The Mighty Boosh

The Mighty Boosh is a British sitcom created by Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. The Mighty Boosh began as a Radio Sitcom but was moved to television in 2004. The Mighty Boosh is a very unusual type of sitcom, as it contains a lot of fantasy humour, such as Naboo the shaman. The Mighty Boosh also features a lot of music, containing a different song in every episode. All the songs for The Mighty Boosh are written by Julian Barratt, and preformed by both Barratt and Fielding. The show also features a lot of pop-culture references.

Characters
Howard Moon is portrayed by Julian Barratt. Howard seems to have delusions of grandeur, believing himself to be a musician, actor, poet, novelist and photographer. During the first series he works at the Zooniverse as a zookeeper, alongside Vince. In the second series, Howard and Vince have left the zoo and formed a band together, and are living together in a flat. By series three Howard and Vince are both working in a second hand shop. Howard claims to have turned down a offer from Walt Disney himself to sort all of Disney's pencils. During series one Howard is in love with reptile keeper Mrs Gideon, however she doesn’t know who he is. Howard’s favorite style of music is Jazz-Fusion.

Vince Noir is portrayed by Noel Fielding. Vince was born in the mid-1980s and spent much of his early life as an orphan, being raised in a forest by Bryan Ferry. Throughout series 1, 2 and 3 Vince follows a number of different subcultures such as Mod, Punk, Goth, Nu Rave and Electro. Vince is often mistaken for a woman during the show, and is sometimes referred to as Howards wife, or “Lady Friend”.

Series One
Series One of The Mighty Boosh was originally broadcast between May 18 2004 and July 6 2004. The series is set in a zoo called the Zoo-niverse owned by Dixon Bainbridge, where Howard Moon, Vince Noir, Naboo and Bob Fossil work. In this series Vince has the power to speak to animals. Every episode in this series began with an introduction from Howard and Vince.

Episodes

 * "'Killeroo"': Howard is blackmailed by Bob Fossil, who forces him to participate in a boxing match with a kangaroo. Howard thinks that by winning the fight he will impress Mrs Gideon, Head of Reptiles, so Vince decides to help him by training him up.


 * "'Mutants"': Animals at the Zoo-niverse are disappearing; when Mrs Gideon's python goes missing, Howard and Vince decide to investigate. They soon discover Dixon Bainbridge’s secret laboratory and find out the terrible secret of the missing animals.


 * "'Bollo"': Bollo becomes terminally ill, but when the Grim Reaper comes to take him away, he mistakenly takes Howard, who is (against his own will) dressed as an ape, so Bob Fossil can continue to accept sponsorship money for the gorillas. Vince travels to Monkey Hell to save him.


 * "'Tundra"': After Dixon Bainbridge boasts to the Zoo-niverse staff about himself, Howard travels to the Arctic tundra with Vince to prove he is more of a man than Bainbridge by retrieving the Egg of Mantumbi. They come face to face with hideous ice demon Black Frost, Noel Fielding later revealed that he modelled this particular character on proffessional golfer Ian Poulter.


 * "'Jungle"': Bainbridge is selling The Zoo-niverse, so that a road can be built through it, but Howard is determined not to let him, so he and Vince venture into the Jungle Room in search of the only man who can help them, Tommy Nookah.


 * "'Charlie"': After Howard becomes determined to be a writer to impress Mrs Gideon, Vince's illustrated stories about a hideous bubble gum creature named Charlie become famous and he becomes a writer. However, his dream is quickly shattered by Dixon Bainbridge. Meanwhile, Howard undergoes psychiatric help from resident shaman Naboo, and Bob Fossil starts a new breeding program for the pandas.


 * "'Electro"': Vince joins an electro band called Kraftwork Orange, but after irritating keyboard player Johnny Two-Hats leaves the band, he calls on Howard to overcome the Spirit of Jazz and help him out.


 * "'Hitcher"': After a bear called Ivan goes wild and attacks Bob Fossil, Howard and Vince take him to The Zoo for Animal Offenders. On the way, they get lost and encounter a mysterious Hitch-hiker.

Series Two
Series Two of The Mighty Boosh was originally broadcast between July 25 2005 and August 30 2005. The Series is set in a flat in Dalston, England where Howard Moon, Vince Noir, Naboo and Bollo the Ape live. In this series every one can understand Bollo not just Vince, and Vince doesn’t seem to have the power to talk to animals.

