the original sketch but quickly became a favorite of drag queens everywhere. In addition to cameos from celebrities such as Helena Bonham Carter and Naomi Campbell, AbFab includes frequent appearances by Little Voice star Jane Horrocks (as Eddy's airhead assistant, Bubble) and Nil by Mouth star Kathy Burke (as straight-talking magazine editor Magda). Although one BBC development executive's reaction to the pilot was, "I don't think women being drunk is funny," a beeb secretary handed out tapes in secret to her friends, and soon the buzz about the show became deafening. The first series premiered on BBC1 on November 12, 1992, but didn't make its American bow until July 1994, when Comedy Central began airing perpetual reruns of the show. Three six-episode series were broadcast in the U.K. in 1992, 1994, and 1995, followed by a two-part TV movie, Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout, in November 1996. In 2000, as Saunders was working on a new program called Mirrorball that reunited much of the AbFab cast, she decided to switch gears and revisit her best-known characters in a fourth AbFab series, which began airing on August 31, 2001. Co-funded by Comedy Central, the new series began its U.S. run a few months later, on November 12, 2001. Although Roseanne purchased the rights to develop an American version of the show in 1994, the first international adaptation of the program to see the light of day was the 2001 French film Absolument Fabuleux. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, (more)
- 1994
After Patsy (Joanna Lumley) manages to incinerate the Monsoons' kitchen, she and Edina (Jennifer Saunders) take to hanging out in the living room. The only problem is that Saffy (Julia Sawalha) has a rare, though clandestine, date planned for that very room. As Eddy and her monstrous friend torture Saffy by staying put, Gran (June Whitfield) accidentally locks the three women in the living room on her way to the chemist's, leaving Saffy inconsolable and Pats and Eddy bored. Talk turns to sex as Edina tortures Saffy with questions, resorting to a Cosmopolitan sex quiz to elicit information from the girl. Saffy and Patsy fight bitterly, the gaunt fashion plate jealous of the privileges her young rival has enjoyed. In flashbacks, we see the births of all three characters -- including an over-the-top sequence in which Patsy's pretentious mother compares her daughter to a tumor and gives birth to the accompaniment of bad Beat poetry. Eventually, Gran returns home, freeing the trio from the displeasure of each other's forcible company. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on March 10, 1994, Absolutely Fabulous: Birth marked series two, episode six of this popular Brit-com. Eleanor Bron, originally seen in Absolutely Fabulous: Magazine during series one, reprises her role as Patsy's mom. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1992
On the morning of her 40th birthday, a sullen Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) resists daughter Saffron's every attempt to cheer her up. Lashing out monstrously at Saffy (Julia Sawalha), Eddy is disappointed to learn that instead of a star-studded surprise party, the girl has planned a quiet lunch with family members. Both of Eddy's ex-husbands will be there, but long-lost son Serge, of course, is busy in a Hawaiian volcano. After grudgingly accepting a pair of Christian Lacroix earrings and abusing Saffy to the point of domestic violence, Eddy retires sullenly to her room, where she remains even as the guests arrive. When sidekick Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) fails to return from a champagne-foraging mission, however, Eddy makes an accidental splash entrance into her own 'do. As she grows increasingly drunk and belligerent, Eddy insults her gay ex-husband, Justin (Christopher Malcolm); his lover, Oliver (Gary Beadle); her recovering alcoholic ex-husband, Marshall (Christopher Ryan); Bo (Mo Gaffney), his controlling, New Age girlfriend; and perennial targets Saffy and Mother (June Whitfield). Along the way, the party guests learn the long-hidden secret that Edina is receiving double alimony from her exes -- a revelation that will come back to haunt her during the second-series episode Absolutely Fabulous: Poor. In the meantime, Patsy and Eddy get down with the help of Justin's gift: a karaoke machine programmed with the most obvious '60s hits. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on December 17, 1992, Absolutely Fabulous: Birthday marked series one, episode six of this popular Brit-com. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1994
