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

User Rating:

8.4/10   

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:

[catering students are attending a lecture - a sign on the desk says "Cake Department"]
Cake Chef: So, in conclusion, these cakes really are selling extremely quickly. They're selling like nobody's business. They're flying off the shelves, these cakes. Maybe it's because we warm the up first, I don't know, but they are being bought at a tremendous rate. In fact, I don't think I've seen anything sell with such speed as these warmed-through cakes. People are snapping up these cakes like, well, like they're going out of fashion.
Catering Student: [coughs] Sorry. You could say they were selling like hot cakes.
Manager: Well, I think that's as good a place as any to end the meeting, so thank you very much, Steve, and thank you, everybody.
[students get up and leave]
Manager: Peter, Can I have a quick word? I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go.
Catering Student: You're... You're firing me? But why?
Manager: Because you're a smart alec, Peter. You can't help making glib remarks about cakes, and I'm afraid up here what counts here is how you make cakes, and not what you say about them.
Catering Student: Don't... Don't fire me, please. I'm committed to cakes.
Manager: OK, look, it's clearly not working out for you in this division, so I'm prepared to give you another chance. I'm gonna move you to another section. But I want you to cut out the smart remarks. OK? It's down to you, Peter.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hitler: The Comedy Years (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Big Train

Best sketch show ever?

This is an awesome show. No laugh track, completely deadpan the entire time, and i think generally massively underrated. Primarily the work of the lads from Father Ted, i would rate this show (and particularly the first series) as my favourite sketch comedy show of all time. In no particular order, I would recommend: Ming the Merciless vacuuming at home, the cat suit and dog suit pub fight, the duck assassin, Hall & Oates (with Eurythmics) helping clean up inner city London, the wanking office, 'no, sorry, i don't speak English', the eponymous big train sketch, the foxhunting firemen...

Great to see Simon Pegg doing so well also.