List of Absolutely episodes explained

The following is a list of episodes from the Channel 4 sketch comedy television programme Absolutely.

List of episodes

Series 1: 23 May – 27 June 1989

All episodes were shown on Tuesday nights at 11:00 pm on Channel 4 and ran for 45 minutes.

Broadcast date List of sketches
1 23 May 1989
  • Radical Television
    * Opening titles
    * Job Interview – The First Candidate
    * Denzil – Do It Yourself
    * Job Interview – Bass Guitar
    * Ordering a pizza
    * Don & George – Undertakers
    * 'Journey of Life' (song)
    * Don & George – Undertakers
    * Adverts
    * Don & George – Undertakers
    * Little Girl – Death
    * Bert Bastard – Address Book
    * Adverts
    * Calum Gilhooley – Visiting John
    * Fashion Show
    * Getting to Work Seminar
    * Nice Family – The evening's television
    * Closing Credits
2 30 May 1989
  • Jack meets Valerie Jane Turpett
    * Opening titles
    * Cinema sketch (featuring Calum Gilhooley)
    * 'Just an Ordinary Guy' (song)
    * Adverts
    * Little Girl – The Queen
    * Nice Family – Death of a Hamster
    * Don & George – Hamster Cage
    * Adverts
    * Don & George – Hamster Cage
    * Death
    * Questions at an American Immigration Desk
    * Death
    * Bert Bastard – Rowing Boat
    * Denzil & Gwynedd
    * The Commisionaire – Taxi
    * Closing Credits
3 6 June 1989
  • Announcement of Herbert Blackford's Death
    * Opening Titles
    * Shop prepares for The Queen's visit
    * Don & George – Shop
    * Man trapped in pile of newspaper supplements
    * Firemen
    * Adverts
    * Firemen
    * Nice Family – Writing to Points of View
    * Don & George – Shop
    * Courtroom scene – dentist and clown
    * Little Girl – Birth
    * Adverts
    * Bert Bastard – House Fire
    * Firemen
    * Long-winded interview with theatre actress
    * Hospital scene
    * Shop prepares for The Queen's visit – includes 'She's The Queen' (song) and closing credits
4 13 June 1989
  • Bank – cashing a cheque
    * Opening titles
    * Billy – Sweet shop
    * Vikings scene
    * Don & George – Bargains
    * Adverts
    * The Foot Theatre Company
    * The Beginnings of Scottish Country Dancing
    * Robin & Annabel – Supermarket
    * Opera scene
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Cheese Water
    * Opera scene
    * Nice Family – Christmas presents
    * Closing credits
    * Vikings scene
5 20 June 1989
  • Little Girl – People in power
    * Opening titles
    * Gwyn – Shop
    * Scottish Junior Cup Quarter Final Draw
    * Businessmen in cafe
    * The Greensleeves Dance
    * Adverts
    * Bad Actress' acting lessons
    * Being A Hippy
    * Clothes Shop
    * Adverts
    * Slobs in a living room
    * Posh people in cinema
    * Becoming A Beefeater
    * Closing Credits
    * Suspicious Salesman
6 27 June 1989
  • Animal rights activists
    * Opening titles
    * Bert Bastard – Deckchair
    * Stoneybridge – Promotional video/slogans/jingles
    * 'The Shape I'm In' (song)
    * Bert Bastard – Deckchair
    * Gwyn – Courtroom
    * Little Girl – Christmas and Jesus
    * Calum Gilhooley – Post Office
    * Adverts
    * Two shy men at a party
    * Bert Bastard – Deckchair
    * Nice Family – Morning Mail
    * The Salvation Army
    * Bert Bastard – Deckchair
    * Closing Credits

Series 2: 22 August – 12 October 1990

All episodes were shown on Wednesday nights at 10:00pm on Channel 4 and ran for 45 minutes.