Episodes

 * The Call of the Yeti: Howard takes Vince, Naboo and Bollo on a weekend holiday to a cabin in the woods, owned by a yokel, Kodiak Jack. Naboo and Bollo, bored by the prospect of a lecture from Howard, go shopping, leaving Vince with Howard. Kodiak Jack arrives, taking a liking to Vince, and informing Howard, who is having delusions of grandeur about being a photographer, of the Yeti. Howard sets out to photograph the Yeti, leaving Vince with Kodiak Jack. While shopping, Naboo learns of the Yeti's breeding night, as Vince fends off Kodiak Jack's advances. Meanwhile, Howard is captured and brainwashed by the Yeti. Vince, Naboo, and Bollo set out to save Howard, and also end up brainwashed by the Yeti. As they are all about to be raped, they are saved by Kodiak Jack, who is then instead raped. They flee back to the cabin, pursued by the Queen Yeti, who is eventually defeated after stepping on Vince's bulging suitcase, catapulting her through the roof. Howard, Vince, Naboo, and Bollo then return to Dalston.


 * The Priest and the Beast: Howard and Vince are up late, struggling to find a new musical direction in order to get signed the next morning by Pie Face Records. To inspire them, Naboo tells them the story of Rudi van Disarzio and Spider Dijon; the Bongo Brothers, who form the band Rudi & Spider. Rudi and Spider wander the desert in search of inspiration, looking for the New Sound. After an argument, Spider leaves with the intention of drumming for Carlos Santana, becoming temporarily distracted by a town populated only by women. Rudi soon happens upon the town, meeting and bonding with an inhabitant of the town called Monkey, who tells him of a bandit called Betamax, who regularly terrorizes the town. Rudi and Spider reconvene; the latter then earns himself a Door of Cuckundu by refusing tickets to Santana in Rio from Rudi, and together go to face Betamax. Spider eventually defeats him by rewinding him with his Door of Cuckundu. Rudi & Spider then showcase their newly found sound; found inside their own minds. This is of no help to Howard and Vince, to whom Naboo gives Lucozade, telling them it is a magic potion to help their performance.


 * Nanageddon: Vince offers Howard the chance to spend the night with two goth girls, Anthrax and Ebola, under the agreement that he dresses like a goth. It transpires Vince drunkenly bragged to the girls that he was a Warlock, stealing Naboo's book of black magic. Vince then inadvertently summons Nanatoo; the most evil demon known to man. The goth girls depart in disgust, distracting Howard and Vince from Nanatoo, who steals the book of black magic and also departs. Naboo and Bollo return, and immediately suss that Howard and Vince have summoned a demon. Naboo warns Howard and Vince of the imminence of Nanageddon, and is then summoned to the Board of Shaman who decide to remove his shaman powers, and send Saboo and Tony Harrison to retrieve the book of black magic, which neither succeed in doing; due mainly to arguing. Meanwhile, Howard and Vince retrieve the book from Nanatoo at the bingo, and flee back to the flat, pursued by Nanatoo and her army of Nanas. Naboo reverses the spell, causing Nanatoo to disappear. The next day, a gothic Naboo and Bollo accompany the goth girls out, leaving Howard and Vince disgruntled.


 * Fountain of Youth: Howard has an age crisis after being heckled at a gig of he and Vince's. After hearing from Bollo about the Fountain of Youth on Naboo's home planet Xooberon, Howard and Vince steal his amulet and travel there, where they wander the Desert of Nightmares and meet the Xooberon Tribe. Back at the flat, Naboo finds out about Howard and Vince stealing his amulet, and is annoyed that he has to save them. The Xooberon Tribe notice Vince has the amulet and make him their leader, and Howard his slave. Meanwhile, The Hitcher overviews these events, planning to steal the amulet for himself. Vince's status as the Chosen One is tested when a beast named Sandstorm threatens the Xooberon Tribe; Vince befriends him by gifting him with gloves which he uses to masturbate. Howard is tricked into stealing the amulet by The Hitcher, who knocks Howard out and leaves. He awakens with Vince, buried up to their necks in sand; a punishment from the Xooberon Tribe for losing the amulet. Naboo and Bollo arrive, and accompany Vince and Howard to the Fountain of Youth, hindered by an evil tree; whom Vince summons Sandstorm to disposes of. Naboo then flushes the toilet of the Fountain of Youth, liquefying The Hitcher. The King who first gave Naboo the amulet and sent him to earth arrives and congratulates Naboo. On the way back to earth, Howard and Vince consume Youth Juice, which reverts them to babies.


