Apocalypse (Bottom episode)

Infobox UK Television Episode
Title =Apocalypse
Series name =Bottom


Caption =
Series no =One
Episode =004
Airdate =October 7, 1991
Writer =Ade Edmondson & Rik Mayall
Producer =Ed Bye
Director =Ed Bye
Guests =
Episode list =
Prev =Contest
Next =Bottoms Up

Apocalypse is the fourth episode of the first series of British sitcom "Bottom". It was first broadcast on Monday October 7, 1991.

ynopsis

Richie receives a curse from a gypsy fortune teller.

Plot

The episode begins with Eddie and Richie preparing for a visit from Richie's wealthy auntie Olga. To create the impression of poverty they have killed their goldfish, 'Elvis', to make her believe they have no food left in the house (Eddie has hidden the rest in the cistern); scattered bills strategically around the house so that she sees one wherever she sits; and Eddie has sprinkled water everywhere to make it look like they've been crying a lot.

When Richie phones to ensure she brings her cheque book, he is informed she has died and left him £600 in her will. Overjoyed, Richie safely ensconces £300 on top of the bathroom cabinet where he believes no one will ever find it, and the duo take the remaining £300 down to the funfair where Eddie causes £45 worth of damage to a shooting stall. Richie agrees to settle the debt only to discover that his wallet and the £300 have been stolen. In a bid to escape, Eddie asks the proprietor of the shooting stall to call it double or quits if he can shoot a particular target, however instead he deliberately shoots him in the eye so they can make their getaway.

Being chased through the funfair by the workers, the two hide first in the house of horrors (which they immediately leave as it is too scary) and then in the fortune teller's tent. Here the old fortune-teller reveals to Richie that she knows his driving licence to be a fake and then describes his "secret love picture" (a naked lady with Julia Somerville's face stuck over the top). Convinced that the old woman has something (which Eddie believes to be dropsy) he asks her to tell his fortune and she reveals that before the moon rises three times "Yer gonna die!"

Richie rushes to the hospital, where, after causing much havoc with the nurse and the patients, he is granted a clean bill of health by Sir Roger Cobham, a famous heart surgeon, who kicks him out immediately afterward. Richie is relieved, but on the way out he and Eddie accidentally push an old man down a lift shaft. Richie then comes to the conclusion that his death will be caused by an accident.

The episode picks up 3 days later in the flat. Richie has created a "bunker" under the upturned sofa and has not left it for three days and nights - nor has he eaten anything, as he has enlisted Eddie to test all of the food and drink. Eddie has taken this task to heart--especially when testing alcohol!

After bribing Eddie to check if the moon has risen yet (results inconclusive!), Richie notices that the ceiling above him is sagging, and Eddie explains that it's his piano. Richie makes him go upstairs and move it. While Eddie is gone, Richie prays that whatever fate awaits him be given instead to Eddie. His prayer is repeatedly interrupted by Eddie playing piano and just as Richie gets up to order Eddie to come down at once, Eddie and the piano crash through the ceiling, destroying Richie's 'bunker'. Realising that Eddie could be the cause of his death, Richie throws him out of the flat.

That night, as Richie prepares to sleep, he hears a noise. Believing it to be Eddie, he prepares to hit whoever enters his bedroom with a cricket bat. However, rather than Eddie he is visited by the Grim Reaper, who informs him that he is going to hell. Richie pleads for his life, failing to notice that Death seems to have trouble with his mobility. It is revealed to the audience that Death is in fact Eddie on stilts in a robe.

Richie offers to play chess for his soul but 'Death' refuses, claiming he doesn't know the rules. He also refuses to play Cluedo because Richie always looks at the mystery cards. Eventually, Richie beats 'Death' in a game of I-spy] . 'Death' agrees to allow Richie to live in return for: Eddie's return to the flat; the remaining £300; and Richie's secret copy of "Girly World". However, while attempting to make his escape 'Death' falls down the stairs and breaks his stilts, revealing himself to be a fraud.

While Richie and Eddie argue, the shooting-gallery stallholder kicks the door down looking for Richie, as he has come to return his missing wallet. They realise that it was the fortune teller who stole Richie's wallet, and therefore knew of its contents - the forged driving licence and Julia Somerville nude collage. The Shooting gallery stallholder takes the £300 to pay for his eye operation, as well as the copy of "Girly World" . After an invitation from Richie, the episode ends with the stallholder kicking Eddie in the balls.

Notes

*Helen Lederer makes her first "Bottom" appearance this episode, she would re-appear as Richie's love interest "Lady Natasha Letitia Sarah Jane Wellesley Obstromsky Ponsonsky Smythe Smythe Smythe Smythe Smythe Oblomov Boblomov Dob, 3rd Viscountess of Moldavia" in the series 2 episode "Digger". She also previously appeared with Rik and Ade in two episodes of "The Young Ones" ("Time", "Summer Holiday"). She also appeared in the banned "Dangerous Brothers" sketch "Kinky Sex" as Martine, a call-girl prostitute.
*Mark Arden had previously featured in several episodes of "The Young Ones", usually alongside Stephen Frost.

Consistency Errors

* In "Dough", Richie has read War and Peace a number of times, however in "Apocalypse" he has only read the first two sentences in the course of "a few years."

*In this episode, Richie pleads to 'Death' to play chess in return for his life. 'Death' rejects the offer claiming he does not know the rules and Richie answered saying that he will teach him how to play. However, int the episode, "Culture" it is revealed that Richie does not even know how to play chess himself.

Video and DVD release differences

The current region 2 DVD release of this episode differs from at least one previous VHS version:
*The line "Thieving bastard gypos" has been redubbed to "Thieving bastard yobbos"
*An additional short sequence has been included (shown in bold within surrounding context):

Eddie: "Zulus. Thousands of 'em. Wait 'til you see the whites of their eyes, lads." They would have won if they'd kept their eyes closed! "Not a lot of people know that."
Richie: Eddie, Eddie! Eddie!
Eddie: What?
Richie: Here's 5p. Shut up, and go and see if the moon's come up!
Eddie: That's two things.
Richie: All right. Here you are. [quietly] Swindler. [calls to Eddie] Well, what does it look like?
Eddie: Hah! Well, it's all so hard to tell. It's all so glum and cloudy, you know, like it normally is. Hard to tell whether it's day or night. Shall I switch the telly on and see if it's evening yet?
Richie: Yes, go on old sport.
[Eddie puts the television on. The "Neighbours" theme tune plays. He switches it back off again.]
Eddie: Well, it could be any time really.
Richie: Oh blast that vicious old gypsy slag-wagon! I've been stuck underneath this sofa for three whole days now.

Cast