Season

Absolutely Fabulous: Series 4

Absolutely Fabulous20016 episodes

Overview

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.

Details

Series: Absolutely Fabulous
Season: Season 4
Air date: 2001-08-31
Episodes: 6 episodes

Episodes

Episode 1: Parralox 2001-08-31 | 30 min Edina, now overseeing a television production company, is slated to make a guest appearance with client Twiggy on Richard and Judy's morning television show. Patsy has been injecting Parralox, a Botox-like substance, in order to freeze her wrinkles. Edina is persuaded to try Parralox as well, but she awakens the next morning with a paralysed face. In addition to costing Saffy a government job, Edina is replaced by Katy Grin, her new business partner and Bubble's cousin, for the appearance.

Episode 2: Fish Farm 2001-09-07 | 30 min When Saffy hires a handsome landscape gardener to redesign the backyard, Patsy recognises him as Jago Balfour, the younger brother of a wealthy acquaintance of hers, who inherited a country estate before dying of an overdose. Presuming Jago to be rich as well, Patsy goads Edina into seducing him.

Episode 3: Paris 2001-09-14 | 30 min Patsy is excited to be joining young supermodel Erin O'Connor for a magazine photo shoot in Paris. Edina and a reluctant Saffy come along for a mother–daughter spread. After learning that other models from her generation will also appear in the shoot, Patsy becomes competitive and constantly ignores the photographer's directions, much to his annoyance.

Episode 4: Donkey 2001-09-21 | 30 min Edina enrolls in a boot-camp fitness programme and subjects herself to a strict diet, after being ridiculed for her weight by Katy, Catriona and Fleur. Meanwhile, Patsy briefly experiments with pulling back her signature fringe for the first time in decades, and budding playwright Saffy receives a visit from Taylor, a pretentious old schoolmate with acting aspirations.

Episode 5: Small Opening 2001-09-28 | 30 min Saffy's first play, Self-Raising Flower, a look at her troubled relationship with Edina, is due to open at a local theatre. Worried about being portrayed in a negative light, Edina unsuccessfully attempts to sabotage the play. As the rest of the family gather for the opening night, Saffy decides to invite Edina, who reluctantly attends with Patsy.

Episode 6: Menopause 2001-10-05 | 30 min Bubble accidentally emails Edina's clients' details to Claudia Bing, who poaches most of Edina's clients, including Twiggy. Patsy—recently diagnosed with osteoporosis—and Edina are horrified when Saffy forces them to attend a Menopausals Anonymous meeting organised by her. In order to save her business, Edina dupes Claudia into buying her TV company—which currently has no programmes—while Claudia also agrees to return several high-profile clients.