The League of Gentlemen
Welcome to Royston Vasey. You'll Never Leave!
The League of Gentlemen is a British comedy television series that premiered on BBC Two in 1999. The show is set in Royston Vasey, a fictional town in Northern England based on Bacup, Lancashire. It follows the lives of dozens of bizarre townspeople, most of whom are played by three of the show's four writers—Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, and Reece Shearsmith—who, along with Jeremy Dyson, formed the League of Gentlemen comedy troupe in 1995. The series originally aired for three series from 1999 until 2002 followed by a film in 2005. A three-part revival mini-series was broadcast in December 2017 to celebrate the group's 20th anniversary.
Seasons
1. Welcome To Royston Vasey
Air Date: 1999-01-11
Ben struggles to take in Auntie Val and Uncle Harvey’s incomprehensible house rules, while Martin poses a threat to the precious things in Tubbs and Edward’s Local Shop. At the local job center, Pauline is furious when someone lands an interview without her help. Taxi driver Babs makes middling progress through her sex change.
2. The Road To Royston Vasey
Air Date: 1999-01-18
Royston Vasey's new road is under construction: good news for all the town's inhabitants except Tubbs and Edward won't this bring strangers to the town? Judee is off to Antigua for a luxury holiday; Pauline is holding a workshop in selling the Big Issue (a newspaper for the homeless), and Ben is trying to use the telephone at the Dentons. We meet butcher Hillary Briss, Henry and Ally, the video-viewers and Reverend Bernice, Royston Vasey's outspoken lady vicar.
3. Nightmare in Royston Vasey
Air Date: 1999-01-25
An employee working on the new road stumbles into the lair of Edward and Tubbs, breakfast at the Denton's is not what Benjamin was expecting, and a tortoise has an unfortunate encounter with Dr. Chinnery.
4. The Beast of Royston Vasey
Air Date: 1999-02-01
Chinnery examines the so-called "beast", but has he correctly identified it? Also, the Legz Akimbo Theatre Company arrives to perform a play at the local school.
5. Love Comes To Royston Vasey
Air Date: 1999-02-08
Ben tries to escape from the Dentons. Henry and Ally go to the wrong film but try to make the best of it. Geoff gives a very truthful and upsetting speech at Mike's wedding.
6. Escape From Royston Vasey
Air Date: 1999-02-15
Tubbs & Edward's son David returns. Ben leaves Royston Vasey. Ross reveals a secret.
1. Destination: Royston Vasey
Air Date: 2000-01-14
The carnival comes to town and Pauline starts at the Restart Room as a jobseeker. Val makes a wish on a magic toad that brings back Benjamin. A nosebleed epidemic breaks out at the circus.
2. Lust for Royston Vasey
Air Date: 2000-01-21
The nosebleed epidemic continues. Pauline gets a new job as an assistant food science operative at Burger Me! Herr Lipp and students arrive on an exchange visit from Diusberg, and the guesthouse closes for a very private function.
3. A Plague on Royston Vasey
Air Date: 2000-01-28
Pen-obsessed Pauline tackles Ross about her job prospects or lack thereof, and Edward sets a trap to catch a bride for David. Butcher Hilary Briss has a problem with one of his "special" customers.
4. Death in Royston Vasey
Air Date: 2000-02-04
Hilary Briss and Maurice take an early walk in the woods to collect a "Special Delivery." Mike, Brian, and Geoff get lost on their way to a plastics convention, and Morris is dealt with.
5. Anarchy in Royston Vasey
Air Date: 2000-02-11
Pauline leaves her hostage with Mikey to go in search of food. Geoff and Brian bury Mike alive, and Tubbs and Edward catch a no-tail. Lee finds that Creme Brulee has reformed without him.
6. Royston Vasey and the Monster from Hell
Air Date: 2000-02-18
Roysten Vasey is quarantined as the nosebleed epidemic claims a distinguished victim. The Legz Akimbo Theatre Group comes to town, and there is a wedding at the local shop.
1. The Lesbian and the Monkey
Air Date: 2002-09-26
Ross springs Pauline from jail--provided she can find evidence to convict Mickey and get him off the Dole.
2. The One-Armed Man Is King
Air Date: 2002-10-03
Lance bribes hospital disc jockey Mike King to arrange an under-the-counter arm transplant. Meanwhile, Glenn and Barry fail miserably in an attempt to recover outstanding debts.
3. Turn Again Geoff Tipps
Air Date: 2002-10-10
Geoff is fired from his job and leaves in an attempt to make it as a stand-up comedian in London. There he runs into the Legz Akimbo team and Mike.
4. The Medusa Touch
Air Date: 2002-10-17
Regular Cast: Mark as Alvin Steele / Les McQueen Steve as Daddy / Nancy Glass / Barbara [voice] / Anne Hand Reese as Noel Glass / Judith Buckle / Terry Lollard B&B proprietors Alvin and Sunny invite their weekend 'Sexplorers' to join them in a voyage of auto-erotic discovery - although Alvin would prefer to be at the garden centre. But who is the mysterious femme fatale in the dwarf conifers and what is the secret of the fearsome 'Medusa'? The Ending: Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen is having a fag with his wig off in the backyard of the Windermere when the white van comes crashing through the wall, sending tons of bricks down on him...
5. Beauty and the Beast (Or, Come into My Parlour)
Air Date: 2002-10-24
Regular Cast: Mark as Tony / Iris Krell [voice] / Neds / Professor Breastpinch'd Steve as Charlie Hull Reese as Stella Hull / Judee Levinson / Keith Drop CHARLIE & STELLA / MRS LEVINSON: The Hulls' marriage seems to have disintegrated beyond repair and Stella's hooked on playing fruit machines. Meanwhile, Charlie starts working for Judee Levinson at her new beauty salon, the ""Spit and Polish"", doing massages on blindfolded clients, who think it's Judee doing them herself. His healing hands wow the customers, until an old man asks if he can do any ""extras"". Word spreads and the salon is packed with the men of Royston Vasey, blissfully unaware they are being w* off by Charlie. When Tony comes for one of the ""special massages"", Charlie becomes obsessed with him and falls in love with him, eventually telling Tony he's the masseur with the magic hands. Tony is disgusted and the s* hits the fan: Stella wins big on the fruit machines and jets off overseas, and Judee sacks him.
6. How The Elephant Got Its Trunk
Air Date: 2002-10-31
After a bag is blown out the window of the Charity Shop Vinnie spots it on a country road and sets out in hot pursuit. Papa Lazarou returns and all the series' loose ends are tied up.
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Rating
7.6/10
Release Date
1999-01-11
Episodes
18 (3 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Videos
Production Companies
BBC Studios