A Bit of Fry & Laurie, The Complete Collection

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie write and star in the very first episode of their comedy sketch show, a Christmas special from 1987. The comedy duo imagine what life would be like with a privatised police force, take arts criticism to its natural conclusion, and offer their take on Australian soap operas.

Mr Smear has a contretemps with a school headmaster over the facts of life, Hugh chooses a suitably short poem for the modern reader who's pushed for time, and Stephen unravels the mysteries of spoon-bending with the help of Mr Nude.

A man with an unpronounceable name and even more unpronounceable address calls on his local constabulary. Stephen and Hugh engage in a conversation about the English language which makes little or no sense, and a businessman takes a homeless busker to task over the quality of his harmonica playing.

Fry steals Laurie's brain as a practical joke, but Laurie doesn't notice. A pleasant Greek lunch is spoiled by Laurie's insecurity and lack of self-esteem. A tobacconist posing as a doctor prescribes cigarettes. The commander of the MI-5 and his assistant are back for a chat, and two unwavering detectives demand to know the whereabouts or an unmarried woman's husband.

A schoolboy wins the School Poetry Prize with a poem that explores some extremely dark, odd and adult themes. While Mr Lully visits his bank manager with a view to getting a loan for his new business. However, there might be a problem with his highly illegal products.

Stephen confuses lavatories with cars, fridges and estate agents. Meanwhile, in court, a woman is cross-examined by a very peculiar Counsel, and Stephen interviews a Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole, Oliver Reed-type actor about Richard Burton.

In the last episode of the series, Hugh and Stephen discuss the important issue of imitative behaviour and violence. Meanwhile, Hugh is served a very fresh piece of chicken at a restaurant and Mr Simnock is getting a bit impatient for a cup of cocoa.

A lot has happened since their last series ended so Stephen and Hugh each write the other a song to best sum up what's been going on. Stephen also takes up dancercise, flushed grollings are introduced to an unsuspecting audience and a man goes to extraordinary lengths to prove he is only a little bit mad.

Stephen and Hugh hand out some useful advice on how to deal with trick or treaters on Halloween, before becoming rather excited at the prospect of having to improvise their final sketch after losing the original one in a game of backgammon. The entire episode is sponsored by Tideyman's Carpets.

Hugh reminisces about his first girlfriend, a chief petty officer on a Syrian minesweeper, and our gallant heroes get to grips with the knotty nuances of English slang before they decide to found a society without an apparent purpose, or any members.

Hugh and Stephen say a big hello to Marlon Brando and try to increase their canine viewing figures before becoming too big to perform their own sketches. Meanwhile, a lady tries to return a suit she first bought in 1947 and Robert Robinson and Robert Robinson host Robert Robinson hour.

Stephen attempts to come up with a slogan of not more than ten words explaining why the Queen is marvellous in order to win an MBE. Then new horizons in home entertainment are reached when Dwight Camply, roving philosopher, arranges debates and symposia for busy people.

Stephen and Hugh engage in some modestly unreasonable raging before Hugh has his untimely obituary read. Peter and John get a fax from God and plan a merger in Rome and Hugh tells the charming tale of his very first kiss. Elsewhere, a spy is fired because the cold war is over and the Russians are now ringing up to give away their secrets.

When Timothy is called into his father's study for a word, it is revealed to him that he is the chosen one and he must set out to kill Pewnack the Destroyer, the Dark One, the Beast - who lives in Saffron Walden. The show closes with Hugh providing accompaniment on the piano as Stephen mixes up a 'Whisky Thunder'.

A pair of country boys perform their song 'There Ain't But One Way' which advocates an unusual way to solve most of the world's problems. Hugh reminisces about the variety of jobs he's had since moving to London including working as a freelance nudist and a couple of months in the white slave trade.

A customer in a shoe shop is surprised to learn that the shoes are not for sale, but actually available for pleasures of the flesh, he is eventually tempted by Fredericka the moccasin. Stephen remembers 'The day I forgot my legs' and there is a special version of A Question of Sport's What Happened Next?

Jacobsen is called in to see his commanding officer in the US Army who is absolutely furious. Jacobsen is threatened him with some harsh, and quite intimate, punishments. At an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting a new member stands up to confess his problem is that 'the starter motor seems to get stuck, especially in cold weather'.

An angry customer attempts to return a copy of Jane Eyre to the bookshop where he purchased it, his reason - 'it's complete balls'. Once again it's time to mix another cocktail at the piano. Hugh plays some smooth jazz as Stephen conjures up a 'Beef Goulash'.

The owner of a magic shop demonstrates some of his wares by cutting off his customer's finger in a trick guillotine, but he still manages to sell him some very realistic dog poo. Elizabeth Martin is cooking a selection of human ears, testicles and sweetbreads on her show Tahitian Kitchen.

Stephen and Hugh present their Comedy Charter, to ensure that all jokes arrive on time and are of sufficient quality. 'It's a Wonderful Life' is retold with the story of a powerful media mogul named Rupert and a brutal murder takes place over a flat tonic water.

The quiz show Going for Gold is spoofed in a new version titled 'English People Appear to be the Most Ignorant in Europe'. Hugh performs a special song dedicated to the tennis player Steffi Graf and a young couple take the advice from their Lover's Helper video a bit too literally.

Stephen and Hugh are joined by special guests Clive Mantle and Imelda Staunton to discuss everything from getting drunk to opening supermarkets. Stephen tosses a salad as he expresses his anger about a Shakespeare play he watched at the Royal National Theatre.

Hugh performs a rap song about being nice to an old lady on the bus and Stephen puts forward his idea for growing a small but attractive town in garden in his freshly washed hair. The show closes with Hugh playing the piano as Stephen mixes his latest cocktail creation 'A Quick One for you Stephen'.

In a parody of the Oprah Winfrey Show a woman confesses the problems she's been having with low self-esteem and receives a pointless round of applause. Guests Stephen Moore and Phyllida Law join in some of the sketches including a dilemma with a wasps nest.

The Young Tory of the Year National finals are taking place with contestants including Andrew Treadgold, who is reading Bigotry and Libertarian Nonsense at Exeter University. Hugh receives a death threat and Stephen warns him that it might not be safe for him to do his song.

Hugh sings a special song about sophistication and Stephen delivers a monologue at extremely high speed. Meanwhile, a school truant explains that he hasn't been to school in four years because he's been playing a computer game, he's on level nine though.