The Glam Metal Detectives

The Glam Metal Detectives is a comedy show produced by the BBC in 1995. Shown on BBC2 on Thursday nights at 9, it combined sketch and sitcom elements. As with other shows launched in this timeslot, The Glam Metal Detectives attempted to innovate and combine genres. The show consists of a single series of seven episodes. The series starred Gary Beadle, Phil Cornwell, Doon Mackichan (playing most of the female roles), Sara Stockbridge, George Yiasoumi, and Mark Caven. The scripts were written by the cast, director Peter Richardson, and Lloyd Stanton. The show was designed to appear as if the viewer was channel surfing through a multi-channel wasteland, happening upon spoof adverts, short sketches, and recurring show elements. Like other BBC content of the mid-1990s (such as KYTV), it often lampooned the low-budget quality of satellite television available in the UK at the time. Content Show segments included: The Glam Metal Detectives themselves. A rock group charged with the mission of "saving the planet's ecology with your top-hit records", they would fight the evil media mogul Royston Brocade (Mac McDonald) in between gigs. This segment combined elements of the cultish, kitsch and televisual trash in an unpredictable manner. Betty's Mad Dash - a 1930s-style adventure serial about two flappers, Betty and Maisie (Mackichan and Stockbridge), who are on the run from the police. Each episode involved hiding from the police in some period location and robbing people at gunpoint. Bloodsports - a short segment portraying, with live sports commentary, crime such as ram raiding, car theft, or a bailiff attempting to take possession of property as if they were recognised sports. The footage often ended with the offenders messing up in some way and getting arrested. Running From Death - a self-parody which saw the group running from the Grim Reaper.