"The New Statesman" (1987) TV series 1987-1992

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Creators:

Maurice Gran
Laurence Marks

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | unknown

Release Date:

13 September 1987 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

In a parody of 1980s Conservatism, Rik Mayall is Alan B'Stard MP, the most machiavellian Tory of them all.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Member Of Parliament | Political | House Of Commons | Satire

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Rik Mayall	...	Alan B'Stard (28 episodes, 1987-1992)
Michael Troughton	...	Piers Fletcher-Dervish (26 episodes, 1987-1992)
Marsha Fitzalan	...	Sarah B'Stard (25 episodes, 1987-1992)

Runtime:

25 min (26 episodes) | 70 min (1 episode)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

Alomo Productions

Quotes:

[Piers is helping Alan's mother with the washing up]
Piers: Don't worry, Mrs B'stard, he *is* in the Royal Navy. He must be used to getting cream down his trousers.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Comedy Connections: The New Statesman (#5.4)" (2007)

"The New Statesman" is a wonderfully corrupt creation from two men known previously only for their 'nice' comedy...

I'm referring in the above summary to horribly bland and safe output like "Birds of a Feather". Thankfully, this is the polar opposite of such nauseous bonding, and shows us that these two guys CAN write terrifically insightful and acerbic comedy if they pull their finger out.

Ably assisting them is the often sublime Rik Mayall, here ditching the over-the-top lunatic quality that made him famous, in favour of a more insiduously subtle style, and boy is it hilarious! There are also some fantastically observed secondary characters present too; but there's no doubt about it, Alan is the star of the show, and he's gleefully nasty.

A comedy series that arrived in the UK at just the right time to skewer Thatcher's horrendously selfish government, this is often uproariously funny. A great and sadly underappreciated half-hour, with loads more 'bite' and 'bile' than many of its contemporaries or contenders.