Comedy double acts over the decades have usually consisted of two men - Little & Large, Cannon & Ball, Morecambe & Wise, Laurel & Hardy and The Two Ronnies to name but many. French & Saunders however were a female double act, and probably the first female double act to be seen on British television since Victoria Wood and Julie Walters. Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders first made it big at the Comic Strip Club in Soho before joining 'The Comic Strip Presents' and 'Saturday Live', as well as appearing on 'The Young Ones' and 'Happy Families'. It therefore seemed only natural to give the two their own show. In 1987, the BBC snapped the duo up. Dawn was the heavy set, over-excitable one whereas Jennifer was the slimmer, more laid back one. One certainly could not deny how popular the show was, as well as influential, but personally I just did not care much for the show. Whilst there was the very, very occasional funny moment, overall the shows were largely hit and miss, with more misses than hits.
Various stock characters were born, such as two filthy old men named Jim and Jim ( Dawn and Jennifer in drag ). Also included were sketches of Dawn and Jen as themselves sitting in a bare living room which would not have looked out of place on 'Alas Smith & Jones'. Spoofs were a regular source of humour too, these included 'Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?' ( or as it was called here 'Whatever happened To Baby Dawn?' ), 'The Exorcist', 'Misery', 'The Silence Of The Lambs' and 'Titanic'.
Many talented people worked on the show such as Robbie Coltrane, Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson ( husband of Jennifer Saunders ), Lenny Henry ( Dawn's then husband ), June Whitfield, Harry Enfield, Joanna Lumley and Helen Lederer. Musical guests included Kirsty MacColl, Lulu, Jools Holland, Alison Moyet, Toyah Wilcox and The Proclaimers.
'French & Saunders' ran for a total of six seasons, spawning the sitcom which Saunders would become famous for, the atrocious 'Absolutely Fabulous', whilst Dawn moved on to do 'The Vicar Of Dibley'.
Various stock characters were born, such as two filthy old men named Jim and Jim ( Dawn and Jennifer in drag ). Also included were sketches of Dawn and Jen as themselves sitting in a bare living room which would not have looked out of place on 'Alas Smith & Jones'. Spoofs were a regular source of humour too, these included 'Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?' ( or as it was called here 'Whatever happened To Baby Dawn?' ), 'The Exorcist', 'Misery', 'The Silence Of The Lambs' and 'Titanic'.
Many talented people worked on the show such as Robbie Coltrane, Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson ( husband of Jennifer Saunders ), Lenny Henry ( Dawn's then husband ), June Whitfield, Harry Enfield, Joanna Lumley and Helen Lederer. Musical guests included Kirsty MacColl, Lulu, Jools Holland, Alison Moyet, Toyah Wilcox and The Proclaimers.
'French & Saunders' ran for a total of six seasons, spawning the sitcom which Saunders would become famous for, the atrocious 'Absolutely Fabulous', whilst Dawn moved on to do 'The Vicar Of Dibley'.