Broadcast date List of sketches
1 22 August 1990
  • Opening titles
    *Protest – 'We're quite comfortably off'/'We don't know
    * Don & George
    * Gwyn
    * Don & George – Buying Wallpaper and Sofa
    * Shop salesmen runs to the next sketch
    * Doctor sketch
    * Shop salesman runs back from Doctor sketch to Don & George sketch
    * Don & George – Buying a Sofa
    * Board meeting with stunt doubles
    * Adverts
    * Putting Children To Use
    * Gwyn
    * Partings – how to get on in life
    * Old lady's driving test – identifying road signs
    * Ransom tape
    * Don & George – Buying a Sofa
    * Gwyn
    * The Commissionaire – Explosive Postcard
    * Adverts
    * Queen's Inspection
    * Dinner Party – Regards
    * Gwyn
    * Little Girl – Having a Baby
    * Nice Family – Travel agent
    * Closing credits
2 29 August 1990
  • Opening titles
    * Calum Gilhooley – Meeting Jehovah's Witnesses
    * The Great Thinko
    * Billy – Shop
    * Calum Gilhooley – Undeveloped Photos
    * Taxi driver
    * Life Support
    * Calum Gilhooley – Punch
    * Adverts
    * Mr. Perkins and Mr. Perkins
    * Police housecall (including Calum Gilhooley)
    * Fashion Show – Priests in Pants
    * Mr. Perkins and Mr. Perkins
    * Old Artist and Nude Model
    * Mr. Perkins and Mr. Perkins
    *Adverts
    * Denzil and Gwynedd – Expecting a Baby (including Calum Gilhooley)
    * 'I Wanna Have a Baby' (song)
    * Calum Gilhooley – Railway Station
    * Don & George – Crossants
    *Closing credits
3 5 September 1990
  • Opening titles
    * Disease of the Week – Thrumble Nose
    * Don & George – Don returns from London
    * Tour Guide
    * What do fish talk about?
    * Billy – Football
    * Adverts
    * Macglashan – Inventions
    * Army – Antique furniture
    * Macglashan – World Cup Draws
    * Little Girl – Telephone
    * Macglashan – Joke
    * Adverts
    * Macglashan – Scottish Frogs
    * 'Sensible Hair' (song)
    * Hair for Mice
    * Airport – Tour Guide
    * Airport – The Commissionaire
    * Airport – Macglashan
    * Squash changing rooms – Tour Guide
    * Squash changing rooms – Lawyers with long names
    * Closing credits
4 12 September 1990
  • Opening titles
    * The Wells – Jeffrey
    * Stoneybridge – Olympic Games bid video/Stoneybridge Highland Games bid jingles
    * Gwyn – Nouns and verbs
    * Bible translation problems
    * Gwyn
    * Piano Man – 'Clever' (song)
    * Adverts
    * Bert Bastard – Dinner
    * Fun as a Nun
    * Dangerous things can be dangerous
    * Piano Man – 'Trousers' (song)
    * Gwyn – Anesthetic
    * Little Girl – Dentist
    * Piano Man – 'Good Looking' (song)
    * Dinner party scene
    * Piano Man – 'Adante' (song)
    * Vets' waiting room
    * Piano Man
    * Adverts
    * Robin & Annabel – First Meeting
    * Calum Gilhooley – Phone call
    * Robin & Annabel – Picnic
    * Calum Gilhooley – Pub
    * Closing Credits (Piano Man)
5 19 September 1990
  • Opening titles
    * Obessesion with Frank
    * Alarm clock problems
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Wine
    * Sleepwalking man
    * Gwyn – Unpredictable
    * Waiting room
    * Adverts
    * Sleepwalking man
    * Waiting room
    * Don & George – Hotel
    * Waiting room
    * Childhoods of the cast
    * Don & George – Hotel
    * Sleepwalking man
    * Western film dubbing
    * Little Girl – Lies
    * Baby christening
    * Courtroom scene
    * 'Wearing a Suit' (song)
    * Sleepwalking man
    * Closing credits (with jeering audience)
6 26 September 1990
  • Opening titles
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Illtyd
    * Shortest link in the world
    * Apologies
    * Little Girl – Aeroplanes
    * Nice Family – Drive
    * Adverts
    * Courtroom baby
    * Apologies
    * Talking to a sheepdog
    * Apologies
    * Western bar scene
    * Surgeons – All Things Bright and Beautiful
    * Sheepdog in pub
    * Adverts
    * Bert Bastard – Game
    * Don & George – Soup
    * Model's makeup
    * Apologies
    * Stoneybridge – Twin town promotional video
    * Closing credits
7 3 October 1990
  • Western Bar
    * Opening titles
    * Wako-taki
    * Man in park
    * Bowling Club Annual General Meeting
    * Billy – Suicide and Shop
    * Adverts
    * I'm not here
    * Man with Diaries
    * I'm not here
    * Adolescent girl
    * I'm not here
    * How to attract ladies (including Calum Gilhooley)
    * Adverts
    * Robin and Annabel – Wedding
    * Car mechanics
    * How to attract ladies
    * Nice Family – Bondage
    * Closing credits
8 12 October 1990
  • Casting
    * Opening titles
    * Old People's Home
    * Relationship with camera
    * Art gallery
    * Don & George – Dating
    * Adverts
    * Little Girl – Buildings
    * Businessman's phones
    * Don & George – Dating
    * Advert
    * Bert Bastard – Suicide note
    * Calum Gilhooley – Courtroom
    * Simple Minds spoof song
    * Closing credits

