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Overview[]

The Comic Strip Presents... is a series of television episodes, feature films and live shows featuring various comic alumni from The Comic Strip group founded by Peter Richardson in the 1980s. The group featured the alternative comedians of the era, primarily Alexei Sayle, Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Nigel Planer, Robbie Coltrane and Richardson himself. Many of these would go on to collaborate on many other non-Comic Strip projects throughout their careers. 

History[]

The group was born out of the alternative comedy boom of the 1980s, centered on the London-based Comedy Club founded by Don Ward and Peter Rosengard in 1979. Two double-acts, Mayall and Edmondson under the moniker "20th Century Coyote," and Planer and Richardson as "The Outer Limits," began performing at the club in 1980 alongside solo act Alexei Sayle. Later, as the desire to turn their performances into a theatrical sketch show developed, Richardson put out a casting call for female performers, which was answered by French and Saunders. The troupe then went on a tour of the UK and Australia, which was accompanied by a documentary film of the show in 1981. The success of the tour prompted Richardson to approach Channel 4 with ideas for a television show, and so The Comic Strip Presents... was born. At around the same time, Mayall, Edmondson and Planer were recruited by the BBC for The Young Ones.

Between 1982 and 2012, 41 episodes and 3 films were created with the core cast members playing various characters in a myriad of stories ranging from mockumentaries, murder mysteries and political satire. Of all of the comedians involved, Richardson has featured the most frequently.

Cast[]

Rik Mayall - 19 Episodes

Adrian Edmondson - 30 Episodes

Peter Richardson - 41 Episodes

Jennifer Saunders - 30 Episodes

Dawn French - 26 Episodes

Nigel Planer - 27 Episodes

Robbie Coltrane - 19 Episodes

Episodes[]

Series One[]

Five Go Mad In Dorset

War

The Beat Generation

Bad News Tour

Summer School

Series Two[]

Five Go Mad On Mescalin

Dirty Movie

Susie

A Fistful of Traveller's Cheques

Gino: Full Story & Pics

Eddie Monsoon: A Life?

Slags

Series Three[]

The Strike

More Bad News

Mr Jolly Lives Next Door

The Yob

Didn't You Kill My Brother?

Funseekers

Series Four[]

South Atlantic Raiders

South Atlantic Raiders: Argie Bargie!

GLC: The Carnage Continues

Oxford

Spaghetti Hoops

Les Dogs

Series Five[]

Detectives on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown

Space Virgins From Planet Sex

Queen of the Wild Frontier

Gregory: Diary of a Nutcase

Demonella

Jealousy

Films[]

The Supergrass

Eat The Rich

Churchill: The Hollywood Years

Specials[]

The Bullshitters: Roll Out The Gun Barrel

Consuela, Or The New Mrs Saunders

Private Enterprise

Red Nose of Courage

The Crying Game

Wild Turkey

Four Men In A Car

Four Men In A Plane

...Sex Actually

The Hunt For Tony Blair

Five Go To Rehab

Trivia[]

  1. The alternative comedy scene was born from the belief by its founders that stand-up comedy in the late 70s/early 80s had become stale and was led largely by older male performers (exceptions apply) who relied on racist and sexist jokes. Similarly, and especially in respect of the later creation of The Young Ones, alternative comedy performers believed that sitcoms had become too "safe" and "nice", hence The Young Ones being deliberately neither.
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