"Do Not Adjust Your Set" (1967) TV series 1967-1969

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Writers:

Terry Gilliam (writer)
John Gould (additional material)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | unknown

Release Date:

26 December 1967 (UK)

Genre:

Family | Comedy

Plot:

The Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band, an eccentric English group featuring Neil Innes was fronted by the late Vivian Stanshall.

Plot Keywords:

Kids And Family

Cast

Eric Idle	...	Various (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
Michael Palin	...	Various (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
Terry Jones	...	Various (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
David Jason	...	Various / ... (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
Denise Coffey	...	Various (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
Neil Innes	...	Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
Vivian Stanshall	...	Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
'Legs' Larry Smith	...	Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
Roger Ruskin Spear	...	Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (21 episodes, 1967-1969)
Rodney Slater	...	Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (19 episodes, 1968-1969)

(more)

Series Directed by
Daphne Shadwell		(19 episodes, 1967-1969)
Adrian Cooper		(2 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Writing credits
Eric Idle		(5 episodes, 1967-1969)
Terry Jones		(5 episodes, 1967-1969)
Michael Palin		(5 episodes, 1967-1969)
Terry Gilliam		(unknown episodes)
John Gould		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Humphrey Barclay	....	producer (19 episodes, 1967-1969)

Series Production Design by
Sylva Nadolny		(2 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Visual Effects by
Peter Goodwin	....	animation cameraman (2 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
David Motture	....	lighting director (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Terry Gilliam	....	animator (1 episode, 1968)

Series Editorial Department
Stuart Hall	....	film editor (2 episodes, 1967-1968)

Series Music Department
Neil Innes	....	composer: additional music (2 episodes, 1967-1968)
David Lee	....	composer: signature tune (2 episodes, 1967-1968)

Production Companies

• Associated-Rediffusion Television (1967-1968)
• Thames Television (1968-1969)

Distributors

• Dotkom Media (2008) (Hungary) (DVD)
• Epix Media (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Independent Television (ITV)
• Pan Vision Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)

Runtime:

UK:30 min (28 episodes) | UK:50 min (1 episode)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-3 (2006)

Company:

Associated-Rediffusion Television

Trivia:

“Do Not Adjust Your Set” was actually a children's TV show.

Quotes:

Michael: Now here's Denise to show you how to tell your friends' fortunes.
Denise: Ask their bank managers.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Pythons: Somewhere in Tunisia, Circa A.D. 1979 (1979) (TV)

Proto-Python, Part 2

Finally seeing the light of day again thanks to the release of nine episodes of the series on DVD, "Do Not Adjust Your Set" is -- along with "At Last the 1948 Show" -- the clearest forerunner of "Monty Python's Flying Circus." Written by and starring Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, with David Jason, Denise Coffey and the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (as well as some animations by Terry Gilliam in the second series), "Do Not Adjust Your Set" aspires to be the same kind of anarchic free-form comedy series, albeit one suitable for children. (It was, after all, originally meant to be a children's show, but it quickly developed a cult audience among the grown-up set.)

The DVD only covers the first series, though, so none of Terry Gilliam's animations are present (don't let the packaging fool you). Even so, it's definitely worth checking out.