I am no fan of Rory McGrath, so therefore it somewhat sours my opinion of this Channel 4 sitcom written by him and Jimmy Mulville. It came about after the pair made it big on Channel 4's popular ( though which I was also not really very keen on ) 'Who Dares Wins'. In 1988, they wanted to try their hand at sitcom and so 'Chelmsford 123' was made.
Set in 123 AD, young sensitive Roman Aulus Paulinus ( Mulville ) is appointed Governer of Britain. Aulus travels to the wet and run down town of Britain known as Chelmsford with his snidey brother-in-law Grasientus ( Philip Pope ). Upon arrival, he locks horns with the revolting Badvoc ( McGrath ) and his bumbling henchmen Mungo ( Neil Pearson ) and Blag ( the late Howard Lew Lewis ). It is hate at first sight. Aulus further enrages Badvoc at one point by sleeping with his girlfriend Gargamadua ( the gorgeous Erika Hoffman ).
'Chelmsford 123' often failed to hit the bullseye and lasted only two series before Channel 4 decided it was time for it to stop. Series one was the better of the two, series two which appeared two years later was dire, a problem not helped by the departure of Erika Hoffman as Gargamadua and Robert Austin as Functio.
Apart from a re-run on UK Gold in the late '90's, it has not been seen on screen since, though it was released on DVD in 2011.
Set in 123 AD, young sensitive Roman Aulus Paulinus ( Mulville ) is appointed Governer of Britain. Aulus travels to the wet and run down town of Britain known as Chelmsford with his snidey brother-in-law Grasientus ( Philip Pope ). Upon arrival, he locks horns with the revolting Badvoc ( McGrath ) and his bumbling henchmen Mungo ( Neil Pearson ) and Blag ( the late Howard Lew Lewis ). It is hate at first sight. Aulus further enrages Badvoc at one point by sleeping with his girlfriend Gargamadua ( the gorgeous Erika Hoffman ).
'Chelmsford 123' often failed to hit the bullseye and lasted only two series before Channel 4 decided it was time for it to stop. Series one was the better of the two, series two which appeared two years later was dire, a problem not helped by the departure of Erika Hoffman as Gargamadua and Robert Austin as Functio.
Apart from a re-run on UK Gold in the late '90's, it has not been seen on screen since, though it was released on DVD in 2011.