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Amazon.co.uk Review
The comedy duo of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie arrived on the British airwaves with an arsenal of false mustaches, snooty attitudes, linguistic twistiness, and deranged meta-commentary (which sometimes escalated into meta-meta-commentary). It's fascinating to see the pilot episode of A Bit of Fry & Laurie (included on the Season One DVD), in which all the tools of such comedy are in place, but there is a tentativeness about deploying them. By the first broadcast episode, as they launch into a sketch about a father objecting to his son being taught Biology in school, Fry and Laurie are in full command. Crazed flights of language spill effortlessly from their mouths, be it academic critic-babble or macho business jargon gone strangely awry. Fry and Laurie clearly owe a debt to the Monty Python troupe--in addition to verbal lunacy, Fry and Laurie recognized that when a sketch peaked they could skip on to the next one, often using on-the-street non-sequiturs for transitions--but they quickly found their own brand of whimsy. In a scene from the pilot, Laurie buys a toy car from Fry, which leads to both of them pushing the cars around the tabletop making vroom-vroom noises. The effect is silly but oddly heartwarming. Over the course of six episodes, sketches range from Fry stealing Laurie's brain, to the sad tale of an orphaned puppy's slide into corruption, to their most frequently recurring scenario featuring an MI-5 agent named Tony Mercheson (Laurie) and his affable, coffee-drinking superior, Control (Fry). Long before Fry starred in Wilde and Laurie became a household name in House, they carved out their place in the history of British comedy, somewhere in the lineage between Peter Sellers and Ricky Gervais. This first season captures them at their freshest. --Bret Fetzer
DVD Description
Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie were among the most successful acts of the alternative comedy show Saturday Live/Friday Night Live and after a Christmas pilot in 1987, the BBC commissioned a series in 1989.
“My father wouldn't have a television in the house, so we used to gather round every night and watch it on the lawn.”
Fry and Laurie explored a seemingly inexhaustible list of subjects with a delicious turn of phrase and elaborate wordplay. The hilarity-included regular acts such as not so super spy Tony Mercheson and his boss Control, yuppies, John and Peter, as well as the concluding cocktail recipe to the accompaniment of Mr Music with plenty of Vox Pops.
With four brilliant series of great satire, comic genius and an hilarious use of language, Fry and Laurie are definitely at the top of the comedy tree.
“My father wouldn't have a television in the house, so we used to gather round every night and watch it on the lawn.”
Fry and Laurie explored a seemingly inexhaustible list of subjects with a delicious turn of phrase and elaborate wordplay. The hilarity-included regular acts such as not so super spy Tony Mercheson and his boss Control, yuppies, John and Peter, as well as the concluding cocktail recipe to the accompaniment of Mr Music with plenty of Vox Pops.
With four brilliant series of great satire, comic genius and an hilarious use of language, Fry and Laurie are definitely at the top of the comedy tree.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
130 of 134 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'd already purchased the first three when this came out, but I got it anyway. There are five discs for four series, with series four comprising two discs, but really, the only thing I can see different is the box; there are no bonuses, unless you count the box.
Series one and two flow into each other quite well with recurring characters such as the yelling promoters of Utoxeter (Daaaaamn!!!) and Tony and Control of MI5, but it seems Fry and Laurie had not expected to continue on to three and four, and so came up with conclusions for many of their regular sketches. Holding this thought, series three has a very different air. For instance, there are more musical segments (like my favorite "Kickin' Ass"), and Mr Music playing out each episode while Stephen Fry mixed a strange (often frightening) concoction. I thought they had found their groove in this series... Only to lose it in series four.
Word is that the series was moved to BBC1, and Fry and Laurie lost much of their creative freedoms. For example, they now had guest stars, such as Caroline Quentin (Men Behaving Badly) and Robert Daws (Jeeves and Wooster), who didn't really play any vital roles. Hugh Laurie did a musical segment in each episode, all of which were wonderful and helped the series like a crutch. While series four was awkward, it still had its moments (usually having nothing to do with the guest stars). Why seven episodes had to be broken into two discs, I don't know.
While series one and two were united by recurring characters, series three and four were connected by Mr Music. But what made this programme "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" (besides Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, duh) were the vox pops between sketches.
This is definitely a must-have for fans of Fry and Laurie.
Series one and two flow into each other quite well with recurring characters such as the yelling promoters of Utoxeter (Daaaaamn!!!) and Tony and Control of MI5, but it seems Fry and Laurie had not expected to continue on to three and four, and so came up with conclusions for many of their regular sketches. Holding this thought, series three has a very different air. For instance, there are more musical segments (like my favorite "Kickin' Ass"), and Mr Music playing out each episode while Stephen Fry mixed a strange (often frightening) concoction. I thought they had found their groove in this series... Only to lose it in series four.
Word is that the series was moved to BBC1, and Fry and Laurie lost much of their creative freedoms. For example, they now had guest stars, such as Caroline Quentin (Men Behaving Badly) and Robert Daws (Jeeves and Wooster), who didn't really play any vital roles. Hugh Laurie did a musical segment in each episode, all of which were wonderful and helped the series like a crutch. While series four was awkward, it still had its moments (usually having nothing to do with the guest stars). Why seven episodes had to be broken into two discs, I don't know.
