Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, June Whitfield and Julia Sawalha star in the award-winning TV comedy series that defined the early 90s. Enjoy Eddie and Patsy's hilarious escapades with this great box set and crack open t... more »he Bolly!
All eighteen episodes from the first, second and third series.DVD Features:
George K. from COLCHESTER, CT Reviewed on 3/17/2021...
This humorous British series centers on a pair of desperate, unrestrained, and self-centered women. I found the laughs here close to those of Fawlty Towers but not quite as amusing.
Be prepared for loud, crude main characters who spend a good deal of their time alcohol-impaired and obscene.
Yeah, it's fun but definitely not family entertainment.
3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
Give in to temptation... okay, I'll say sweetie here...
mattyp4 | New York, NY United States | 04/10/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have to admit, I held out on purchasing this for a long time b/c I thought it wasn't going to be worth the money. I mean, let's face it, it's a wee bit pricey & if you're like me, you have seen them all many times over on Comedy Central or BBC America. However, I gave in to temptation one day & finally bought it...& I couldn't be happier!
First off, it's got all the episodes from the first 3 original series (not counting the 4th series that aired in 2001, & the 5th series that aired in 2003 on the WE channel, but they're available separately & I recommend you pick them up, too). This 4-disc set contains each series compiled on its own disc with extra features, as well as a disc of bonus material. Series 1: Fashion; Fat; France; Iso Tank; Birthday; & Magazine. Series 2: Hospital; Death; Morocco; New Best Friend; Poor; & Birth. Series 3: Doorhandle; Happy New Year; Sex; Jealousy; Fear; & The End. Each of these discs includes 15 minutes of hilarious outtakes- they are really great. It also contains still photo galleries set to music, as well as trailers for other BBC DVDs & BBC America commercials. But the outtakes really make it worthwhile.
The bonus disc includes the "How To Be Ab Fab" documentary that was shown on Comedy Central many times, as well as a compilation of the series' greatest moments hosted by Jennifer Saunders & June Whitfield ("Ab Fab Moments"). The "Modern Mother & Daughter" skit from French & Saunders is also included (the skit that spawned Ab Fab), as well as cool pages about the cast, guest stars, & my favorite- a guide to the real life locations featured in Ab Fab (London, New York, etc).
For all you technical fans, the DVD looks & sounds really great. The picture transfer is excellent- clear, pristine picture on a full screen. It's much better than watching it on television- honestly. The packaging is great, too.
But perhaps the best thing about watching Ab Fab on DVD? It's not edited for content. True, even though it appeared on cable, Comedy Central had to edit out a few choice words (the BBC, as well as all other European television stations, are a little more lenient than American stations), all of which naturally appear on the DVD. It's not a huge deal, & I'm a mature guy, but for you hardcore purists, this is the only way to go! It just makes it a little more enjoyable.
I hope this has convinced you if are on the fence about this purchase. Trust me; if you're even considering it then you will definitely love it. I actually a casual fan when I purchased the DVD set on an impulse buy, but watching it on DVD has made it much, much more enjoyable. Now I ADORE Ab Fab!
Don't forget to get the 4th & 5th series on double-disc sets, as well as the two Ab Fab specials, put onto one disc!
"
One of the BEST DVD sets EVER!
Kevinduran | Indianapolis, Indiana USA | 03/17/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First off, let me address some of the other reviews by stating that the reason why "The Last Shout" doesn't appear on this box set is because a different company released it on video, and the rights were not available for this collection. ANYWAY- this box set does not disappoint AT ALL. The picture is so clear and pristine; you can tell a lot of work went into making these DVD's look great. Each DVD features outtakes (scenes that didn't make it into episodes) and bloopers, which are great to view. The fourth DVD contains the "How To Be Absolutely Fabulous" (which was never available on laserdisc, I used to own the laserdisc box sets of these episodes.)... it just does not get better or funnier than this! You will scream with laughter over the exploits of Edina and Patsy!! This is the BEST and funniest British comedy ever!!!"
