DVD : Absolutely - Absolutely Everything

Rating: - Absolutely atrocious sound and picture quality!
I loved this series when it was first shown with its collection of bizarre and eccentric characters and off the wall sketches. It's therefore disappointing to see that the episodes have not been very well preserved. I have VHS recordings from the same era that have survived better than these episodes. Terrible grainy pictures, videotape drop-outs and muffled sound marr what was a damned fine series.

I'd have given it 5 stars for the comedy material, but the quality of the recordings is so rubbish I'm afraid it's only 3.

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Rating: - Disappointing quality, No digital remaster!!!
I've only just received the box set, and started watching it. I looked at the bonus DVD first, and saw the pilot episode, in appalling quality, it looked like it had been kept on a dodgy VHS tape for 10 years! Still, no matter, I thought, the series must SURELY be in better than VHS quality, but no, it isn't! Yes, it's a funny series, but it started in 1989 for God's sake, why, oh why,
couldn't Channel 4 remaster it in DVD quality? What was the point in waiting 15 years for them to issue it, if they weren't going to make it in decent quality? I've got Python DVDs of material that's nearly 40 years old, and it looks better than this! I thought the whole point of DVD is that it's the best quality you can get! All they have done is transfer the videotape onto DVD, with no attempt at improvement at all! A huge disappointment, and I'll probably be sending the set back for a refund. It's less than 20 years old, there is no excuse for poor picture quality. I give it 2 stars only for the content, it's a big, fat zero for the picture quality! Very poorly done Channel 4, you might as well not have bothered. If I'd known I'd have got the old videotapes of the series, as these are not in any better quality!!

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Rating: - Im really glad its finally here, but like a lot of reminiscent stuff...
...it never totally lives up to the memories. That isnt a bad thing, but with 22 episodes to plough through, at least you have the luxury of skipping some of the weaker moments. I'll explain below.

It loses a star simply cause most of season 1 isnt much cop, and admittedly (check out the extras), is self indulgent, which is reflected in sketches going on for far too long on many occasions. John sparkes' stuff was always funny, probably cause most of it relied of a lot of physical comedy. Its also remarkable how he's the oldest of the lot and yet seems remarkably well preserved, with the youngest of them - Jack Docherty- looking like he's really gone to seed (again, check out the extras).

Most of the episodes, which I remember catching regularly in the early 90's, have moments of eye watering hilarity, but then are also coupled with some unecessary material. Maybe its just me being a bit picky, but then perhaps i expected the standard to be pretty devastating throughout. Ah nostalgia isnt what it used to be etc..

Well worth checking out for the extras (over 2 hours of very watchable stuff) and seasons 2 to 4 alone.

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Rating: - To all the Carlisle Absolutely people!
Wonderful to see this coming to DVD. Absolutely, for those of us who got it back in the day, was a formative comedy experience. LIke so many of the reviewers we used to gather in a group - substances may have been partook! - and we used to - there's no other word for it - we used to immerse ourselves in these people's world. Now, so many of those fabulous turns of phrase have lived on in our little group as we spread out across the world - and all the continents have reveberated to "how can you be bothered, to be bothered about that" "pigs nerves, cooked in the traditional Welsh manner", "Let's go shopping" (a la Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer) and stimulate her clematis". And we can revisit them now.

Big thanks to AbsolutelyAndy for allthe hard work in maintaining a website in the interim, and thank you to all the Absolutely people. It's wonderful. And I know exactly how Frank the Newsagents fans felt.

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Rating: - Absolutely the 2nd best comedy show ever!
I'm so pleased this has made it to DVD.

Absolutely is, without any reservations, the best comedy show of the 80's & 90's. And is 2nd only to Monty Python in the gamut of British ensemble comedies.

And it's a fantastic box set, full of belly laughs and pinpoint character sketches. To be blunt, if you like comedy and any of the programmes mentioned, then you'll love this. My advice tho, for newcomers, is to limit yourself to perhaps an episode a day. The anticipation you'll have by the time you're halfway through season two will be the most exquisite agony... (Hehehe... Sorry Vincent!)

Think the Fast Show was original? Pah! And Big Train, the spiritual successor to Absolutely, pales by comparison. And God knows how Catherine Tate and Little Britain can garner such a following when there is this to be enjoyed!

Absolutely is of course Scottish, like Little Britain, but don't let that put you off. After all, it's Scottish like your PC. And your clothes. And your house. And the North Sea. All Scottish. That credit card you're going to buy this box set with? Scottish. Your kettle? Och aye! Yr Mum? As Scottish as a haggis on Hogmany!

Just buy it!