While series one and two were united by recurring characters, series three and four were connected by Mr Music. But what made this programme "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" (besides Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, duh) were the vox pops between sketches.
This is definitely a must-have for fans of Fry and Laurie.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Where Little Britain and Co use a sledgehammer to deliver their blunt wit, Fry and Laurie used sharp satire, clever wordplay and inspired madness in their late 1980's comedy series. It is amazing how little it has dated - even contemporary references are funny. The sketches are superbly delivered, the script at times reminds you of the Two Ronnies, at others it could be Peter Cook. Classic scenes are the two leisure market executives John and Peter and their corporate battles with "Marjorie", the MI5 very civils servants Control and Murchison and the mock Arts Show interviews, all interspersed with snippets of Vox Pop quotes from the two boys dressed as a variety of silly English stereotypes. Just the thing to pop on the DVD on those long winter nights when Last of the Summer Wine or Ant and Dec come on the TV. Also recommended - Series 2 - so you don't wear out Series 1 too quickly.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are two phenomenally talented comedian/actors. I'd first seen them acting in various episodes of Blackadder. Then one Friday night early in 1989 I stumbled across their first full "Bit of Fry & Laurie" series. From that moment I've been a huge fan!
There's a classic send-up of the OTT drama "Howard's Way", in which a Uttoxeter health-club is run as though it were a huge multi-national! There's hilarious, deliberate bad acting when Tony Merchison (Laurie) works for the Secret Service and reports to his incredibly naïve boss "Control" (Fry). But my personal favourites are the "one-off" sketches; Mr. Nipple is embarrassed about his surname so calls himself "Mr..." then drops a stapler on the table. Gelliant Gutfright tells us the spooky tale of "Pat Ferrick and his red hat". You'll find clever, original dialogue popping up in a Head-teacher's office, in restaurants, on airfields, in courtrooms, at baptismal fonts, around shopping malls and at a myriad of other locations. There's also convincing impersonations of David Coleman, Richard Whitely, Jonathan Ross, Robert Robinson, Henry Kelly and many others...
This tastefully presented boxed-set also contains some bonus material, such as the 1987 "Pilot" plus the 1982 "Cambridge Footlights Review", which includes Tony Slattery and the exceptionally talented Emma Thompson (Hugh Laurie's girlfriend at the time).
There's a classic send-up of the OTT drama "Howard's Way", in which a Uttoxeter health-club is run as though it were a huge multi-national! There's hilarious, deliberate bad acting when Tony Merchison (Laurie) works for the Secret Service and reports to his incredibly naïve boss "Control" (Fry). But my personal favourites are the "one-off" sketches; Mr. Nipple is embarrassed about his surname so calls himself "Mr..." then drops a stapler on the table. Gelliant Gutfright tells us the spooky tale of "Pat Ferrick and his red hat". You'll find clever, original dialogue popping up in a Head-teacher's office, in restaurants, on airfields, in courtrooms, at baptismal fonts, around shopping malls and at a myriad of other locations. There's also convincing impersonations of David Coleman, Richard Whitely, Jonathan Ross, Robert Robinson, Henry Kelly and many others...
This tastefully presented boxed-set also contains some bonus material, such as the 1987 "Pilot" plus the 1982 "Cambridge Footlights Review", which includes Tony Slattery and the exceptionally talented Emma Thompson (Hugh Laurie's girlfriend at the time).
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Splendid!
I have to admit that the first few episodes that I saw I could not bring myself to liking it. In retrospect I haven't a clue what on earth was the matter with me for right now I... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Sven Delarivière
A Bit of Fry and Laurie boxed set
Although this is quite old, there are some marvellous sketches. Well worth the price - used often instead of watching repeats.
Published 3 months ago by Alan M
great !
Until now I had just been able to watch some pieces of it on Youtube, which wasn't convenient, but always extremely funny. Two great talents gathered in these four seasons !
Published 4 months ago by Ewel
Bear with it!
Yes, as many of these reviews say, the first series does drag a bit, even if it it still entertaining. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jenny Campbell - JenSayzHi@aol.com
A perfect Fry and Laurie treat
I'm a big High Laurie and Fry fan ever since I saw them as Jeeves and Wooster. (It all actually goes back to my reading P. G. Wodehouse, but leaving that aside... Read more
Published 5 months ago by archibaldb
Horribly disappointing
If I were to describe "A bit of Fry and Laurie" in one word, it would be "LAME". Apart from the really good pilot episode this series is simply not funny (contrary to the... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Martin Pagan
A Bit Too Funny
Hilareous!!
I found this by accident on you tube and watched a few videos and decided to buy the DVD. Read more
I found this by accident on you tube and watched a few videos and decided to buy the DVD. Read more
Published 11 months ago by I
Dissapointing
Disc 1 was pain full to watch, and disc 2 slightly better. I sat down with my family, having prepared them for hours of future fun and laughter, and was most disappointed when they... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. Philip Roller
A bit of nostalgia !
Very dated now and not as good as I remember when I saw the series on TV, but still very watchable. The potential talent of these two brilliant comedians shows through in every... Read more
Published 13 months ago by S. Thompson
Fantastic!
Having seen the pilot episode on TV i had to get the rest of the series. This is one of the best sketch shows ever made, and worth every penny!
Published 14 months ago by Carpy93
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