While Saffy Monsoon (Julia Sawalha) mourns the death of her grandfather, her mother, Edina (Jennifer Saunders), is too busy mourning the failure of her latest weight-loss program: a bizarre scheme in which she is slathered in mud and then mummified for several hours. Gran (June Whitfield) handles her husband's death with typical aplomb, but Eddy goes way over the edge as soon as she has time to ponder her own mortality. Filled with self-centered dread, she goes on an art shopping spree at a snooty gallery and then bristles as the guests at her father's wake mistake an expensive mobile for what it is: a set of coat hangers. Ex-husband Marshall (Christopher Ryan) and his new grief-counselor girlfriend, Sondra (Gwen Humble), try to cheer the family up, but when Sondra realizes there's a corpse in the house she completely freaks out. Eddy and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) freak out, too, getting rip-roaringly drunk as the rest of the funeral party proceeds to the cemetary. Waxing sentimental, Patsy begs Eddy to give her the house when she's gone, and Eddy agrees -- as long as Pats will accompany her to the graveyard. Unfortunately, neither woman is in any shape to navigate the rough boneyard terrain, and Mr. Monsoon's funeral ends much like any other family event: grotesquely. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on February 3, 1994, Absolutely Fabulous: Death marked series two, episode two of this popular Brit-com. Llewella Gideon reprises her role as the wise-cracking West Indian nurse who originally appeared in the previous episode, Absolutely Fabulous: Hospital. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Edina (Jennifer Saunders) launches an all-out offensive on her body fat by prying the champagne glass out of her hand, adopting a boot-camp fitness program, and engaging in an intensive detoxification program -- all because of the shrewish comments of girlfriends Patsy (Joanna Lumley), Katy Grin (Jane Horrocks), Fleur (Harriet Thorpe), and Catriona (Helen Lederer) at a luncheon that resembles a scene from The Women more than it does a Sex and the City episode. Patsy, too, experiments with her appearance, foregoing her blond forelock for the first time since the '60s. In a terrible fit of the munchies, Eddy chomps down on candle wax, then endures torment from God (Marianne Faithful) and the Devil (Anita Pallenberg) as she sleeps. Eddy does cheer up a bit during a second luncheon at which she gets to show off her new, trimmer figure, but she soon sinks back into old habits -- as does Pats, who feels naked without her signature coif. Meanwhile, on a lunch date of her own, Saffy (Julia Sawalha) finds that old school chum Taylor Johns (Julian Rhind-Tutt) is more interested in an acting role in her upcoming play than he is in getting reacquainted with her. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on September 21, 2001, Absolutely Fabulous: Donkey marked series four, episode two of this popular Britcom. Rock diva Faithful reprises her role as God from Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout, while Pallenberg -- ex-girlfriend of several Rolling Stones and, allegedly, Faithful herself -- appears as the Devil. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, (more)
- 1995
Edina (Jennifer Saunders) becomes an over-scheduled mess when a computer organizer seizes control of her life. Obsessed with checking things off her list, she is unable to accomplish anything -- not even the refurbishment of her kitchen, which was burned down by friend Patsy (Joanna Lumley) in the previous episode, Absolutely Fabulous: Birth. Saffron (Julia Sawalha) berates her mother for her inability to focus, but the girl is so testy that it seems something else must be bothering her. Self-centered Eddy, however, doesn't notice; she's too busy breaking free of her digital shackles and contemplating the perfect door handle for her dream kitchen. A typical lunch run with Pats soon leads the would-be redecorator on a shopping trip that will take her around the world thanks to the supersonic power of the Concord jet. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on March 30, 1995, Absolutely Fabulous: Door Handle marked series three, episode one of this popular Brit-com. The international scenes were shot on location in New York, a scenario that would be repeated several episodes later in Absolutely Fabulous: The End. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1992