Sweetie Dahling..... This is a Must Have DVD Set!
jpmohio | Mansfield, OH United States | 03/16/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Finally, a DVD collection of Ab Fab... oh how many VHS tapes of this series I have worn out. This is the best format conversion from VHS to DVD that I have ever seen. The picture quality is superb and the color and sound is far superior to the VHS copies I own. The menu's are great, you get hillarious outtakes of each series on all three DVD's and the bonus DVD is worth the price of the entire set. I especially enjoyed the "How to be Absolutely Fabulous" which is hosted by Jennifer Saunders (looking simply ravishing I might add) and her riotous look at behind the scenes and sneek peeks into the BBC Studio where this all began. I have been wanting this series on DVD since I first heard of DVD format because this comedy is timeless... you will enjoy it over and over no matter what year it was produced. If I can say one thing let me say this... if you are considering buying even just one or two of the Ab Fab series DVD's... Please buy this 4 DVD complete collection, it is worth every penny. Not only that, once you watch one you will want to see every single episode and you'll still be left wanting more..dahling! So order this set and when it arrives put on your best lacroix, grab a bottle of Stoli, light a fag and sit back for some side splitting laughter."
Review of DVD set
Falconry | 05/05/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you are reading this then you are most likely already a fan of ABFAB so there is little point in reviewing the series. I will concentrate instead on whether you should buy the DVD set. I recently purchased this set for my wife and she was thrilled with the quality of the DVD transfer for both audio and visual aspects. Sometimes transfers can be a bit too warm or washed out(such as the first issue of the Firth/Ehle Pride and Prejudice being warm and the Anniversary collectors edition being a bit washed out; and I highly recommend the former over the latter) but this is not the case with the ABFAB set. The colors are vibrant and true to the original imagery. As for the DVD extras, which are always important, there are plenty of outtakes and a fourth disk containing behind-the-scene looks, a sort of "best of" etc. All in all, this DVD set is well worth owning and my wife considered it to be an outstanding surprise birthday gift (to be honest I did not think I was going out on a limb, but you never know). However, I would not be surprised if they come out with a single DVD set that unifies all four seasons, so some may wish to wait for that one. Regardless, any ABFAB fan would be thrilled with this excellent boxed set."
Stands among the greats of comedy
Bruce Aguilar | Hollywood, CA | 06/02/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I Love Lucy, Mary Tylor Moore, Rosanne. Comedy series that have, and will continue to last throughout the ages. And now we can add Absolutely Fabulous to that list as well. Groundbreaking in every way, this is one show that's after shock will be felt in television for years to come. The outrageous adventures of drug addict/alcholic Patsy Stone and her fad of the moment best friend Edina Monsoon never fail to leave you in stiches. And you won't believe the things you find yourself laughing at. The poor, the crippled, celebrities, countries, nationalities, religons, sex, and body parts all get skewered (no to mention how they lambast friends and family)! How people can be so dispicable in every way and still be endearing is a testament to the exemplary writing and acting. All 24 episodes are inlcuded and although that's not very many shows compared to a US series, the quality more than makes up for it.There are bonuses but the main attraction is the show itself. The outtakes can be very funny once you've grown to love the characters and see the actors slipping in and out of character. On the other hand, the picute gallery wasn't done properly. Too many of the shots are taken directly from the series and the image quality isn't impressive. You get much better stills from just pausing the DVD. After watching the series only on Comedy Central, it's astonishing to see how crisp and bright the image is for this transfer. One other thing I really enjoyed was the menu screens. They fit right in with the theme of the show and are easy to navigate. I have a question though. Is the singing voice on the menus RuPaul? I hope so! It would be a perfect addition to this FABULOUS set.Ok Darling, now buy this DVD set right away to enjoy one of the best comedy series ever. You simply can't be disappointed sweetie!"