I’m so excited

SOOO excited.

There’s so much great Christmas telly coming and when I get home from all the family time, I’ll have so much on my Sky+ to snuggle up in front of, hopefully in my new pyjamas (and various other things off my, completely reasonable, not at all outlandish, Christmas list)…

• The Only Way is Essex-mas (I've missed Joey so much!)
• Made in Chelsea Christmas special (Will Caggie and Spencer finally get it together?)
• Downton Abbey Christmas special (Imagine the Christmas supper outfits... gorge!)
• The Strictly final and the Christmas day special (c'moooooon Harry!)
• Great Expectations (I do love a period piece in the winter)
• Jonathan Ross Christmas special (he cracks me up)
• Outnumbered Christmas special (Those kids? Comedy gold!)
• There’s always a beautiful animation or two (great for pyjama time on Boxing day)
• Doctor Who always pulls something good out of the bag (despite the fact I never watch it normally, I quite enjoy the Christmas one)
• David Jason always features somewhere (hopefully it'll be something heartwarming and not harrowing, though)
• And don’t forget that in addition to all the TV specials, there are some great festive (and a few less festive) films on as well.

But what am I MOST excited about?

Absolutely Fabulous, daaaaaaaaaaaaarling. Sweetie.



(image pilfered from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ - sorry!)



Absolutely Fabulous is one of my favourite things, ever, on telly for so, so, so many reasons.

1.   The quotes! Even now, nearly twenty years on from episode one, I still use so many quotes. Sccchweetie! Daaaaarling! Sweetie darling! Pop Spex! I have arms! Come to mamma! Tickets, money, passport! Cut the cord! Bring me a knitting needle! There would have been a time when I could recite whole episodes, but that was in the days of VHS and I think I wore the tapes out. But beware. Its recent appearance on Sky’s Gold has me using those quotes more and more as the days go by.

2.   The consumerism! I know it's wrong, and so do the writers and actors, and that's what makes it so delicious and addictive to me. The shopping, the brands, the cars, the materialism, the opulence and the complete disregard for value in that nothing, no matter how expensive or rare, is safe from being completely destroyed on a drinking binge of some kind.

3.   The “fashion”! I love Eddie’s satirical take on the latest fashions, and Patsy’s classic wardrobe. And Patsy's hair. I have always love Patsy's hair.

4.   The agelessness! I know they have some good make up artists around and some great post-production editing effects, but seriously, how those five women still not look a day older than when it all started?

5.   The guest appearances! I just love the cheesy cameos and the fact that they’re all so willing to send themselves up and let Jennifer Saunders rip their “personas” to shreds.  Emma Bunton, Lulu, Twiggy, Whoopi Goldberg, Helena Bonham-Carter... two words: A. Maze.

6.   The memories! It was the backdrop to my childhood transition in to young- adulthood (it came out just as I was starting senior school) and at the time I felt a bit like my mum and her best friend were a real life Patsy and Eddie (they’d fight over who got to be Patsy!!). I did quite often have to tell them off like Saffy. Those were some great days…

7.   The characters! Seriously – Jennifer Saunders is a genius – Eddie, Patsy, Bubble, Gran, Saffy, Bubble, Marshall, Justin, the ever elusive Serge, Bo. So clever. So funny.

8.   The life! It’s just bonkers, but I love it. I’d love to live that life, not just the money, the stupidly fabulous jobs, the gorgeous house, but the fact that the fabulous house was always bustling with people. One day, when I win the lottery, I want a big mansion where all my friends and family can live together like a grown up halls of residence!

9.   The Britishness! Somehow it manages to take on big issues like drink, drugs, eating disorders and bullying and somehow make them funny and light-hearted (and also maybe a little bit of glamorisation in there?) without actually encouraging them. The legendary music references, the flashbacks to some celebrated eras in British culture and the comedy guest-appearances by some of Britian’s most renowned characters, just accentuate the “Britishness”. I just can’t see how it would ever translate in to other cultures and languages. The writers and actors are basically, good-naturedly, poking fun at everyone (including themselves) and everything that can be stereotyped, which to me is quintessentially what British comedy (or even British culture?) is about.

10. The evolution! Somehow, to me it’s applicable now in 2011 as I’m about to hit 30, with a mortgage, husband and career, as it was when I was 11, starting out at senior school, new friends, a paper round, just discovering fashion and make up and with parents who loved a party and were “sooooooooooooooo embarrassing”… or maybe it’s just me that hasn’t changed? I'm excited to hear that P.Middy is even referenced in the episode. Love.

BBC 1, 10pm, Christmas Day, Sweetie! 

I. Can’t. Wait.