‘Absolutely Fabulous’ returns on Comedy Central

Writers and trendsetters everywhere have documented the return of the ’80s in all its anti-PC lasciviousness. How better to celebrate this wantonness than with the return of “Absolutely Fabulous,” the British series featuring the decadent lives of Edina (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley)?
   Sin is in with the arrival of six new episodes of “Ab Fab” (starting at 8 p.m. Monday on Comedy Central). “Ab Fab” was on hiatus from 1996 to 2000 with creator/writer/star Saunders taking on other projects. But now the BBC and Comedy Central have teamed to bring the decadent twosome back to the small screen. Each new episode of “Ab Fab” will be followed by two back-to-back original episodes from prior seasons of the series.
   “Ab Fab” is a love-it-or-hate-it series steeped in British sensibilities and estrogen-driven debauchery. It originally aired in the UK on the BBC in 1992 and in the U.S. on Comedy Central in July of 1994. A look at its leading ladies is a character study in hedonism.
   Edina and Patsy are two chain-smoking, over-the-top fad-chasers. Edina is a twice-divorced working mother who combines her career as a fashion publicist with a wild social life, while sometimes attending to the needs of her straight-laced daughter Saffy (Julia Swahala), who is appalled by her mother’s lifestyle. Patsy is Edina’s glamorous and promiscuous confidant who is never seen without a cigarette in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other.
   In the whirlwind of pill-popping and champagne-swilling, Saunders and Lumley make for modern-day warped versions of Abbott and Costello gone limey. Their timing and chemistry together is far smoother than butter.
   For those unfamiliar with “Ab Fab” (and also for those who have every episode taped) there is “How to be Absolutely Fabulous,” a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the series (6 p.m. tonight on Comedy Central). It features Saunders looking back at some of the series’ highlights, bloopers and Lumley’s audition reel.
   “How to be Absolutely Fabulous” is part of “Ab Fab Relapse Sunday” (1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. today), a marathon featuring two specials from the BBC’s “Absolutely Fabulous” collection and six old episodes of “Ab Fab.”
   While talking via satellite at the summer press tour in Los Angeles earlier this year, Saunders said she missed the characters so she brought them back (“A bit older, a bit fatter, but still enjoying it,” she said). As to why she’s only doing six episodes this season — in serious contrast to the typical 18-episode seasons we’re used to in America — Saunders said as long as she writes everything by herself, the seasons will be short to keep the quality high.
   What most intrigued Saunders about bringing back “Ab Fab” was incorporating all of the changes in everyday life, technology and trends.
   “The world has changed enough that there’s other things to talk about,” Saunders said. “Especially (in London), there’s a kind of celebrity obsession, and there’s a lot more of that in the show. In fact, the actress who plays Bubble also plays another character now called Katy Grin, who is a TV presenter.”
   In the debut episode, “Parralox,” Edina has added TV production to her business acquisitions, conscious that “one job is so last millennium.” Patsy has decided to take advantage of the newest advances in technological beauty and gets Parrolox injections to freeze her wrinkles.
   Ta ta, Oil of Olay.
   Other highlights this week include:
   Sunday
   7 p.m. on PBS: Nature “Dogs: The Early Years.” Many folks find puppies irresistible, but this program advises us to consider much more than cuteness in choosing one. Different breeds have characteristics that may not suit every human lifestyle.
   8 p.m. on CBS: ‘I Love Lucy’ 50th Anniversary The classic comedy was a big hit from the moment it debuted 50 years ago. Tonight, various celebrities, including Dick Van Dyke and Whoopi Goldberg, recall the show and its impact.
   7 p.m. on ABC: Saving Private Ryan Today is Veterans Day, and appropriate programming can be found on several networks. This acclaimed World War II film from director Steven Spielberg stars Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore and Vin Diesel.
   8 p.m. on PBS: American Experience An episode called “War Letters” features personal correspondence from the American Revolution to the Gulf War, read by a cast of well-known actors and illustrated with re-creations and archival materials. The letters show the emotions of those who fought and those who waited at home.
   Tuesday
   7 p.m. on PBS: Nova Anthrax-contaminated mail has turned biological warfare into an everyday fear for many people. Just how big is this threat? Tonight’s program offers information from experts.
   7 p.m. on NBC: A ‘Frasier’ celebration Two repeats lead up to the show’s 200th episode at 9 p.m., followed by a collection of amusing outtakes. Notables such as former cast member Dan Butler (“Bulldog”) and Seattle’s legendary Bill Gates will be on hand.
   8 p.m. on CBS: Michael Jackson’s 30th Anniversary The musical superstar observes 30 years as a solo artist and looks back even farther in a reunion of the Jackson 5. Whitney Houston opens the show with a tribute performance of Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.”
   Wednesday
   7:30 p.m. on Fox: The Bernie Mac Show Comedian Bernie Mac stars in this new sitcom as a man suddenly thrust into parenthood when his sister gets in trouble with the law and he must care for her three children.
   Thursday
   7 p.m. on ABC: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire You probably haven’t given much thought to who’s the smartest supermodel, but starting tonight, eight of them will be competing for prize money that will be donated to charities that they designate. The celebrity competition will continue next week.
   7 p.m. on A&E: The Lost Generation A special edition of Biography looks at the American writers who came together in Paris in the 1920s — said to be “the greatest literary decade of modern times.” They included F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein.
   8 p.m. on PBS: Frontline Among the many uncertainties in the war on terrorism is how other nations will react. Tonight’s program looks at the importance of U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia.
   Friday
   6 p.m. on TCM: A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese An influential supporter of film preservation, among other things, Scorsese offers a selective history of filmmaking through the 1960s. Tonight’s topics include the musical, the western and the gangster film. Continues at the same time next week.
   Saturday
   6 p.m. on Cartoon Network: Justice League Do the bad guys stand a chance? Animated superheroes join forces in this new series that follows the tradition of “Super Friends.” They include Batman, Hawkgirl, Superman and Wonder Woman.
   7 p.m. on ABC: A Time to Kill Taking the law into his own hands, a father kills the men who raped his 10-year-old daughter; his Mississippi town is stunned and divided. This 1996 movie, based on a John Grisham book, stars Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey and Matthew McConaughey.
   9 p.m. on HBO: George Carlin: Complaints and Grievances Carlin has had more stand-up specials on HBO than anyone else — this is No. 12. It will be shown live from Manhattan’s Beacon Theater, and promises uninhibited humor aimed at “sacred cows of all persuasions.”
  
   Contact pop culture/media critic Ricardo Baca at 886-3688 or bacar@caller.com
  

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