Spitting Image – Series 1
Reviewer: Tom Leins
Issue 101 March 2008
(1 votes, average: 7 out of 10)
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Spit or swallow?
The Lowdown: 1984 saw the first ever appearance of ITV’s legendary rubber puppet comedy spoof, Spitting Image, a long-running satire that gleefully skewered the leading lights of the British political scene and the monarchy for 12 years. This two-disc box set gathers together the complete first series for your viewing pleasure.
Review: The scathing rubberized machinations of Spitting Image are a fondly remembered part of the comedy landscape, and this timely DVD reissue (ahead of a rumoured new series) gives comedy connoisseurs a chance to reassess the show’s latex charms. As fans will likely concur, the show tailed off noticeably towards the end of its 12-year stretch, when most of its regular political targets had long since retired. It is interesting, then, to sample the show’s early days for a glimpse of how it all began. However, it soon becomes clear that to fully enjoy this particular series you need a functional knowledge of 1980s British politics, especially as some of the sketches refer to things that might have only been relevant for a week or two – which isn’t ideal for new viewers who find themselves tempted to dip into this comedy classic.
Many of the characters and references left me, for one, utterly flummoxed. Nevertheless, despite a cloudy understanding of the old political climate it is still easy to appreciate the show’s satirical charge. Although this debut series is casually scathing, the show’s most vicious, hilarious years were yet to come. Nevertheless, with amusing attacks on Margaret Thatcher and her creepy cabinet, and an ongoing skit concerning an easily confused Ronald Reagan (and his missing brain) in which the former US president has two buttons next to his bed, ‘Nurse’ and ‘Nuke’, there is still much to enjoy. Comedy fans will also enjoy checking out the early vocal work of Chris Barrie and Harry Enfield, and the scripts of Ian Hislop and Richard Curtis. No extras, but a decent enough trip down memory lane.
FILM: 6 EXTRAS: 1
DVD Info:
Certificate: 12
Starring: (voices) Chris Barrie, Harry Enfield, John Sessions, Jon Glover
Directed By: Peter Harris, Philip Casson, Bob Cousins, 1984
Distributor: Network
Audio: Mono
Visuals: 4:3 Fullscreen
Running Time: 300mins
Price: £19.99
Film supplied by: Network
Special Features:
Episode Selection
