DVD: Spitting Image – The Second Series

Following on from the success of the first DVD, the second series of the eighties latex-based satirical comedy that was Spitting Image gets released.

Consisting of eleven episodes, virtually uncut from the original broadcast, the series carries on in much the same vein as the first series, taking sharp pot-shots at politicians, celebrities and musicians of the day using grosteque puppet caricatures of the same. Much as before, the series blends surreal songs and sketches with political commentary, the savage wit aiming barbs at such luminaries as Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan and that Spitting Image stalwart, Prince Charles.

Unfortunately, much like the first series, while there is little to doubt the quality of the writing, it hasn’t aged well. Although many of the characters in the series are still well known, some of the lesser known faces are lost to the mists of time and as a result, jokes which played well in the 1980s now seem stunted or contrived. Despite this, good satire is fast becoming a dead art form these days and modern day attempts to reinvent the show with CGI have bombed worse than a Big Brother contestant’s career.

As a history lesson on how it should be done, you can’t go wrong with this.

Spitting Image – The Complete Second Series is available now. Click here to get all nostalgic for satire.