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Spitting Image: The Complete Fifth Series (TV)
R2 - United Kingdom - Network Review written by and copyright: Paul Lewis (21st March 2009). |
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The Show
 One of the defining comedy shows of the late-1980s, the anarchic Spitting Image (Central TV, 1984-96) has, despite its long absence from television screens, lingered in the public consciousness as an icon of television satire. Taking its precedent from topical sketch shows such as Not the Nine O’Clock News (BBC, 1979-82) and, even earlier, The Frost Report (BBC, 1966-7), Spitting Image was often vicious in its attacks on public figures, and co-creator Roger Law’s justification for the series was that ‘[i]f you don’t like what public figures are doing, and you’ve got absolutely no way of changing anything, it helps to slag them off’ (quoted in Wagg, 1992: 278). This attitude runs throughout the series, with the shows targeting politicians, the Royal Family and celebrities from the worlds of film, music and television. Hugely popular throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Spitting Image was especially well-liked by the ‘young educated audiences beloved by advertisers’ (Tunstall, 1993: 132). Due to this popularity, the series was permitted ‘to go far beyond the normal restraints of good taste and the libel law’ (ibid.). (in a sketch that combines both of these characteristics of the show, in episode three of the specific series under review Margaret Thatcher is strongly implied to be masturbating Ronald Reagan.) In fact, it was often suggested that younger politicians didn’t feel that they had been established until they were satirised on Spitting Image (Wagg, op cit.: 278). However, although the series is largely remembered for its hard-hitting political satire, reviewing these episodes from the fifth series it’s easy to forget how much the series satirised ‘soft’ targets such as media personalities and celebrities. Spitting Image’s satire of these ‘soft’ targets grew out of the feedback for the first series of the show: where the first series had been wholly written by satirists (principally Private Eye’s Ian Hislop and Rob Newman), from series two onwards Spitting Image featured input from comedy writers who weren’t associated with political satire, such as Rob Grant and Doug Naylor (the creators of Red Dwarf; BBC, 1988-99), and (in series five) Absolutely’s (C4, 1989-93) John Docherty and Moray Hunter. A balance was soon achieved between the show’s sharp political satire and the ‘quickies’ (short bite-sized sketches) that parodied celebrities and well-known media forms including the growth of ‘yoof’ television. As a result, from series two onwards Spitting Image focused on (in the words of co-creator Roger Law) ‘less politics (and less anti-right stuff where we do politics at all) [….] [and] far more quickies’ (Roger Law, quoted in Wagg, op cit: 277). However, as noted by Susanna Braund in her essay ‘Paradigms of Power: Roman Emperors in Roman Satire’ (1992), Spitting Image’s comedy was essentially ‘contemporary and ephemeral’ (68). Due to this aspect of the series, watching old episodes of Spitting Image can be something of a memory exercise, as many of the people being satirised are no longer in the public eye and their images have faded from memory. The series is still wildly funny, although it’s hard to imagine how it might play to someone who doesn’t remember the time in which it was made. For example, in episode one Nigel Lawson, the then-Chancellor of the Exchequer, is shown dressed as the tooth fairy, frightening a child who’s just lost his tooth with the words ‘Right, wake up, wake up. You little bastard. You own the government 50p for taking your own teeth out’. Sketches such as this probably won’t mean a thing to anyone who can’t remember the late 1980s (and, to be honest, Lawson is an easily forgettable personality), and the jokes at the expense of the perpetually sodden TV chef Keith Floyd may seem obtuse to younger viewers. However, on the other hand the sketches revolving around the Royal Family, certain film stars (eg, Michael Caine) and more high-profile politicians (including Margaret Thatcher or Jeffrey Archer, portrayed in this series with a wildly amusing Yoda-like voice and depicted as a contestant on Mastermind, wrongly answering questions on his own life) will probably still have meaning. On the other hand, jokes about the then-topical Iran-Iraq conflict, the UN’s role and Thatcher and Reagan’s attempts to remain neutral (by deciding to sell ‘arms to both sides’, in the words of Reagan’s puppet) are probably as topical as ever. Further, the parodies of popular television forms are probably as recognisable as they ever were. There’s a great pastiche of Treasure Hunt (C4, 1983-9), as Treasury Hunt, featuring Nigel Lawson being directed (in the manner of Anneka Rice) by Michael Heseltine (‘Don’t give the rich enormous tax cuts; it only makes things worse’) and other members of the Conservative government. (As an aside, by this stage in the series Heseltine’s puppet’s hair had become so wild and unruly that the puppet almost seemed like a caricature of the actor Klaus Kinski.) Episode two opens with a parody of Tales of the Unexpected’s (Anglia, 1979-88) iconic titles sequence and a great satirical depiction of 1980s ‘yoof’ television and the way in which it patronises its audience, constantly stating the obvious. This sketch is probably more pertinent than ever before: revisiting this sketch makes evident how the then-derided ‘dumbed down’ techniques of 1980s ‘yoof’ television (handheld cameras to signify a sense of immediacy, redundant telephone call-ins, the patronising over-explanation of issues, the trite questions—God is asked ‘Where do you get your socks?’) have become dominant throughout the television landscape, especially in the genre of ‘reality’ television. However, on the other hand the parody of the ‘boy band’ Bros (as ‘Dross’) may seem positively quaint in today’s era of omnipresent boy and girl bands. In episode three, there’s also a cutting parody of the ways in which the old ITV charity ‘Telethons’ used to be hijacked by individuals hoping to promote their companies. Arguably, the show’s media satire is at least as cutting as it was in the 1980s, due to contemporary television’s use of the same devices and conventions that are parodied here. However, it’s hard to imagine something as aggressively satirical as Spitting Image on television today. Episode Breakdown: 1. ‘06/11/1988’ (25:26) 2. ‘13/11/1988’ (25:24) 3. ‘20/11/1988’ (25:00) 4. ‘27/11/1988’ (24:21) 6. ‘04/12/1988’ (24:39) 7. ‘11/12/1988’ (25:06)
Video
The series is presented in its original broadcast screen ratio of 4:3. Shot on video, the series looks pretty good for its age: the image is crisp and clear. The original break bumpers are intact.
Audio
Audio is presented via a two-channel stereo track. This is clear and without problems. There are no subtitles.
Extras
There are no extra features. Due to some of the issues outlined above, it may have been helpful to include a roster identifying who some of the puppets are meant to be, especially considering the ‘ephemeral’ nature of satire.
Overall
As biting as ever, this series of Spitting Image serves to reinforce the lack of overt satire on contemporary television. Whilst some of the sketches require an understanding of the cultural and political landscape of Britain during the 1980s (and therefore play better to those whose memories of this era are vivid), there’s certainly enough here for those who cannot remember this specific era in British history, from the show’s parody of international celebrities and politics to its deconstruction of television forms. References: Braund, Susanna, 1993: ‘Paradigms of Power: Roman Emperors in Roman Satire’. In: Cameron, Keith (ed), 1993: Humour and History . London: Intellect Books: 56-69 Tunstall, Jeremy, 1993: Television Producers. London: Routledge Wagg, Stephen, 1992: ‘You’ve never had it so silly: The politics of British satirical comedy from Beyond the Fringe to Spitting Image’. In: Strinati, Dominic & Wagg, Stephen (eds), 1992: Come on Down?: Popular Media Culture in Post-War Britain. London: Taylor & Francis: 254-84 For more information, please refer to the website of Network DVD.
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