funky's TOP 30 Absolutely Fabulous MOMENTS

Some great episodes there. "Sex" is one of the greatest episodes ever, but I think "Happy New Year" is my favourite ever, the one liners in that one being absolutely INSPIRED ("She WAS the slot machine", "The BAADER MEINHOF" etc etc), with "Birthday" just behind (Patsy's motorcycle entrance and the ripping of the paper off the present..."Happy Birthday Eds"- GENIUS).

There are some great moments in "Sex"- not least the one you've just pulled out of the hat, but it's all about Patsy's Razzle moment, which remains one of the highlights of the show EVER for me. Razzle? RAZZLE? YEAR? MONTH? Oh ok... :D

"Birth" is a brilliant showcase for the comic talents of all four actresses really, but really gives Joanna Lumley chance to let rip, which was perhaps the first time we'd seen Pats go quite that beserk. Sadly, it may have also been the catalyst for making her the incomprehensible idiot she is nowadays...which is to the series' detriment.
 
in an effort to wrap up some old moopy projects I'm going to finish this today

had some trouble when my work laptop got replaced but I've found the list now, so ON we go...
 
5. "Is he from Gabon?"
various

This is a bit of a self-indulgent Ab-Fab moment and as a result isn't specific to any episode. It does however refer only to Seasons 4 or 5 - the least loved series by far, but they do contain one defining memorable moment for me: Patsy becoming an old woman.

Age always played a running gag with these two middle-aged women but later in the run Saunders decided to take Patsy a step further and make her a bit... well, DAFT. On the negative side we lost that cool, biting delivery of the old Patsy, which we'll always prefer, but on the flipside, she gave us the odd FABULOUS comedy moment.

Aside from the scenes such as where she breaks her wrist (see #18 on the list), it's her random, almost Python-esque moments that bear no reference to the rest of the scene that have me in STICHES. The two that spring to mind are the BABY SHOWER moment and the GABON moment. They've become somewhat cult moments with fans as well, warranting a rare clip separation on youtube. Enjoy:

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the other bit I love is in Cleanin' (Series 5) where, after Emma Bunton gives a long monologue about the state of the house prior to Saffy's return, there is a slight pause and Patsy, who's been obsessing over her cleaning project (a kitchen drawer), breaks the silence with,

"are we keeping OLD CORKS?"

there's just no overstating random camp humour :disco:
 
I do like the "is it a..." running joke in series 5, but my favourite by FAR is Bubble's.

"Minnie? Minnie Driver? Is it a DWARF?" :D

Aside from the original and best "Is it a BEE?" from series 4, of course.
 
4. "What do we think of this one, Pats?"
Last Shout Part 1

oh the ultimate comedy special. It's just SENSATIONAL. Difficult to really pick out bits because the story is so good it works so much better as a whole, but I particularly love the scene where Saffy's first proper boyfriend (the brilliant Tom Hollander, pre-Hollywood) comes to visit.

It's not just the endless run of gags, but it's the staging - it's like brilliant theatre at work. We get the usual mix of over-excited nonsense from Eddie and Patsy (Eddie's excited about their upcoming skiiing holiday, Patsy is feigning excitment for her job interview while dressing like a teenage prostitite) and Saffy's relentless putdowns and mockery aimed at the pair. However this time, the boyfriend adds a new dimension - Saffy is torn between the temptation of rising to her mother and Patsy in the usual back and forth, or focusing on her sexist, snobby boyfriend. The pacing is brilliant: Saffy wants the old pair to leave but Eddie continues to hog the limelight:

"I want to do something for the MILLENIUM commitee... the MILLENIUM... when IS that?"

Saffy can't help but get annoyed so she takes the bait, wading into Patsy:

"Come on let's face it, you're past it... sleeping with you must be akin to necrophilia!"

Which gave us the stunning moment of Patsy stabbing her in the neck with her cigarette :D

To which Eddie can only reply with the classic line,

"NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON HER YOU SILLY GIRL!"

So, typical day at the Monsoon household up til now... until boyfriend steps in:

"Come on girls, can we stop this now please?"

You just know what's coming next.

"What do you think about this one, Pats?"
"Go away, he's too clever for you!"
"Too small - I suspect sex with him would be a rather LOCALISED experience..."

The pacing is just brilliant throughout. There's also tonnes of subtlety at work which is when I like Ab Fab the best - loads of subtext regarding the interaction between the characters. I love the fact that Eddie is so self-indulged she's not REALLY that interested in the boyfriend. Within seconds she's back to reality,

"remind me to tell you about Nancy Reagan's handlift on the way out!"

:D

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if you want to watch the whole clip there are tonnes more gags to be found,

*eddie chanting*
"You still doing that Eddie?"
"Almost religiously, darling, yes."

