History Radio / AbsolutePowerBBC

* BadBadActing: The [[UsefulNotes/{{Wales}} obviously Welsh]] [[BritishFootyTeams footballer]] Terry Pine saying on television "I'm English and I want to play for England."

* BrandX: The UK's bestselling [[BritishNewspapers newspaper]], a redtop famous for [[PageThreeStunna pictures of women's breasts]], is called the ''Daily News''.

Creator/StephenFry and John Bird reprise their radio roles for the television series, which also gives Prentiss [=McCabe=] more staff, particularly the efficient but honest Alison and the natural-born liar James. In the radio series they mostly handle government work, but in the TV series they are more likely to be representing celebrities. Both series are nonetheless [[SatireParodyPastiche satires]], one on politics, the other on the nature of celebrity.

* ConsummateLiar: Charles; James.

* {{Expy}}: Charles Prentiss reminds one quite powerfully of a certain [[YesMinister Sir Humphrey Appleby]].
** In-franchise example: Clive's radio characterization seems to have been transferred to Alison in the telly version.

* {{Flanderization}} In the radio series, Charles is a cynical, skillful schemer who isn't averse to occasional threats and blackmail, but glimpses of a softer, more romantic and idealistic side sometimes peek through. (For instance, he has some sympathies with social reformers.) In the TV version, he's absolutely diabolical and revels in it.

* {{Sequelitis}}: A particularly ghastly InUniverse example: "Literature/TheDiaryOfAYoungGirl '''Two'''". According to Jamie "it's sort of a sequel" being attended by [[TonyBlair "Mr Blair"]].

StephenFry and John Bird reprise their radio roles for the television series, which also gives Prentiss [=McCabe=] more staff, particularly the efficient but honest Alison and the natural-born liar James. In the radio series they mostly handle government work, but in the TV series they are more likely to be representing celebrities. Both series are nonetheless [[SatireParodyPastiche satires]], one on politics, the other on the nature of celebrity.

* WackyAmericansHaveWackyNames:
-->'''Charles:''' ... I had a 'phone call last night from Jay Washbrook III. He's an American. \\
'''Martin:''' [[SarcasmMode You amaze me.]]

* {{Sequelitis}}: A particularly ghastly InUniverse example: "TheDiaryOfAnneFrank '''Two'''". According to Jamie "it's sort of a sequel" being attended by [[TonyBlair "Mr Blair"]].

!!!''Absolute Power'' contains examples of:

* AnythingThatMoves: Jamie.
* BadBadActing: The [[UsefulNotes/{{Wales}} obviously Welsh]] [[BritishFootyTeams footballer]] Terry Pine saying on television "I'm English and I want to play for England."
* BeautifulAllAlong: Tory MP Joanne Standing. [[HollywoodHomely It helps that she is played by Rebecca Front.]]
* BedmateReveal: [[spoiler: Alison with Jamie]] in the first episode of series two.
* BelligerentSexualTension: Alison and Jamie.
* BitingTheHandHumor: The radio episode "Radio 3" in particular.
** And also the radio episode "The BBC", perhaps even more.

* BolivianArmyEnding: Parodied at the end of series one of the television series.

* BrandX: The UK's bestselling [[BritishNewspapers newspaper]], a redtop famous for [[PageThreeStunna pictures of women's breasts]], is called the ''Daily News''.

* BumblingSidekick: Clive.

* CatchPhrase: Catch word, primarily in the radio series. Charles, architect of many a cunning wheeze. It was all a wheeze. No one out-wheezes Prentiss [=McCabe=].
** Martin in the radio series often says he was going to do something "but then I decided I couldn't be arsed."

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Martin on the celebrity seen beating up his pregnant girlfriend in the car-park of Ikea: "What the hell was he doing at Ikea?!"

* CorruptTheCutie: Alison in Series 1. It works - she stops having moral objections to things by Series 2.

* DestructoNookie: Charles and Gayle spend a night in a hotel room and the firm is billed 2000 pounds for a new bed.

* DumbassHasAPoint: In the television series, Charles uses Alison's ideas this way.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: [[PunctuatedForEmphasis "You. Cannot. Spin. The Holocaust!"]]

* FishOutOfWater: Charles, in "US Presidential Campaign". He's long wanted to take Prentiss [=McCabe=] international, and finally gets his chance when he's recruited to spin for the Bush reelection campaign. Unfortunately for Charles, it seems his methods and ideas are "too crude and simplistic" for US politics.
** (Radio Series) For all of Charles's [[AGodAmI A PR God Am I]] self-assurance, he's a bit hopeless everywhere ''but'' the Westminster village.

* FunctionalAddict: Jamie. There are plenty of references to him being a drug user, though we never actually see him take any, and never seems to suffer any kind of problems from drug use. Presumably he's comically ImmuneToDrugs.
* FunnyBackgroundEvent: The wraparound blackboards in the meeting room where [[OnceAnEpisode the circle sessions are held]] are covered in ridiculous brainstorming ideas.
* TheGhost: Sir Harold Dickson in the radio series, who exists only as phone messages that Martin refuses to take because he hasn't done any work on the account.

