"Dead Ringers" (2002)TV series 2002-????

Directors:

John Birkin
Ben Fuller

Writers:

Simon Blackwell (writer)
Rupert Russell (writer)

Seasons:

3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | unknown

Release Date:

15 March 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Celebrities and politicians are lampooned by a talented team of impressionists in this comedy sketch show.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Radio Show | Sketch Comedy | Lampoon | Political | Team

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Jess Robinson		(11 episodes, 2006-2007)
Kevin Connelly	...	Andrew Marr / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)
Phil Cornwell	...	Alan Rickman / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)
Jon Culshaw	...	Arnold Schwarzenegger / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)
Mark Perry	...	David Blunkett / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

In radio recordings of the show the actors ask the audience for impressions to do as a warm up.

Quotes:

Nigella Lawson: [describing how to brush your teeth] First of all you need a tube of toothpaste. I always like to use one that's thick and completely engorged with fluoride. So gripping the tube firmly by the stem, using your fingers to caress and squeeze it lightly and firmly, until sure enough the end of the tube should ooze out and form thick white paste onto your brush...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hitler: The Comedy Years (2007) (TV)

Hardly that clever or sharp but a generally funny impressions-based sketch show

Beginning life on Radio 4, this show first came to my attention because John Culshaw used to be a regular on the Chris Moyles radio show back when I used to think he was worth listening to. At first glance it didn't really appeal to me because I was expecting something a lot more like Bremner, Bird & Fortune, by which I mean I was hoping it would be cleverer, sharper and not necessarily the sort of funny that makes you laugh but occasionally the uneasy feeling that the latter show can give you. However a few more viewings and I settled down into acceptance that Dead Ringers is not in the same arena as BB&F and that this is not necessarily a problem.

DR tends not to be as sharp because it isn't really a satirical show (although it can be), it is more of a straight comedy show (although not totally to the degree of, say, Alistair McGowan). This mix of populist and political works quite well and produces some very good scenes with a good hit/miss ratio. It isn't always the smartest game in town but it makes for it by being roundly entertaining. It rarely has a point to make but rather just takes aims at public figures with general mockery. Hence we get things like Andrew Marr with his fantastically out-of-control arms or the simply dumb George Bush; it is rarely insightful but it works.

The performers are all pretty talented and, although the visuals aren't always great, the voices are normally spot on. Culshaw relies a bit too heavily on the old stalwarts of Dr Who and Obi-Wan, but generally he is very good although I do get the impression that the general comic approach of the material is down to his influence. Ravens is usually the one that looks least like any of the people she is impersonating but she does get the voices really on target to compensate; with fewer females in target positions, she tends to take more of a support role at times but she is generally good. Cornwell isn't a great impressionist but he is very close and he has good delivery, Connelly is equally as good and Perry is good in most, if not all, of his roles.

Overall this isn't a clever show or the satirical impressions that I've grown used to with BB&F but instead Dead Ringers is more generally amusing. Mocking and poking fun rather than being sharp and incisive puts it below BB&F in my book (despite actually being funnier) but for the majority of viewers this will do the job. A bit broad for my tastes but generally funny and entertaining.