Title: Whicker's World (or: Njorl's Saga)
Original Airdate: 19/10/1972
*Naked organ music*
And now, it's: An apologetic mass murderer, the criminal Spider making an escape through his own body, the second part of the exciting historical epic Njorl's Saga (which may be an extended advertisement for North Malden), the third part of the exciting courtroom drama Njorl's Saga, the stock market report, Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion discussing cat euthanasia and the nature of personal freedom, Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion travelling to Paris to meet Jean-Paul Sartre, and an island with too many whickers.
Tropes:
- Bilingual Bonus: Cleese speaks French over the phone in the Mrs. Premise and Mrs. Conclusion sketch and at one point says "Oh merde", which is French for "Ah shit...".
- Credits Gag: In the credits, all of the cast and crew members have "Whicker" inserted into their names.
- Either/Or Title: "Whicker's World (or: Njorl's Saga)".
- Heroic Lineage: Njorl's Saga was first derailed by the narrator getting caught up in this. When he mentions a name, he indicates how heroic it is by its relation to another name, which relates to another heroic name, and so on. Then it gets repeated when Njorl is dragged into a British court."Erik Njorl, son of Frothgar, brother of Hangnor, son of Thorvald Nlodvisson, son of Gudleif, half brother of Thorgier, the priest of Ljosa water, who took to wife Thurunn, the mother of Thorkel Braggart, the slayer of Cudround the powerful, who knew Howal, son of Geernon, son of Erik from Valdalesc, son of Arval Gristlebeard, son of Harken, who killed Bjortguaard in Sochnadale in Norway over Cudreed, daughter of Thorkel Long, the son of Kettle-Trout, the half son of Harviyoun Half-troll, father of Ingbare the Brave, who with Isenbert of Gottenberg the daughter of Hangbard the Fierce..."
- Averted when the Crown Prosecutor begins questioning:
Crown Prosecutor: Are you Erik Njorl, son of Frothgar-Judge: Get on with it! - Kangaroo Court: The court seen in Njorl's Saga. When Njorl is brought to trial for promoting a London suburb during a BBC saga, there are several trumped up charges tacked on, the court only follows procedure because the press is watching, he's clearly the victim of Police Brutality, and the cop that testifies against him gets his stories mixed up and makes up a phony confession from Njorl.
- Karma Houdini: Mocked in the first courtroom sketch. A man is found guilty of mass murder, but as soon as he apologizes for his crimes, and compliments everyone (the judge, the prosecutor, the police, and the jury) for the job they did in bringing him to justice, the judge gives him only a six month sentence, and then suspends it.
- Layman's Terms: In the second courtroom sketch:BBC Executive: Quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of people accusing us of being ratings conscious.
Judge: Ratings conscious?
Clerk: Transmitting bland garbage, m'lud. - Planet of Steves: Whicker Island is full of Alan Whickers.
- Roger Rabbit Effect: Mrs. Cut-out is a very rudimentary "practical effect" version of this as she previously appeared in the preceding Gilliam animation.
- Subliminal Advertising: Parodied in "Njorl's Saga". The title story receives emergency funding from the North Malden Icelandic Society, who proceed to derail it with advertising trying to persuade businesses to invest in Malden (a London suburb). At one point, during a fight scene in which the characters are carrying placards advertising the virtues of Malden for businesses, the words "INVEST IN MALDEN" flash on the screen repeatedly. At first, they only stay for a few frames, but each time they appear, they remain on screen for longer, until finally they flash on screen and stay there until a cut to the next sketch.
