"Fast Forward: Австралиялық әзіл-сықақ шоуы"

Australian sketch comedy television series
the Austrian TV series of the same name

Fast Forward was Australia's highest rating and most critically awarded commercial television sketch comedy show, broadcast for 90 one hour episodes from 12 April 1989 to 26 November 1992. The show was produced by Steve Vizard, who was also the executive producer, writer and performer, and starred Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Magda Szubanski (the three of whom went on to star in Kath & Kim), Marg Downey, Michael Veitch, Peter Moon, Alan Pentland, Steve Blackburn, Geoff Brooks, Ernie Dingo, the Rubbery Figures satirical puppets, and numerous guests and supporting stars, such as Gerry Connolly and Bryan Dawe. Fast Forward was succeeded by the related series Full Frontal, and subsequently Totally Full Frontal, which were broadcast from 1993 to 1999. Full Frontal had a different main cast, but many of the Fast Forward cast guest starred. Fast Forward was directed by Ted Emery. From its second series onward, Andrew Knight joined Steve Vizard and Ted Emery as executive producers of the show. They went on to establish the leading Australian production house, Artist Services. All four seasons plus five 'best of' compilations of Fast Forward have been released on DVD. All four seasons were re released in 2010. In 2013, the Network Ten owned channel, One, began airing half hour long specials titled Fast Forward Funniest Send Ups which first aired in 1994, making it the first time the show has been shown since 1998.

Many of the stars came from a 1985 Seven Network sketch comedy pilot called The Eleventh Hour, which also spawned The Comedy Company, via The D Generation. Fast Forward was commissioned by Seven in late 1988. The political puppets Rubbery Figures were made more "commercial" than on the ABC by inserting them into popular situations outside the political Canberra environment. This led to the Star Trek parody where Paul Keating was Mr. Spock and Bob Hawke was Captain Kirk. Rubbery Figures was a huge hit and a crucial element in the early success of Fast Forward. In 1991, there were five Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends skits featuring Ertl Thomas models. These segments involved people complaining about Sodor not having female steam engines, the Fat Controller polluting the countryside by pouring purple slime out of the tankers, drunken punks, the engines going on strike, and the engines getting replaced. In these skits, Thomas would do some human things, such as eating breakfast, writing, and going away for the weekend. Percy was referred to as Bertie two times in the first sketch, Gordon at the end of the fourth, and Henry one time in the fifth. The sketches had five original engine characters, Crazy Bartholomew the Loco Locomotive, who was a Thomas model painted yellow, Alfred, who was a Percy model painted red (he was even referred to as Percy at the start of the fifth sketch), Damian the Diesel, who isn't seen in person, Edgar, who is a mentioned engine character, and one of the female engines, who was a Percy model painted orange with additional detailing. Toby was also mentioned once at the end of the first sketch, and so was Clarabel once in the fourth sketch.

DVD title Release date Discs Ref. (Reference) Fast Forward: In Rewind, Funniest Moments – Volume One 28 April 20042 Fast Forward: In Rewind, Funniest Moments – Volume Two 7 May 20042 Fast Forward: Funniest TV Send Ups, Vol. 1 21 March 20051 Fast Forward: Funniest TV Send Ups, Vol. 2 23 May 20051 Fast Forward: Funniest TV Send Ups, Vol. 3 20 June 20051 Fast Forward: The Complete Season One 20 March 20065 Fast Forward: The Complete Season Two 23 October 20066 Fast Forward: The Complete Season Three 4 December 20066 Fast Forward: The Complete Season Four 18 January 20085 Fast Forward: Series 1 22 March 20105 Fast Forward: Series 2 22 March 20106 Fast Forward: Series 3 9 June 20106 Fast Forward: Series 4 9 June 20105

The show was adapted for German television under the name "Switch" by order of TV station ProSieben. It was aired for the first time in 1997.