Series 3: 17 May – 5 July 1991

All episodes were shown on Friday nights at 10:30pm on Channel 4 and ran for 35 minutes.

Broadcast date List of sketches
1 17 May 1991
  • Opening titles
    * Calum Gilhooley – Aeroplane
    * The Wells – Letter to prisoner
    * Bert Bastard – Sports Day
    * Don & George – Police
    * Adverts
    * Don & George – Police
    * Stoneybridge – Business promotional 'vido'
    * Little Girl – Doctors
    * Macglashan – Hurly Burly Bag
    * Bad morning animation
    * Macglashan – The English Border
    * Closing credits
2 24 May 1991
  • Opening titles
    * Don & George – Medical
    * Very Bad Swimmers Indeed
    * Car alarm revenge
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Lecture
    * Tour Guide
    * Clive Merson – Dead man's charity work
    * Adverts
    * Restaurant – order
    * Lobster run over by car
    * Gwyn
    * Restaurant – running out of food
    * Systems Analysts fan in Nightclub
    * 'Systems Analysts' (song)
    * On the Lavatory with Frank Hovis – Taxi
    * Plumbers
    * Closing credits
3 31 May 1991
  • Opening titles
    * The Wells – Preparing for visitors
    * Calum Gilhooley – Booking a flight
    * Bert Bastard – Supermarket
    * 'Life Ain't Nothing Compared to Death' (song)
    * Adverts
    * Jeff The Parkie
    * Tamzin The Model
    * Don & George – Satellite Television
    * Posh couple – 'Binki'
    * Don & George – Broken mirror (including Gwyn)
    * Stoneybridge – Council elections
    * Closing credits
4 7 June 1991
  • Opening titles
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Birthday
    * Piano Man
    * Seance
    * On The Lavatory with Frank Hovis – Greek holiday
    * Vets' waiting room
    * Wedding Preparation
    * Piano Man
    * Adverts
    * Wedding video
    * Hotel restaurant – dress code
    * Piano Man Underwater
    * Hotel – Bed
    * Poets at funeral
    * Hotel – Noise Next Door/Burglar
    * Police – Playground
    * Police siege on house
    * Closing credits
5 14 June 1991
  • Opening titles
    * Charity shop sketch
    * Braid Scots phrases
    * Singing Man
    * Stoneybridge – Independent Television franchise
    * Singing Man
    * Calum Gilhooley – Opinion poll
    * Opinion Poll
    * Bert Bastard – Over 80s Disco
    * Singing Man
    * Adverts
    * Nice Family – Football Rules
    * Little Girl – School
    * Hospital sketch
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Illtyd
    * Macglashan – Speech
    * Blind charity man
    * Macglashan – New laws
    * Closing credits
6 21 June 1991
  • Opening titles
    * Wellses – Christmas Presents
    * Stoneybridge – Annual Dinner Dance awards
    * Train Station preacher
    * Stoneybridge – Annual Dinner Dance performance
    * Einstein's Banana Skin
    * Billy – Bedroom
    * Stoneybridge – Annual Dinner Dance (including Frank Hovis)
    * Adverts
    * Mime artists
    * Deal in a car park
    * Bad Edwardian entertainer
    * Stoneybridge – Annual dinner dance comedian
    * Don and George – Names
    * TV critic
    * Stoneybridge – Annual Dinner Dance, includes The Hills of Buccleuch (song)
    * Closing credits
7 28 June 1991
  • Opening titles
    * Macglashan – News and Sport
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Codfyl
    * Piano Man – Restaurant
    * Aeroplane staff
    * On The Lavatory with Frank Hovis – Wife
    * Adverts
    * Mad woman – cutting your own hair
    * Courtroom – World Baseball Champions
    * Party animation
    * University student's letter
    * Don & George – Corner shop
    * Mad woman – making your own clothes
    * Elvis fan club
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Dancing
    * Elvis fan club
    * Closing credits
8 5 July 1991
  • Wells – Charity shop
    * Stoneybridge – Jamboree Celebrity
    * Environmentalist song
    * On The Lavatory with Frank Hovis – 'Penis Flytrap'
    * Don & George – 'George, You're Simply the Best'
    * Bert Bastard – Hokey Cokey
    * Victoria and Albert Museum
    * Piano Man
    * Calum Gilhooley – Video Shop
    * Little Girl – Family
    * Disastrous family ancestors sketch
    * Closing credits – including 'I Guess It's Just Pretend' (song)

