Bargearse

'The Late Show (1992-1993)' remains one of the shining lights of Australian television comedy, and among the highlights of the short- running series were the weekly serials created by overdubbing otherwise forgotten TV shows. First came 'The Olden Days' (constructed from episodes of "Rush (1974-1976)"), in which Governor Frontbottom and Sgt. Olden grappled for control of the mud-fields. Perhaps disappointed by the low incidence of toilet humour in the previous serial, the good folks of the D-Generation (mostly, in this case, Santo Cilauro, Tony Martin and Mick Molloy) decided to spoof "Bluey (1976-1977)," a cop show featuring Lucky Grills as Dt. Sgt. Bluey Hills (or, as you'll come to know him, Sen Sgt Bargearse), an overweight police detective who's always eating something. Once compiled together on the DVD release, 'Bargearse' doesn't form a cohesive storyline in the same way as 'The Olden Days,' but nevertheless every episode creatively and hilariously weaves together otherwise innocuous "Bluey" footage into a string of visual and verbals gags about cop shows clichés, incompetent policemen and bodily functions. Highlights include a dream sequence with chocolate-covered donuts falling from the sky, a late-night stakeout in the McDonalds drive-through, and a lunch-time visit to the racetrack.

This is the most flatulent fun ever filmed; having seen many of the original "Bluey" episodes which were dubbed in order to create this masterpiece, I believe that this effort improves on - whilst simultaneously parodying - the 1970s Australian cop-show genre. Bargearse, the slovenly, obese star of the show, uses his "Trouser trumpet" to great effect, punctuating the plot with particularly pungent parps. His seemingly endless quest for food confronts the viewer with Bargearse's unique style of culinary cuisine. The corpulent cop also shows us how to add "Extra power" to a police car, and the secret of the "Dutch oven". He is endowed with multiple talents, including his wonderful singing voice, and his ability to consume large quantities of donuts, dim sims, and other staple foodstuffs. The only possible enhancement to this show would be smell-o-vision....

The best program ever produced in Australia. The D-Generation's crowning achievement.

The Late Show was responsible for many great comedy moments, but Bargearse has to stand tall as their greatest feat before Frontline. While epitomising low brow humour, the fart jokes and toilet humour present here left me in stitches for the entire duration of the film, and the only criticism that can be levelled at it is it is just too short, although it must be said that these types of jokes are only funny for so long, and it would be better to leave the audience wishing for more rather than wishing it was over.

The movie itself is cut and paste footage from the 70's cop show Bluey, overdubbed by the Late Show crew and turned into a cop drama and the obese and eternally hungry Sergeant Bargearse and his sidekicks Glenn Twenty and Anne Bourke. The jokes come thick and fast, and always at a base level, from the famous Dutch oven to the sagas of the missing fries, chinese takeaway and missing supplies of exotic chocolate. From start to finish this is hilarious, not one joke falls flat on its face, and you'll need to watch it several times over just to get all the jokes in there, as the rapid pace ensures you'll miss a few jokes here and there while still laughing at the previous scene. A great comedy, don't take it too seriously and you'll definitely love it.

I can't believe this has an average rating of only 5.7 out of 10. It's hilarious. Perhaps the people that have given it low ratings are fans of Bluey, the 70s series that the footage is from, and are offended by it. Or perhaps they just don't get it, which isn't really possible since there's nothing to get. The Olden Days, The Late Show's other overdubbed 'series', is slightly funnier. It's pretty clever that Santo Cilauro and Tony Martin have actually been able to write dialogue that's relevant to what's on the screen. Or maybe it was really easy, I don't know. Either way it's really funny.