It's AbFab...Sweetie, Darling, Sweetie!

Absolutely Fabulous (aka "AbFab") is a Emmy Award-winning British comedy series written by and starring Jennifer Sauders (Edina "Eddy" Monsoon) and co-starring Joanna Lumley (Patsy Stone), Julia Sawalha (Saffron Monsson), June Whitfield (Mother) and Jane Horrocks (Bubble). It was broadcast on the BBC from 1992 to 1996 and 2001 to 2005. In the US it has been televised on PBS, BBC America, Comedy Central and most recently the Oxygen Network.

AbFab grew from a "French & Saunders" (another BBC hit) sketch called "Modern Mother and Daughter", which starred Jennifer Saunders as the mother and Dawn French as the daughter. Saunders was by PR guru, Lynne Franks, when she created the role of Edina. Franks believed Saunders observed her and her family in detail while on a family holiday, which upset her greatly.

The shows plot was based on Edina and Patsy's life as two immature, prosperous, but preposterous substance-abusing fashion and fad-obsessed Londoners who valued fame and style over substance (unless they are controlled substances). Saffron, Edina's daughter, provided the persistently dour voice of Monsoon and Stone's super-ego. Edina and Saffy lived in a house in Holland Park. Patsy spent most of her time at Edina's pad.

The program was centered around Eddy's ongoing struggle to achieve fame, success and a slender figure amidst the disapproval of her daughter and the constant presence of her increasingly senile mother. Throughout, Patsy was at her side encouraging the behaviours that constantly caused her conflict. Much of the comedy of the show was physical, usually derived from Edina and Patsy's drunken and/or stoned states, with their favourite drinks being Bolly Stolly (a cocktail of Bollinger champagne and Stolichnaya vodka) and later Veuve & Bourb (a mix of Veuve Clicquot champagne and bourbon) or Dom & Bom (a mix of Dom Perignon champagne and Bombay Sapphire gin). The mutual loathing between Saffy and Patsy, as each tried to guide Edina's behavior, also made for many comic situations. A recurring gag found new ways for Edina to fall headfirst out of cars, windows, or down her kitchen stairs at least once every series.

I became addicted to the "Sweetie, Darling's" in the Winter of 2001 and have been enjoying a dose of AbFab every now and then.

The five series (seasons) of AbFab were released on VHS and DVD, along with the following specials "The Last Shout", "White Box" and "Gay". Earlier this year, a DVD box set titled "Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Everything" was released. This 9 disc set contains all five series (seasons), plus the 2002 and 2004 Christmas Specials, and more than 2 1/2 hours of special features. You can purchase the box set at many CD/DVD stores including Best Buy, or online at Amazon.com.

Here's a montage of greatest "AbFab" moments. Enjoy it!