It is still odd to me to watch this show looking back. The comedy aspect of it has stood up very well indeed and, looks aside, it hasn't dated a bit. However knowing Hugh Laurie as the globally famous (and incredibly wealthy) star of House, it is odd to see him performing using a skill set that he doesn't really ever call upon now – not to mention seeing him in frequent drag. This aside though, the fourth season of "A Bit of Fry & Laurie" is more or less business as usual and was the last season of the show. I'm not sure why it ended – perhaps it had just ran its course because actually 4 short seasons is reasonably good for a UK show and things on the BBC are not always strung out until the ratings dip.
The fourth season continues the trend of the previous two by not being deliberately arch, being more accessible and yet also retaining the flamboyant wit for which they are famous. When it works it works very well and there are plenty of creative sketches which use language and absurdity really well to draw laughs and make for great comedy. There are some that do this to lesser effect and had the impact of making me smile – but it was that smile that you do while being amused but really just waiting for the next proper laugh. Generally though it is all good stuff if you like their work.
This season sees a slight change to formula by introducing "guests" into the start of the show. Looking at it cynically it is a way of creating a fresh "sketch" each week without really having to come up with a sketch but it does work. The guests don't really add much more than allowing this bit of the show to exist though – they maybe show up in one more sketch (and then at the end to pick a cocktail) but otherwise they serve only this basic function. It works as an idea though and the material with the guests is good verbal stuff.
As before both Fry and Laurie are excellent. Fry's way with words and wonderfully droll delivery makes for great fun and it is this approach that makes the show. Laurie works well with this but in some regards his material is not quite as funny – his solo songs are amusing but Fry tends to dominate in the stronger sketches. Laurie is excellent in the more physical work though and his falls are always hilarious.
The final season of this show doesn't bow out on a high but it is still very good stuff that is consistently funny and creative Better than the first season for sure even if it is not quite as consistently good as seasons 2 and 3, but a fitting conclusion to their show.
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