'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. Supposedly the episode was due to air on 5 November 1992.

Synopsis

To avoid losing a bet, Richie and Eddie must spend a week camping out in Wimbledon Common. When they arrive, they notice their selected spot is covered in dog excrement - to which Richie says that they can't camp there as they are "not French". After moving one step further away, Richie prepares to set up camp, then admonishes Eddie for supposedly forgetting to bring the tin opener. Eddie shows that he has actually brought the opener, then Richie realizes that he forgot to bring the tins.

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. While drying some of the wet HobNobs over a fire, the two spot a hedgehog - which Eddie believes is Great Uncle Bulgaria from The Wombles. The two try to kill the hedgehog with Eddie using a tent pole as a blowgun and blowing his pub darts through it. However, Richie keeps getting hit with the darts instead.

Richie finds and divides a fish from a nearby polluted pond, but Eddie refuses to eat his half. Richie cooks his half and eats it, but declares it "disgusting!" 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 decides to retire to the tent for a sleep.

Later at night at Richie's request, Eddie ties Richie tighter into his sleeping bag as a storm begins to brew 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 responds that it's "the fish repeating on you.") The two begin to hear more noises, which Eddie believes are the Wombles coming to get them. Eddie attempts to build a fire in the tent to ward them off, only to cause an explosion that burns his and Richie's faces. As the storm continues, a dark shadow appears creeping outside the tent. 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 it slowly starts unzipping again. It is revealed to be the flasher from before, who grabs the tent and thrusts his genitals inside. Richie and Eddie scream, and Eddie quickly zips the tent back up, catching the man's genitals in the zip. The flasher screams in agony and runs off, taking the whole tent wrapped around his genitals with him. Eddie decides to leave, but Richie can't get out of his sleeping bag. Before leaving, Eddie knocks Richie out with a tent mallet. As Richie falls over, a sign reading "Dogs Toilet" appears.

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 quotations related to: 'S Out

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