"Dead Ringers" (2002)TV series 2002-????

Directors:

John Birkin
Jonathan Gershfield
(more)

Writers:

Simon Blackwell (writer)
Jon Culshaw (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | unknown

Release Date:

15 March 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Celebrities and politicians are lampooned by a talented team of impressionists in this comedy sketch show.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Radio Show | Sketch Comedy | Lampoon | Political | Team

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Jess Robinson		(11 episodes, 2006-2007)
Kevin Connelly	...	Andrew Marr / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)
Phil Cornwell	...	Alan Rickman / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)
Jon Culshaw	...	Arnold Schwarzenegger / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)
Mark Perry	...	David Blunkett / ... (5 episodes, 2003-2006)

(more)

Series Directed by
Pati Marr		(2 episodes, 2003-2006)
Jonathan Gershfield		(1 episode, 2003)
Ben Fuller		(1 episode, 2004-2006)
John Birkin		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
John Finnemore		(9 episodes, 2004-2006)
Nev Fountain		(9 episodes, 2004-2006)
Tom Jamieson		(9 episodes, 2004-2006)
Carl Carter		(6 episodes, 2007)
Tony Cooke		(6 episodes, 2007)
Jon Culshaw		(2 episodes, 2006)
Jon Holmes		(2 episodes, 2006)
Laurence Howarth		(2 episodes, 2006)
Simon Blackwell		(unknown episodes)
Rupert Russell		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Richard Webb	....	producer (6 episodes, 2007)
Gareth Edwards	....	series producer (1 episode, 2003-2004)
Stephen McCrum	....	producer (unknown episodes, 2004)
Ali Bryer Carron	....	line producer (unknown episodes)
Bill Dare	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Jon Plowman	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
John Whitehall		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Pete Rowe		(unknown episodes, 2004)
John Sorapure		(unknown episodes, 2004)
Jamie Cairney		(unknown episodes)
Mike Radford		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
John Sillitto		(15 episodes, 2004-2007)
Andrew Barker		(unknown episodes, 2004-2006)
Pete Drinkwater		(unknown episodes, 2004-2006)
Mark Lawrence		(unknown episodes, 2004)
Andrew Frampton		(unknown episodes, 2005-2006)
Mark Goodwin		(unknown episodes)
Steve Tempia		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Graeme Story		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Jenny Andrews		(unknown episodes, 2004)
Anna Thornton		(unknown episodes, 2004)
Liz Lander		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Lucia Santa Maria		(unknown episodes, 2004)
Annie Hardinge		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Kristyan Mallett	....	prosthetic technician (6 episodes, 2006)
Nicola Frost	....	special makeup effects artist (3 episodes, 2006)
Kate Benton	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Lucy Cain	....	hair designer / makeup designer (unknown episodes)
Diane Chenery-Wickens	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Debbie Murphy	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eddie Canal	....	third assistant director (6 episodes, 2007)
Anna Marsh	....	second assistant director (6 episodes, 2007)
Cheralyn Brighton	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes, 2004)
Rebecca Forknall	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes, 2004)
Wayne Gordon	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes, 2004)
Carlene King	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes, 2004)
Barry Nicholson	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes, 2004)
Lisa Thornton	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes, 2005)
Justin Bolman	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes)
Zoë Gregory	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Jo Randall	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Zac Thraves	....	third assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Danny Healy	....	property master (4 episodes, 2004-2006)
Andy Armstrong	....	props (unknown episodes)
Les Baker	....	properties (unknown episodes)
Brian Green	....	properties (unknown episodes)
Elaine Jones	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Maura Laverty	....	production buyer (unknown episodes)
Andy Leach	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Mark Osborne	....	props (unknown episodes)
Roy Osborn	....	properties (unknown episodes)
Steve Smith	....	props (unknown episodes)
Lee Turnham	....	props (unknown episodes)
Leighton Turnham	....	properties (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Luke Neuman	....	boom operator (4 episodes, 2003-2006)
Tim Humphries	....	location sound (unknown episodes, 2004)
Chris Shellard	....	sound supervisor (unknown episodes, 2004)
Kate Morath	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Nick Roast	....	sound supervisor (unknown episodes)
Chris Round	....	location sound (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Mike H.G. Bates	....	special effects makeup (unknown episodes)
Ralph Edwards	....	special effects (unknown episodes)
Mike Stringer	....	special effects makeup (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Andy McVean	....	visual effects designer (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Barney Davis	....	steadicam operator (6 episodes, 2007)
Richard Swingle	....	assistant camera (4 episodes, 2007)
Bob Hunt	....	gaffer (unknown episodes, 2004)
Alan Bayley	....	camera supervisor (unknown episodes)
Neil Belcher	....	video tape operator (unknown episodes)
Justin Bolman	....	hidden camera coordinator (unknown episodes)
Max Foster	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Jimmy Grimes	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Jackson Jessop	....	camera operator: hidden camera (unknown episodes)
Chris Kempton	....	lighting director (unknown episodes)
Martin Kempton	....	lighting director (unknown episodes)
Geraint Owen	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
Mike Scott	....	steadicam operator: West Wing Sketch (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fiona Coutts	....	costume assistant (unknown episodes)
Mariel Gimeno-Bayon Del Molino	....	assistant costume designer (unknown episodes)
Sheena Gunn	....	costume assistant (unknown episodes)
Phil Lester	....	costume assistant (unknown episodes)
Cat Morgan-Jones	....	assistant costume designer (unknown episodes)
Debbie O'Brien	....	assistant costume designer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Priscilla Hoadley	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes, 2004)
Hilary Briegel	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes)
David Fitzpatrick	....	vision mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Grant Buckerfield	....	composer: additional tracks (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Lyndsay Fenner	....	production team (6 episodes, 2007)
Harjeet Ghataora	....	production team (6 episodes, 2007)
Ben Mangham	....	location manager (6 episodes, 2007)
Kate Scarbrough	....	production team (6 episodes, 2007)
Lisa Thornton	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 2007)
Jez Nightingale	....	production executive (unknown episodes, 2004)
Ed Sharpe	....	floor manager (unknown episodes, 2004)
Claire Brigland	....	production executive (unknown episodes)
Sarah Church	....	location researcher (unknown episodes)
David Colenutt	....	location scout (unknown episodes)
Lucy Crayford	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Andrew Garnett	....	studio resource manager (unknown episodes)
Catherine Gosling	....	programme finance associate (unknown episodes)
Scott Hamshere	....	armorer (unknown episodes)
Naomi Keenlyside	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
James Lindsay	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Chris Miles	....	floor manager (unknown episodes)
Mark Perry	....	additional material (unknown episodes)
Simon Scott	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Jeremy Stern	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Katie Wilkinson	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (UK) (TV)

