"Drop the Dead Donkey" (1990) TV series 1990-1998

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Creators:

Andy Hamilton
Guy Jenkin

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

9 August 1990 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Political satire about a TV news company.

Plot Keywords:

Imperative In Title | Animal In Title | Television News

Awards:

9 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Neil Pearson	...	Dave Charnley (66 episodes, 1990-1998)
Jeff Rawle	...	George Dent (66 episodes, 1990-1998)
David Swift	...	Henry Davenport (66 episodes, 1990-1998)
Stephen Tompkinson	...	Damien Day (66 episodes, 1990-1998)
Robert Duncan	...	Gus Hedges (65 episodes, 1990-1998)
Victoria Wicks	...	Sally Smedley (65 episodes, 1990-1998)
Susannah Doyle	...	Joy Merryweather (55 episodes, 1991-1998)
Ingrid Lacey	...	Helen Cooper (42 episodes, 1993-1998)
Haydn Gwynne	...	Alex Pates (24 episodes, 1990-1991)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Filming Locations:

Waterloo Station, Waterloo, London, England, UK

Company:

Hat Trick Productions

Trivia:

Writer Andy Hamilton had a recurring role as Damien's unfortunate cameraman. He was never shown in vision, but was regularly maimed as a result of Damien's foolhardy behaviour.

Quotes:

Helen Cooper: [Sally is unable to make an outdoor broadcast without a teleprompter] We're going to have to use idiot-boards.
Sally Smedley: I think you mean cue-cards.
Helen Cooper: I know what I mean.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Just a Minute: (#2.3)" (1994)

I enjoyed it...!

Never having traveled abroad, I have no idea what the references to British media were about. Nonetheless, the episodes that ran on Comedy Central were still terrific! Perhaps it was a matter of which episodes out of the six year run were aired over here, but what I saw was an excellent ensemble cast with pithy writing that any "homegrown" sitcom would rightfully give an arm and leg to have.

I wish episodes were available in NTSC DVD form, 'cuz I'd like to see more...! :)