Series 4: 22 January – 26 February 1993

All episodes were shown on Friday nights at 10:30pm on Channel 4 and ran for 35 minutes.

Broadcast date List of sketches
1 22 January 1993
  • Opening titles
    * Macglashan – Newspaper
    * Laughing Man – Tractor
    * Calum Gilhooley – Operation
    * Bert Bastard – World atlas
    * Laughing Man
    * Little Girl – Old People
    * Dressage without the Horses
    * Adverts
    * Photographer
    * On The Lavatory with Frank Hovis – Running for a Bus
    * Piano Man – Restaurant
    * Don & George – Work
    * Laughing Man
    * Nice Family – Losing It
    * Closing Credits
2 29 January 1993
  • Opening titles
    * Stoneybridge – Stag night
    * The Wells – Fostering
    * Suregons – Tyre Puncture
    * Office sketch
    * Gwyn – Razor
    * Golf – Cyberman vs Thor
    * Adverts
    * 'Hello' (song)
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Llandudno Neck
    * Piano Man
    * Tour Guide – Blenheim Palace
    * Wedding dress – frills
    * Closing Credits
3 5 February 1993
  • Opening titles
    * Posh Couple – dinner
    * Laughing Man – Pub
    * Don & George – Not selling anything
    * 'Packed lunch' (song)
    * Don & George – Not selling anything
    * On The Lavatory with Frank Hovis – Lip salve
    * Laughing Man – Pub
    * Adverts
    * Bert Bastard – Mobility scooter
    * Thick game show hostess
    * Nice Family – The Facts of Life
    * Surgeons – Left-overs operation
    * Laughing Man
    * Lady Camilla
    * Closing credits
4 12 February 1993
  • Opening titles
    * Denzil & Gwynedd – Hoover
    * 'Getting older' (song)
    * Calum Gilhooley – Bookshop/Chase
    * Little Girl – Trains
    * Adverts
    * The Wells – Greentours Holidays
    * Billy and Mate – 'Hospical'
    * Mr. Wiggy van
    * Stoneybridge – Independence for Bruceland
    * Laughing Man – T-shirt
    * Stoneybridge – War between Bruceland and the other side of the room
    * Laughing man
    *Closing credits
5 19 February 1993
  • Opening titles
    * Nice Family – People to avoid and to meet
    * Redundant cleaner in wardrobe
    * Fish attacks
    * The Wells – Soup kitchen
    * Gwyn – Teeth
    * Adverts
    * Tour Guide – Coach
    * Surgeons – Street Operation
    * Don and George – Car
    * Billy and Mate – 'Sexy interclock'
    * On The Lavatory with Frank Hovis – Cafe meal
    * 'Bank Holiday' (song)
    * Closing credits
6 26 February 1993
  • Opening titles
    * Don & George – Savings
    * 'Schedule-D Man
    * Gwyn – Sellotape
    * Don & George – Donan & Georgeman
    * Bert Bastard – Cup of tea
    * Posh couple – waking up
    * Bert Bastard – Cheese and biscuits
    * Piano Man – 'Just Ask Me' (song)
    * Don & George – Donan & Georgeman
    * Adverts
    * Little Girl – Government
    * Calum Gilhooley – Directions
    * On The Lavtory with Frank Hovis – Farting
    * Stoneybridge – charity pop single
    * Closing credits