JASON KING PARODIES

Where imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

The Two Ronnies Series 3 – Episode 5

Broadcast: 22nd November, 1973. 11 mins.

Ronnie Corbett took the role of Jason King, who is in Oxford to pick up an award for “Services to mankind… and womankind.” 

We find him in a punt on the river with his girlfriend, Angela Fitzupton (played by Julie Crosthwaite). Suddenly, Angela screams out and points to a body which his lying partly in the river. Jason is horrified when they reach bank, but only because the corpse is wearing the same shoes as him!

Ronnie Corbett as Jason King

Walking close to the river is the famous crime writer and criminologist, Miss Wilberforce (Ronnie Barker), who Jason visits to enquire if she saw anything suspicious while she was out catching butterflies. We learn that the body is that of a Don from one of the Oxford colleges who, it transpires, had been poisoned with deadly nightshade. The twist in the story is that the prime suspect, Professor Sax, and Miss Wilberforce are one and the same.

Detectives On The Edge Of a Nervous Breakdown Series 7 -Episode 1

Broadcast: 22nd April, 1993. 32 mins.

The Comic Strip was a periodic series of satires and spoofs that helped bring alternative comedy to the mainstream and forge a comedy reputation for then-new Channel 4. The title itself was a parody of the 1988 film, ‘Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown’.

In a sequel to feature film spin-off, ‘The Bullshitters’ featuring the characters Bonehead and Foyle (for this read Bodie and Doyle of ‘The Professionals), who are called in to solve a 70s-style murder. Unfortunately, so are 70s detectives Shouting George of The Weeney (Jack Regan – ‘The Sweeny’) and Jason Bentley of Department Z (Jason King – Department S), and 90s Northern detective Dave Spanker (Dave Spender – ‘Spender’).

Jason Bentley, played by Peter Richardson, owns a 1970s retro clothes shop called Flares ‘R’ Us and, of course, drives a Bentley Continental at a very sedate, unhurried speed, as he’d portrayed here as having claret in one had (Jason King never drank Claret, as his favourite tipples were vintage Champagne or Stornoway Whisky). Nevertheless, he rues the day when drinking in such a way might be made illegal.

Peter Richardson as Jason Bentley

When it comes to solving crimes, Bentley prefers to make no visible effort at all, as he anticipates that all the plot devices required to solve the case will arrive by themselves in due course.

The film employed techniques of metafictional parody to make overt critical comparisons between 1990s TV detective shows and their 1970s counterparts. The editorial line taken throughout the film presents a very affectionate portrayal of several of these 1970s shows, despite acknowledging their use of methods and styles that had since become somewhat clichéd.

When Peter was interviewed on ‘Pebble Mill’ (BBC1 – 6th May, 1994), he said he was flattered by the film, but insisted that Jason King would never wear crushed velvet.

N.B. Some of Jason Bentley’s dialogue from this film have actually been used by British journalists who have claimed that they came from Jason King and, in one case, by Peter himself!

Jeremy Clarkson Promotional Film

Filmed: Friday, 8th May, 2015

Presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, donned a false moustache and a garish pink cravat to shoot a short sequence to publicise his up-coming arena tour of the UK, and paid homage to Jason King with his ‘Jason Clarkson’ send-up.

Clarkson as Jason Clarkson

Clarkson had become a free agent following his high-profile departure from BBC show ‘Top Gear’, was seen jumping from his vintage Jensen sports car – another seventies throwback – and rolling across a large mat as a camera crew filmed close by.

Note: It is from this parody that the myth of Jason King driving a Jenson Interceptor in ‘Department S’ first sprang, which has often been repeated in the tabloids and online.