In the inaugural episode of popular Brit-com Absolutely Fabulous, a drinking binge and a fashion event provide the framework in which to introduce several of the show's primary characters: slothful forty-ish PR exec Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders); her caustic, no-nonsense daughter, Saffron (Julia Sawalha); her hard-drinking, coke-snorting, sexed-up best friend, Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley); and Bubble (Jane Horrocks), her intellect-free personal assistant. As the show begins, Edina is nursing yet another hangover -- until she realizes that today's the day the firm she owns is throwing a great big fashion show. After trading barbs with Saffron (or "Saffy") and lunching with the chic, disdainful Patsy, Edina finally drags herself into the office for a few hours of frantic activity. Bubble reports that big draw Yasmin LeBon has dropped out of the runway ranks and that Princess Anne has replaced Princess Diana on the guest list. Vowing to get the frumpy, fashion-challenged royal into a designer gown if it's the last thing she does, "Eddy" rushes around at the last minute to fill her event with such B-list celebrities as Betty Boo and Danni Minogue. After the event, Eddy proceeds to get utterly smashed with her perennial partner in crime, Patsy, much to the disgust of an unsympathetic Saffy, who locks her mother out of the house. Absolutely Fabulous: Fashion was originally broadcast on BBC 1 on November 12, 1992. In a flashback sequence, the episode introduces Edina's mother, June (June Whitfield), who will become a regular guest-star in subsequent episodes. Several other characters and plot threads are introduced obliquely, including Eddy's relationships with her ex-husbands and her long-lost son, Serge. Absolutely Fabulous: Fashion also includes countless jokey references to minor British celebrities whose names may mystify American audiences. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1992
After struggling unsuccessfully to fit into a variety of unflattering outfits, Edina (Jennifer Saunders) tries to cook up yet another quick weight-loss plan, much to the annoyance of Saffy (Julia Sawalha), who points out that her mother eats, drinks, and smokes incessantly and takes no exercise, therefore guaranteeing a continued weight problem. The issue takes on a degree of urgency when Bubble (Jane Horrocks) reveals that Penny Casper-Morse (Alexandra Bastedo) -- a rail-thin old nemesis of Eddy's from the old days -- will arrive in a few days to talk about a possible business deal. Patsy (Joanna Lumley) advises emergency liposuction (with a bit of collagen injection for good measure), but a nightmare in which her body is vacuumed away to a wisp convinces Eddy that exercise is the real answer. However, after a workout session with Patsy's new beau, the fit and fabulous Georgy (Anthony Asbury), Eddy is ready to go under the knife -- especially when she learns that Penny will be arriving early. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on November 19, 1992, Absolutely Fabulous: Fat marked series one, episode two of this popular Brit-com. June Whitfield makes her first non-flashback appearance as Mother/Gran, while Christopher Malcolm provides his first of many guest spots as Justin -- Edina's gay ex-husband and Saffy's father. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Our heroines find themselves at a mutual crossroads as Saffy (Julia Sawalha) heads off to college, leaving Edina (Jennifer Saunders) alone, and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) loses her job when her magazine folds. Pats soon moves in with Eddy, but their lack of domestic common sense spoils their otherwise jolly neo-conjugal relationship. Things are looking up at the office for Eddy, though, as a high-powered New York PR agency wants to form a liaison. That and a complimentary bottle of champagne are all it takes to keep past-her-prime singer Lulu in the fold; nevertheless, a spiteful Eddy attempts to fire Bubble (Jane Horrocks), who after three seasons as a personal assistant still doesn't understand the phrase "fax machine." Back at the house, during an impromptu wake for the magazine, fast-talking former editor Magda (Kathy Burke) announces she's taking a job in New York -- and that she wants to bring Patsy with her; that leaves fellow fashion hangers-on Catriona (Helen Lederer) and Fleur (Harriet Thorpe) contemplating jobs at the perfume counter and/or Eddy's firm. Later, smoking a joint in the bathroom, Pats and Eddy mull over the big-time success that they've always craved and try to fight off their terror of being alone. Saffy arrives to inject her usual doses of common sense, but the episode ends with a standoff: Eddy and Pats go their separate ways, each trying to convince herself that she'll be more fabulous flying solo. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on May 4, 1995, Absolutely Fabulous: Fear marked series three, episode five of this popular Brit-com. Although her voice appeared in the previous episode, Absolutely Fabulous: Jealous, "To Sir With Love" singer Lulu makes her second on-camera appearance as herself; she was previously mentioned in countless episodes and appeared in Absolutely Fabulous: New Best Friend. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