 * The Legend of Old Gregg: After a bad gig, Howard and Vince travel to a village in Scotland called Black Lake to take a break. At the pub, they get the idea of going fishing; which Vince seems instantly proficient in. Vince soon leaves a disgruntled Howard to fish himself. Vince returns to the pub, where he learns about Old Gregg. Howard then inadvertently catches Old Gregg, who shows him his mangina, and takes him to his underwater cave. Vince phones Naboo to help him rescue Howard, which Naboo grudgingly agrees to do. Howard awakens, and has a short conversation with Old Gregg, ending in them performing a song together. While having a meal with Old Gregg, Howard learns of his possession of The Funk. While Old Gregg is preoccupied, Vince, Naboo and Bollo arrive in a submarine, and rescue Howard, who steals The Funk from Old Gregg. They use it to perform to the pub, singing a song about having the funk. They then leave, planning to bring the funk back to London. Old Gregg is shown to be riding atop their van; exposing his mangina.


 * The Nightmare of Milky Joe: Howard and Vince plan to travel to America to perform on the Pie Face Showcase. Due to Howard's fear of flying, they travel by boat, but are thrown overboard and stranded on a desert island for Vince's giving the captain a haircut whilst he slept. Howard's condition quickly deteriorates due to lack of nourishment, so they decide to eat coconuts. Howard begins keeping a journal, and Vince fashions bamboo drainpipes. Howard and Vince begin arguing, and separate to build huts: Vince's elaborate and complicated, compared to Howard's board on a stick. Howard fashions a male companion out of a coconut, calling it Milky Joe. Howard eventually builds a proper hut with the help of Milky Joe. Vince then fashions a female companion out of a coconut called Ruby. This makes Howard jealous, who fashions a wig for Milky Joe and temporarily calls her Jemima. Howard then sings a song about isolation. Vince then fashions another female companion out of a coconut called Precious Lilywhite. This agitates Howard further; he eventually persuades Vince to invite him to dinner with Precious and Ruby. Howard eventually ends up with Precious who turns out to be physically abusive. While Vince has a party on the beach, Howard accidentally kills Precious. Howard tells Vince about the murder, and the two try and cover it up but are caught on film (by the coconut filming the party) burying Precious. The coconuts begin moving of their own accord; coconut police begin chasing Howard and Vince, they are caught and sent to coconut court, where they are found guilty of murder, and used as attractions in a coconut shy. At this point, Howard and Vince are splashed with water by a sailor, which awakens them from their rancid coconut-induced nightmare. They return home to watch the televised version of the Pie Face Showcase; headlined by Milky Joe and the Coconuts.

Series Three
Series Three of The Mighty Boosh was originally broadcast between November 15 2007 and December 20 2007. This series is set in a second hand shop owned by Naboo. Vince Noir and Howard Moon both work in the shop.

Episodes

 * Eels: Naboo and Bollo go away to Dennis the Head Shaman’s stag party, leaving Howard and Vince in charge of Nabootique. The two challenge one another to a sales contest, each trying to sell their latest fads; Elbow Patches and The Indie Celebrity Radar, respectively. Later, while Vince is out to tag Pete Neon for his Celebradar, Howard is paid a visit by The Hitcher, who frightens Howard with eels into a protection racket. Howard proceeds to prostitute himself to a transvestite called Eleanor for the required €1,000, but when the Hitcher comes to collect the money, he decides to kill Vince and Howard anyway. Before being able to do so, he is shot by Eleanor. The Hitcher awakens, having been saved by the Survival Elbow Patch he had stolen from Howard earlier. Feeling dejected, he turns to leave, before being stopped by Vince and Howard, who convince him to perform a song about eels with them in the New Rave style.


 * Journey to the Centre of the Punk: Howard acquires a rare Jazz record ("Voodoo Scat" by Howlin' Jimmy Jefferson) which Vince, now a punk, bites in to, submitting to peer pressure from his new punk bandmates. It transpires that "Voodoo Scat" was made with a drop of Howlin' Jimmy Jefferson's blood, infecting Vince's blood stream with a corruptive rogue Jazz cell, causing him to embarrass his bandmates by scat singing at their gig in the Velvet Onion, which causes a riot. Vince is rushed back to the Nabootique, delirious, as the Jazz cell begins killing his cells. To save him, Naboo shrinks Howard and his blind friend Lester Corncrake down to microscopic size and injects them into Vince’s body to kill the invasive cell. Howard eventually succeeds in reaching the brain, where the Jazz cell begins to chase him. Howard and Lester catch it, and regrow to normal size. The Jazz cell is now also normal size, but is defeated by Lester, whom stabs him with Sid Vicious' safety pin, causing him to run away crying.


