Absolutely Fabulous poster

Absolutely Fabulous

★ 8.2 23K votes 1992–2012 6 seasons · 39 episodes Ended BBC One
CampyKnowingly over the top and enjoying every minute of its own excess.This show: 9/10Chaotic energyLoud, frenetic and gleefully anarchic.This show: 9/10British TVThe British television sensibility: tone, restraint and format traditions.This show: 9/10SitcomClassic comedy rhythm, multi-camera or single.This show: 8/10RaunchyExplicit, adult, boundary-pushing humor.This show: 7/10SatiricalComedy sharpened into social and political critique.This show: 7/10AbsurdistSurreal, logic-bending comedy.This show: 7/10Witty banterRapid-fire verbal sparring.This show: 7/10
Rate this series
Starring
Jennifer SaundersJoanna LumleyJulia SawalhaJune WhitfieldJane HorrocksHelen Lederer
Starring
Jennifer SaundersJoanna LumleyJulia SawalhaJune WhitfieldJane HorrocksHelen Lederer
Ratings per Episode
246810
Votes per Episode
0200400600800

Absolutely Fabulous Episode Ratings Heatmap

AvgE1E2E3E4E5E6E7E8E9
S18.27.88.18.48.38.38.1
S28.48.48.68.38.18.78.4
S38.38.38.48.78.17.98.28.38.4
S48.18.07.98.27.58.68.18.2
S58.07.98.18.37.98.08.07.98.27.8
S68.18.38.27.7

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About

"Two glorious disasters mocking fame and excess"

This British sitcom follows Edina, a chaotic PR agent, and her best friend Patsy, a boozy fashion editor, as they lurch from one champagne-soaked disaster to the next while Edina's sensible daughter looks on in despair. It's broad, gleefully tasteless farce built on outrageous physical comedy and quotable put-downs rather than plot. Episodes feel like extended set pieces of vanity, substance abuse, and terrible parenting played for maximum absurdity. The pace is manic, the tone unapologetically excessive, and the joy comes almost entirely from watching two brilliant comic actresses commit fully to being awful.

Watch it for

the fearless, career-defining chemistry between Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley as pure comic wreckage.

Maybe skip if

you dislike broad, exaggerated humor or need grounded characters and forward-moving plot.

Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.

All Seasons

Series 11992
8.23K62h 53m
The first series of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC Two on 12 November 1992 and concluded on 17 December 1992, consisting of six episodes. The sitcom was created and written by Jennifer Saunders, who starred in the title role of Edina Monsoon, Edina is nicknamed 'Eddie' by her best friend, Patsy Stone, a magazine editor who constantly takes advantage of Edina by living the life of luxury in Edina's extravagant home. Edina is a twice-divorced mother of two. Her eldest child, a son, Serge, left home many years before in order to escape his mother's clutches. Her long-suffering daughter, Saffron 'Saffy', whom Edina is reliant upon, is a sixth form student and remains at home. The series also includes Edina's sweet-natured-but-slightly-batty mother, whom Edina sees as an interfering burden, and Edina's dim-witted assistant Bubble.
Series 21994
8.43K62h 57m
The second series of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC One on 27 January 1994 and concluded on 10 March 1994, consisting of six episodes.
Series 31995
8.33K84h 16m
The third series of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC One on 30 March 1995 and concluded on 11 May 1995, consisting of six episodes. The third series was originally intended to be the final series of Absolutely Fabulous. However, the following year, Jennifer Saunders decided to write a two-part special titled "The Last Shout", serving as an official finale to the third series. Two additional series were eventually produced. Guest stars for this series include Rebecca Front, Kate O'Mara, Celia Imrie, Naomi Campbell, Helen Lederer, Kathy Burke and Ruby Wax.
Series 42001
8.12K73h 49m
The fourth series of British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC One on 31 August 2001 and concluded on 5 October 2001, consisting of six episodes. Originally, Absolutely Fabulous was to end with the third series, then two-part special "The Last Shout" was created to serve as an official finale to the series. However, in 2000, Jennifer Saunders created and wrote a television pilot for a proposed new series, Mirrorball, in which she intended to reunite the cast of Absolutely Fabulous in new roles and a different plot. Saunders, along with Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield, returned for the pilot, but the series was never commissioned. Nevertheless, Mirrorball inspired Saunders to revive Absolutely Fabulous and a fourth series was produced.
Series 52003
8.03K94h 38m
The fifth and final series of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC One on 17 October 2003 and concluded on 28 November 2003, consisting of seven episodes. 2 Christmas specials, "Cold Turkey" and "White Box", followed the fifth series and were broadcast in 2003 and 2004. Though no further series have followed, three specials were broadcast several years later to mark the show's 20th anniversary for 2012.
20th Anniversary Specials2011
8.190931h 29m
The 20th Anniversary Specials (also known as Ab Fab at 20) are a set of three special episodes, broadcast on BBC One between 25 December 2011 and 23 July 2012.

Full Cast & Crew

Cast

Jennifer Saunders Edina
Joanna Lumley Patsy
Julia Sawalha Saffron
June Whitfield Mother
Jane Horrocks Bubble, Katy Grin, Lola
Helen Lederer Catriona
Harriet Thorpe Fleur
Naoko Mori Sarah
Christopher Malcolm Justin
Mo Gaffney Bo

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