Like cockroaches and Cher, it would seem that Absolutely Fabulous
- or just AbFab, for those who care about such things as hipness - is
eternal. In 1987, the same year that saw the Tracey Ullman Show give
birth to The Simpsons, this Britcom had its beginnings as a
sketch on French & Saunders. It must have made an
impression, for several spaced-out seasons of Absolutely Fabulous hit
the airwaves and attracted a loyal and rabid fan base, both in the
United States and abroad. And now the girls have returned for Series
5, over two years since 2001's lukewarm AbFab Special, which cast
serious doubts among fans that the series would continue. And if it
did, could it recapture its former glory?
Meet Eddy (Jennifer
Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley), inseparable friends (few others
can tolerate either). They are pathologically self-absorbed. They
trade barbs, mocking the mockable and deflating the pompous. Each
smokes too much and drinks too much, but of the two, Patsy is the
conspicuous consumer. Each is a drama queen in her own right. Eddy
is constantly putting herself and her emotional needs ahead of
everyone around her, including her long-suffering daughter, Saffy
(Julia Sawalha). Eddy seems to crave being the center of attention.
Patsy is constantly putting her addictions ahead of everyone around
her, alcohol, nicotine, sex... it is a desperate hedonism. Neither has
been successful in marriage, not that Patsy hasn't tried a few times;
her name - Eurydice Colette Clytemnestra Dido Bathsheba Rabelais
Patricia Cocteau Stone - no longer fits on her passport. Series
5 is an improvement over Series 4, which was spotty. Ab Fab has always
been at its is best when the quips are sarcastic and biting. No one is
safe from these catty bitches as they take apart those targeted by
their acerbic wit. High on the agenda this time are book clubs, panic
rooms, weekends in the country a la Madonna and Guy, and when daughter
Saffy returns from a few months as an aid worker, babies. But the
series is weakest when it devolves into lowbrow comedy and a bit of
slapstick, although thankfully both are kept at a minimum this time
around. And while series 5 is gimmicky - Saunders, the series driving
creative force, surrounds Edna and Patsy with a constellation of
stars, including Kristin Scott Thomas, former Spice Girl Emma Bunton,
Minnie Driver, fashionista Jean-Paul Gaultier and even Elton John - it
works more often than not. (Gaultier and Thomas acquit themselves
nicely; only John is dreadful.) But best of all, unlike we yanks, the
Brits know how to keep it short and sweet: Ab Fab Series 5 runs only
eight episodes, and such economy ensures that all are winners. So
let's hope Saunders has another round in her.
Video: How
Does The Disc Look? 
Unlike past seasons, Ab Fab Series 5 is
presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen this time around. It is the
best yet, and is certainly better than the recent Oxygen broadcasts,
which for some reason were broadcast in cropped 4:3 only. The image
here is quite sharp and without any intrusive edge halos. Colors are
vibrant, consistent and nicely saturated, even the garish costumes
favored by Edna and Patsy. Shadow detail in a series taped in a studio
and filmed overwhelmingly with high illumination is a non-issue. And I
noticed no compression artifacts. Very nice.
Audio: How
Does The Disc Sound?
The audio is presented in conventional
English 2.0 stereo, with no noticeable matrixed surround information.
The sense of effectiveness is on par with previous seasons, meaning
perfectly fine just not very exciting. Fidelity is quite up to the
needs of a situation comedy: no deep bass, no shimmering highs, no
sonic fireworks to stress your audio system. It's nothing special, but
you can hear all the jokes, so what else can you ask for?
No
subtitles are included on the disc, but English Closed Captions have
been provided. 
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
After enjoying the pre-show BBC promos, the extras included are a
step up from previous Ab Fab sets but still not particularly
extensive.
Saunders and series producer Jon Plowman provide a
screen-specific audio commentary on the series
opener, Cleanin.' Those expecting a ribald, no-holds-barred comedy
track with Saunders will likely be disappointed. While hardly
pretentious, both she and Plowman delve quite seriously into the
inner-workings of the show, especially the writing and challenges in
producing the show on a soundstage. The many guest stars are also
given a bit of discussion, which is fun.
Also included are
some humorous outtakes which are as funny, if not funnier, than
anything in the actual show. rounding it out is a fairly slim
still gallery with some production photos, although
some are hilarious that it is worth clicking through all of them.
DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in
your PC?
No ROM extras have been included.
Parting Thoughts
Ab Fab Series 5 is a lot more fun
than Series 4, and for that reason alone this two-disc set is worth
picking up. While the extras are still not particularly extravagant,
the commentary is worth a listen and the transfers are super. Edna and
Patsy are back and better than ever.
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