ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS is undoubtedly one of a handful of comedies to make the jump across the pond with flying colors. It centers around the dysfunctional and hedonistic extended family of PR dilettante Edina; who is reluctantly watched over by cautious daughter Saffron, while being goaded to egotistical escapades by her carousing partner in crime, Patsy. AB FAB serves as a satire of all things self-centered; whether they be charity, fashion, marketing campaigns, celebrity, fad diets, or new age schemes. This potentially heavy social satire is cut through with such a shameless brand of camp that nearly all trace of moralizing are erased. Each character is damaged in some way but copes with their flaws through biting putdowns and aimless self-abuse.

Spawned from a skit on the FRENCH & SAUNDERS show, it has run for 5 seasons, with many occasions when series creator Jennifer Saunders thought the well dry, only to return with numerous special episodes; still being made into 2012. Arguably, much of it's stateside success had to do with Comedy Central picking it up for broadcast, but this show seems to have taken on a life of it's own over the last 20 years. Nearly every cast member has met with continued success outside the show, though few have eclipsed it.