After attending a Marilyn Manson concert, Edina (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) terrorize Saffy (Julia Sawalha) with their drugged-up behavior. Gran (June Whitfield) is also on hand to add to the chaos, along with fellow septuagenarians Dolly (Dora Bryan) and Brice (Tim Wylton). When Saffy hires a gardener to redo the back yard, he turns out to be Jago (Crispin Bonham-Carter), younger brother of one of Patsy's one-time drug buddies and scion of a very wealthy family. When Patsy goads Eddy into throwing herself at Jago (and his fortune), he seems to reciprocate. The two arrange a dinner date, much to Saffy's consternation. When they return from supper and things start to get physical, Patsy's presence under the living-room couch complicates things. Eddy and Jago smoke some grass and get into bed, but Eddy's only memory of what follows is a vague druidic fantasy. The romance seems to be a success, but it turns out the hunky outdoorsman's lifestyle might not be as rich or glamorous as Pats and Eddy suspected. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on September 7, 2001, Absolutely Fabulous: Fish Farm marked series four, episode two of this popular Britcom. Bonham-Carter's cousin, Helena Bonham-Carter, previously appeared in Absolutely Fabulous: Hospital. Although the episode features a running joke about Roger Daltrey, the British rocker does not appear. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, (more)
- 1992
Although she's trying to launch a new interior decorating venture, Eddy (Jennifer Saunders) decides to take a vacation in the French countryside with Patsy (Joanna Lumley). The pair become lost in Provence, then must suffer through their holiday in a second-class cottage, bored out of their minds. Unable to speak French -- or to find provisions in the nearby town -- they become convinced that the old Frenchman who keeps knocking on their door means no good. The terrified, hungry women soon summon Saffron (Julia Sawalha), who arrives with supplies and Bubble (Jane Horrocks) in tow. In the haze of long walks, table tennis, and cocktails, the dim-witted PA quickly forgets about the papers that Edina needs to sign in order to save her decorating scheme. When Bubble finally presents the papers to her employer, Edina loses it, rushing back to London just in time to get nabbed by customs for the suspicious white powder stashed in Patsy's purse. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on November 26, 1992, Absolutely Fabulous: France marked series one, episode three of this popular Brit-com. Eddy and Pats would take several more holidays in subsequent installments, including Absolutely Fabulous: Morocco and Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2002
This two-hour spin-off of the raunchy British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous was originally telecast in the U.K. under the title Absolutely Fabulous: Gay. Now a buyer for Jeremy's, a trendy clothing store, hard-living and hard-drinking Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) comes to New York during Fashion Week in the company of her equally dissolute (and currently unemployed) chum, Edina Moonson (Jennifer Saunders). While Patsy has arrived in the Big Apple for professional reasons, Edina has a personal mission: She intends to locate her long-estranged son, Serge (Josh Hamilton). It's not that Edina is upset with Serge because he's gay -- it's simply that he's not gay enough to suit her offbeat view of the worlds. In between stopovers at fashion shows and upscale bars, Patsy and Edina contact Goldie (Whoopi Goldberg), a gay-couple counselor, hoping that she will help them track down Serge. Unfortunately, Goldie misunderstands and assumes that our two heroines want to get married. And what of the ladies' leftover friends and relatives back in England? As Absolutely Fabulous in New York, this wildly irreverent comedy special made its American cable-TV bow over Comedy Central on February 8, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Edina (Jennifer Saunders), Patsy (Joanna Lumley), Bubble (Jane Horrocks), Saffron (Julia Sawalha), and Mother (June Whitfield) prepare for their respective New Year's festivities; Eddy and Pats plan to hit a Frankie Knuckles party while the others settle in for a night in front of the telly. Amidst a visit from Eddy's ex, Justin (Christopher Malcolm), and his boyfriend, Oliver (Gary Beadle), another newcomer arrives: none other than Jackie (Kate O'Mara), the long-lost sister whose glamour, beauty, and appetite for drugs awe Patsy. Alternately catty and convivial, Jackie delights Justin and Oliver, insults Saffy and Eddy, and mystifies Patsy, who can't believe her sister doesn't want to party with her. Before long, ulterior motives surface, and Pats must face not only her sister's advanced age, but her own. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on April 6, 1995, Absolutely Fabulous: Happy New Year marked series three, episode two of this popular Brit-com. Rebecca Front appears briefly as Cherysh, the third New Age-y girlfriend of Eddy's other ex, Marshall (Christopher Ryan), to be introduced into the "AbFab" universe. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1994
After a dalliance with a government official, Patsy (Joanna Lumley) becomes embroiled in a tabloid sex scandal and is irate to see her true age reported nationally. "Borrowing" the Monsoon house for an interview with Hello magazine, she is disappointed to learn that photos for the spread won't be shot until the following week. However, when Edina (Jennifer Saunders) stubs her toe and enters the hospital for minor surgery, Pats takes the opportunity to accompany her and undergo a quick face peel. Finding the accommodations less than deluxe and ridiculed by a pair of wise-cracking nurses (Llewella Gideon and Orla Brady), Edina pops painkillers like candy and falls into a disturbing fugue in which her friends and family appear to her in the guise of British celebrities, from Helena Bonham-Carter to Germaine Greer -- both of whom have been the subject of ridicule on previous episodes. Awakening from her dreams to find that her surgery has already been completed, Eddy learns that her injuries were even more minor than they appeared; Patsy's face peel, however, doesn't generate quite such a happy outcome, nor does her debut in the pages of Hello. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on January 27, 1994, Absolutely Fabulous: Hospital marked series two, episode one of this popular Brit-com. Suzi Quatro, Mandy Rice-Davies, Richard E. Grant, and Sylvia Anderson joined Bonham-Carter and Greer in the cast of cameo stars. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Saffron (Julia Sawalha) meets at home with her fellow students to plan a school report while her mother, Edina (Jennifer Saunders), floats upstairs in the new aquatic isolation tank she's ordered from Los Angeles. This being Edina, of course, she doesn't brave the iso tank alone; best pal Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) is also there, chain smoking as usual. After the gruesome twosome crash Saffy's study session to coo lasciviously at Danny (James Lance), an uncharacteristically cute new addition to the girl's nerdy social circle, Patsy heads off after the young lad. Edina then throws a typical tantrum in order to elicit an invitation to attend Saffy's presentation at the school. Threatening to adopt a Romanian baby if she doesn't get her way, Edina even goes so far as to phone her usually empty-headed personal assistant, Bubble (Jane Horrocks), who has become a crisp, efficient force of nature ever since meeting with an occupational hypnotist. When Bubble vanishes, leaving word that "the goods" from Romania are on their way, Eddy shrugs it off and heads for the school, which Saffy has graciously allowed her to visit. Whisked off for a school tour with the headmaster, Patsy and Eddy flash back to their own school days, when Eddy got Pats in trouble for getting it on with a male student named Tony (Tim Woodward). When the headmaster of Saffy's school turns out to be the very same Tony, the old flames get hot and heavy -- right in the classroom where Saffy is giving her presentation. Meanwhile, a woman from the adoption agency arrives, several dark-haired orphans in tow. But with all of this going on, who could that be floating in Eddy's isolation tank? Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on December 3, 1992, Absolutely Fabulous: Iso Tank marked series one, episode four of this popular Brit-com. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1995
