French & Saunders
French and Saunders is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comic duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. It is also the name by which the performers are known on the occasions when they appear elsewhere as a double act.
Seasons
1. Beauty and the Beast
Air Date: 1987-03-09
The very first episode of the light entertainment variety show starring Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, with special guest Alison Moyet. Plus, Steve Rider has the latest in the Sports Report, Dawn's A-ha pencil case has been stolen at school and dance troupe The Hot Hoofers take to the stage.
2. Tricks
Air Date: 1987-03-16
French and Saunders try their best to 'star' as extras in an aeroplane TV commercial and special guest Roy Castle performs a song.
3. Julie Walters
Air Date: 1987-03-23
Dawn and Jennifer reach for the padding and prosthetics as the infamous Fat Men make their first appearance on the spoof variety show. Guest starring Julie T. Wallace.
4. Ratings
Air Date: 1987-03-30
With poor ratings threatening their show, Dawn and Jennifer resort to extreme measures and hunt down BBC controller Michael Grade.
5. Blue Peter
Air Date: 1987-04-06
The show must go on when industrial action and a walk out by Betty Marsden's dance troupe threatens to cause chaos. Guest starring Jools Holland, Rik Mayall and Harry Enfield.
6. Killing Time
Air Date: 1987-04-13
The curtains come down on the first series of French and Saunders' spoof entertainment show with special guest Joan Armatrading.
1. Decades
Air Date: 1988-03-04
Joan Bakewell presents a documentary about two modern artists, Muriel and Maddie. Also Squeeze sing a great song called "853-9537".
2. Cable TV
Air Date: 1988-03-11
The Fat Men get somewhat over-excited while watching the Miss World contest on TV, and there's a sparse audience at a Kilroy spoof.
3. Removals
Air Date: 1988-03-18
The comic duo uncork one of their Hollywood send-ups as a rather senile Katherine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers pay tribute to Fred Astaire.
4. Languages
Air Date: 1988-03-25
Light entertainment from French and Saunders, with the regular helping of Raw Sex and Ben Elton.
5. Potholing
Air Date: 1988-04-08
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders star in their very own light entertainment variety show, with special guests including The Proclaimers, Raw Sex, Brian Conway, Sarah Greene, Stephanie Beacham, Adrian Edmondson and Lenny Henry.
6. Nose
Air Date: 1988-04-15
Dawn and Jennifer round off the series with more fantastic sketches and a medley of hilarious silver screen send-ups.
1. The Sound of Music
Air Date: 1990-03-15
Season 3 kicks off with a great 'Sound of Music' send up - Dawn as Maria and Jen as Mother Superior fight it out to sing 'Climb ev'ry Mountain'. Jerry Hall and Marie Helvin stand in for Dawn and Jen while their off on the 'catwalks of Milan'. They use a Channel 4 programme layout, 'Star Test' to interview pop-stars of the moment, throughout season 3 - this week it's 'sophisticated, scouse' Sonia. One of the 2 fat ladies cuts off a finger - 'blood and sand', then later we see the land-rover driven through the kitchen wall in order to catch the game-birds. Dawn is 'A Right Royal Guest' on a TV-am spoof. The fantastic Abba show us their new video for 'C'est Vie, c'est vie!'. Kirsty MacColl sings the excellent '15 minutes' and we meet Dot and May, who run 'Star Pets' and train animals (and vegetables) for television.
2. Whatever Happened to Baby Dawn?
Air Date: 1990-03-22
As the title suggests, this weeks film is a parody of 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?', with Jen isolated upstairs in a wheelchair, as Dawn gets up to some 'serupticious, drunken, bawdy mischief'. Guests on 'Star Test' this week are Matt and Luke Goss - 'Bros' (short for brothers). It's 'Dawns Dosh Spot' on TV-am and Kirsty MacColl duets with Ken Bishop on 'Somethin' Stupid'. The 2 Fat Ladies get home and discuss the wedding they've just attended and we join Jilly and Fiona, editors of 'Womanly World' magazine arranging the next issue.
3. The Exorcist
Air Date: 1990-03-29
Poor Dawnie is posessed this week, as we see in the French and Saunders' take on 'The Exorcist'. We see into the pitfalls of being a 'lookie-likie' on 'Watch-Out', the consumer affairs programme, and how Maggie Philbins 'lookie-likie' is such a perfectionist she had to marry a Cheggers look-a-like! The 'She-Rappers' make their debut in front of 'a friend of Africa Bambaata', while errr... Hollywood 'expert' Dawn joins Jen on the TV-am sofa and discusses 'a day in the life of...Joan Collins. Kirsty MacColl sings 'I Ride' while Dawn and Jen don their leathers and ride their bikes in the video. Jo and Judith have a working lunch regarding 'Stars and their toilet seats' and come up with the innovative idea of a 'plop-up' book.
4. Gone with the Wind
Air Date: 1990-04-05
Jen is Scarlet O'Hara - 'Fiddle-de-dee'! We see how they pass the time on a prison visit, 'Countdown' and 'Name That Tune' go down well! This weeks Star Test Guest is lead singer from Transvision Vamp, Wendy James. Ken from Raw Sex duets with his girlfriend via cassette as she's under the weather, while Kirsty MacColl sings the wonderful 'Don't Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim'. We go out to a Country Cottage and watch the house-keepers discuss the laundry - '50 quid for a T-shirt? Couldn't believe it', the freaky-health-conscious boss 'poison?- white bread, apparently' and how to make a few quid!
