Absolutely Fabulous (series 4)

The fourth series of British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC One on 31 August 2001 and concluded on 5 October 2001, consisting of six episodes. Originally, Absolutely Fabulous was to end with the third series, then two-part special "The Last Shout" was created to serve as an official finale to the series. However, in 2000, Jennifer Saunders created and wrote a television pilot for a proposed new series, Mirrorball, in which she intended to reunite the cast of Absolutely Fabulous in new roles and a different plot. Saunders, along with Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield, returned for the pilot, but the series was never commissioned. Nevertheless, Mirrorball inspired Saunders to revive Absolutely Fabulous and a fourth series was produced. A Christmas special, "Gay" (titled "Absolutely Fabulous in New York" in the United States), was produced following the fourth series and was broadcast in 2002.

Absolutely Fabulous
Series 4
UK DVD cover
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of episodes6
Release
Original networkBBC One
Original release31 August (2001-08-31) –
5 October 2001 (2001-10-05)
Series chronology

Cast and characters
See also: List of Absolutely Fabulous characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

"Gay" guest cast

Episodes
Main article: List of Absolutely Fabulous episodes
No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [1]
211"Parralox"Bob SpiersJennifer Saunders31 August 2001 (2001-08-31)8.28
Edina, who now runs a television production company, is slated to make a guest appearance with client Twiggy on Richard and Judy's morning television show. Patsy has been injecting her face with Parralox, a Botox-like substance, in order to freeze her wrinkles. Edina is persuaded by Patsy to try Parralox as well, but she awakens the next morning with a paralysed face. In addition to costing Saffron a government job, Edina is replaced by Katy Grin, her new business partner and Bubble's cousin, for the television appearance.
222"Fish Farm"Christine GernonJennifer Saunders7 September 2001 (2001-09-07)7.59
When Saffron hires a handsome landscape gardener to redesign the backyard, Patsy recognises him as Jago Balfour, the younger brother of a wealthy acquaintance of hers, who inherited a country estate before dying of an overdose. Presuming Jago to be rich as well, Patsy goads Edina into seducing him. Edina and Jago soon arrange a dinner date, which eventually leads to a wild night of lovemaking. The next morning, Jago reveals that his brother squandered the family fortune on drugs, forcing him to sell the estate to Roger Daltrey as a fish farm, much to the horror of Edina and Patsy.
233"Paris"Bob SpiersJennifer Saunders14 September 2001 (2001-09-14)7.47

Patsy is excited to be joining young supermodel Erin O'Connor for a magazine photo shoot in Paris. Edina comes along for a mother–daughter fashion spread with Saffron. After learning that other models from her generation will also appear in the shoot, Patsy becomes competitive and constantly ignores the photographer's directions, much to his annoyance. Meanwhile, Edina and Saffron spend an unusually pleasant day together in Paris, going shopping and dining at upscale restaurants. Edina later encourages Saffron to flash her breasts from the top of the Eiffel Tower. However, Edina's ulterior motive is revealed when a photographer appears unexpectedly and takes a topless picture of Saffron for a magazine.

Following the 11 September terrorist attacks in New York City, a joke about the Taliban was edited out of the original BBC broadcast of this episode, but it is included on the DVD release.
244"Donkey"Bob SpiersJennifer Saunders21 September 2001 (2001-09-21)7.34
Edina becomes inspired by Sex and the City but she is prompted to battle the bulge when she realises she is not the Sarah Jessica Parker of the group, but rather the "donkey". Edina decides to lose weight and enrols in a boot camp-style exercise course. Saffron disapproves of her methods but also tries to spur her on. Edina later has a dream about God and the Devil arguing about her. Later, an argument with Saffron reveals that the exercise and diet is working. A happier, healthier Edina meets up with her friends again, but is shocked to learn from Katy that despite her weight loss, she's "still too fat" to be the Sarah Jessica Parker of the group. Throughout the story Edina records her confessions on video.
255"Small Opening"Christine GernonJennifer Saunders28 September 2001 (2001-09-28)7.44
At home, Edina and Patsy are setting up drugs. They hear a buzzing sound, which Patsy mistakes for a bee. It turns out to be Edina's mobile phone, and when she answers, she thinks that it's Serge calling out for help. She calls the police, and Saffron comes home to find Edina in a state of shock. It is then revealed that the phone accidentally picked up rehearsals for Saffron's play, "Self Raising Flower", which details her life and portrays Edina and Patsy in a negative way. On the day of the premiere, Justin, Bo, Gran, and Marshall drop by to wish good luck to Saffron, at the expense of Edina. Saffron extends an olive branch of sorts by leaving a ticket for her mother; Edina is wary about attending, but eventually her and Patsy do go. The play goes well, however the cast and audience believe it to be a comedy instead of the pitiful domestic tragedy Saffron intended. Amazingly, both Edina and Patsy end up loving it (with Patsy in particular enjoying her portrayal regardless of the fact she is played by a man). At the end, the cast welcome the real Edina on stage with them, leaving Saffron in the audience embarrassed. The next day, the girl who plays Saffron is so smitten with the real one that she offers her flowers, making Saffron distinctly nervous.
266"Menopause"Christine GernonJennifer Saunders5 October 2001 (2001-10-05)6.64
Edina's career is over. Bubble accidentally forwarded all the private information of Edina's upcoming gigs to everyone in her address book including arch-rival Claudia Bing, who has taken a substantial amount of her jobs, including getting work for Twiggy. Meanwhile, Patsy breaks her arm just above her wrist. Saffron reluctantly takes her to her doctor, and comes back with shocking news: Patsy has both osteoporosis and the lowest bone density on record. Saffron concludes that it is symptomatic of menopause, the very mention of it sends Edina and Patsy into a state of panic. Saffron organises a meeting of a local menopause support group in the living room and Edina provides bin liners to prevent the guests from accidentally urinating on the furniture. Later, Saffron bakes a pie and has a nightmare where Patsy is a happy homemaker, which annoys Saffron. Patsy drops the bombshell that she plans to have a baby. She bought Mick Jagger's sperm at an auction and plans to implant it inside herself unless Saffron allows Patsy to use the spare room.
Special
27—"Gay"Tristram ShapeeroJennifer Saunders27 December 2002 (2002-12-27)8.68
Upon discovering that Serge is gay and living in New York, Edina is thrilled to reunite with her long-lost son as she plans a trip to New York Fashion Week with Patsy—despite Saffron's objections. In exchange for Serge's contact information, Edina and Patsy are forced to get married by a counsellor at an LGBT drop-in centre where Serge volunteers. Edina finally locates Serge, who works in a second-hand bookstore and, to her surprise, is essentially the male equivalent of Saffron. Despite initially rebuffing Edina's attempts to reconnect due to unresolved issues, Serge is convinced by his flamboyant boyfriend, Martin, to spend the day with her. Edina, Patsy, Serge and Martin attend Fashion Week and later go on a bar crawl. The night ends with Edina and Patsy getting arrested after accidentally setting a bar on fire. The pair return home after Saffron posts bail, and Edina reveals that she has disowned Serge in favour of Martin, whom she has "adopted".

