Filthy Rich & Catflap

Although probably overshadowed by Blackadder, Filthy, Rich & Catflap acquired a highly quoteable cult status when I was at school coming as it did straight after The Young Ones and forerunning Bottom (also alongside the also long forgotten Happy Families, created by the same team).

It's easy to see what this show influenced- and what influences it left. For me, looking at it now, the surreal antics of Filthy, Ritchie & Eddie are still hilarious as ever (although you now have to have a serious knowledge of 1980s pop culture) but the satire of broken down, Z List celebrity culture - minus the phones, social media, chat rags and reality TV - is right on the money.

I doubt no show before or since could pull a stunt like the boys preparing to drunkly drop their trousers in front of Anne Diamond live on TV AM....Come On! Let's Show The World!!

FR&C was an excellent follow-on from "The Young Ones" but I feel that too many people were too stuck in the past to appreciate it. Then, blow me down, a few years later along comes "Bottom" and everybody loves it?! FR&C was far superior to Bottom, better scripts, better plots and not 'dumbed down' like Bottom is. There was at least some plausible rationale why these disgusting characters were involved in each other lives. There were also a couple of brilliant celebrity slots by Midge Ure and the Nolans - the latter being so out of character for those clean living Irish girls.

I also loved the 'asides' to camera which I feel were an excellent way of inviting the audience into the plot. I could easily exceed the word limit singing the praises of this series, but I shall end with a quote from the first episode (which still makes me laugh out loud);

Ralph Filthy: "Richie - it doesn't matter how many milkmen you kill, it still won't become fashionable you know..."

Well worth while watching if you get the chance.

In the winter of 87' I first got acquainted with this wonderful group of comedians. I later watched the Young Ones and Bottom, but Filthy, Rich and Catflap remains my favorite by far.It is much more clever and funny, better written. This is my favorite comedy of all time. Difficult to believe it is so underestimated.The reason may be the harsh criticism on various BBC and show business stars. Moreover, they also criticized the BBC establishment. That was too much for some of those dinosaurs during that Thatcher era. I don't know if more episodes were necessary, since the six produced are masterpieces. I also understand that Rick Mayall was not pleased with the final result, and wanted more say in the show; to that I can only say- Rick you were marvelous, but the show was great too.

This Is A truly great comedy that provides laughs for the viewer from start to finish. The characters Rich and Eddie Catflap are the forerunners for the characters Ritchie and Eddie in Bottom. I feel it was a shame that this great work did not enjoy more success and a second series, although on the other hand if it did enjoy more success then Bottom might not ever being made as the similarities between the two comedies are not hard to find. Although there is only the one series and is not the most recognizable comedy it is still a cracking comedy and worth a watch. If you have trouble finding it visit the playback universal website or try somewhere like HMV it won't be cheap but worth the money.

Hi

Filthy rich and catflap was kind of a follow on from the the young ones, but it never had mike in it thats christopher ryan to the non young ones fans, OK first of all i need to say this first its coming to DVD THIS JULY BUY IT YOU WONT REGRET IT OK it was available on VHS about 7yrs OK but since then its been deleted i myself i have a them VHS myself but quality over time has been dropping so i really cant wait till july 26, as you may have read in other comments filthy rich and catflap has never been repeated on the bbc why, it has been repeated on uk gold but only twice anyway thats about to end when the DVD comes out and most places are only charging between £9.99 and £12.99 so buy it and laugh to one of the most underrated comedies of all time.