I quite liked DHHT. I picks up motives from popular horror films and turns them into spoofs. So one has to bear in mind that it's a different concept from Allan Partridge and also a complete different kind of humour. It certainly beats Carry on Screaming. Anyway, the writers really have a very good knowledge of the classic English horror film and portray it very lovingly with a lot of detail. That clearly shows in the quality of the sets, the costumes etc. Although funny it's never disrespectful. The stories are absurd but they work quite well as opposed to being just a series of one liners. That's difficult to achieve with a genre parody. It's also quite comprehensive in taking on all aspects of the horror film. So if you're a Hammer fan you'll enjoy this. If you're looking for "typical" Coogan, forget it. BTW: Honor Blackmann still cuts a nice figure at well over 70.
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Thorsten-Krings15 May 2007
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mastersmithson22 September 2006This show is so funny and well written.
The jokes are so obviously but the audiences don't actually expect them thus resulting in laughter once said, one that would stick with me is 'I kicked her head in...the fire'
This is one of Steve Coogans best bits.
Like many other TV shows however, it has its bad bits, but the hilarity of the show and the plots will let make you forget about that in no time soon!
At least give it a try, it's like one of those things which you need to watch, just to say you have seen a classic piece of comedy, especially because of Coogan in his prime! -
When I first heard about Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible I remember being pretty excited. Not only was this the latest Steve Coogan vehicle but it also was basing itself around old British horror movies that I was very fond of. Unfortunately the idea was greater than the execution and the series didn't attract the predicted audience figures and was not recommissioned for a second season. It's a shame that the series wasn't better, as the potential in the idea is so obvious, while the cast used throughout is really very impressive. It also has pretty decent production values with some fine period detail in all the instalments. The biggest single issue is with the writing, as despite being a comedy it really isn't very funny too often and some of the story lines are handled in quite a clunky manner.
The three studios synonymous with British horror of the 60's and 70's are spoofed, namely Hammer, Amicus and Tigon. The entries focusing on the latter two are probably the best instalments in the whole series. 'And Now the Fearing' mimics the horror anthology series specialised by Amicus and unlike the others is set in more modern times in the early 1970's, so it really stands out from the other instalments on that basis alone. 'Scream Satan Scream' is the final episode and it parodies the 17th century-set Tigon horror films, most obviously Witchfinder General (1968). In it, Coogan plays probably his most well-conceived character - the sleazy Captain Tobias Slater, Witch Locator. The remaining episodes, however, aren't as good as these and overall are at best somewhat middling. Overall, I enjoyed the series up to a point, in that I like the concept of it and it is certainly good in places but its not essential stuff really and would probably have been more enjoyable if more care had been taken with the writing. -
I am somewhat bemused by the relatively luke warm reaction that this sublime series has received. Yes it is all nonsense but that is the idea. The most common, and most ill informed, criticism is that it is merely parodying old Hammer films. This is true of the first story "Vampire Lovers of Lesbian Lust". As the title unsubtley suggests it is a pastiche on those latter day, early seventies Hammer films, such as The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire, which mixed vampirism with lesbianism, and briefly stayed Hammer's commercial decline. Other installments have found other targets. And Now the Fearing, the best episode, brilliant takes the mickey out of those sixties/seventies Portmanteau films made by British horror studio Amicus (a series that included Doctor Terror's House of Horror). Scream Satan Scream is a spoof of witchhunting, non Hammer films such as The Witchfinder General and The Mark of the Devil. Hand of Tongs takes its starting point from the Fu Manchu stories though it does share many plot similarities with the 1977 Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Rather than disguising its roots the series does give nods to its influences. The linking story in And Now the Fearing is set in an office complex known as Amicus House. Scream Satan Scream features a dwarf named Tigon, that being the name of the production company responsible for The Witchfinder General. The opening shot of Hand of Tongs shows a sign reading Talon Street E.14. The Talons of Weng-Chiang featured in Doctor Who's classic fourteenth season. Doctor Terrible was without doubt a televisual highlight from 2001. If you disagree with me all I can say is - "You, Sir, are a big crab!