Home media

VHS (United States)

  • "Series 4: Part 1" – 5 February 2002[2]
  • "Series 4: Part 2" – 5 February 2002[3]

VHS (United Kingdom)

  • "Series 4" – 19 November 2001
  • As part of the "Series 1-4" (8-VHS set) – 25 November 2002[4]

DVD (Region 1)

  • "Series 4" (2-disc set) – 5 February 2002[5]
    • "Complete Series 4" re-release (2-disc set) – 13 September 2005[6]
  • As part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything" (9-disc set) – 27 May 2008[7]
  • As Part of the "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely All of It!" (10-disc set) - 5 November 2013[8]

DVD (Region 2)

  • "Series 4" (2-disc set) – 8 April 2002
  • As part of "Series 1–4" (5-disc set) – 25 November 2002[9]
  • As part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything" (10-disc set) – 15 November 2010[10]
  • As part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything - The Definitive Edition" (11-disc set) – 17 March 2014[11]

DVD (Region 4)

  • "Series 4" (2-disc set) – 8 August 2002[12]
  • As part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything" (9-disc set) – 20 April 2006[13]
  • As part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Complete Collection" (10-disc set) – 5 April 2011[14]
  • As Part of the "Absolutely Everything: Definitive Edition" (11-disc set) – 30 April 2014[15]

'Gay' special

  • United States
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Special" – 30 September 2003 (includes 'The Last Shout')
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Special" re-release – 13 September 2005 (includes 'The Last Shout')
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything – 27 May 2008
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely All of It! – 5 November 2013
  • United Kingdom
    • DVD - 29 September 2003
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything" – 15 November 2010
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything - The Definitive Edition" – 17 March 2014
  • Australia
    • DVD as part of "Series 5" – 8 April 2004
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything" – 20 April 2006
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Fabulous: Complete Collection" – 5 April 2011
    • DVD as part of "Absolutely Everything: Definitive Edition" – 30 April 2014

Further reading
  • Saunders, Jennifer (4 October 2001). Absolutely Fabulous: Continuity. London: Headline. ISBN 978-0-7553-1048-7.

See also

References
  1. "Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018)". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  2. "Absolutely Fabulous - Series 4, Part 1 [VHS]". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  3. "Absolutely Fabulous - Series 4, Part 2 [VHS]". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  4. "Absolutely Fabulous Series 1-4 Box Set". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  5. "Absolutely Fabulous - Complete Series 4". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  6. "Absolutely Fabulous: Series 4". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  7. "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely All of It DVD". blu-ray.com. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  8. "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything". blu-ray.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  9. "Absolutely Fabulous: Series 1-4 Box Set DVD". blu-ray.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  10. "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything DVD". Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  11. "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything DVD". blu-ray.com. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  12. "Absolutely Fabulous Series 4 on DVD". dvdorchard.com.au. Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  13. "Absolutely Fabulous Complete Collection on DVD". dvdorchard.com.au. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  14. "Absolutely Fabulous Series 1 5 Plus Specials Complete Collection on DVD". dvdorchard.com.au. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  15. "Absolutely Fabulous Absolutely Everything The Definitive Edition on DVD". dvdorchard.com.au. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
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