Drop the Dead Donkey

Being an ex-pat, the growing interest in downloading and viewing whole TV series has given me many hours of entertainment. I used to watch Drop the Dead Donkey live in the 1990s and liked it then, but re-watching it now, in 2015, I'm finding it pretty hilarious and it's now my daily accompaniment to breakfast, and the occasional episode when I simply want a laugh. The fact that the news items referred to are ancient now, doesn't matter one bit - the way that they are handled in DTDD are so funny because I think that news channels now are pathetic in their handling of the news, and they all appear to be run on the lines of Global News. Really!

The series is rich with really excellent journalist stereotypes, much mentioned in the other reviews here, so not needed to be repeated by me. I don't know where I will turn to when I finish all the series I have.

It is only dated because each episode tried very hard to include topical and amusing news items. All of the main characters are distinctive. George, the editor, is conscientious but seems totally out of place in the newsroom environment as he is a bit of a fragile eccentric. His boss Gus, a bit of a sad bachelor, is the king of Politically correct sound bites. Dave, who's job is a bit obscure, is the office 'stud' as well as being a chronic gambler. Henry, the aged newsreader, has clearly seen better days but is still convinced he is up to competing with Dave. The other newsreader, Sally, has a sex life which is mainly in Lorry parks and service stations. Joy,the officer gofer, is not a girl to be messed with and takes no prisoners. Damian, the young fearless reporter is totally obsessed with fame and has no regards for the feelings of others, particularly his on location staff. Helen, a lesbian, replaced Alex early on as Gerorges No 2. There is a bit of slapstick but the humour, which comes thick and fast, is mainly verbal.

i have been watching the re-runs of drop the dead donkey on cable and had forgotten just how good it was. it is based in globelink newsroom and recent (usually political) events are incorporated into it each weeks episode. in short, all the characters are played very well and are extremely funny. i would like to add that neil pearson, who plays the devilishly handsome dave charnley, is a highlight each episode and is definately one to stare at. oh sorry i have digressed. anyway i have little else to say really apart from this was a very funny program and anyone who gets the chance should watch it. pure class.

Hilarious show, the humour still holds up and I should know I wasn't alive for any of the topical jokes

This was my favourite show back in the late 80's and early 90's. I still watch the occasional episode on the original channels' (UK Channel 4) online archive and end up watching 3 or 4 more. Damien's tabloid/sensationalist "journalism", Henry Davenport, the grand old curmudgeon/geriatric ladykiller, Sally, the original faux-celeb, with her lapses into born again evangelical christianity and the pleasures of lorry driver cabs, Gus, well sometimes I would laugh the second when he walked on set, poor, put upon George the luckless hypochondriac and most of all, the psychotic office admin, Joy, who Id love to believe was the inspiration for Ruth in Ozark. Give it a try if you can, especially the awards ceremony episode if you want to get off to a flyer. Genius stuff.