"Big Train" (1998) TV series 1998-2002

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Creators:

Graham Linehan
Arthur Mathews

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

25 February 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Like reality, only better!

Plot Keywords:

British TV | Surrealism | British Comedy | Sketch Comedy

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Kevin Eldon	...	Various Roles (12 episodes, 1998-2002)
Mark Heap	...	Various Roles (12 episodes, 1998-2002)
Simon Pegg	...	Various Roles (12 episodes, 1998-2002)
Julia Davis	...	Various roles (7 episodes, 1998-2002)
Amelia Bullmore	...	Various roles / ... (7 episodes, 1998-2002)
Catherine Tate	...	Various roles (7 episodes, 1998-2002)
Rebecca Front	...	Various roles (6 episodes, 2002)
Tracy-Ann Oberman	...	Various roles (6 episodes, 2002)
Barry Davies	...	Stare-Out Commentator (6 episodes, 1998)
Phil Cornwell	...	Stare-Out Commentator (6 episodes, 1998)
Rosie Day	...	Jenny (6 episodes, 2002)

Runtime:

30 min (12 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

TalkBack Productions

Quotes:

['This Is Your Life' Parody]
Michael Aspel: After that success, you went on to star in the West End in numerous plays and of course in many films and television shows. But there was a cloud on the horizon, when your husband Billy became seriously ill. Billy developed a rare disease called Berlioz syndrome...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Britain's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Big Train

Criminally Underrated Show

Whilst Britain was mesmerised by 'The Fast Show', a vastly superior sketch show appeared on B.B.C.-2. 'Big Train' was in the 'Monty Python' mold, featuring sketches that started out as one thing before turning into something else, such as 'Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Working Class'', a 'Saint' style fight breaking out at a posh dinner party, or Chairman Mao leaping off his death bed to do a Bryan Ferry impression. The cast threw themselves into the thing with commendable straight faced enthusiasm; Simon Pegg, Julia Davis and Catherine Tate later became major stars. My favourite, however, was Kevin Eldon. His 'Sir George Martin' was staggering! Mark Heap was also brilliant. This was Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan's first series since 'Father Ted' and alas suffered by way by comparison. The two shows are just as funny, but in different ways. It takes genius to make the notion of a 'stare-out' contest funny. 'Big Train' deserved to be a greater success ( a lot of it went over people's heads ) than it was. "Is that a reference to me not being married?".