Have Patsy and Edna finally enjoyed their last bottle of Bolly?
Talking to Event, the show’s creator and co-star says it’s unlikely the two iconic characters will ever be dusted off again for a new series of adventures.
“I can’t see the point of doing anything else with [Ab Fab],” she says. “It just takes so long. There’s lots of other stuff I’d like to do. Plus, I’d like to spend time with my grandchildren.”
Related: Patsy And Edina’s 15 Lessons To An “Absolutely Fabulous” Life
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Elsewhere in the interview, Saunders criticizes selfies and suggests the cultural phenomenon is ultimately terribly for little girls.
“That Kim Kardashian look, it’s so automaton,” she says. “Girls spend longer and longer in the bloody bathroom, looking in the mirror, taking selfies. Girls are now getting ill because all they spend their lives doing is finding the perfect selfie.”
It also sounds like selfies have somewhat strained her relationship with fans.
Related: Because Of COURSE Kylie Minogue Sings The ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ Theme In The Film.
“If you say no [to taking a selfie], they look at you like you just shot their child,” she says. “Eventually you pull a face into the camera. They put it on their page and before you know it, you Google my name and that’s the first picture to pop up. Looking shit.”
h/t: Attitude
Prax07
Agree with her on selfies, my ex is staying with me for a bit after a suicide attempt, and that’s all he does is take selfie after selfie. Don’t know if it’s an age thing, he’s 29, but at 39 I rarely ever take one, like once a year.
Realitycheck
The movie was an international flop and that is why AB is dead and Saunders can blame herself she waited too long.
arig82
Can we please use the term “is dead” sparingly? I look like a complete asshat for having an elevator meltdown. Now everyone thinks that I was referring to the late Fidel Castro when I yelled, “the good ones always go first”.
James
She has said things like this since the third series, so take it with a grain of salt. I’ve always thought it was funny that most successful US series go 20-24 episodes a year, for four, five even ten seasons. Yet British stars can do three seasons with six episodes each, and be “tired,” or out of ideas. I know it’s a quality vs. quantity thing, but come on. AbFab had 42 episodes (counting specials and movies). Seinfeld had 173. Friends had 236. Fraisier had 263. The Simpsons is up to 619!
Uppity
The movie was so poorly received that I would believe her when she says that it’s finally over now.
kevininbuffalo
I saw Ab Fab, the series, a few times. It sucked.
keepcalm
@Realitycheck: The movie was a box office hit, hon. While I agree it’s time to call it a day with the show, let’s not spread misinformation. It made big bucks.
keepcalm
@Uppity: It received mixed reviews, which isn’t rare for a tv show made into a film. It did however make a shitload of money, which is all a studio cares about: the bottom line.
keepcalm
@James: American shows have 50 writers. Ab Fab has just one, with Ruby Wax acting as script editor. That’s the difference. British shows don’t have tons of writers. It has nothing to do with quality vs quantity. It also comes down to dollars and cents or pounds and pence. Ab Fab hasn’t been funny since the 1990s. It should have ended with “The Last Shout,” it’s tv movie in 1996. It had a final episode in 1995 entitled “The End.” Jennifer Saunders announced on Letterman that the show was over then. She only decided to revive it when she brought the cast back in different roles for the pilot ‘Mirrorball’ in 2000. It was awful. She goes running back to Ab Fab for the money. It’s sad.
OzJosh
@James: It’s not really a “quality versus quantity thing”. Generally speaking, the quality of US series is infinitely greater than their UK equivalents. Hardly surprising when they can afford vast writing staffs, and every key creative is a writer. In the UK they snootily think that doing just six episodes a season with just one writer is some kind of guarantee of quality. But you only have to look at AB FAB to see that it doesn’t work. In every season there are one or two brilliant episodes, a couple that are passable, and a couple that are utter stinkers. There are even episodes (like the one in the South of France) where they shot loads of master shots and dubbed in dialogue later because they essentially had no finished script. Saunders is infamous for not having finished scripts and having to improvise as they tape. She obviously struggles to get the job done, yet resists having any co-writers. I’m guessing that she’s finally made enough money from the movie not to have to put herself through it again.
nitejonboy
I’m glad it’s dead…you can call it escapist humor all you like, but the fact is children repeat the behavior they see on tv and this show is a terrible role model for young women and young gay men who worship it. The drinking and the drugs and all the fat shaming. That show was never funny. If you want to enjoy Saunders watch FRENCH AND SAUNDERS, now that’s a funny show.
Terrycloth
@ kevininbuffalo…I tried to like it .I agree it was horrible and unfunny ..I was more of a kids in the hall guy. Even SNL isn’t that good anymore .
Keebler ILF
Ahhh, memories. 12 years ago I had never heard of Ab Fab until I met my then new boyfriend. He had a box set of seasons on VHS. We sat in his room for hours just laughing our asses off.
Maybe the reason they make new movies is because every decade or so they get new fans.
Bernice Jenkins
@nitejonboy: You must be a fattie and fem since youare so butt hurt
Bernice Jenkins
@Terrycloth: I love KITH! Chicken lady used to let me have it
Realitycheck
@keepcalm: How so? The movie made only $4 millions in the USA for a grand total of $37 millions internationally, theaters get 30% of that, and beside production costs there is advertising in various countries and international distribution.
The movie was a flop and I am sure a big disappointment for Saunders.
inbama
@Realitycheck:
I actually enjoyed the film, but you are correct – no studio would consider doing a repeat.
Realitycheck
@inbama: Ditto, my bf and I were a fan of the show and it was great to see the cast back together.
Tobi
@Realitycheck: It made a huge profit because production costs were only $4m.
Kangol
@kevininbuffalo: The series was laugh out loud funny. The film was so-so, but funny at points. Lumley and Saunders are getting up in years, though, so unless they’re willing to set a future Ab Fab at an assisted living home, they might just rest on their laurels and keep inspiring current and future generations of new comedians. And comediennes.
robho3
ABFAB was a show for times.. that time has past and it’s kinda not so funny anymore. Times change.