For the few people who have not seen The Young Ones or Bottom, Filthy, Rich and Catflap will seem utterly bizarre. For the rest of us, Ben Elton's 1987 sitcom is very familiar, with some added bite that justifies its cult status. It must be said, then, that this 25th anniversary edition is a disappointing package, the only extras to be had being the trio's filmographies and a small number of stills, while even the menu design is clunky. Certainly it's better than a previous DVD release, however the show deserved some more attention. The Filthy, Rich and Catflap of the title serve as our three central characters: Ralph Filthy (Nigel Planer); Richey Rich (Rik Mayall); and Eddie Catflap (Adrian Edmondson). Richey's an out-of-work actor who pointlessly employs the perpetually drunken Eddie as his bodyguard, not holding the fame and adulation he believes he deserves. Filthy is Richey's sleazy yet strangely avuncular agent, who runs a chain of discount brothels and is constantly planning his next scam. All three are fun to watch, Mayall typically shouty while Edmondson always looks to be genuinely enjoying his violence, but Planer is by far the standout performer here, living up to his character's name with ease.

It all looks terribly dated now but this matters little, the show still feeling relevant. Elton exercised his bitterness at the establishment with jibes about the police and Thatcher's Britain that translate to today, as does the dig at the cult of celebrity that is the basis of the show. Making fun of what was mainstream comedy at the time, not so much, alternative having taken over from traditional long ago, but other strands more than make up for this, particularly the vicious portrayal of dishonest journalism. One can imagine people accidentally tuning into this on their televisions at the time and finding themselves shocked at just how abrasive it is; these are not affectionate jokes.

But politics aside, Filthy, Rich and Catflap is still very much a comedy show, which grows into its skin, the first episode not quite gelling with the overall feel, it being quite dark in comparison, what with the multiple murders. As the series goes on, the show becomes more self-knowing, breaking the fourth wall more frequently each time to a final episode that sees the set destroyed completely. It leaves you hungry for more, therefore it's a shame the second series alluded to never arrived.

NAILA SCARGILL

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