BottomUK, BBC, Sitcom, colour, 1991
Starring: Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson
Adventures in the sordid life of two of the world's most repellent bachelors. Double-act Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, who have both enjoyed individual successes, wrote and performed this show which tapped the anarchic, sick, violent slapstick style of their earlier stage act.
As Richie Richard and Eddie Hitler, they portrayed a pair of nasty, unhygienic, vicious, self-
centred, arrogant slobs who share a squalid flat and spend as much time ridiculing, irritating and maiming each other as they do terrifying any poor misfortunates who stray into their lives. Hopelessly inadequate at the nitty-gritty of everyday life, the pair pour all their energies into drinking, gluttony, masturbating and gambling. Episodes often explode into violence with the pair clouting each other with heavy industrial equipment, or causing eye-watering pain to each others genitalia with pliers or similar instruments. Explosions and fires were also commonplace. Bottom was intentionally and unashamedly juvenile, with even its title pointing to the schoolboy nature of its humour. Mayall and Edmondson had originally named the show Your Bottom and delighted in the double entendres that it might present (eg, 'I saw Your Bottom on television last night'), but, eventually, they settled on the more succinct Bottom and instead derived pleasure from the suffixed episode titles (eg, Bottom: Smells, and Bottom: 's Up). Its gross bad taste alienated some viewers but, like a pile of mildewing Y-fronts, Bottom wasn't short of support, as proven by the success of its numerous British theatre tours and the 1999 release of a full-length movie version, Guest House Paradiso, in which Richie and Eddie run the nastiest, smelliest, most squalid hotel in the world. (Written by Mayall and Edmondson, directed by Edmondson.)
Rude, crude and of dubious social value, Bottom was nevertheless a lively and funny attempt at producing something that only existed to make people laugh and had no moral standpoint or base in reality. Part of its grotesque allure was the strange fascination of the sleazy lifestyle it portrayed, which caused viewers to squirm but kept them hooked, much as the squeamish may be drawn to watch a televised operation.
*Note. The sixth and final episode of the second series was pulled from transmission as its subject matter - Eddie and Richie living rough on Wimbledon Common - coincided with a horrific real-life murder at the same location. It was also missed out from repeat runs but finally surfaced a few weeks after the end of the third series in 1995.
The website:
Video Clips
The Stork Margarine caption competition
Wind smear, anyone?
WEB LINKS
More on bbc.co.uk -weblinks so that they can advertise over different platforms.
Bottom at TV TomeBottom Resources fan siteRik Mayall fansiteUnofficial Bottom SiteEdies bra Bottom fansite
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external links.
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1. *2. * *3. * * *4. * * * *5. * * * * *
Five shows with a ghost
The Ghost and Mrs Muir
So Haunt Me
The Munsters
Rentaghost
My Dead Dad Submitted by Melissa HallidaySend us your list
RATE THIS SHOW
Good, bad or indifferent?
1. *2. * *3. * * *4. * * * *5. * * * * *
audiences
The show is for mature viewers.......well, when i say mature i mean older, not mature as in 'we don't laugh at fart jokes'. therefore the younger audineces would probably not be looking at this home page, however if they did there would be no problems through navigation.
institutions
it is the bbc website so it obviously has other bbc websites being broadcasted on the page and links to other pages relating to various things. people who are into comedy, especially such vulgar comedy as this would find the site lacking in character. sure they get all the information of the show and future performences, but teh page is white and dull and doesn't show how funny the show can actually be.
there is a bottom quiz.......of which i got 100% right!!!! and you find that in fun and games section at the bottom. there is also stills from the shows and stage productions. this increases interactivity and good quality viewing.
the webpage replaces other forms of advertisement such as tv and magazines because it shows viewing times and passed productions and even shows information about future theatre production (of which i am going to no matter what!!)
- interactivity
- convenience
- non-linear
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