A year after the three part pilot show 'There's Nothing To Worry About', Granada Television commissioned a further seven episodes and renamed the show 'Alfresco'. The same cast from the earlier show returned, with the exception of Paul Shearer, who was replaced by the up and coming ( and now sadly deceased ) Robbie Coltrane. The show was clearly set on being the next 'Monty Python', with its reliance on meaningless sketches, lack of punchlines and dark tone. Sadly, it failed to make waves and proved to be both a critical and ratings flop.
Ben Elton, who earlier managed to score television success with the BBC after co-writing 'The Young Ones' wrote the show more or less alone, with a small amount of additional material provided by Andy De La Tour and Robbie Coltrane. Sadly, unlike with 'The Young Ones' ( which he co-wrote with Rik Mayall and Lise Mayer ), Elton indulged himself too much here and, while there was the occasional funny moment, on the whole the show was disjointed and, for the most part, pretty dire.
The first sketch sees a nervous young man attempting to purchase a bottle of perfume from a department store as a gift for his mother. The assistant asks if he is buying it as a birthday present for her, to which he reveals he is buying her it as he is in love with her and hopes to persuade her to sleep with him!
A social worker tediously tries to get into the mind of an anti-social young girl with arsonist tendencies. However, when she carelessly discards a cigarette, she ends up setting fire to his office, however the social worker is too caught up in lecturing her to notice!
A musical item entitled 'Be A Pal' sees a slovenly couple singing of how they don't see the point in tidying their house as it will soon enough get filthy again in the long run!
A man auditions for a part in a war movie, only to find out that the film will be featuring real soldiers and troops and will be using real firearms, thus putting the actor's safety at risk!
This opening episode is amusing in places but the mostly ropey material, plus the smugness of some of the cast members showing through ( mostly from Stephen Fry and Ben Elton ) does the show very little favours. The show's theme tune, supplied by David McNiven, was a dreary saxophone arrangement of 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' which played over a cartoon style title sequence of a tramp busking in an underpass. Thankfully, McNiven carved a far more successful career as a musical composer when he relocated to BBC Scotland. The show's biggest saving grace is Robbie Coltrane, who throughout his career never once failed to shine in the spotlight.
Funniest sketch - probably the 'Be A Pal' musical sequence, particularly for this piece of dialogue.
WIFE: I donated the contents of the refrigerator to Salmonella Research.
HUSBAND: What did they make out of it?
WIFE: A fortune in tranquilizers!
Ben Elton, who earlier managed to score television success with the BBC after co-writing 'The Young Ones' wrote the show more or less alone, with a small amount of additional material provided by Andy De La Tour and Robbie Coltrane. Sadly, unlike with 'The Young Ones' ( which he co-wrote with Rik Mayall and Lise Mayer ), Elton indulged himself too much here and, while there was the occasional funny moment, on the whole the show was disjointed and, for the most part, pretty dire.
The first sketch sees a nervous young man attempting to purchase a bottle of perfume from a department store as a gift for his mother. The assistant asks if he is buying it as a birthday present for her, to which he reveals he is buying her it as he is in love with her and hopes to persuade her to sleep with him!
A social worker tediously tries to get into the mind of an anti-social young girl with arsonist tendencies. However, when she carelessly discards a cigarette, she ends up setting fire to his office, however the social worker is too caught up in lecturing her to notice!
A musical item entitled 'Be A Pal' sees a slovenly couple singing of how they don't see the point in tidying their house as it will soon enough get filthy again in the long run!
A man auditions for a part in a war movie, only to find out that the film will be featuring real soldiers and troops and will be using real firearms, thus putting the actor's safety at risk!
This opening episode is amusing in places but the mostly ropey material, plus the smugness of some of the cast members showing through ( mostly from Stephen Fry and Ben Elton ) does the show very little favours. The show's theme tune, supplied by David McNiven, was a dreary saxophone arrangement of 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' which played over a cartoon style title sequence of a tramp busking in an underpass. Thankfully, McNiven carved a far more successful career as a musical composer when he relocated to BBC Scotland. The show's biggest saving grace is Robbie Coltrane, who throughout his career never once failed to shine in the spotlight.
Funniest sketch - probably the 'Be A Pal' musical sequence, particularly for this piece of dialogue.
WIFE: I donated the contents of the refrigerator to Salmonella Research.
HUSBAND: What did they make out of it?
WIFE: A fortune in tranquilizers!