'S Out

"'S Out" (stylized as "'s Out" and short for "Bottom's Out") is an episode produced for the second series of British television sitcom, Bottom. For reasons of sensitivity, however, it did not air until 10 April 1995 - nearly three years after it was produced. It is the second of just three episodes that do not feature Richie and Eddie's flat.

Synopsis

Richie and Eddie must become one with nature to avoid losing a bet and struggle to survive in the outdoors of Wimbledon for a week. The fact that they have no money and no food does not help to improve their situation. Fortunately, Eddie has brought along a delicious packet of chocolate HobNobs, which he refuses to share with Richie. A fight breaks out and the biscuits end up being flung into a nearby polluted pond. After Richie being frequently injured by Eddie's attempts to fire a dart at a hedgehog (which he is convinced is a Womble), they decide to feast upon a fish from the pond, only to find that it was revolting. Eddie produces some Scotch and downs the lot, drinking himself into a stupor. As Richie muses how nothing interesting or exciting happens in the countryside, a mad man runs up to them cackling manically, flashes at them and flees, still guffawing. Richie is taken aback and begins to wonder why people even bother to do it "with something as small as *that*". He then retires to the tent for a sleep.

Later at night, Eddie ties Richie into his sleeping bag and a storm brews outside. An owl hoots, frightening Richie who fears that there is some dark and evil force lurking in the night, waiting to consume them. Eddie is terrified that the Wombles are coming to get them and starts an explosive fire to ward them off, burning his face off in the process. Thunder rolls, and a dark shadow appears outside the tent. Richie and Eddie scream in horror, especially when it turns out to be the loony who exposed himself before and is now standing naked outside their tent stalking them. Richie tells Eddie to help him out of his sleeping blanket so they can flee, but there is no time. Eddie zips the tent closed and they both watch with fright as the flasher slowly starts unzipping it again, cackling like a loony, and finally the flasher grabs the tent and thrusts his genitals in to scare the two who scream in terror. Eddie quickly zips the tent back up, catching the man's genitals in the zip, who then screams in agony and quickly escapes, taking the tent with him, attached by the zipper. Eddie decides to leave, knocking Richie out with the tent mallet beforehand.

Production and broadcast

Although now generally referred to as episode six of the second series, this episode did not air in the UK for almost three years after it was made. Following production, on 15 July 1992, Rachel Nickell was murdered on Wimbledon Common, the setting for this episode. Accordingly, The BBC decided to withhold domestic transmission for reasons of sensitivity, although it was included in overseas sales packages, and was screened in New Zealand in 1993. The episode was released on video in the UK 1993, and finally was broadcast there on 10 April 1995.

Cast

References

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: 'S Out

• "'S Out" at BBC Programmes
• "'S Out" at the Internet Movie Database
• "'S Out" at TV.com