Fast Forward is an Australian commercial television sketch comedy show that ran for 90 episodes from 12 April 1989 to 26 November 1992. It starred several former members of the ABC series The D-Generation such as Magda Szubanski, Marg Downey, Michael Veitch as well as other Melbourne-based comedians such as The Eleventh Hour's Steve Vizard and Peter Moon, and Jane Turner and Gina Riley who are now famous for Kath & Kim. It also marked the first time that Kath & Kim stars Turner, Riley and Szubanski worked together on screen. All episodes were directed by Ted Emery.
Fast Forward was formatted to simulate continuous channel surfing, and after the punchline, each sketch would abruptly switch to a momentary segment of static, followed by another sketch, simulating the effect of the viewer repeatedly switching channels. It featured many spoofs of television programs of the day, politicians and television advertisements.
The series' composite style, which blended direct TV parody with traditional sketch comedy followed several earlier Australian sketch comedy programs such as The Mavis Bramston Show, The Naked Vicar Show, Australia You're Standing In It, and The D-Generation. Fast Forward was succeeded by the series Full Frontal, which starred some of the same cast and marked the TV debut of comedian and actor Eric Bana. Some of the cast of Fast Forward also participated in the short-lived period sitcom Bligh.
All four seasons are now available on DVD.
