KOOL TV CLASSIC IMAGE OF THE WEEK: "GREEN WING"

Surgical spirit! The bonkers cast of GREEN WING pose for a promotional poster. Image: CHANNEL FOUR/TALKBACK.

Expanding on the pioneering wacky visual comedy of the hilarious UK all-female comedy sketch series SMACK THE PONY (a fine example of the unique, sometimes off-kilter kind of things Channel 4, in conjunction with TALKBACK THAMES, can do so well), its producers would go one step further in their visceral humour ambitions to create the often very funny series GREEN WING, about a core group of doctors and administrative staff at very limited work and lots of play within a thankfully fictitious East Hampton hospital (though, like their TV counter-parts, I'm sure many real-life doctors and nurses would have equally funny and "out there" stories to tell about their lives and careers in the NHS medical profession!). Featuring an all-star cast of popular comedy stars and comedy stars to be (including DIRK GENTLY's Steven Mangan, Tamsin Greig, SPACED's Mark Heap, 2012's Karl Theobald and Olivia Coleman, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Michelle Gomez, and, my favourite, Pippa Haywood as Human Resources boss Joanna Clore), GREEN WING's unique humour, mostly comprised of absurd sketches in hybrid existence with classic sit-com territory on the human condition managed to tickle audiences funny bones a lot during its three year, two season and one 90 minute special run, though many viewers felt the series was cut off a little bit too early in its prime-the producers having decided to end the BAFTA award winning show whilst it was still at the top of the tree rather than let it deteriorate over time (the curse of making both popular drama and comedy in the modern TV environment). It was a wise decision: if only many of the current producers out there were as savvy and gutsy in their decision making!

Clip: YouTube - Green Wing - Well you can *%#! off then!
Clip: Green Wing Series 1 Sue White character compilation
Clip: YouTube - Green Wing - Vital Organs
Clip: YouTube - Greenwing-puppet master

GREEN WING is available on DVD and also via the CHANNEL 4 ON DEMAND TV service.