Plus they can't stop talking about the boyfriend after they've left,

"She's not THAT unnattractive is she?"
"She is a VIRGIN in a world where men will even turn to SOFT FRUIT for pleasure - draw your OWN conclusions..."

classic.
 
I can't quite believe you're finishing this :o

still waiting for my favourite moment :disco:
 
The Last Shout loses its way for me when they're skiing, but there's some really wonderful moments in there too. That scene with Tom Hollander is fantastic.
 
Yeah I find The Last Shout really patchy, but some classic moments in that clip.
 
3. "Umbililical WHIPLASH, sweety!"
Sex, Series, 3

Yes, my favourite episode. There's so many gags in here it's difficult to know where to draw the line and pick a scene. I already covered the legendary condom moment, but there's also the bit where Gran thinks that the tranny is Patsy, the Benny Hill style chase at the College looking for the sex tape, Eddie's brilliant inhibitions playing through during the meet with the 'straight' prostitutes ("Hey nice boots!"/"Don't touch them, they're chanel!"). It just doesn't stop. But for a scene I've chosen the part where they head into Serge's room hoping to annex into a walk-in closet for Eddie, and find the porn stash, which sets up the episode.

Up til this point the show had never really explored sexuality beyond Patsy's implied wild behaviour or Eddie's implied shyness towards sex. Here it all comes to the fore, and it gives Patsy the opportunity to really shine with her brazen, unnerving attitude towards it all:

Eddie - "Ugh, look at that! No don't look at that..."
Saffy - "It's disgusting, it's so degrading to women!"
Patsy - "What do you mean? She's got the whip."

Patsy's nonchalant facial expressions throughout the whole scene will crack you up as well.

Eddie really brings in her nervous, awkward feelings on the subject, comparing herself to Patsy:

"I'm not like you, you've always just been like a VESSEL waiting to be FILLED..."

and in a nod to another running joke we're reminded of her ongoing fads,

"I mean do you remember that week I spent celebrating my private parts, darling? I mean I've workshopped them, painted them, drawn them, written poetry to them, treated them to a three-course meal at a restaurant of their choice...! And yet we are still as strangers... still I'm not the sort of women who wants to spend a free afternoon squatted over a small hand mirror... I mean for God's sake, I've seen DOCTORS go PALE..."

Brilliant, brilliant, writing.

Of course that's nothing compared to the 2 ultimate moments of the scene, first the aforementioned WHIPLASH line, but also Patsy's porn revelation,

"Razzle? Razzle?! What MONTH! Oh that's OK..."

:D

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2. "I'm taking my friend to the hospital. She's SICK."
Poor, Series 2

I think the main reason people love Series 2 so much is because it takes the running jokes established in Series 1 and explores them in more detail; allowing for some very clever scenarios. Here we have Saffy cut off her Mother's handsome bank accounts to try and curb her ridiculous spending, and it's an interesting look at deluded middle class people trying to act like upper class royalty. From the original shopping list,

"where do I get MILK?"
"food halls, on the left, past the fish.."
"you can't get the food shopping from Harrods!"
"of course you can! You can't expect people who live in Knightsbridge to eat out ALL the time!"
"GO TO THE SUPERMARKET"

to the moment at the said supermarket, where they walk in looking for some service :D

It's a great opportunity for the mother and daughter to play role reversal and for Patsy to emphasise how much of a SCAB she is, stealing a crate of champagne while Eddie queues at the til

"Just a weekly SHOP for me! Working MUM..."

While wearing a leopardskin overcoat and Lacroix jewellery of course...

So of course what I'm celebrating here - and the reason it's my second favourite AbFab moment - is because it's all about seeing two women let loose on the streets of London with no driver - speeding, parking at the entrance of Harvey Nichols only to get clamped (leading to the CAR CLAMP CLUB line) and - well does it get ANY BETTER than this?

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WATCH YOUR FOUL LANGUAGE! *smack windscreen with handbag*

There are no words, so I won't even try.

And then it culminates in the moment they get stopped by the police (after Eddie thinks they're trying to overtake - "come by! come by!") and Eddie collapses on the ground and Patsy, champagne bottle in hand, tries to help but gets her leg stuck behind the gearstick,

"get off you PIG! Eddie, I'll help..."

Outrageous.

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I don't think anyone will get my #1. Probably a personal choice.
 
There are so many amazing moments in 'Poor'.

"GO FOR IT EDDIE!" *flings head back* :D
 
'Poor' is just NON STOP funny. My sides hurt just thinking about it.
 
my favourite moment HAS to be "shit someone's taken the steering wheel" :D
 
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my favourite moment HAS to be "shit someone's taken the stearing wheel" :D

oh fuck I do believe I've forgotten about the wine tasting scene in France :o

Apologies. Honorable mention for THAT...
 
