Barking (TV series)

Last updated

Barking
Barking (TV series).jpg
Genre Sketch comedy
Directed byPeter Boyd Maclean
Starring
ComposersPete Baikie
Rowland Lee
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6
Production
ProducersAlan Marke
David Spicer
Editor Mykola Pawluk
Original release
Network Channel 4
Release24 June (1998-06-24) 
29 July 1998 (1998-07-29)

Barking is a late-night sketch comedy show broadcast on Channel 4 in the summer of 1998. It starred and was written by David Walliams, Catherine Tate, Peter Kay, Omid Djalili, Mackenzie Crook, Marcus Brigstocke and more up-and-coming comedians, most of whom went on to successful careers. [1] [2]

Contents

The show was released on DVD on 7 November 2011. [3] [4]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byOriginal release date
1"Episode 1"Peter Boyd Maclean24 June 1998 (1998-06-24)
This first episode features a guided tour of Buckingham Palace, a WI meeting that goes horribly wrong and introduces us to Mr. Bagshaw (Mackenzie Crook): bully, sadist, social misfit, and maths teacher. There is also a special guest appearance from an Airfix Matthew Kelly blowing up a block of flats.
2"Episode 2"Peter Boyd Maclean1 July 1998 (1998-07-01)
Britain's most unsuccessful actor tries to get a job as a dolphin, a team of blasphemous vicars has a crisis moving into their new parish and a desperately right-on couple host a dinner party 'ethnic style'. Dialogue from this episode, voiced by Marcus Brigstocke, was sampled in the 2000 UK hit single "I Don't Smoke" by DJ Dee Kline.
3"Episode 3"Peter Boyd Maclean8 July 1998 (1998-07-08)
Two old school friends have a very bad night in the pub, a society wedding arranges takes a blushing bride firmly in hand and a pair of jealous lovers set out to prove their devotion to each other is deep, true, and surprisingly violent.
4"Episode 4"Peter Boyd Maclean15 July 1998 (1998-07-15)
We meet Liz, the leader of a fascist slimming group, Dr. Killthere-There, chief consultant at the Brave Little Soldier Hospital, and Steve and Alfie try to make their mute monkeychild Danson into the Heavyweight Champion of the World.
5"Episode 5"Peter Boyd Maclean22 July 1998 (1998-07-22)
Roy the custody Dad makes his weekly visit to see his daughter, Mr. Bagshaw has an unfortunate gym lesson and a Nigerian therapist fails to cure his own psychosis.
6"Episode 6"Peter Boyd Maclean29 July 1998 (1998-07-29)
Peter Piper has a breakdown, a Hi-de-Hi! star becomes a suspect in a series of serious crimes and a camping trip turns into a night of the living Dansons.

Reception

Despite the impressive array of future successful comedy stars, the show was not a ratings hit. In the Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy (1998), critic Mark Lewisohn said, "the ideas with good potential were buried under a mountain of mediocrity... the show's clash of styles, pacing and mood worked heavily against them". [5] However, he cited Marcus Brigstocke's psychotic airline pilot and David Walliams's insane royal watcher as standout characters. [3]

Brian Donaldson of The List described the show as "something of a mixed bag" and noted that "there's a healthy amount of decent moments". He concluded, "Barking was never as mad as it thought it was and the show's bite was largely toothless". [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>The 11 OClock Show</i> British TV series or programme

The 11 O'Clock Show was a satirical late-night British television comedy series on Channel 4 which featured topical sketches and commentary on news items. It ran between 30 September 1998 and 8 December 2000, most notably hosted by Iain Lee and Daisy Donovan. The show boosted the careers of the previously little-known Ricky Gervais, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jimmy Carr, and Mackenzie Crook.

<i>Little Britain</i> (TV series) British character-based sketch comedy

Little Britain is a British sketch comedy series that began as a radio show in 2000 and ran as a television series between 2003 and 2006. It was written and performed by David Walliams and Matt Lucas. Financed by the BBC, the radio series was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, with the initial two television series premiering on BBC Three and the third and final series on BBC One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Walliams</span> English comedian, writer and actor (born 1971)

David Edward Williams, known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series Little Britain (2003–2006) and Come Fly With Me (2010–2011). From 2012 to 2022, Walliams was a judge on the television talent show competition Britain's Got Talent on ITV. He is also a writer of children's books, having sold more than 37 million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omid Djalili</span> British stand-up comedian

Omid Djalili is an Iranian-British actor, comedian, and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mackenzie Crook</span> British actor

Mackenzie Crook is an English actor, director and writer. He played Gareth Keenan in The Office, Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Orell in the HBO series Game of Thrones, and the title role of Worzel Gummidge. He is also the creator and star of BBC Four's Detectorists (2014–2022), for which he won two BAFTA awards. He also plays major roles in TV series Britannia, as the opposite leading druids Veran and Harka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Tate</span> British actress, comedian and writer (born 1969)

Catherine Jane Ford, known professionally as Catherine Tate, is a British actress, comedian and writer. She has won numerous awards for her work on the BBC sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show (2004–2007), as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and seven BAFTAs. Tate played Donna Noble in the 2006 Christmas special of Doctor Who, and later reprised her role for the fourth series in 2008, and the 60th anniversary episodes in 2023.

