Big Train : Complete BBC Series 1 & 2 [1998] [DVD]

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Remember when you were young and watched the original Monty Python's Flying Circus every week. Not every sketch hit its target (in fact in hindsight most didn't!), but when they did, they were sublime and next day at school you and your mates would recite them infinitum! I don't know of any comedy sketch show that ever came close to getting a 100% hit rate (some 'Fast Show' episodes came close, but even the tremendous 'League of Gentlemen' faltered at times - especially with the third series) and 'Big Train' is obviously no exception. However within these 2 DVDs are some sketches that are so side-splittingly funny that repeated viewing only seems to enhance them. It is these moments that make a purchase of this DVD set more than worthwhile for anyone who likes their surreal comedy in bursts and can spot the clever satirical film, TV and book references and cliches. Simon Pegg and the rest of the cast are very funny (even to look at!) and I think if you have only discovered them with their more recent work, you'll be pleasantly surprised.I agree that the first series is stronger than the second one, but both have so many great sketches that only the most pedantic would quibble about the overall quality. Personal favourites include: "Hot Cakes/Too Many Cooks", "Showjumping Firefighters", "Evil Hypnotist", "...Very Tart", "Ming", "Tin Man", "Distracting Boss", several of the Office-based sketches, most of the "Staring Competition" sketches, "Spooked Jockeys", "Monks", "Cat & Mouse", "...I'm Not Married", and I'll stop there as too many are jumping into my memory as I write! In fact, for once there is no reliance on catch-phrases or re-worked sketches that you find in the likes of 'Little Britain' and 'Catherine Tate'.I recommend you give it a go if you liked any of the recent sketch-based surreal comedy shows - I'm sure you'll find enough comedy gems to fill a quiet night in very successfully. They make such a refreshing change from those perfectly scripted but predictable US comedies - A true British classic that has already achieved cult status by those in the know and closer to the innovative and surreal spirit of Monty Python than anything I can recall in recent years.

I absolutely loved Big Train. It's hit and miss really, as every sketch show is, but in this one, the hits are much more common than the misses. Also, there are some which were huge hits for me, such as the Tom Henderson sketch and the fire0fighting jockeys (which can be found on youtube). I am usually put off from buying DVDs of sketch shows, as they do not usually have a lasting appeal, but this one really does.The show has a lot of fairly surreal sketches, which not everyone will appreciate really. However, even if you do not like these sketches, many of the sketches in series 2 are generally less surreal, so this could still appeal to you.But, to put it basically, if you like a lot of the other shows which have similar casting (particularly Mark Heap, Kevin Eldon and Simon Pegg), then you will almost definitely like this.Certainly worth getting.

Overall enjoyed watching it, but some of the sketches are just not that funny and part of the running gags are too repetitive and long. Some weak sketches last too long and conversely other good ones are axed too soon.A handful of good sketches can be found in the deleted scenes.I reserve the 5-star reviews for the excellent productions with which the cast and creators are involved in down the road.

This is a fantastic dvd and at £15 for 6 hours of intelligent, original and hillarious comedy (not even including the extras) you couldn't do much better. The thing that really makes this stand out from other, less illustrious, sketch shows is the quality of the acting. Kevin Eldon, Mark Heap and of course Simon Pegg are all superb comic actors - their timing and delivery in so many different and varied roles mark this out as a very special piece of television. Of course the quality of the writing can't be ignored either. The use of spot-on parody expanded to the Nth degree and some really beautiful surrealism will keep you constantly guessing. No tedious inevitable punch lines or hackneyed overdone ideas. Just sparkling, creative wit from start to finish. I have to disagree with some previous reviewers and say that the second series is just as good as the first . Following in the great tradition of british comedy Big Train has delivered an excellent and worthy addition to the line.

I couldn't agree more with the previous review. Where else do you seeoffice workers complaining about their workmates' w***ing habits? Ming theMerciless watching Teletubbies? The Evil Hypnotist cure a smoker?Big Train is simply a smorgasbord of pure and clever comedy that basesitself mainly on the unusual premises of juxtaposition AND observation; agood example of this is the staring contest - just genius. Its adistillation of a hell of a lot of hard work on behalf of the writers, andthe superb performances of Pegg et al. couldn't be bettered. It is thebest sketch show ever as far as I am concerned. At the risk of comittingcomedy heresy, I would say I prefer it to Python. Not because Python isnot a superb comedy, but that in Python a few sketches missed theirtargets, whereas those in Big Train are ALL quality - I can't remember aduff sketch.

Thought I remembered this being funnier than it actually is not to say that it still has the odd moment or chuckle I don't think however that the passage of time has been kind, think it probably suffers from the fact that it has been superseded by Chris Morris's later stuff.