History YMMV / AbsolutelyFabulous

** Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter, while already well known to British audiences for starring in Creator/MerchantIvory films (but perhaps not so much to Americans), appears as an idealised version of Saffron in "Hospital".

* HarsherInHindsight: The racist overtones in the story line around John, Saffy's partner and father of Jane, are doubly disappointing when considering Jennifer Saunders' background in the famously antiracist alternative comedy scene.

** A more literal example in the finale: Edina and Patsy do all sorts of horrible things to Saffron over the years, who suffers silently as a LoveMartyr until the final special, which has Edina striking her granddaughter. Which is enough to get Saffron to disown her mother and force her and Patsy out of the house, with the reveal that [[spoiler: Saffron is the real owner of the house (due to Saffron's dad putting the deed to the house in Saffron's name so that she couldn't be kicked out by her asshole mother).]] Even in the 2012 specials when its revealed Saffron at some point forgave her mother for this and has let her move back into the house, it is still considered a major MEH by fans.

** A young Creator/IdrisElba appeared in "Sex".

* HilariousInHindsight: Bubble was seen wearing a ''Series/{{Teletubbies}}'' inspired dress. She would later work in the 2015 reboot years later.

* ValuesDissonance: In the real world, Eddie's treatment of Saffron (constantly insulting her, turning a blind eye when Patsy puts ''cigarettes'' out on her) would be considered horrific abuse.

* MemeticMutation: The “She’s blind” scene from the episode “Fat” has become a surprisingly common audio clip used in [=TikTok=] videos.

* DrinkingGame: A very simple one. Whenever someone takes a drink, you take a drink. See you in the hospital.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/NataschaMcElhone, credited under her real surname "Taylor", has a bit part as an art gallery assistant in "Death".

** A more literal example in the finale: Edina and Patsy do all sorts of horrible things to Saffron over the years, who suffers silently as a LoveMartyr until the final special, which has Edina striking her granddaughter. Which is enough to get Saffron to disown her mother and force her and Patsy out of the house, with the reveal that [[spoiler: Saffron is the real owner of the house (due to Saffron's dad putting the deed to the house in Saffron's name so that she couldn't be kicked out by her asshole mother).]] Becomes [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] in the 2012 specials when its revealed Saffron at some point forgave her mother for this and has let her move back into the house, although this can still be considered a major MEH by fans.

* HollywoodHomely: [[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/32/b0/91/32b091ef26bb970fe454f71fe43ecab5.jpg Julia Sawalha]] as Saffron.

* EarWorm: "Wheel's on fire... rolling down the rooooooooooooooooooooooooad..."

* JerkassWoobie: Patsy. Several episodes have revealed that her mother was a selfish bitch who ignored Patsy throughout childhood and adulthood and has a sister who has made repeated attempts to murder her.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Saffron. Some see her as a figure who stays with her abusive mother not out of one-sided love but due to a fear of going it alone in the world and opting to take her mother's abuse in exchange for Edina supporting her financially.

* HollywoodPudgy: Everyone treats Edina like she's grossly overweight (even Edina herself, as she has body image issues) but she actually has an average build.
** Justified as Edina works in a fashion and media orientated industry, from whence this trope was born in the first place.

* MoralEventHorizon: Patsy actually once sold Saffron into slavery. Though it is uncertain how much of that episode was a MushroomSamba.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Edina is vapid, but she's got an impressive job and is rich, so she can't be as stupid as she acts. Perhaps she's one?

* HilariousInHindsight: Bubble was seen wearing a ''Series/Teletubbies'' inspired dress. She would later work in the 2015 reboot years later.

* LoveMartyr: Saffron. Any sane, rational person would have run as far as humanly possible from her mother, but she largely stays by her side out of maternal devotion and a firm belief that if she were to turn her back on her mother, Edina would be dead due to her stupidity.

* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: Edina and Patsy.