Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11091 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-06-19
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 145 minutes

Synopsis
Cult comedy series written by and starring the multi-faceted Peter Kay. He stars as a multitude of crazy characters, particularly wheelchair bound club owner Brian Potter. Potter and his employees have been rebuilding Bolton's Phoenix Club following a fairy-lights fire last Christmas. The series charts the comic attempts Potter makes at luring punters back from rival club The Banana Grove. He must combat racist folk groups, unseeing psychics and a drunken horse, cue 'Talent Trek' Night a sure-fire success!

Customer Reviews

This just gets better with every viewing.
It's been a few years now but if you haven't seen this, or if you have seen this but don't own it, then buy it now. A great ensemble piece. Series 2 is just as good. It is much better than his later projects like Max & Paddy.

A classic.

"Send the buggers back!"
An absolute gem of a series, and one of many 'down to earth' comedies written by the likes of Peter Kay that save us from the realms of BBC Southern Humour in the evenings, such as "My Family", and "Since You've Been Gone"... Can they not hire descent script writers anymore? or realistic set designers?

'Phoenix Nights', written by and starring the incredible duo of friendly-faced Peter Kay and witty Dave Spikey, see's the ups and downs of a communal club in Bolton that hosts a wide array of entertainment for "the family", though in typical fashion, caters much more to the Free Bus-Passers. Kay plays the manager and owner of the club, while Spikey takes position as his right-hand-man in the all the bookings and dealings.

Spanning over 6 Episodes for this series, we get quickly acquainted with a whole host of varied, yet perfectly ported characters from typical working-class life. Peter Kay doubles his role in the series as a door-man, who's big ego out-shines the dumber, taller, and younger 'Paddy'. And of course... they follow 'all' the same traits from real life, from 'skirt-watching', to messing around with walkie talkies. Or running up to the chippy for tea...

Kay takes his skills further in a 3rd role as a "Fire Safety Inspector", who likes his clipboard and pen too much... Other important characters that make up this picture of the Phoenix Club include Mullet Headed 'DJ Ray Von' who thinks himself a Big-Time-Charlie; scratching records during Line Dancing. A whole of host of club workers and other characters also help to create, what literally is, a laugh a minute sitcom.

Our favourite moment of this series undeniably is actually in the first episode when the club is opened; a local folk band take stage and sing a song called "Send The Buggers Back" (the lead singer explains how his song was 'inspired' by receiving the wrong coloured shoes as a lad, and his dad ordered... "SEND THE BUGGERS BACK"!). It's a laugh-out-loud moment, and continued when they're dragged off stage and replaced by the singing Dave Spikey!

I think Series 2 is just about better than the 1st, but this in no way makes this series inferior, as often further attempts to continue a sitcom fail. Not such the case here - both are just brilliant! I couldn't help noticing there were 2 listings for this DVD on Amazon, so I thought I'd take privilege of writing the first review on this one.

10/10 - and here's the first 2 verses of "that song"...

Send the buggers back!
Send the buggers back!
These aren't the ones I wanted
So I'm sending them straight back!

I only wanted white ones,
You've sent us bloody black,
I'm gonna stick the lid back on
And send the buggers back!