2DTV
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| 2DTV | |
|---|---|
 David and Victoria Beckham as they appear on 2DTV. |
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| Genre | Comedy/Animation |
| Running time | 10 to 30 minutes |
| Creator(s) | Giles Pilbrow (Producer) and Georgia Pritchett (Head Writer) |
| Starring | Many impersonated celebrities |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original channel | ITV |
| Original run | 14 October 2001–23 December 2004 |
2DTV is a satirical animated television show broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom that follows closely in the footsteps of Spitting Image, but using animation rather than puppets.
Lampooning people in the public eye, the impressionists - many of whom worked on Spitting Image - get the chance to caricature politicians, royals and celebrities alike, as directed by Giles Pilbrow (also from Spitting Image). These included Labour prime minister Tony Blair, jealous chancellor Gordon Brown, a violent John Prescott, David Blunkett, slurring Robin Cook and Jack Straw. On the Conservative side was a large-lipped Michael Portillo, a small William Hague and a very boring Iain Duncan Smith, along with a very ugly Michael Howard. US president George W. Bush and his fictional sidekick the General are depicted; the latter creates puppet "Professor Liebstrom" out of his sock, so that Bush (who is portrayed as childlike and idiotic) can understand him.
Royals are sent up in the same style as they were on Spitting Image. There's the reasonably sane Queen herself, mad Prince Philip, old fogie Prince Charles, ugly Camilla Parker Bowles, mean Princess Anne, naked Fergie, and wild sons Princes William and Harry.
Celebrities impersonated include the ubiquitous Ant and Dec (presenting the news), Elton John, Geri Halliwell and George Michael all together, The Beckhams (skinny Victoria, show-off David, and children Brooklyn and Romeo), deadpan newsreader Trevor McDonald, mean Weakest Link presenter Anne Robinson, plastic-ridden Michael Jackson, spoon-bender Uri Geller, fat comedian Johnny Vegas, Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen (with stupid hair), Carol "Smiley" Smillie, David Dimbleby, big-breasted model Jordan and fiancee Peter Andre, gay Pop Idol winner Will Young (and runner-up Gareth Gates), spoilt Jennifer Lopez, Chris Eubank with his ever-burdening lisp, Madonna and Guy Ritchie, Tom Cruise, David Frost, extremely camp Graham Norton, Davina McCall, chat-show hosts Michael Parkinson, Frank Skinner, Johnny Vaughan, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, ex-Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (who is constantly trying to escape from jail), al-Qaeda terrorist Osama bin Laden (who's constantly escaping US capture), nervy Tim Henman, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf (complete with a big nose), old Joan Collins, Des Lynam, American tycoon Bill Gates, Australian singer Kylie Minogue (famous for her rear end), drunk Liam Gallagher, Robbie Williams, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Justin Hawkins from The Darkness stuttering Hugh Grant, over-excited Steve Irwin, the constantly unlucky David Coulthard always losing to Michael Schumacher, foul-mouthed Ozzy Osbourne, his wife Sharon Osbourne and his children Jack and Kelly, X Factor judges Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh, nasty chef Gordon Ramsay, Kim and Aggie, the travelling Michael Palin, Location, Location, Location presenters Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp, Wayne Rooney and partner Colleen, England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, players Michael Owen, Rio Ferdinand,Paul Scholes with mistake ridden goalkeeper David Seaman and Dame Judi Dench. Series four introduced and heavily featured Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is fixated with women's breasts, bodybuilding, weapons, and large vehicles, and appears to have a secret interest in the Nazis. The pilot episode also featured a resident newsreader character, but he doesn't appear in the series.
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".
After a fifth series in late 2004, the show disappeared from ITV for an unknown reason.
[edit] The banned advert
In early 2003, an advert for the Video and DVD compilation The Best of 2DTV was prevented from airing. The advert involved George W. Bush taking the video out of its case and putting it in a toaster. It was banned because the British advertising watchdog stated that advertisements for products cannot appear to be endorsed by someone without their permission - in this case George W. Bush. So they decided to have an advert with Osama Bin Laden in the advert instead, however the British Advertisement watchdog once again said that they have to ask permission from Bin Laden for them to air the advert. This decision was later overturned (due to it being legitimate satire) and the advert was shown unedited. The makers later said that this generated more publicity than the actual advert could ever have produced.
The makers of 2DTV also made another short George W. Bush sketch, in which the President writes a letter, resenting his portrayal in the media as a moron. He then places the letter in a toaster.
