Watch The Gravy Train Goes East

The Gravy Train Goes East was a political satire television show that aired on Channel 4 in 1991. The show was a sequel to the 1990 series, The Gravy Train, and chronicled the adventures of the European Commission as they traveled to Eastern Europe to provide aid and assistance.

The show starred a talented cast of British actors, including Ian Richardson, Christopher Strauli, and Peter Egan. Richardson played the lead role of Sir Frank Gordon-Cumming, a British Commissioner who was sent to Eastern Europe to help oversee the distribution of European aid funds. Strauli played the role of Bernard Woolley, Sir Frank's bumbling assistant, while Egan played the role of Horace Davenport, a British journalist who was constantly trying to expose corruption within the European Commission.

The Gravy Train Goes East was a sharply written and satirical show that drew on the experiences of real politicians and bureaucrats working in the European Commission. The show's writers, Malcolm Bradbury and Christopher Hitchens, were noted political commentators and brought their considerable talents to bear on the show's scripts.

Throughout the series, Sir Frank and his team traveled to a number of Eastern European countries, including Hungary, Romania, and Czechoslovakia. Along the way, they encountered a wide range of colorful characters, from corrupt local politicians to idealistic aid workers.

One of the show's key themes was the rampant corruption within the European Commission itself. Sir Frank and his team were constantly battling against their own colleagues, who were all too often more interested in lining their pockets than actually helping the people of Eastern Europe.

Despite its heavy political content, The Gravy Train Goes East was also a very funny show, with plenty of jokes and witty one-liners. The show's satirical take on politics and bureaucracy was both scathing and entertaining, and it often seemed as though the writers were having as much fun as the actors.

Overall, The Gravy Train Goes East was a smart, funny, and thought-provoking television show that tackled some complex political issues with verve and wit. While it may not have been the most popular show of its time, it was a critically acclaimed and influential series that helped to usher in a new era of political satire on British television.