5. Dangerous Liaisons
Air Date: 1990-04-12
It's whispering rumours-'n'-deceit-beind-fans time as Dawn and Jen 'do' Dangerous Liaisons. Star Test interviews Tanita Tikaram and asks that burning question - ""What does 'Twist in my Sobriety' mean?"". ""I'm in the studio with Dr Eleanor Wood"" who's being interviewed for 'Record Choice', although the host is more amused by the Doctors 'ample,chunky,tubby,piggy' size than anything she has to say. 'Back with Dawn' on TV-am who today is, apparently an expert on 'space' (although the wrong kind of space!), and we hear 'A Wedding Day' on the Poetry Spot... arrr! The 'thinking mans crumpet' Joan Bakewell hosts an Arts programme dedicated to Andy Warholes work. There's been a mix-up in make-up when Sharon and Tracey from 'Birds of A Fea-ver' arrive in Jens living room.
6. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Air Date: 1990-04-19
Jennifer's Marilyn Monroe and Dawn's Jane Russell spell it out with an outrageous rendition of Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend.
7. Casting Agency
Air Date: 1990-04-26
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders round off their series with more comedy sketches and special guest Jane Asher.
1. Misery
Air Date: 1993-02-18
Featuring a memorable reenactment of the film 'Misery' and an exclusive performance by Dickens Daughters.
2. The Silence of the Lambs
Air Date: 1993-02-25
Dawn and Jennifer pay homage to The Silence of the Lambs, and there's a unique appearance by The Mamas and Papas.
3. The Seventh Seal
Air Date: 1993-03-04
French and Saunders pay homage to Swedish film-maker Ingmar Bergman, and also pay tribute to the rock band Guns N' Roses.
4. In Bed with French & Saunders
Air Date: 1993-03-11
In Bed with French and Saunders reveals what goes on backstage for two familiar Madonnas.
5. French & Saunders: The Special Edition
Air Date: 1993-03-18
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders pay comic tribute to Sigourney Weaver in the film Aliens.
6. The House of Idiot
Air Date: 1993-03-25
French and Saunders pay tribute to the House of Eliott and there are comic takes on Pan's People, Gladiators and the royal family.
7. Thelma and Louise
Air Date: 1993-04-01
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders pay comic homage to Thelma and Louise. They are also joined by Royal Ballet star Darcey Bussell.
1. Baywatch
Air Date: 1996-01-04
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders return with a spoof of Baywatch and Helen Mirren desperately trying to reinvent herself.
2. Loveheart
Air Date: 1996-01-11
Skits and sketches from Dawn and Jennifer including a parody of Bjork and their unique version of Braveheart.
3. Franco e Sandro
Air Date: 1996-01-18
Dawn and Jennifer present a parody of Federico Fellini's movies.
4. Batman
Air Date: 1996-01-25
More comedy sketches from Dawn and Jennifer, with special guests the Krankies, Patsy Kensit, Patrick Barlow and Kate Moss.
5. Pulp Fiction
Air Date: 1996-02-01
More skits and sketches from Dawn and Jennifer, including a spoof of Pulp Fiction.
6. Pride And Prejudice
Air Date: 1996-02-08
Skits and sketches from Dawn and Jennifer, featuring a spoof of Western The Quick and the Dead, guest starring Lenny Henry.
7. Dr. Quimn, Mad Woman
Air Date: 1996-02-29
Skits and sketches, including a spoof of Dr Quinn Medicine Woman. Kate Moss guest stars.
1. Back at the BBC
Air Date: 2004-10-15
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders go behind the scenes at the BBC, with sketches featuring old favourites, new characters and film parodies. Dawn and Jennifer's first day at their new office and they meet their producer. Sketches include Dawn's unusual medical check-up and an homage to the film Cold Mountain.
2. Three-Letter Words
Air Date: 2004-10-22
This week, still struggling to come up with ideas, French & Saunders have to meet with the controller of BBC One (Eve Pollard). Plus they pay tribute to Cher through the ages and Catherine Zeta-Jones is in conversation
3. The Queen
Air Date: 2004-10-29
Behind the scenes in the office, Dawn is feeling ignored and wonders why she hasn't been invited to the Palace to meet the Queen. Jennifer has been invited and instead of writing scripts is practising her curtsey. Sketches include tributes to Kill Bill, Most Haunted and Catherine Zeta-Jones
4. Offers
Air Date: 2004-11-05
In the office, Dawn and Jennifer have to offer their ideas for new programmes to the Controller of BBC One. Sketches include a tribute to Madonna and Chris Martin's Mum
5. Minutes
Air Date: 2004-11-12
Despite having a new series to write, Dawn French is preoccupied with the fact she has been invited to go on Fit Farm but doesn't really know why. She also fulfills her dream of singing on Top Of The Pops with Anastasia, and the movie Troy gets a make-over, with Jennifer Saunders as Brad Pitt's Achilles and Dawn as the ethereal Helen.
6. After Show Party
Air Date: 2004-11-26
French and Saunders have to take their ideas to offers, they have NOTHING!
Select an episode to start watching
Rating
7.5/10
Release Date
1987-03-09
Episodes
39 (6 seasons)
Status
Ended
