Q...

Q... was a surreal television comedy sketch show from Spike Milligan which ran from 1969 to 1982 on BBC2. There were six series in all, the first five numbered from Q5 to Q9, and a final series titled There's a Lot of It About. The first and third series ran for seven episodes, and the others for six episodes, each of which was 30 minutes long. Various reasons have been suggested for the title. One possibility is that it was inspired by the project to construct the Cunard liner QE2, launched in September 1967, which was dubbed Q4. Another theory is that Milligan was inspired by the BBC 6-point technical quality scale of the time, where "Q5" was severe degradation to picture or sound, and "Q6" was complete loss of sound or vision. This was extended by some engineering departments to a 9-point scale, finishing at "Q9". According to Milligan's autobiography, the final series was renamed There's a Lot of It About after the BBC felt the public might find Q10 too confusing.

Comedy

Seasons

1. Q5, Episode 1

Air Date: 1969-03-24

2. Q5, Episode 2

Air Date: 1969-03-31

Sketches include Pim Pom Pom Pom Pom, Partly Political Broadcasts, Plastic Inflatable Sympathy, Hump, Water, Russian Entertainment Spies, Live From Westminster, Rose Marie, Sports Parade, Scotland, Inspector Macshagnasty, Weather, Steamroller

3. Q5, Episode 3

Air Date: 1969-04-07

Sketches Include: Weighing Machine, Wages, Custard Pies, Jewish, Instant Husband, Knowledge of the World, Ava Maria, Aristotle Lunge, Operation, Funny Gravy Competition, Yesterday, Police Recruitment, Harry Secombe in Court, Two Doctors, Folks Back Home, Piano, Guru Ned Teeth

4. Q5, Episode 4

Air Date: 1969-04-14

5. Q5, Episode 5

Air Date: 1969-04-21

6. Q5, Episode 6

Air Date: 1969-04-28

7. Q5, Episode 7

Air Date: 1969-05-05

1. Q6, Episode 1

Air Date: 1975-11-06

2. Q6 Episode 2

Air Date: 1975-11-13

3. Q6 Episode 3

Air Date: 1975-11-20

4. Q6 Episode 4

Air Date: 1975-11-27

5. Q6 Episode 5

Air Date: 1975-12-04

6. Q6, Episode 6

Air Date: 1975-12-11

1. Q7, Episode 1

Air Date: 1978-01-03

2. Q7 Episode 2

Air Date: 1978-01-10

3. Q7 Episode 3

Air Date: 1978-01-17

4. Q7 Episode 4

Air Date: 1978-01-24

5. Q7 Episode 5

Air Date: 1978-01-31

6. Q7 Episode 6

Air Date: 1978-02-14

7. Q7, Episode 7

Air Date: 1978-02-21

1. Q8, Episode 1

Air Date: 1979-04-04

Sketches Include: Announcer's Set, Weather Desk, The Working Class, Doctor's Surgery, Classified Husbands, Sports Announcer, Clean Underwear, Bank Sketch, Tuba Sketch

2. Q8, Episode 2

Air Date: 1979-04-11

Sketches Include: Announcer's Set, Doctor's Surgery, Harrods Sports Department, Man and Mouse, England In Space, Semi Detached Space Capsule, No Fire

3. Q8 Episode 3

Air Date: 1979-04-18

Sketches Include: The News, This Is Your Life, Puzzle Corner, Gestapo Traffic Wardens, Potting Shed Lecture, Useless Information, Sexual Hindrance, Churchill's Overdraft, Brain Of Ireland, Tribute To Elgar, Late News, Woe Is Me (song)

4. Q8 Episode 4

Air Date: 1979-04-25

Sketches Include: News, Windsor Castle, Python Man, Eurojokes, Disposable Husbands, Double Your Yokel, Late News, I've Taken you For Granted (song)

5. Q8 Episode 5

Air Date: 1979-05-02

Sketches Include: News, Idiot Of The Year Show, Ideal Stuffing, Farmer's Panorama, Police, Quasimodo, The Carpet's Always Greener (song)

6. Q8, Episode 6

Air Date: 1979-05-09

Sketches Include: News, Royal Windsor Scout Troop, Cathedral, Sky At Night, Army Recruitment, Army Club, Late News, Silly Old Baboon (song)

1. Q9, Episode 1

Air Date: 1980-06-17

Q9 Sketches Include: Surrender First The Body in Question One Sunny Day (song) Rocket Funerals News Church Doctor Newsvendor

2. Q9 Episode 2

Air Date: 1980-06-14

3. Q9 Episode 3

Air Date: 1980-07-01

Q9 Sketches Include: News Illness Gorilla Wife Blondin in Brixton Living Again (music) Old Mother Riley Negro Spirituals Underwater Revolving Furniture Hamlet Piano

4. Q9 Episode 4

Air Date: 1980-07-08

5. Q9 Episode 5

Air Date: 1980-07-15

6. Q9, Episode 6

Air Date: 1980-07-22

Select an episode to start watching

Rating

7.2/10

Release Date

1969-03-24

Episodes

32 (5 seasons)

Status

Ended

Cast