I love the Goodies, but there's no doubt that the quality of their shows varies somewhat among episodes. Earthanasia (such I believe is the original title of "The End of the World Show") is in a league of its own. Showing the three main characters waiting for the end of the world at midnight, it superimposes silly but funny gags with a surprisingly real sense of impending doom. I found very clever that the episode is narrated in real time, e.g. it documents the passage of exactly half an hour. As the time progresses the Goodies become increasingly frantic to make the best use of the rest of their lives, and so the pace of the comedy accelerates linearly. The frenzy is cut by an incredibly abrupt but apt ending, which contains a final dazzling twist (but not the one the viewer expects).
Earthanasia is the best work of the Goodies, and it's better than most contemporary comedy. A pity that it seems vastly forgotten. If you can get your hands on the DVD, it's one to watch and rewatch from time to time.
Earthanasia is the best work of the Goodies, and it's better than most contemporary comedy. A pity that it seems vastly forgotten. If you can get your hands on the DVD, it's one to watch and rewatch from time to time.
