52. Hype Pressure

52. Hype Pressure

28 September 1976

‘Hype Pressure’ was one of those few Goodies episodes never purchased for screening by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. My first experience of it has therefore come at half a century’s remove from its original broadcast! After all the childhood memories and adult re-watches, what bliss to discover an episode I’d not seen before…? Well, mark that sentiment with the same caveat that accompanied my belated introduction to the LTV series. In this instance, I have to say, the ABC made a good decision.[1]

‘Hype Pressure’ is a turkey. Subjective impression and all (those who like it, please skip ahead to ‘Daylight Robbery’), but it’s so full of contemporary references and pop-culture in-jokes as to be near-nonsensical to the modern viewer,[2] while in terms of content that’s all there is. The lads resort to self-referencing,[3] which is never a good sign, and the plot is stream-of-consciousness senseless. Not absurd, chaotic, satirically over-the-top or anything like the usual fine fare, but entirely without purpose.[4]

Ironically, too, the broad-spectrum lampooning of pop music—an intentionally awful soundtrack—comes in lieu of the unheralded but much-loved incidental licks of the Cricklewood Tapes. It’s almost as if Bill, having finally achieved his real-life dream of pop stardom, has had some sort of breakdown and railed out against the world with a cynical, backhanded slap.

‘Superstar’ was bad. ‘The Goodies – Almost Live’ is an obvious indulgence. But this? This is awful. I’m tempted to follow the ABC’s lead and not write about it at all!

Still, I have just gone on record to say that Series 6 was about experimentation and pushing the boundaries still further. That being the case, I suppose I shouldn’t begrudge the odd failure. (Mind you, there’s experimentation in the sense of a Pablo Picasso or even a Jackson Pollock, and there’s gibbons throwing handfuls of poo at their keepers.)

So, is there nothing good to say about ‘Hype Pressure’? Well, it’s relatively short. It’s followed by some genuinely innovative (and in cases quite brilliant) episodes, so perhaps we can pitch it as having taken one for the creative team. To be fair, the lads’ comedic timing is still in evidence, though for the most part this just serves to show up the inferior quality of the material. The jokes, such as they are, be they visual or word-based, are perfectly executed… and still fall utterly flat!

Thus, no. Redeeming features are manifestly not in evidence. Perhaps the title says it all? ‘Hype Pressure’. Even the best of the best must feel it, and occasionally succumb, stumble. Let’s not pretend that this is anything less than crushingly poor. Cue instead celebrations occasioned by its passing; rejoice that the Super Chaps hit rock bottom and bounced up again, producing thereafter a further seventeen good-good-Goodie episodes (for the BBC), including some top-shelf classics.

Now, let’s go watch some of those!

Jacob Edwards, 28 September 2026

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[1] Not for the first time. Watching the uncut versions of Goodies episodes trimmed by the ABC for censorship reasons, I’ve often found the restored material to be unworthy of the Super Chaps—not so much for inappropriate content but for being straight-up unfunny.

[2] Or even, I suspect, those tuning in at the time. “Hello? Get me Ken Russell,” Graeme demands. “He’s doing what? Oh, lucky old Vanessa. But what a waste of carrots.”

[3] Their real-life pop hits; Kitten Kong; the giant Dougal.

[4] cf. ‘The Music Lovers’ and ‘The Movies’ for genuinely comedic critiques of the music and film industries.