History Radio / AbsolutePowerBBC

* AnythingThatMoves: Jamie.

* SpoofAesop: Charles, our MagnificentBastard near-VillainProtagonist who without remorse lies, cheats, backstabs and blackmails, spends some time in prison in series two after having been found guilty in a perjury trial. When he returns, he tells the firm that he has learned his lesson. His new resolution, his new code of behavior to mend the error of his ways? "No more Mr. Nice Guy."

* FriendshipMoment: A small one between Martin and Charles in "Crash and Burn", but not at all sappy. More a celebration of [[MagnificentBastard magnificent bastardry]].

* MagnificentBastard: Crisis management PR is essentially XanatosSpeedChess, so there are a lot of them about. In-universe, Charles gets plenty of recognition as one.

* MythologyGag: Martin's ex-wife is a crime novelist whose books are based on [[AcceptableProfessionalTargets finding a profession everyone hates]] (plumbers, executives, medical receptionists) and then creating a SerialKiller [[AssholeVictim who bumps them off]]. This was the format of the comedy whodunnits Charles and Martin first appeared in, with the victims being bank managers (''In The Red''), dentists (''In The Chair'') and journalists (''In The End'').

Not to be confused with the book by David Baldacci, which was made into [[Film/AbsolutePower a Clint Eastwood film]], although both are based on Lord Acton's observation that "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Charles Prentiss would probably add "And the problem with that is?"

Absolute Power, a [[Creator/TheBBC BBC]] radio comedy about PR firm Prentiss [=McCabe=], began as a SpinOff of an adaptation of a comedy whodunnit. The radio series was subsequently [[SoundToScreenAdaptation adapted for television]]. The two main characters are Charles Prentiss (a man with no scruples whatsoever) and Martin [=McCabe=] (who has scruples, but is usually too lazy to apply them). In the radio series they were assisted by Sandy, a sensible young woman on a training scheme, and later by Clive, a total incompetent. Another recurring character is Archie, their regular government contact.

* ASimplePlan

* {{Humphrey}}: Charles.

* UnfortunateNames: Reza [[spoiler: Bin Laden]].[note]Yes, he is in fact related to that other one.[/note]

* {{Oxbridge}}: Martin read Philosophy at Cambridge. And got a first, has he ever mentioned that he got a first?

* CelebrityParadox: Most of the celebrities are made up, but real ones are referenced all the time.

** However, Jamie does get one somewhat redeeming moment in "The Nation's Favourite" of season 2, when it turns out that [[spoiler:he convinced JoannaLumley not to sign up with the firm because it would "rip out her soul" and gain her nothing.]]

* SpannerInTheWorks: "Ah, Clive, industrial sabotage on legs."