# A Bit of Fry & Laurie (1989)

> Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie trade elaborate wordplay and sharp sketches in this British double act comedy.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/176

## Facts

- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 25
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry
- Network: BBC One, BBC Two
- Cast: Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Camille Coduri, John Bird, Clive Mantle, Janine Duvitski, Rowan Atkinson, Caroline Quentin
- TMDB rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101049/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: witty, erudite, breezy, sardonic, playful, mischievous

## What critics say

Audiences regard the sketch show as a witty, literate showcase for Fry and Laurie's wordplay and double act chemistry, acclaimed though with ratings that drift slightly lower over its run.

## Synopsis

A Bit of Fry & Laurie (1989-1995) is a British sketch comedy series created by Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry for BBC One and BBC Two. Written by and starring the two former Cambridge Footlights members, it runs for four seasons and twenty-five half-hour episodes, with Fry and Laurie appearing in every instalment and a rotating cast of guest performers, including Rowan Atkinson, Caroline Quentin and John Bird, filling out the sketches. Rather than a continuing storyline, each episode is a stack of self-contained scenes built around the pair's rivalry and rapport, so the engine of the show is the escalating verbal game: a character pushes an idea through layers of ornate phrasing until it collapses into absurdity. Episodes are made of short character pieces, parodies and monologues, each reliant on the pleasure of language itself. The tone is witty, erudite and breezy, with a mischievous, slightly sardonic edge and a warmth that comes from the duo's obvious affection for each other. Its tradition is the British sketch show lineage, and fans of Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Fast Show and Blackadder will find much of the same playful, literate energy. The show suits viewers who enjoy clever dialogue over slapstick and who want a quick, easy laugh in short bursts.

## Shows like A Bit of Fry & Laurie

- [French & Saunders (1987)](https://ember.film/tv/854)
- [Monkey Dust (2003)](https://ember.film/tv/1946)
- [Snuff Box (2006)](https://ember.film/tv/2473)
- [Big Train (1998)](https://ember.film/tv/1356)
- [Murder Most Horrid (1991)](https://ember.film/tv/844)
- [Little Britain (2003)](https://ember.film/tv/354)
- [That Mitchell and Webb Look (2006)](https://ember.film/tv/2711)
- [The New Statesman (1987)](https://ember.film/tv/5699)
- [Men Behaving Badly (1992)](https://ember.film/tv/745)
- [Jeeves and Wooster (1990)](https://ember.film/tv/997)

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