Watch The Comic Strip Presents
- 1982
- 3 Seasons
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7.8 (1,669)
The Comic Strip Presents is a British television comedy series, which was first aired on Channel 4 in November 1982. The show, which ran for a total of 39 episodes, featured a talented ensemble cast of comedians and actors, including Alexei Sayle, Sheridan Smith, Rik Mayall, Peter Richardson, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Nigel Planer, and Ade Edmondson, among others.
Each episode of The Comic Strip Presents showcased a new and hilarious story, often featuring satirical takes on various aspects of contemporary British society, such as politics, television, and popular culture. Many of the episodes were directed by Peter Richardson, and they often featured a mix of live-action and animation.
One of the most memorable episodes of The Comic Strip Presents is undoubtedly "Five Go Mad in Dorset", which originally aired in 1982. The episode, which is a comedic take on Enid Blyton's classic children's book series, features Alexei Sayle, Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, and Peter Richardson as the famous Five, who set out on an exciting adventure to find some stolen diamonds.
Another standout episode of the show is "The Strike", which aired in 1988. This episode features a fictionalized version of the 1984-85 miners' strike in the UK, and it stars Peter Richardson, Robert Bathurst, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and others. The episode is a biting and satirical critique of the Thatcher government's handling of the strike, and it packs in plenty of laughs along the way.
Other notable episodes of The Comic Strip Presents include "The Beat Generation" (1987), which stars Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, and Jennifer Saunders in a hilarious parody of the Beat writers of the 1950s; "Dirty Movie" (1984), which features Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as two hapless filmmakers trying to make a sexy movie; and "Bad News Tour" (1983), which stars Ade Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, and Peter Richardson as members of a fictional heavy metal band on a disastrous tour of the UK.
Throughout its run, The Comic Strip Presents consistently delivered laughs and clever satire, thanks to its talented cast and writers. The show remains a beloved classic of British comedy, and it helped launch the careers of many of its stars, including Alexei Sayle, Jennifer Saunders, and Dawn French. Fans of the show continue to enjoy revisiting its hilarious episodes, which hold up surprisingly well decades later.