Filthy Rich & Catflap, 1987.
Created by Ben Elton.
Starring Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson.
SYNOPSIS:
The misadventures of the self-centred, z-list TV presenter Richie Rich, his agent and occasional pornographer Ralph Filthy, and his one-man entourage Eddie Catflap.
With a career spanning three decades as a double act, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson have written themselves into British comedy history. The Young Ones brought them into prominence, with its anarchic style and relentless, vibrant energy. The delirious silliness and formless shenanigans garnered them a legion of followers and brought them to the forefront of alternative comedy. In the 90s, Mayall and Edmondson took a more cohesive road down to sitcom avenue with Bottom. Featuring the trademark repartee, comic violence and endless stream of bodily function related gags, Bottom added a little form and subtlety (not much of course, but some). In between those was the long forgotten, failed attempt at recapturing their Young Ones success, Filthy Rich & Catflap.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Bottom. I love it. I can quote it word for word in some episodes. Two degenerate, obnoxious and really sad characters going about their daily routines, which normally revolve around scheming to get laid, drunk or rich. It lasted three seasons, one (poor) unofficial film and five live shows and would have had more if Mayall and Edmondson hadn’t grown a little weary of the roles. In my younger days I was never a big fan of The Young Ones but upon re-watching I’ve found it a lot more enjoyable. It’s just infectious and brilliantly, barking mad! As such it’s a shame that Filthy Rich & Catflap happens to be something akin to the comedy Titanic.
The show is pretty awful. It’s no surprise it didn’t last longer than one series. It’s caught somewhere between the insanity, structure-less nature of The Young Ones and Bottom’s more conventional sitcom style. Some might argue that Mayall and Edmondson’s entire careers have consisted of just shouting, pulling faces and hitting each other and generally playing the most grotty characters possible. While that’s partly true, there’s some genuine wit in Bottom and really memorable moments.
Ben Elton’s writing is as hit and miss as you’d expect. Mostly miss in this case, and without the benefit of a more structured co-writer like Richard Curtis, this sitcom just never consistently tickles the audiences funny bone. Mayall’s input is also apparent, but as a fellow alternative comedian, he does little to hone this into something making more sense. There’s quite a few recognisable jokes that would subsequently find themselves repeated (and nearly in every occurrence, better) in Bottom. Like the show itself, Mayall’s character is a middle ground between his character in The Young Ones and his one in Bottom. You can sense the evolution from cartoon character to someone who, though exaggerated, still has a sense of reality.
Cast-wise Mayall and Edmondson play well off each other. It had been second nature long before this point, so it’s simple enough for them. Richie is a minor celeb, struggling to get work, whilst Eddie Catflap is his layabout friend. Nigel Planer is the most interesting as Richie’s rubbish agent. There’s a long list of cameos in the show: Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Barbara Windsor, David Baddiel, The Nolan sisters and Chris Barrie as well as a few recognisable faces who’d later appear in Bottom. The cameo comics do little to elevate proceedings, and nearly all of them seem to have a knowing sense they’re appearing in something that’s doomed to failure. There’s almost a sense that people like Babs or Fry and Laurie are a little embarrassed to be here.
Despite the plot-less pointlessness of this, and a lack of the same energy that served The Young Ones so well, Filthy Rich & Catflap is still fairly interesting. It’s like a naff album from a music legend that’s followed a big hit. It’s indulgent but lacking all the ingenuity and execution that brought success in the first place, and inevitably followed by something more carefully considered (Bottom) taking said artist back to the top. It all just falls flat sadly. Die hard fans of Mayall and Edmondson’s work will find enough to enjoy, even if it’s spotting the genesis of ideas or gags more effectively delivered in Bottom.
Tom Jolliffe
