The Classic First Series (League of Gentlemen Season 1 Boxset (DVD))

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	League of Gentlemen Season 1 Boxset (DVD)
Date:	29/03/04 (57 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Original mix of horror and comedy

Disadvantages: Won't appeal to everyone

For anyone unfamiliar with the purpose or events of the series, the League of Gentlemen is essentially a sketch show with a number of recurring characters, mostly played by the same three people; Steve Pemberton, Mark Gattis and Reece Shearsmith. The series' main purpose is to entertain through accessible gags, excellent and relatable characters and 'black' comedy; a term used to describe anything alternative which people could possibly find offensive or nauseating. Anyone who has watched the series will doubtless remember some of the more prominent characters, while long-time or hardcore fans have a chance to see the beginnings of their favourites in this first series (1998, released on DVD in 2002).

The League of Gentlemen, while being an acquired taste, has been regarded as being one of the few truly unique and important British comedies of the past few years. The often debated "decline of the great british sitcom" through the 90s and beyond made newcomers like this even more enjoyable, and the first series definitely had an impact upon me in my mid-teens.

The League's own commentary on the disc explains how some concepts were invented simply as a means to tie the shows together in continuity, as the plot of the first series loosely revolves around a new road being built to the isolated northern country town Royston Vasey. Each set of characters have their own self-contained or running themes however, and here are some of my favourites:

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* The plight of visiting traveller Benjamin to his Uncle and Auntie Denton's meticulous and toad-obsessed house. This series sees Benjamin experiencing such displeasures as being framed for an accident and being taught the pleasures of aqua vitae. "The lavatory... into which we don't pass solids."

* &
#84;he businessman trio of Mike, Brian and the unbalanced Geoff, who swiftly proceeds to ruin everybody else's day before pulling a major bad taste joke. "You know i've got this gun don't yer!"

* Pre-op transsexual cab driver 'Barbara,' with the hairiest bikini line in Royston Vasey. "One little prick and it'll all be over... then they cut me c***k off."

* Domestically unsound couple Charlie and Stella, with plenty of double entendres. "Luigi!"

* Unsuccessful Creme Brulee music veteran Les McQueen, whose never been able to outlive his disappointing career. "It's a s*** business."

* The fascistic and pen-obsessed Pauline at the Job Centre. "Pens are the best friends you can have!"

* And who could forget the proprietors of the country's most famous Local Shop, the deformed and terrifying Tubbs and Edward. "We didn't burn them!" There are of course far too many less prominent characters to mention, some of which would feature much more in the second series- I'm thinking of Pop there.

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The main striking thing about the League of Gentlemen is this continuity of characters, and the ability to have a hetrosexual married couple both played by males without consciously realising this. The Monty Python-proven technique of having the same actors play different characters in every single scene is done to perfection, even more so some may say than in that classic series. The location shoots in a rural town within the Yorkshire Moors was also something very refreshing to see in the BBC's comedy scheduling, amidst bars and cheaply-manufactured workplaces. The League are also incredibly good actors whos
e passion for their work thankfully makes it all the more enjoyable to watch.

The League returned the following year for a second series, equalling this first series in my view with some very memorable new characters and scenes, but their recent return in the third series was a little too different and dark at times for my tastes- the fact that I could be put off by this kind of humour in a programme was a surprise to me. The League of Gents' strength has always come from a mixture of fantastic characterisation, the ability to establish a continuity, and to mix cheap laughs with traumatisation. Aside from the interesting and worthwhile commentary, there is not much to the DVD extras- although the few deleted scenes which were not simply revamped for the following series are quite funny- but the widescreen presentation of the episodes is perfect. It has also been rumoured that they are planning to make a film within the next few years.

No collection of modern British comedy would be complete without owning some of this funny and very quotable series.

Summary: BBC