At a posh public-relations awards show, Edina (Jennifer Saunders) guzzles champagne with Patsy (Joanna Lumley), bosses Bubble (Jane Horrocks) around, chats up supermodel Naomi Campbell, and prepares to take home a prize. She's beaten to the punch, however, by Claudia (Celia Imrie), her pretentious, politically correct professional arch nemesis. Commiserating later at home with Saffy (Julia Sawalha), Mother (June Whitfield), and Pats, Eddy reveals that she had rigged the awards in her own favor, thus rendering her defeat even more ignominious. Terrified that she'll lose her tenuous hold on her career, Edina creeps into Claudia's celebrity liposuction-a-thon in hopes of bagging Campbell for one of her own celebrity events. Later, at an industry luncheon, she loses her prepared remarks but gives a drunken speech anyway, slagging off the PR industry's parasitical piggy-backing on noble causes such as environmentalism. Eddy's rallying cry against doom-and-gloom marketing -- "Cheer up, because it might not bloody happen!" -- becomes a sensation, and soon she's bagging new clients right and left. Meanwhile, Saffy gets hot and heavy -- for her, anyway -- with Gerard (Simon Stokes), her college psychology lecturer. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on April 27, 1995, Absolutely Fabulous: Jealous marked series three, episode four of this popular Brit-com. Campbell guest-stars as herself in a send-up of the inane schemes to which hangers-on constantly subject the supermodel elite. Although she doesn't appear on camera, real-life singer Lulu, who is supposedly Edina's biggest client, can be heard announcing one of the PR awards. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1992
When Edina (Jennifer Saunders) takes up with her first boyfriend in ages, Patsy (Joanna Lumley) finds her role in her best friend's life suddenly reduced even though she's recently moved into the Monsoon household. Even worse, she actually has to show up at work for once -- to attend a meeting with fast-talking editor Magda (Kathy Burke); dim, ornamental staffers Catriona (Helen Lederer) and Fleur (Harriet Thorpe); and the ridiculously erudite gourmand Hamish (Adrian Edmondson). Suckered into giving a pair of fashion nobodies a makeover on a chat show hosted by unassuming everywoman Kathy (Dawn French), Pats makes a Faustian pact with Saffron (Julia Sawalha): If Saf and Gran (June Whitfield) will become her sartorial guinea pigs, she'll move back into her own flat and she won't try to destroy Eddy's new romance. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on December 10, 1992, Absolutely Fabulous: Magazine marked series one, episode five of this popular Brit-com. French, who co-created the original sketch on which "AbFab" was based, appears as cheerful TV host Kathy. Acclaimed comedic and character actress Burke makes first of several appearances as the no-nonsense Magda. In a flashback sequence, Eleanor Bron also appears as Patsy's mother; Bron would appear again in Absolutely Fabulous: Birth. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Edina (Jennifer Saunders) suffers a professional crisis while Patsy (Joanna Lumley) begins menopause in the final episode of Absolutely Fabulous series four. After Bubble (Jane Horrocks) accidentally emails Eddy's address book to rival PR impresario Claudia Bing (Celia Imrie), Eddy's client roster is reduced to Twiggy -- until even the waifish supermodel abandons ship. Soon even Edina's new TV partnership with Katy Grin (Jane Horrocks) is in question, and Eddy must think on her feet if she wants to retain any sort of career. Meanwhile, Patsy's brittle bones begin cracking like matchsticks, and it's up to Saffy (Julia Sawalha) to educate her about menopause and osteoporosis. Saffy organizes a Menopause Anonymous meeting to help Patsy and Eddy get in touch with their inner crones; Bo (Mo Gaffney) crashes, adding her distinctively New Age touch to the proceedings. Ultimately, hormone patches effect strange changes in Patsy's behavior, leaving Saffy with horrific visions of a lifetime spent caring for the old hag. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on October 5, 2001, Absolutely Fabulous: Menopause marked series four, episode six of this popular Britcom. Celia Imrie reprises her role as Claudia Bing from Absolutely Fabulous: Jealous. "AbFab" script editor Ruby Wax, a longtime collaborator of writer/star Jennifer Saunders, plays one of the menopausal masses; Wax previously guest-starred in Absolutely Fabulous: The End as one of the snooty New York fashion editors who snubs Patsy. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, (more)
- 1994
