The Mighty Boosh series three episode five (Party) review

Whether it’s the festive Christmas cheer or a straight return to form, episode five of this series is, in my humble opinion, the best so far. It’s Howard’s 32nd (hmmm…) birthday, and all he wants to do is mellow out with a bit of jazz. Vince on the other hand has other ideas…plans that involve booze, women and cookies that contain more than a few dubious ingredients… yup, ladies and gents, this is how to throw a party… Boosh style.

Mixing up all the best elements of this season, this episode is a merry mixed Christmas punch bowl full of fun, crammed with some top tasty ingredients… a drop or two of witty banter, a dab of crimping, splashings of style and a whole bottle or two of good old fashioned Shamanism (who it still seems to me are ruling this series, with not only all the best stories, but also all the best gags).

We also get an answer to the question that many Boosh-a-philes have always wondered… is Howard gay for Vince? And the answer is, well….maybe, just a bit. Well it doesn’t matter that much about his sexual preference, but we do find that Howard does love Vince, maybe not in a boyfriend style, but rather in a Morecombe and Wise way, only with way better hairstyles. Still, I’m sure most of us would kiss our best mate rather than being run through with a Samurai sword wielded by a very angry Shaman who, again, gets the best line with ‘And now…off to Oddbins’ after defeating the evil chavvy hordes.

And it’s the Shamans that once again steal the show, from Dennis the Head Shaman’s decapitation of the jazz-loving Leicester in a case of mistaken identity, to the continued double act of Zaboo and Harrison, who this time take on the turntables and lay down some funky tracks such as erm… Charles and Eddie. And while their taste in music is questionable, there is nobody who can compare to the guys talking down another DJ from the decks with a mix of cutting remarks and threats, proving their DJ kung-fu is greater. While cult hero Kirk gets only one line, we are introduced to the Head Shaman’s wife who is not only very easy on the eye but also an extreme sports model… nice one Dennis!

So with the party in full swing and the music pumping, we not only get to see biggest and best that Camden has to offer in the way of weird funky celebs, but there are also Parker People, Chris De Burgh and other gate crashing cameos to be seen at the bash. They’re all of course given entry (well, apart from Bob Fossil) by Doorman Bollo, who not only gets to make sure only the best and coolest kids get in, but also gets to taste the merchandise for some chemically-enhanced brownies courtesy of Naboo, who takes the role of TV chef a little too seriously. You never get Gordon Ramsey or Nigella telling you how to bake hash-cakes, or giving you cautionary warnings not to eat them all, as if you do the results would have you seeing the devil, who would then go on to do very nasty things to your knees.

With all this madness we also get a fantastic game of spin the bottle that has Howard in a tizzy, and a great jape by Naboo about a virgin-possessing demon stored in the said spinned bottle. There’s also what is probably the best entrance to a party ever by a cult icon, as Vince – in full goth/retro/futuristic/nu-romantic regalia – proves that he is the ‘great confuser’, turning both girls’ and boys’ heads alike.

So how could you top all this? Well, with rooftop romances and a finale that will make you smile so much and join in the fun that it might feel that you’ve taken one or two of those naughty cookies yourself. We get a full-blown sing along to the insanely catchy ‘Bouncy Bouncy’ song, which if course is a homage to the iconic kids’ (and adults’.. when nobody’s watching) plaything of choice.. the legendary bouncy castle.

Fun packed, insane and downright fantastic, this was the best Boosh episode for a long time, and not only had me humming the Bouncy tune all day, but has also tempted me to on a quest to find and have a go on a Bouncy Castle

Great fun.

Check out our review of last week’s episode here