 * The Power of the Crimp: Vince arrives at work late, depressed and distraught that a copycat named Lance Dior is stealing his style. Howard attempts to cheer him up by showing him Gary Numan and by telling him its what's inside that counts. Howard quickly abandons this philosophy when he has his style stolen by Lance Dior's partner, Harold Boom, who together become The Flighty Zeus. As The Flighty Zeus become increasingly more popular, The Mighty Boosh become increasingly dejected, feeling the Zeus are always one step ahead of them. The Boosh almost give up, before having the idea of premiering their music invention, crimping, at a gig at The Velvet Onion. They arrive to find The Flighty Zeus plagiarising an earlier crimp of theirs. The Boosh challenge the Zeus to a crimp-off, eventually winning by way of a four-way crimp, involving Howard, Vince, Naboo, and Bollo.


 * The Strange Tale of the Crack Fox: Howard departs to a jazzercise class, leaving Vince to sort out the towering pile of bin bags in the back yard of the Nabootique. Whilst doing so, Vince meets an urban crack addict fox named The Crack Fox, whom he invites into the Nabootique. The Crack Fox then knocks Vince unconscious, and steals Naboo's powerful Shaman juice. Vince lies to Naboo, saying it is Howard who is responsible. Naboo then fires Howard, and is imprisoned by the Board of Shaman to be executed. Vince eventually decides to attempt to save Naboo, meeting Howard, who has taken up his old bin man job again, on the way. Howard and Vince descend to the sewers, discovering the Crack Fox, who has taken some Shaman Juice and wields supernatural power. Howard and Vince recover the Shaman Juice, and are chased through the sewers by the Crack Fox, who is eventually crushed to death by a bin lorry, which is waiting for him at the sewer exit. Howard and Vince then rescue Naboo, and the Board of Shaman celebrate by taking drugs.


 * Party: Vince convinces Howard (by paying a female friend of his to feign an interest in jazz and stationery) to allow him to throw a party in the flat, supposedly in celebration of Howard's birthday, but in reality for Vince to show off his new outfit. He invites all his friends, who are seemingly unaware of who Howard is, or what his involvement in the party might be. After a short game of spin the bottle downstairs in the Nabootique, which is broken up by Naboo, Howard inadvertently reveals that he is a virgin. As everyone awkwardly heads back upstairs, Vince is propositioned by the wife of Dennis the Head Shaman in the stock room. When Vince discovers her identity he leaves immediately, claiming that Dennis will kill him, and sure enough, once he has discovered his wife's infidelity Dennis vows to kill Vince. Attempting to hide on the roof, Vince finds a dejected Howard. Dennis then catches up with Vince, who pretends to be in love with Howard by kissing him. This repulses Dennis into leaving, but has an inadvertent effect on Howard... the two then fall off the roof and on to Vince's present for Howard: a bouncy castle. Howard proceeds to renounce his new found homosexuality as soon as he sees the jazz girl from the start of the episode, but Vince is heartbroken and claims he will never love again; until her female friend walks outside. The episode ends with the whole party on the bouncy castle.


 * The Chokes: Vince is MCing a night at the Velvet Onion, which is being headlined by The Black Tubes, who have a strict thin-legs policy. Although Vince is desperate to join as their singer, they will only allow him to if he can fit into a pair of drainpipe trousers that they give him. After learning that Jurgen Haabermaaster, a Danish art-house director, will be in the audience to see acclaimed actor Sammy the Crab, Howard tries to get onto the bill in a bid to win a part in one of Jurgen's films. However, Vince won't let him as he suffers from the Chokes, an intense form of stage fright. To cure him of this Howard is involved in an acting montage with aged actor Montgomery Flange, who has a heart attack after absorbing Howard's Chokes. The Black Tubes, unaware that Sammy the Crab is a raging alcoholic, pour beer in his tank upon his request, and he proceeds to run amok, killing several support acts. Vince phones Howard as a replacement, who stuns everyone - including Jurgen - with his impressive acting. Vince eventually gets his drainpipes on, but the excess weight is squeezed up to his head, causing him to overbalance onstage, ruining the gig. It later transpires that Sammy The Crab has replaced him as the frontman of The Black Tubes. Howard returns from working with Jurgen Haabermaaster, dissatisfied with the work he was offered. It turns out his only role was the Angry Crab Of Trapped Wind in a trapped wind commercial, much to the amusement of Naboo, Bollo and Vince.