* TheIllegible: Charles' handwriting, at least when Alison is reading it. [[FridgeLogic (Perhaps Nick is better at understanding his handwriting because he's Charles' assistant?)]]
-->'''Alison:''' (''reading'') Gone to The Connaught for a bit of a goat.
-->'''Nick:''' (''takes the note off her'') A bit of a gloat.
-->'''[[CloudCuckooLander Alison]]:''' ''Exactly.''

* JerkJustifications: Charles proudly declares, "If there's one thing better than a first-class mind, it's being a first-class bastard."
* KavorkaMan: James in the TV version.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Not often, but when John Bird corpses while Martin is speculating on the election of Iain Duncan-Smith as PM, it's Stephen Fry rather than Charles who asks him to repeat it: 'It's my birthday!"

* MaliciousMisnaming: In the radio series, Maurice the waiter, whose name Charles always pronounces "Morris".
* MiseryLit: [[PageThreeStunna Theresa [=O'Leary's=] ]] tedious and unreadable novel about child abuse in Ireland.
* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: Clive doesn't notice:
-->'''Charles''':Gentlemen. And Clive.
-->'''Clive''': [[SincerityMode Thank you, Charles.]]
* 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'').
* NaziNobleman: [[spoiler:Prentiss [=McCabe=] find themselves representing a group of them in the fifth episode of the first television series. While Martin wants to back out immediately, Charles is excited about it, calling it "the ultimate PR challenge".]]
* NewMediaAreEvil: Parodied. Charles objects to gossip websites, but not because they are spreading unsubstaniated rumours:
-->'''Charles:''' This democratisation of gossip appals me. There was a time where only I knew where the bodies were buried! Now everybody seems to have a map to the graveyard.
* NewscasterCameo: Various BBC (and occasionally ITV) newscasters appear to interview or report on the Client of the Week.
* TheNicknamer: Charles, who describes Alison and Jamie as "the fifth form girl and the spiv." He has also referred to Jamie as "my office boy", and Kat as "the servant".

* NoSenseOfHumor: Alison.

* PlayingSick: Marqueiro Hennell Disease (or indeed Marquierro-Hennell Disease, depending on whether Alison and Jamie's notes, or the BBC News broadcast, have the correct spelling.) Either way, it's an entirely imaginary disease.
* PrecisionFStrike: When [[spoiler: the police arrive for Charles]], he gives an uncharacteristically straightforward "Oh shit."

* ReallyGetsAround: Jamie.
* RightBehindMe: When Charles returns from prison, in the middle of Jamie's unflattering description of him.
* RunningGag: In the radio series Charles would always meet Archie (his government contact) in a deserted location, such as the campaign headquarters for an unpopular politician.
** In the first radio series, the Harold Dixon account. It's already lying fallow in Martin's pending tray in episode one, and escalates to a series of lawsuits by episode six. All off-camera.
*** When his unseen antics become too intolerable, Charles bankrupts Sir Harold and gets him arrested by the fraud squad. Because he can.

* {{Sequelitis}}: A particularly ghastly InUniverse example: "TheDiaryOfAnneFrank '''Two'''". According to Jamie "it's sort of a sequel" being attended by [[TonyBlair "Mr Blair"]].

* SharpDressedMan: Charles and Martin try to go for this. Jamie is clearly striving for the young, cool version, although his look can also tip into ImpossiblyTackyClothes, especially in Series 2.
* SitcomArchNemesis: Gayle Shand, Charles' ex and owner of a rival PR firm in the radio version.
* SlippingAMickey: Parodied - Alison slips a drug-using client a drug ''masking'' agent right before he is about to take a drug test.

* SoundToScreenAdaptation
* SpannerInTheWorks: "Ah, Clive, industrial sabotage on legs."
* 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."
* SpringtimeForHitler: In the radio episode "Healthy Eating", Martin's friend Roger is a tax lawyer who opens a restaurant in Devon to lose money. Out of sheer mischief, Martin neglects to mention this to Charles, who surprisingly decides he wants to help (he thinks) a decent, honest man with a failing business. It's only after the wheeze is successful that he learns the truth.
-->'''Charles''': Let me get this straight. I've been slaving my guts out to get customers into this restaurant, and I've been wasting my time? You swine!
-->'''Roger''': You! You're responsible for these ghastly punters and peasants all over my tax dodge? ''You'' swine!
-->'''Both''': ''Martin!!''
* TropaholicsAnonymous: Charles' sardonic description of a circle session:
-->'''Charles:''' What's this then? A meeting of Incompetents Anonymous?
* UnfortunateNames: Reza [[spoiler: Bin Laden]].[note]Yes, he is in fact related to that other one.[/note]

* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Angus Deyton attempts an UsefulNotes/AustralianAccent, for no appreciable reason. The result is utterly bizarre.

* WomanScorned: Gayle in the radio version, who's determined to see Prentiss [=McCabe=] fail because of her former relationship with Charles. (He left her when she told him she was married.)
** Also a SubvertedTrope in the case of Martin's ex-wife. She seems ''scorned'', but she wasn't very bothered, and mostly wrote a very slanderous story based on him purely for the money.