<i>The Catherine Tate Show</i> TV sketch comedy show

The Catherine Tate Show is a British television comedy sketch programme written by Catherine Tate and Derren Litten featuring a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show aired on BBC Two and was shown worldwide through the BBC. Collectively, the show has been nominated for six BAFTA Awards, two British Comedy Awards and an Emmy Award, and it has won two Royal Television Society Awards, two British Comedy Awards and a National Television Award since its debut in 2004.

Saturday Live is a British television comedy and music show, made by LWT and initially broadcast on Channel 4 from 1985 to 1988, with a brief revival on ITV in 1996. A few one-off editions have also been screened sporadically, including a contribution to the BBC's 1993 Comic Relief telethon. It was based on the American sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live but otherwise had no direct connection to the show.

Mathew Frazer Horne is an English actor, comedian, singer, television presenter and narrator. He is best known for appearing on several BBC sketch shows and sitcoms, most notably Gavin & Stacey, The Catherine Tate Show, Horne & Corden, and Bad Education.

Rhys Thomas is a British director, producer, actor, comedian and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Secret Policeman's Ball (2006)</span> Show organised by Eddie Izzard

The Secret Policeman's Ball 2006 was a show staged as a benefit for human rights organization Amnesty International at London's Royal Albert Hall in October 2006. Its title was a conscious reprise of the title of the 1979 Amnesty benefit show that heralded the organization's breakthrough in public awareness and fundraising. The 1979 show The Secret Policeman's Ball, organised by John Cleese and producers Martin Lewis and Peter Walker, led to greater participation by comedians and rock musicians in further benefit shows for Amnesty and other social and political causes. It also led to the series of benefit shows that are informally known as The Secret Policeman's Balls.

The BBC New Comedy Award first took place in 1995, and it is considered to be one of the top UK comedy newcomer awards.

The Time Out Comedy Awards were bestowed upon the comedy community by the London listings magazine Time Out. They ran from 1991 to 2006, and include many well-known comedians as past winners: Eddie Izzard, Noel Fielding and Jimmy Carr. It is not known why they have been defunct since 2006.

The Chortle Awards were set up in 2002 by the comedy website Chortle to honour the best of established stand-up comics currently working in the UK. A panel of reviewers draw up a shortlist, which is presented for public vote at the Chortle website.

The One... is a comedy sketch television series starring Ronnie Corbett, of The Two Ronnies, Lenny Henry of The Lenny Henry Show, Jasper Carrott, comedian and former presenter of ITV game show Golden Balls and Welsh comedian and actor Griff Rhys Jones, also presenter of ITV clip series It'll Be Alright on the Night. It was devised by Matt Lucas, David Walliams and Geoff Posner for Little Britain Productions. Walliams departed the project by the time of the full series.

<i>Big School</i> (TV series) British TV series or programme

Big School is a British sitcom, starring David Walliams, Catherine Tate, Steve Speirs, Frances de la Tour, Joanna Scanlan and Philip Glenister. It is set in a secondary school and follows the comedic relationships of the teachers. The first series began airing on BBC One on 16 August 2013, and was met with polarised reviews. The final episode of the first series aired on 20 September 2013. On 2 December 2013, BBC One controller Charlotte Moore announced that Big School had been renewed for a second series, which concluded on 10 October 2014. In June 2015, it was officially announced that Big School would not be returning for a third series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Parris</span> English comedian (born 1984)

Rachel Sarah Parris is an English comedian, musician, actress and presenter. She hosts the satirical news show Late Night Mash.

Michael Cumming is a British director and filmmaker. He is best known for directing comedy shows such as Brass Eye, Toast of London, Toast of Tinseltown, The Mark Thomas Product, Snuff Box,The Mark Steel Lectures and Rock Profile.

<i>Queen of Oz</i> British television series

Queen of Oz is a British television sitcom developed by and starring Catherine Tate as the scandalous Queen Georgiana, a disgraced member of a fictional British royal family sent to rule Australia. The first series, consisting of six episodes, co-written by Tate and Jeff Gutheim, produced by Michele Bennett and directed by Christiaan Van Vuuren, premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 16 June 2023, and in Australia on ABC TV and ABC iview on 21 June 2023.

The Change is a 2023 British comedy drama series starring, written and created by Bridget Christie for Channel 4. Made by Expectation Entertainment and directed by Al Campbell, the six-part series is produced by Lisa Mitchell, and executive produced by Christie, Nerys Evans and Morwenna Gordon. Joining Christie in the cast are Liza Tarbuck, Omid Djalili, Paul Whitehouse, Monica Dolan and Jim Howick.

References

  1. Rees, Jasper (31 January 2004). "One to watch". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 26 January 2023. She also popped up in other people's sketch shows and even her own, Barking, with Peter Kay and Mackenzie Crook on Channel 4.
  2. Gilbert, Gerard (23 March 2004). "Catherine Tate: Multiple personality". The Independent. Retrieved 25 January 2023. It was due to be part of her Channel 4 sketch show, Barking, but the producers got cold feet.
  3. 1 2 Bennett, Steve (12 September 2011). "Comedy rarity to be released on DVD : News 2011 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  4. "Barking". The Velvet Onion. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  5. Mark Lewisohn, Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy (1998) ISBN   0-563-36977-9
  6. Donaldson, Brian. "Barking - DVD review". list.co.uk. Retrieved 25 January 2023.