The Fast Show (1994–2001)

Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and Caroline Aherne star in this sketch show with characters like Ken and Kenneth two rude tailors... See full synopsis »

Stars:

Paul Whitehouse, Simon Day, Charlie Higson

6 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Paul Whitehouse	...	Various Roles (23 episodes, 1994-2000)
Simon Day	...	Various Roles (23 episodes, 1994-2000)
Charlie Higson	...	Various Roles (23 episodes, 1994-2000)
John Thomson	...	Various Roles (23 episodes, 1994-2000)
Arabella Weir	...	Various Roles (23 episodes, 1994-2000)
Mark Williams	...	Various Roles (23 episodes, 1994-2000)
Caroline Aherne	...	Various Roles (21 episodes, 1994-1997)
Eryl Maynard	...	Various Roles (21 episodes, 1994-2000)
Paul Shearer	...	Various Roles (20 episodes, 1994-2000)
Maria McErlane	...	Various Roles (15 episodes, 1996-2000)
Colin McFarlane	...	Various Roles (14 episodes, 1994-2000)
Donna Ewin	...	Chanel 9 Girl (13 episodes, 1996-2000)
Rory Jennings	...	Toby (11 episodes, 1996-2000)

Storyline

Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and Caroline Aherne star in this sketch show with characters like Ken and Kenneth two rude tailors... See full synopsis »

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Plot Keywords:

comedian | actor playing multiple roles | sketch comedy | joke | actress playing multiple roles | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Official Sites:

BBC America [us] (US title is "Brilliant!") BBCi [uk]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 March 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brilliant!

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (25 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Director: Chip? Take five - we need to reset the wire.
Chip: Set meself on fire? All right.

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Connections

Referenced in Withnail and Us (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Release Me"
Written by Eddie Miller, Robert Yount, and Dub Williams
Performed by Paul Whitehouse

User Reviews

Outdoes SNL in creativity and editing

An American not familiar with this show, as I was, will probably compare it to SNL (Saturday Night Live).

However, there are four big differences. One, it's not live. Two, no music. Three, no guest stars. Four, it's consistently funny.

Anyone who has watched SNL will know that for every absolutely-roll-in-the-isle-genius-sketch, there are about ten poor ones.

These sketches range from the monotonous to the downright painful. Then there are the painful one-joke movie franchises (Wayne's World excluded).

Then I saw the Fast Show, while living abroad a few years. Each sketch was hilarious or memorable, and each character was inspired and sometimes even vaguely rounded.

The editors are intelligent enough to cut off one joke characters before five minutes of an painful, drawn-out sketch. In the Fast Show it is: character's on, cut to a new character, cut back, cut to a new character, cut back etc. Humor is mostly timing, anyway.

Imagine SNL with much better editing and consistently funny and that's what you've got here. It is disappointing that the talent in the show has gone largely unrecognized to this point.