Rutland Weekend Television: Difference between revisions

Line 7:

''Rutland Weekend Television'' (''RWT'') was a [[Sketch Comedy]] show on BBC 2, written by [[Eric Idle]] and his fellow actors and with music by [[Neil Innes]]. The show starred [[David Battley]], [[Eric Idle]], [[Neil Innes]] and [[Henry Woolf]], with appearances here and there wherever needed by other actors.

The title was invented by [[~~John Cleese (Creator)|~~John Cleese]] (who received one pound for his idea), on the basis that Rutland was England's smallest county. A Rutland TV station would have to be rather small, so a Rutland Week''end'' station would be ridiculously puny.<ref>Further, in 1974, the year before the first series, Rutland had ceased to be a separate county due to the Local Government Act of 1972, and become a district of Leicestershire. The RWT spin-off book claims that there are enormous tax advantages to broadcasting from somewhere that technically doesn't exist.</ref>

The title was invented by [[John Cleese]] (who received one pound for his idea), on the basis that Rutland was England's smallest county. A Rutland TV station would have to be rather small, so a Rutland Week''end'' station would be ridiculously puny.<ref>Further, in 1974, the year before the first series, Rutland had ceased to be a separate county due to the Local Government Act of 1972, and become a district of Leicestershire. The RWT spin-off book claims that there are enormous tax advantages to broadcasting from somewhere that technically doesn't exist.</ref>

When the show came into being, the title got another joke to it, as accidental [[Executive Meddling]] caused Idle to get a presentation budget, instead of the more lavish budget associated with light entertainment. The weekly patter about inability to buy props or sets was quite real indeed.

Line 39:

'''Jack:''' ''([[Beat]])'' Well, Ronald, that's rather interesting, because, in point of fact, {{spoiler|I slept with your wife.}} }}

* [[The Cast Showoff|Cast Show Off]]: Neil Innes' songs, [[Captain Obvious|obviously.]] In a less-known example, it seems David Battley had a knack for juggling -- though we only see this one-and-a-half times.

* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]: A lot of characters, from the host of "''[[Show Within a Show|Come Dancing]]''" ("So, without any ado, let's nonetheless as soon as possible.") to the singing gynaecologist ([[Exactly What It Says On the Tin]]) to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK3f8smt0pw&feature=related the Ricochet brothers] ('''Spelled ricochet, but pronounced rick-ot-chet''').

* [[Cloudcuckoolander]]: A lot of characters, from the host of "''[[Show Within a Show|Come Dancing]]''" ("So, without any ado, let's nonetheless as soon as possible.") to the singing gynaecologist ([[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]) to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK3f8smt0pw&feature=related the Ricochet brothers] ('''Spelled ricochet, but pronounced rick-ot-chet''').

* [[Cluster F-Bomb]]: Mentioned in the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvGtx74ofFI&feature=related "Bad Language"] sketch, when the writers are talking about what to cut.

{{quote| '''Eric:''' Neil, lose two bloodies -- Terry, lose four bloodies and a botty -- and David, lose the rest of the bloodies on that page apart from 'oh, my bloody hand', where you are actually bleeding.<br />

Line 76:

'''MB:''' Well...yes...certainly a...[[Blatant Lies|difficult choice...]]<br />

'''ED:''' ''(leaving) [[Quick Draw Decision|WARDEN!]]'' }}

* [[Football Hooligans]]: The [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|"Football"]] sketch.

* [[Football Hooligans]]: The [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|"Football"]] sketch.

* [[Good Is Bad and Bad Is Good]]: The "Ill Health Food Store" sketch.

{{quote| '''Shopkeeper:''' It tastes just as bad and it's much worse for you!}}

Line 105:

'''Theresa:''' Why not?<br />

'''Jack:''' Because the writer's written what you just said. }}

* [[No Fourth Wall]]: Normally, considering the show ''is'' about a fictional television station. Oddly enough, even in the shows that aren't grounded in reality ("Rutland Five-O"), they still [[Leaning On the Fourth Wall|lean on the fourth wall]]. (Commenting on a [[Hurricane of Puns]], dodging commercial breaks in the road...)

* [[No Fourth Wall]]: Normally, considering the show ''is'' about a fictional television station. Oddly enough, even in the shows that aren't grounded in reality ("Rutland Five-O"), they still [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall|lean on the fourth wall]]. (Commenting on a [[Hurricane of Puns]], dodging commercial breaks in the road...)

* [[Obstructive Bureaucrat]]: From the "Hanging" sketch, the prisoner gets a [[Last-Minute Reprieve|vital telegram]]. Unfortunately, the guard insists that the telegram ''does'' say 'candelled', and not 'cancelled', and suggests they send it off to check...and of course, when it got back, the prisoner would already be dead. The other guard takes it, to stop the arguing. {{spoiler|Turns out he was right.}}

* [[Overly Long Gag]]: The "Wife-Swapping Club" sketch. Mr. Phillips keeps trying to introduce them all, and they keep swapping wives in the background as he goes on.