Who DOESN'T say "That's the one we DID like Pats" when opening a new bottle of wine? :disco:

Dribbling some wine out of your mouth and on to your clothes is of course OPTIONAL
 
I'm not actually capable of leaving on a trip without saying "TICKETS MONEY PASSPORT" any more. :D
 
OK #1 time... apologies in advance for the disappointment but there really could be no other #1 for me than this...
 
1. "Who was that man?"
Jealous, Series 3

If any one scene sums up the intricacies of the personalities and relationships and quirks and flaws of the 3 main characters of Absolutely Fabulous, for me it's this one.

Setting the scene: Eddie has just returned from losing the PR's PR award to Claudia Bing and she can't hide her envy and bitter disappointment at the loss. So much so that she doesn't even notice Saffy having what is probably her first ever snog right in the kitchen in front of her. If ever there was an example of Eddie being self-involved, this is it.

Cue classic Patsy - half-sloshed, not even listening to Eddie, but managing to pay lip service to her as she rants away "of course you are darling" and helping fuel her rage:

"everyone I know hates her!"
"I hate her!"
"I mean she's not a woman's woman..."
"She's not a man's woman!"
"She's not a woman..."
"She's a MAN!"
"Whereas we, you see, WE..."
"We are anybody's..."

It's not your typical laugh-out-loud slapstick, but it's BRILLIANT writing. Sharp as anything.

The whole scene plays out perfectly. The pace and the timing has never been better between the three. Saffy is horrified to be caught, although quickly realises her mother didn't even notice the teacher she has a crush on and proceeds to get caught up in another game of take the bait,

"The bitch cheated!"
"Oh what did she do, some work?"

We of course get another of the brilliant moments when Eddie has to justify her job, with Patsy chiming in when appropriate...

"I'm sorry mum but I've never understood what it is you actually do..."
"PEEEEE ARRRRRR! I PR things. People. Places. Concepts..."
"LULU!"
"Lulu! I PR THEM. I am and if you've heard of me I PR. I make the crap into credible, the dull into..."
"DELICIOUS!"

The ranting doesn't stop until Eddie decides to take her spoiled behavior to a new level - suicide. Of course licking the lightswitch just causes her to remember that a man was in the room earlier and then we get the DELIGHTFUL moment when her and Patsy realise they have Saffy cornered (the direction and staging here is wonderful),

"your psychology lecturer eh? Yeah I thought you were acting a little WEIRD!"
"I'm not acting..."
"Well of course NOT ACTING darling, God if I thought you'd shown any talent in THAT direction I would have strapped a pony tail to your head and sent you to the CYNTHIA ANN STAGE SCHOOL DARLING!"

I don't know what was in Saunders's water while writing this episode but she's ON FIRE.

Possibly my favourite bit outside of "who was that man?" is the bit at the end of the scene where Patsy can't help but exploit her moment of success at baiting Saffy. The extended winning smirk as she peers over Saffy's shoulder until Saffy has to run away, with a quick nod of satisfaction from Patsy as the scene ends. It's just MAGIC. If Ab Fab was ever made into a musical, they should find their inspiration from THIS SCENE.

Fade to black.

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one more note - if it wasn't for the waffly speech at the end of this scene it would possibly be my fave episode ever. It tails off at the end but the first 20 minutes are AMAZE. One of my favourite lines of all time...

"You can't sit THERE, that's LULU."
"She's not here..."
"She's VERY SMALL!"

:D
 
Oh that is a great scene!

My personal #1 would probably be Patsy showing the Hello! reporter around "my gracious drawing room" in Magazine, with Eddie frantically running around trying to renovate the flat and lying about its location.

"This! Is an ESKIMO PAPOOSE!" :D

I believe it's also the first time she calls Sarah TITIKAKA :D

Great countdown anyway Funky.
 
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:D

Oh that is a great scene!

My personal #1 would probably be Patsy showing the Hello! reporter around "my gracious drawing room" in Magazine, with Eddie frantically running around trying to renovate the flat and lying about its location.

"This! Is an ESKIMO PAPOOSE!" :D

I believe it's also the first time she calls Sarah TITIKAKA :D

Great countdown anyway Funky.

"So where ARE WE here? Shepherd's Bush?"

"HOLLAND PARK!"

that's like me if anyone dares suggest I live in Bayswater instead of Notting Hill :disco:
 
"Is it a miracle that you can walk again?"

*split second pause of confusion*

*collects self*

"It is a miracle that I can walk at all... I bless the wonder of life... and the newness of living."
 
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BRILLIANT no. 1! I've got to stop watching Ab Fab clips and get on with my work.
 
We watched 'Poor' in bed last night to celebrate the ending of this countdown.
 

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