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

* NaziNobleman: Prentiss [=McCabe=] represents a group of them in the fifth episode of the first television series. Charles is excited about this, calling it "the ultimate PR challenge".

* ProfessionalSlacker: Martin, who's motive in any work seems to be to do less work.

* UnfortunateNames: Reza [[spoiler: Bin Laden]].

-->'''Charles''': We've all died and gone to our own particular hell.

* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Angus Deyton attempts an AustralianAccent, for no appreciable reason. The result is utterly bizarre.

-->'''Both'': ''Martin!!''

-->'''Charles''': Let me get this straight. I've been slaving my guys out to get customers into this restaurant, and I've been wasting my time? You swine!

* SpringtimeForHitler: In the radio episode "Healthy Eating", Martin's friend Roger is a tax lawyer who opens a restaurant in Devon to lose money. Out of sheer mischief, Martin neglects to mention this to Charles, who surprisingly decides he wants to help a decent, honest man with a failing business.

* AccidentalMisnaming: In the radio series, Maurice the waiter, whose name Charles always pronounces "Morris".

* BrandX: The UK's bestselling [[BritishNewspapers newspaper]], a redtop famous for pictures of women's breasts, is called the ''Daily News''.

* ActorAllusion:
** Charles Prentiss calls his young associates "Bright Young Things" and occasionally quotes Oscar Wilde.
** As a young man, Charles committed cheque fraud, was caught when he tried to charge an expensive stay in a luxury hotel, and spent several months in prison. Creator/StephenFry certainly did nothing of the sort. It was a stolen credit card.

* TheOtherDarrin: In series 4, Archie goes through a voice change from Tony Gardner (Dan Miller in ''Series/TheThickOfIt'') to Alex Lowe, and then goes back to Gardner for the special.

* TooSoon: The TV episode in which a member of the Bin Ladin family wants to buy British Airways was postponed due to the London bombings.

Absolute Power, a [[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.

* ActorAllusion: Charles Prentiss calls his young associates "Bright Young Things" and occasionally quotes Oscar Wilde.

* TheOtherDarrin: In series 4, Archie goes through a voice change from Tony Gardner (Dan Miller in ''TheThickOfIt'') to Alex Lowe, and then goes back to Gardner for the special.

-->'''Nick :''' (''takes the note off her'') A bit of a gloat.

* BitingTheHandHumor - the radio episode "Radio 3" in particular.

* BreakoutCharacter Charles and Martin were {{Ensemble Darkhorse}}s only tangentially attached to the George Cragge stories. The firing that lead to their own business- and series- happened in the last one.

* BumblingSidekick: Clive

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

* CloudCuckooLander / TheDitz: Clive in the radio series, Alison in the television adaptation.
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Martin on the celebrity seen beating up his pregnant girlfriend in the carpark of Ikea: "What the hell was he doing at Ikea?!"
* ConsummateLiar: Charles; James

** The radio series proper ends on a cozy note. Charles has finally been given his chance in America, working on the Bush reelection campaign, while Martin stews in London. But they're reunited in the end:

-->'''Martin''': Because! ... I don't know quite how to say this without being sick, but I thought if I went just a ''bit'' peculiar, Archie might, ''might'' feel impelled to call you back.

*** And he's quite merciless about Archie's poor French pronunciation. ("Try that accent in Paris, and you'll find whole new vistas of loneliness opening up...")

-->'''Alison (reading):''' Gone to The Connaught for a bit of a goat.
-->'''Nick (takes the note off her):''' A bit of a gloat.

-->'''Charles:''' This democratisation of gossip appalls me. There was a time where only I knew where the bodies were buried, now everybody seems to have a map to the graveyard.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: while some major clients will be fairly obvious [[{{Expy}} expies]] of real people, the show frequently averts this for throwaway gags. Often only first names are used, so it's perfectly obvious who they're talking about but [[LawyerFriendlyCameo the lawyers have nothing to get upset about]].

* {{Sequelitis}}: A particularly ghastly InUniverse example: "TheDiaryOfAnneFrank Two". According to Jamie "it's sort of a sequel" being attended by [[TonyBlair "Mr Blair"]]

* SharpDressedMan: Charles and Martin try to go for this. Jamie is clearly striving for the young, cool version of this, although his look can also tip into ImpossiblyTackyClothes, especially in Series 2.

* UnfortunateNames: Reza [[spoiler: Bin Laden]]

--> '''Cat''' (on lending Charles her flat): There's a corner shop to the right, and a great kebab place next door. There's also a good bus route into town...

** Also a SubvertedTrope in the case of Martin's ex-wife. She seems scorned, but it seems she wasn't very bothered, and mostly wrote a very slanderous story based on him purely for the money.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Gareth David-Lloyd from {{Torchwood}} appears in one episode as a young footballer.

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: The work of Dean Wheelwright, who's work includes such dubious masterpieces as a milk bottle full of sperm.
-->'''Martin:''' Is it art?
-->'''Jamie:''' Yes.
-->'''Martin:''' Why?
-->'''Jamie:''' Because the [[TheBeautifulElite right people]] say it is.