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aczilla-126 December 2011Steve Coogan is a master of character acting, and I would not disagree with any comparisons made between him and the late Peter Sellers. As a writer, he has a cultured background from which to create comedy, and he does so with style in this movie spoof anthology. If you are like me and grew up watching the classic British horror of Hammer Studios, the European spy stories of Sax Rohmer, and the psychological terror tales of the 1970s from the likes of David Cronenberg, then you will be delighted to see all of those film genres and more showcased here. Coogan's tales gives a stunning visual appreciation to their strengths while he pokes fun at their flaws, and he makes multiple references to the old films and their creators that can be a challenge for movie buffs to catch in one viewing, weaving both highbrow humor and lowbrow innuendo together to create something that stands on even footing with Monty Python and Mel Brooks with its high degree of wit. Vampires, voodoo, megalomaniac super-villains, science gone wrong, nightmares, and devil worship all play a part in this series, and the only thing that keeps me from giving it a perfect ten is that it never lost its pace but only lasted six episodes. Even though ten years have passed since its inception, I would look forward with great anticipation to a second series that gives a good-natured ribbing to these great films.
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blindstalkerwxc4 January 2010Great too see something out of the ordinary by steve coogan, and pretty unknown but good cast.
The 6 stories ( i think ) are of equal quality, they are original , more funny than scary , but that makes it the much more enjoyable.
The only thing missing is your fair of nudity that would get you arroused if not stiff enough to see all six episodes in an entire afternoon.
Overall good performances by all the actors, and steve coogan. He does possess that dark aura that not all comedians have .
In conclusion; you could be pleasantly surprised by this horror/sci-fi comedy series.
Have a nice stiff one. -
Time has been neither kind nor cruel to this relatively obscure Steve Coogan series (only 15 imdb reviews to date). Watching in 2020, I still have the same likes and problems with it as I did when it went out.
Of the 6 episodes, two are bona fide tv classics. One, And Now The Fearing, is a perfect pastiche of early 70s Amicus portmanteau horrors - every single cliché gets thrown into the mix with fantastically cheesy results. The way it's all crammed into 30 minutes is also impressive.
The other, The Curse Of The Blood Of The Lizard Of Doom is a deliriously silly yet engaging sci-fi tinged 19th Century body horror. The slew of knowingly horrendous one-liners in this episode had me creasing, the attention to detail of the sets (and the bad-on-purpose special effects) were spot on, and even the newspaper headlines were genius. Everything about this episode is great, and I wish it had been a full length movie.
Then there's one decent episode, Voodoo Feet Of Death. The premise/set up here is original, and the script has some funny moments, but overall it felt a bit drawn out and convoluted. Worth watching though.
The remaining 3 episodes were a bit of a slog to get through and Coogan seemed to be stuck on autopilot in all of them. Frenzy Of Tongs was especially weak, almost the entire episode seemingly taking place in a big dark cupboard. The other two were historical period pieces and vaguely forgettable, although in fairness all 3 of these had at least one moment that made me laugh.
As a series overall, I'd say of Steve Coogan's non-Partridge tv work this ranks below Paul Calf's video diaries and Coogan's Run, but above Saxondale (overrated), The Trip (yawn) and Tony Ferrino. -
propsguy20 January 2002Saying that Dr. Terrible's....etc. is silly and pointless is a bit like saying that Royston Vasey is an odd place, of course it is, it's meant to be. I think that you have to take it at face value and not read too much into it. I always figure that if I laugh at least once in a half hour, it's all good. anything else is gravy, and I laughed way more than once. Cap't Slater was great. Just remember it's TV, it's FREE.
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The-Atlantean19 April 2005Great stuff. The parodies are spot on, and with a class cast, this makes for a far more subtle vignette than can be seen at first glance. If you are an 'appreciater' of the late 60s, early 70s Hammer films (often with either Mr Lee or Mr Cushing), you should find much in this to enjoy. Of course Steve Coogan hams it up, but why else are you watching it? It's a little telling when you realise that it's no less ridiculous than the films it is sending up, and Dr Terrible is always a source of mirth.
