Horrible Histories (2009 TV series): Difference between revisions

''Stuff they don't teach you at school''

''The past is no longer a mystery''

 

 

Lifting its premise, content and general [[Black Comedy]] sensibilities directly from the books, ''HH'' the series is hosted by a puppet sewer rat and romps irreverently (but always with conscious accuracy) through all the strangest, silliest and most bodily-fluid-intensive moments on the road to Western Civilization. Live-action sketches—which frequently parody current UK TV programs and personalities—are intercut with quizzes, short animations, and at least one [[Educational Song|music video]] per episode, likewise usually a parody of a classic pop/rock genre or song.

As a result a six-part version was made for main adult channel [[BBC 1]], which featured the best sketches as introduced by [[Stephen Fry]]. More recently, [[Mock the Week|Chris Addison]], [[The League of Gentlemen|Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton]] and [[Mark Gatiss]] have made special guest appearances.

 

 

{{tropelist}}

* [[Action Girl]]: You do ''not'' want to mess with Boudicca. Or for that matter several of the other female characters. The show actually makes something of a point of celebrating this trope, as a way of compensating for the fact that most of their subject matter is male-oriented.

* [[Adaptation Distillation]]: Of the show itself, as per above.

{{quote|'''Charles II:''' ''(rapping)'' Old Ollie wasn't jolly, he was glum and he was proud

Would be miserable as sin, only ''sinning's not allowed!'' }}

** Which was in turn recently lampshaded during a pre-[[BAFTA]] ceremony [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCPeyiCurnY interview with the cast]. "What's the secret to your tremendous success?" Rickard (completely deadpan): "Mat's eyes." Rickard also referred the 'why does the show appeal to adults?' question to Willbond the mum candy.

* [[The Nicknamer]]: There's a sketch about Elizabeth I being this, including her most well-known nickname of "Pygmy" for one of her ministers.

* [[Summers Family Tree]]: The poor "This is Your Reign" presenter gets very confused (and [[squick]]ed) by Cleopatra's family tree (including her marrying [[Brother-Sister Incest|two of her brothers]] [[Parental Incest|and her father]]) when she appears on his show.

* [[Talking Animal]]: Rattus Rattus (named for his species) -- a puppet [[Expy]] of a similar rat character from the books—hosts the original series, explaining and clarifying the historical information presented in each sketch... in his own inimitable fashion (describing the cause of [[The Black Death]]: "So that's Rats 1, Humans 0.") Despite the occasional tiny sword or top hat, he appears to be quite content merely to snigger at the horrible humans from beneath their floorboards... at least until the behind-the-scenes vid that reveals he's moved to Hollywood to become a Star, or barring that become a historical consultant to [[Steven Spielberg]].

* [[Toilet Humour]]: Up to and including a couple sketches actually set in the Roman communal toilets.

* [[Totally Radical]]: In-universe, as used by the title character in the ''"You've Been Artois'd!''" sketch. "I know these words, you see? I am 'street', yes?"

* [[Warrior Poet]]: [[Discussed Trope|Invoked by,]] [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|of all people,]] [[Dr. Seuss|Erik the Viking.]] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrBnIoONit0 Who speaks only in rhyme].

* [[Who Writes This Crap?]]: Combined with [[Medium Awareness]]:

...and this is the man who wrote that joke. }}

* [[Who's on First?]]: Deployed shamelessly in a sketch about rebel leader Wat Tyler. "So, what's our leader's name?" "Yes."

[[Category:British Series]]

[[Category:CBBC]]

[[Category:Edutainment Show]]

[[Category:Sketch Comedy]]

[[Category:Horrible Histories]]

[[Category:TV Series]]