Title: The Golden Age of Ballooning
Original Airdate: 31/10/1974
Tonight on the BBC, it is several episodes of The Golden Age of Ballooning. In the first episode, the Montgolfier Brothers discuss how their invention the hot-air balloon, and how it will revolutionize France. But Joseph Montgolfier feels guilty about not washing his entire body. The episode ends with advertising several BBC products about the show.
On the second episode, Joseph's wife Antoinette laments Joseph's obsession with balloons. Then Louis XIV arrives to confiscate the plans for the balloon, but Joseph points out that Louis XIV died many years ago. The king says he's Louis XVI and runs away with the plans.
On the third episode, Louis XVI tries to sell the plans to King George III for ten thousand pounds, but Joseph exposes him. End credits.
On the sixth episode, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin throws several politicians out of his airship after they call it a balloon. The residents of the house all the politicians fall on try to figure out how to organize the bodies.
Tropes:
- As Long as It Sounds Foreign: Eric Idle's "Norwegian".
- Berserk Button: Don't call Ferdinand von Zeppelin's airship a "balloon" or he'll throw you out while the ship is in the air.
- Curtain Call: At the end of the title sketch there's a curtain call of all of the actors in the sketch, featuring the butler.
- The Merch: In-universe. The BBC would like to remind you about the wide range of merchandise offered by the producers of The Golden Age of Ballooning. Failure to purchase said items may be grounds for imprisonment.
- Thrown from the Zeppelin: Literally. Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin
threw the entire German government out of his airship during its maiden voyage; it wasn't for not supporting him, but for calling his airship a "balloon". - Violent Glaswegian: A suspiciously Scottish-accented person impersonates Louis XVI, or whatever his number is. He's prone to ending arguments with a head butt.