Special Effects

• Hybrid Enterprises

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Started in 2000 as a radio series on BBC Radio 4.

Quotes:

George W. Bush: My fellow umbrella stands. I know many of you will be astonisherated that the former Iraqer Defence Minister Sultan Akhmed, who surrendered in Mousehole on Friday, will not be charged with war crimes. But there is a very good reason why the CIA has granted Sultana Bran immunity from prostitution and that is because he has promised to lead us to Saddarm's weapons of mass destruction...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Story of Light Entertainment: Radio Stars (#1.3)" (2006)

Hardly that clever or sharp but a generally funny impressions-based sketch show

Beginning life on Radio 4, this show first came to my attention because John Culshaw used to be a regular on the Chris Moyles radio show back when I used to think he was worth listening to. At first glance it didn't really appeal to me because I was expecting something a lot more like Bremner, Bird & Fortune, by which I mean I was hoping it would be cleverer, sharper and not necessarily the sort of funny that makes you laugh but occasionally the uneasy feeling that the latter show can give you. However a few more viewings and I settled down into acceptance that Dead Ringers is not in the same arena as BB&F and that this is not necessarily a problem.

DR tends not to be as sharp because it isn't really a satirical show (although it can be), it is more of a straight comedy show (although not totally to the degree of, say, Alistair McGowan). This mix of populist and political works quite well and produces some very good scenes with a good hit/miss ratio. It isn't always the smartest game in town but it makes for it by being roundly entertaining. It rarely has a point to make but rather just takes aims at public figures with general mockery. Hence we get things like Andrew Marr with his fantastically out-of-control arms or the simply dumb George Bush; it is rarely insightful but it works.

The performers are all pretty talented and, although the visuals aren't always great, the voices are normally spot on. Culshaw relies a bit too heavily on the old stalwarts of Dr Who and Obi-Wan, but generally he is very good although I do get the impression that the general comic approach of the material is down to his influence. Ravens is usually the one that looks least like any of the people she is impersonating but she does get the voices really on target to compensate; with fewer females in target positions, she tends to take more of a support role at times but she is generally good. Cornwell isn't a great impressionist but he is very close and he has good delivery, Connelly is equally as good and Perry is good in most, if not all, of his roles.

Overall this isn't a clever show or the satirical impressions that I've grown used to with BB&F but instead Dead Ringers is more generally amusing. Mocking and poking fun rather than being sharp and incisive puts it below BB&F in my book (despite actually being funnier) but for the majority of viewers this will do the job. A bit broad for my tastes but generally funny and entertaining.