Eddy (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) head to Marrakesh to team up for a photo shoot. It seems Patsy's magazine is going to run a spread featuring Pop-Specs, a trashy little product represented by Eddy's PR firm. When Saffy (Julia Sawalha) tags along, she quickly learns her mum has little on her mind but buying dirt-cheap housewares and hitting the hookah as hard as she can. During a decadent party with Uncle Humphrey (John Wells) -- a dirty-old-man friend of Eddy and Patsy who wants to perform sexual perversions on Saffy -- the girl learns that for a brief time many years ago, Patsy was a little confused about her gender identity. The next day, after a dip in the pool, the ladies go shopping and get separated from Saffy in an outdoor bazaar. Without her guidance, Eddy and Pats end up stranded in the wrong part of town, but as usual, Saffy saves the day. Back at their resort, the women resume their decadence -- even Saffy, who ironically gets the most out of her trip to Morocco. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on February 10, 1994, Absolutely Fabulous: Morocco marked series two, episode three of this popular Brit-com. The more over-the-top plot threads of episodes such as Absolutely Fabulous: Morocco divided fan opinion about the second series of "AbFab," with some viewers decrying the less naturalistic comedy and others embracing the show's new, more extreme brand of slapstick. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Edina (Jennifer Saunders) gets in an uproar over the impending visit of Max (Patrick Barlow) and Bettina (Miranda Richardson), a pair of impossibly hip old friends. Terrified that her cluttered house won't be up to snuff with these chic minimalists, she chucks things -- and people -- right and left. Pats (Joanna Lumley), feeling abandoned, sets off to find another lunch partner. She even turns up at her own office, hoping to find Magda but instead encountering Bubble (Jane Horrocks), who is there on loan from Eddy's office. Meanwhile, Eddy, dismayed to find that Bettina and Max have become the shrill, neurotic yuppie parents of a very ordinary newborn, escapes to an imaginary lunch date of her own. Pats and Eddy find themselves at the same hip London eatery, where each tries to impress the other with her dining companions; Eddy gloms onto '60s singer Lulu, while Pats forces herself into the company of Swedish actress Britt Ekland and outrageous fashion designer Zandra Rhodes. Back at the Monsoon house, Eddy still can't stand the company of the hysterical Bettina, so she retires to bed. Strangely enough, so does Max. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on February 24, 1994, Absolutely Fabulous: New Best Friend marked series two, episode four of this popular Brit-com. Although Richardson, star of such films as The Crying Game, played a fictional character, Ekland, Lulu, and Rhodes all portrayed themselves. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- 2001
Edina (Jennifer Saunders) is set to appear in a mother/daughter fashion spread to be shot in France for a glam magazine; after she fails to secure Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsdale, or Liv Tyler to play her daughter, she faces the realization that real-life daughter Saffy (Julia Sawalha) will have to do. Patsy (Joanna Lumley) also plans to pose, with "face of the moment" Erin O'Connor as her fashion "daughter." Bubble (Jane Horrocks) tags along, but editor Candida de Benison-Bender (Tilly Blackwood) has to bail, leaving the gang in the hands of Dazed and Confused photographer Rimmer (Dave Gorman). After a quarrelsome ride on the Eurostar, the group arrives in Paris, where it turns out that Rimmer plans a generation-spanning neo-punk group fashion spread; Annegret Tree, on whose coattails Patsy briefly trod in the '60s, is one of the models. As Pats disrupts the proceedings and annoys Rimmer, Eddy and Saffy quarrel in a nearby café. After Eddy unflatteringly compares Saffy to Mother (June Whitfield), the previously guidebook-bound Saf agrees to do Paris her mum's way. The pair shop, dine at tony eateries, and head to the Eiffel Tower to flash their breasts at the world; Saffy, however, fails to realize she hasn't completely escaped her obligation to appear in print. Originally broadcast on BBC 1 on September 14, 2001, Absolutely Fabulous: Paris marked series four, episode two of this popular Britcom. Models Tree, O'Connor, and Daphne Selfe appear as themselves, as do jazz musician Sacha Distel and designer Christian Lacroix; Lacroix previously appeared in Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout. Hermine Demoriane sings a French version of the theme song "This Wheel's on Fire" over the closing credits. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, (more)
