Popular British
Sketch Comedy show written and performed by comedienne
Catherine Tate, as the name suggests. It was based on a number of regular characters and introduced many catchphrases, including "Am I bovvered?", "What a fucking liberty!", "How very dare you!", "Who, dear? Me, dear? Gay, dear? No, dear!", "Have a guess!", "I can do that!" and "The dirty bastards!"
The best known recurring characters were Lauren, a cheeky "chav" schoolgirl with attitude; and Nan, a foul-mouthed grandmother.
As well as Sketch Comedy, it provided examples of:
- All There in the Manual - The script books gave names to some of the characters who were never named in the show, including the office workers (Kate and Ellen), the croupier from series two (Hayley) and the spy from series three (Laura Powers.)
- Berserk Button - Derek, whenever someone assumes that he is gay.
- British Accents
- British Stuffiness - The Aga Saga Woman.
- Catch Phrase
- Catchphrase Interruptus - in the Lauren and Nan sketches.
- Christmas Episode - Nan's Christmas Carol and three Christmas specials.
- The Eponymous Show
- Expy - Some say Lauren is a lot like Vicky Pollard from Little Britain. One key difference is that Vicky is genuinely dim, but with Lauren there are some sketches where it's quite clear she's smarter than she pretends to be, though she seems not to care. She's also shown to be able to quote William Shakespeare, hold a conversation in French and recite part of the periodic table of elements.
- It's pretty clear that David Tennant's ghost of Christmas Present is a parody of Russell Brand.
- Evil Old Folks - Nan, in spades.
- Flanderization - in the second and third series.
- Grave Humor - with the death of Lauren in the 2007 Christmas special.
- I Want You to Meet an Old Friend of Mine and Actor Allusion - a sketch featured David Tennant (Tate's co-star in Doctor Who) as Lauren's new English teacher, Mr Logan. After she makes fun of his Scottish accent and resemblance to the Doctor, Mr. Logan finally snaps when she mentions Billie Piper. He reveals that he really is the Doctor, and turns her into a Rose Tyler action figure with his Sonic Screwdriver.
- Tennant also appeared in Nan's Christmas Carol as the Ghost of Christmas Present. To quote Nan: "That's all I need - a Scots ghost with a comedy ringtone!"
- Jerkass - Does it really need to be said?
- Lower Class Lout - Lauren plays the chav stereotype for laughs.
- Mistaken for Gay - Derek, though in this case he's probably just in deep denial.
- Motor Mouth - Lauren especially. After she says "Am I bovvered?" the first time, she doesn't stop.
- No Longer With Us - In one of the "information-desk worker" sketches from series one.
- Reality Subtext - a common theme is bullying of redheads, which Tate claims to have experienced in real life. She also admits to basing "Geordie Georgie" on a woman who wrote to her from Newcastle asking for charity donations.
- Refuge in Vulgarity - according to critics.
- Running Gag, arguably Overused Running Gag.
- Screw Politeness, I'm A Senior! - Nan, and how.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot - Nan. "What a fucking liberty!" "Take a fucking chill pill, you!" "It's too fucking late.co.uk!"
- Special Guest - including Bonnie Langford, Peter Kay, George Michael, Charlotte Church, Paul Whitehouse, Una Stubbs, Patsy Palmer, Paul O'Grady, Daniel Craig, David Tennant, Philip Glenister, Noel Edmonds, Leslie Phillips and even the then Prime Minister Tony Blair (for a charity sketch).
- The Other Darrin - the actor who played Ray in the "couple on sofa" sketches was wordlessly replaced in series 3. The actor who initially played John in the "embarrassing Irish mother" sketch was replaced by Colin Morgan of Merlin fame for the 2007 Christmas special.
- What Do You Mean, It\'s Not Heinous?: The entire point of the Posh Family sketches, where something very mundane and ordinary (eg. almost running out of extra virgin olive oil or not using organic eggs in an egg and spoon race) is treated as a massive crisis.
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