I have not seen all the episodes, but the ones I have often encapsulate a whole sub-genre within the horror theme. There is only the one series, and it is a shame the BBC (once more) didn't have strength of character enough to commission more.
The title tells it all - and the series lives up to it admirably. It's the sort of thing you will like, if you like this sort of thing. -
Robski17 December 2002Dr Terribles house of Horrible is a clever pastiche of tacky seventies horror movies. Each episode is introduced by the same character, the bald headed Dr Terrible, and the stories evolve from there. Steve Coogan plays the main character in each one.
Especially memorable is the Fu Manchu spoof and the spoof of the early seventies horror movies, such as Tales from the Crypt, where several characters would tell a tale of doom.
Coogan fans watched expecting Alan Partridge. To fans of horror this will be appreciated. -
matthew-589 January 2002I've only seen the last episode of this series, "Scream Satan Scream!", but I have to say it was rather good. It wasn't laugh out loud funny, but neither was Alan Partridge. In fact, Captain Tobias Slater is one of the best characters I've seen Coogan play. He is a really nasty piece of work. As for Dr Terrible himself (or should that be itself?), it's hard to believe that is Coogan under all that. It would be a shame if there isn't another series of "Dr Terrible", since it would appear to be the best vehicle yet for Coogan's versatility.
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Mick Travis30 March 2002Don't be fooled by easy brush offs. What Coogan and Normal are doing for British television comedy is nothing short of revolutionary. In years to come this period will be known as something - I can't say what exactly but it will, trust me. Baby Cow productions are grabbing the screens and saying - we'll try and give you something worthwhile, something different. Lets not forget that this baby cow`s main writer is Graham Duff - new TV talent with a pedigree from Radio 4. Coogan and Normal seem to be nurturing a writing stable...yes, full of Baby Cows! Dr Terrible is more than pastiche, its new, fantastical TV. These days the label Cult TV seems to attached to anything that may have a fantasy slant to it. A genuine cult TV programme - fantasy or not - has to seep into our TV land brains. It can't be planned, scripted or sold. Sadly we have very little of the genuine article left. I say that Dr Terrible gives audiences a chance to experience great out of this world TV that no one else seems to be producing. Hit and miss yes - but wasn't The Avengers, Tales of the Bleedin' Obvious and Hammer House of Horror? This series was rammed in-between yawn central when first shown on BBC 2: one joke comedy from The Kumars (talk about flogging a dead horse) and a series with Stephen Tompkinson,four months down the line I fail or care to remember its title. Easy laughs. Give me comedy with integrity, give me something worth while, give me more Dr Terrible.
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messed_up22 February 2002Although the first couple of episodes were nothing special the rest of the series was quite funny. Alright, not laugh 'til your sick, but it had it's moments. People don't seem to be happy unless Steve Coogan's playing Alan Partridge or Paul Calf, but this was an attempt to do something different. The series could've been better, but it wasn't that bad! Give the poor guy a break!
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filmbuff690078 January 2002this awful show is the pits.neither funny or watchable the plots are rubbish.the jokes are nowhere to be found.Coogan has made many classic tv moments.but this is pure hell.hopefully this is the first and last series.one of the poorest shows i have ever seen.
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thenetnat18 December 2001I think the last reviewer has missed the point. This series is meant to be clichéd, corny and cheesy. Thats where the fun is. Just take the titles of the episodes for example, 'scream satan scream', 'lesbian vampire lovers of lust'. Funny, but not entirely memorable.
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Keith-James-Burrows21 January 2006I know this show wasn't very popular, but I really enjoyed this series. I can see the problems people had with it, but to me they are far outweighed by the good parts.
It was a little uneven but many of the parodies were spot on and there were several hilarious lines that have stuck with me such as the dancer with the murderous voodoo feet saying "It's my feet... they're killing me!"
If you are on the fence about this show, don't watch the first episode. It is easily the weakest. Start with the Sherlock Holmes-ish episode or the aforementioned Voodoo Feet of Death.
Give it a try, this show has many positives and if you enjoy it half as much as I did, it will be worth your time.