Wednesday, March 11, 2009

RELAPSE: “Oh daaarhling, go fetch mummy her pills…”

It never made a huge splash stateside, but I imagine most people reading The BB are familiar with AbFab. I actually think I did a multi-media presentation on the show for a women’s studies class in college (I don’t think, I know, just hesitant to admit…major nerd status).

The 90s-era award-winning BBC sitcom was the brainchild of writer/leading-lady/comedienne Jennifer Saunders, who played Eddy, a chubby, chain-smoking, binge-drinking, 40-something PR firm owner obsessed and consumed by all things young, hip and in her distorted opinion, fabulous.

Her equally washed-up cohort is Patsy, played by Joanna Lumley, a leggy, blonde, nymphomaniac ex-fashion model, still basking in the glory of her swinging sixties glow, still searching for next great party, buzz or lay. Think a far more crude, more British pre-cursor to Samantha Jones. And then add twelve drinks, some pills and a joint.

The combination of these two women and these two characters is what propelled the show to cult status. But eager for a ride on the post-SATC gravy train, an American remake is now in the works.

These are the first images released from filming. The US prime-time version will star Kirsten Johnson (3rd Rock from the Sun) as Patsy, and Kathryn Hahn (Revolutionary Road) as Eddy. Hmm.

I mean, you don’t see us trying to turn Britain’s wildly successful comedy The Office into an American TV show? Or touching other 90’s classics like 90210?

Exactly.

I don’t know where they come up with this remake stuff…

Final Word: To sum up my American AbFab opinion in a sentence, if I had to guess, its no “Lacroix, daaarhling.”

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