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2DTV

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2DTV
Created byGiles Pilbrow (Producer) and Georgia Pritchett (Head Writer)
StarringMany impersonated celebrities
Country of origin United Kingdom
Production
Running time10 to 30 minutes
Original release
NetworkITV
Release14 October 2001 –

23 December 2004

2DTV was a satirical animated television show broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom, directed by Tim Searle[1].

2DTV employed the same satirical style as Spitting Image, but using animation rather than puppets. Producer Giles Pilbrow was a veteran of Spitting Image, as were some of the voice artists.

The first two series, broadcast in 2001, featured episodes lasting only 10 minutes. Due to popular demand subsequent editions were extended to half an hour. The original cast members were Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Mark Perry and Dave Lamb. Alistair McGowan also appeared in the pilot episode. But for series 4, it appeared that all but Lamb had left the show, leaving Lewis MacLeod, Kate O'Sullivan and Enn Reitel to take over. Presumably, Culshaw left to spend more time appearing in his own show, Dead Ringers. 2DTV produced the controversial video for the 2002 George Michael single "Shoot the Dog".

The pilot episode also featured a resident newsreader character, but he doesn't appear in the series. After a fifth series in late 2004 in the graveyard slot, the show was axed.

The banned advert

File:Bush 2DTV Advert.jpg
Screenshot of the "Banned Advert"

In late 2002, a commercial for the Video and DVD compilation The Best of 2DTV was banned by the BACC. The commercial depicted George W. Bush taking the video out of its case and putting it in a toaster. Ofcom stated that advertisements for products cannot appear to be endorsed by someone without their permission - in this case George W. Bush. The original advert was reworked into a sketch in which Bush writes a letter complaining about his portrayal in the media as a moron, then "posts" the letter in a toaster.

The programme-makers then proposed a commercial satirising Osama Bin Laden, and were informed that this would also be banned on the grounds that Bin Laden would have to give permission for his image to be used. The banning was later overturned on the grounds that the commercial was legitimate satire, and the commercial was shown unedited. The programme-makers claimed that the controversy had generated more interest in the show than the adverts could ever have done alone.[2]

Cast

Series 1 - 3

Series 4 - 5

References

  1. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1071909/
  2. ^ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xeCQFnLiNmE
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