Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43004 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-11-21
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL

Customer Reviews

Not a review
In reference to the other review here, thanks mate but i think most people know the Alan Partridge story if they are buying this boxset. What we want to know are what the special features are, quality of the DVDs, value for money etc. Thanks

Alan puts the 'chat' amongst the pidgeons with one of the great comedy characters
Alan Partridge is a laugh-out-loud hilarious comedy character, perhaps only recently bested by David Brent from The Office.

Alan started out in hospital radio and quickly moved on to BBC Radio 4, where his chat show, Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge became a little-recognised success. After several years, he was quickly picked up and deemed suitable for television, where his particular brand of misanthropic, homophobic, sexist and xenophobic good humour fit the times, the times being the mid 1990s. His scowling, insincere, know-nothing face was first shown on The Day Today, in which he stole the programme, filling his on air sports commentary with inane drivel, mostly because he was totally ignorant about the events on which he was required to pontificate.

After being the sports anchor on one programme, he was given free reign to make his own programme (via his now bankrupt company, Pear Tree Productions). Alan did what he did best - he chats. Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge ("get the title right!", he would insist, with his witty characteristic pedantry) became an instant cult classic (read: low audience figures), particularly popular with students. What made the show such a resounding success for one series and a Christmas special (never again to be recommissioned) still puzzles many, as does why it got made in the first place. Alan, by his own frank admission, hates people. Especially the public, but certainly people in general. With that in mind, he was given a chat show, in which he proceeded to abuse everyone with equal opportunity. Highlights include Cheeky Monkey, Pete and Bernie's Philosophical Steak House and of course, his fantastic medley of Abba classics, shouted at full volume.

After the explosive ending of Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge and the burn-your-own-bridges finale of Knowing Me, Knowing Yule (the Christmas special, an event so bad that you would welcome back Noel Edmonds with open arms), there followed two on-the-road documentaries, I'm Alan Partridge, in which we follow Alan desperately trying to patch up his life with ridiculous television series ideas (Monkey Tennis, anyone? Youth Hostelling with Chris Eubanks?).

At this stage in Alan's career - and to call it a 'career' stretches the meaning of the word - Alan does a graveyard local radio broadcast (Up with the Partridge) in which even the two minute handover to the next DJ reduces to the level of thinly veiled personal insults. Domestically, Alan lives in a Travel-Tavern, his own personal three star hell and has no friends except a deeply disturbed Falklands veteran. Later, Alan moves to a caravan, continues to obsess about James Bond and writes a book, Bouncing Back (not as good as Bravo Two Zero, I'm sure he would freely admit).

This brief biography does no justice to the incredible writing and superb characterisation of all involved. Simply one of the best television characters ever. Alan's love for his fellow man may be in short supply but the laughs are never ending in this classic comedy creation.