Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible

Dr Terribles house of Horrible is a clever pastiche of tacky seventies horror movies. Each episode is introduced by the same character, the bald headed Dr Terrible, and the stories evolve from there. Steve Coogan plays the main character in each one.

Especially memorable is the Fu Manchu spoof and the spoof of the early seventies horror movies, such as Tales from the Crypt, where several characters would tell a tale of doom.

Coogan fans watched expecting Alan Partridge. To fans of horror this will be appreciated.

I quite liked DHHT. I picks up motives from popular horror films and turns them into spoofs. So one has to bear in mind that it's a different concept from Allan Partridge and also a complete different kind of humour. It certainly beats Carry on Screaming. Anyway, the writers really have a very good knowledge of the classic English horror film and portray it very lovingly with a lot of detail. That clearly shows in the quality of the sets, the costumes etc. Although funny it's never disrespectful. The stories are absurd but they work quite well as opposed to being just a series of one liners. That's difficult to achieve with a genre parody. It's also quite comprehensive in taking on all aspects of the horror film. So if you're a Hammer fan you'll enjoy this. If you're looking for "typical" Coogan, forget it. BTW: Honor Blackmann still cuts a nice figure at well over 70.

Saying that Dr. Terrible's....etc. is silly and pointless is a bit like saying that Royston Vasey is an odd place, of course it is, it's meant to be. I think that you have to take it at face value and not read too much into it. I always figure that if I laugh at least once in a half hour, it's all good. anything else is gravy, and I laughed way more than once. Cap't Slater was great. Just remember it's TV, it's FREE.

Great stuff. The parodies are spot on, and with a class cast, this makes for a far more subtle vignette than can be seen at first glance. If you are an 'appreciater' of the late 60s, early 70s Hammer films (often with either Mr Lee or Mr Cushing), you should find much in this to enjoy. Of course Steve Coogan hams it up, but why else are you watching it? It's a little telling when you realise that it's no less ridiculous than the films it is sending up, and Dr Terrible is always a source of mirth.

I have not seen all the episodes, but the ones I have often encapsulate a whole sub-genre within the horror theme. There is only the one series, and it is a shame the BBC (once more) didn't have strength of character enough to commission more.

The title tells it all - and the series lives up to it admirably. It's the sort of thing you will like, if you like this sort of thing.

This show is so funny and well written.

The jokes are so obviously but the audiences don't actually expect them thus resulting in laughter once said, one that would stick with me is 'I kicked her head in...the fire'

This is one of Steve Coogans best bits.

Like many other TV shows however, it has its bad bits, but the hilarity of the show and the plots will let make you forget about that in no time soon!

At least give it a try, it's like one of those things which you need to watch, just to say you have seen a classic piece of comedy, especially because of Coogan in his prime!