Cows (TV series)

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Cows is a British sitcom produced by Eddie Izzard for Channel 4 in 1997, where all actors appeared in cow suits. Only the pilot episode was produced by Channel 4 and the show never went into series production. It was written by Nick Whitby and Izzard, and starred Pam Ferris and James Fleet. [1] It was produced by David Tyler.

Contents

Production

No comedy pilot had cost Channel 4 more in recent years than Cows. [2] Filming for the 60-minute pilot episode took place over eight days. Six days were spent on site with an additional two spent in the studio. For 12 hours each day, five performers were suited up in cow outfits. [3] Izzard described the show as "this Planet Of The Apes type thing but with a Simpsons feel to it. [4]

Reception

According to the Daily Mirror , critics widely criticised the pilot episode of Cows. [5] William Cook of The Guardian called Cows a "bizarre bovine sitcom" in which performers suited up in cow outfits "chew metaphorical and literal cud in suburban semi". [6] The Sunday Times television critic Roland White could have had the crowd rolling with laughter through his "cow-human jokes" in his solo act but "his style has not transferred well to sitcom". [7] Jasper Rees of The Independent stated, "Somewhere between Wodehouse's Blandings and Orwell's Animal Farm , it spares Andrew Davies the trouble of having to convert either." [8]

References

  1. ↑ Wallace, Richard (28 November 1996). "Pull the udder one". Daily Mirror . p. CTV22. ProQuest   337976645.
  2. ↑ Harlow, John (20 October 1996). "Tell us an udder one, Eddie - Comedy". The Sunday Times . Archived from the original on 29 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  3. ↑ Murrell, Rachel (November 1996). "Cows are people, too. A new sitcom stampedes on to Channel 4 next year, with a one-off as taster this winter". Televisual. pp. 29–30. ProQuest   3130667203.
  4. ↑ "My Cows are udderly ordinary". Daily Mirror . 1 January 1997. p. 1. ProQuest   337899533.
  5. ↑ "The pilot episode was panned by critics but Eddie Izzard's sitcom Cows, is expected to get the green light". Daily Mirror . 16 January 1997. p. 5. ProQuest   337991817.
  6. ↑ Cook, William (4 February 1994). "Going straight Comedian Eddie Izzard has a plan. TV stardom can wait while he plays the West End and contemplates an acting career". The Guardian . ProQuest   293421754.
  7. ↑ White, Roland (5 January 1997). "Gone but not forgotten - Review". The Sunday Times . Archived from the original on 29 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  8. ↑ Rees, Jasper (4 January 1997). "Set co-ordinates for 1860, again - The week on television". The Independent . Archived from the original on 29 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
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