---
title: "The Mighty Boosh"
year: 2004
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-mighty-boosh"
fi1m_id: "the-mighty-boosh"
imdb_id: "tt0416394"
tmdb_id: 7166
wikidata_id: "Q1478925"
fi1m_score: 80
critics_score: 70
critics_reviews: 5
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-20T21:17:04.299214+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Mighty Boosh (2004)

Created by Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt · 30m · Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

## Identity

The Mighty Boosh

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/the-mighty-boosh
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** the-mighty-boosh
- **IMDb ID:** tt0416394
- **TMDB ID:** 7166
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1478925
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416394/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/7166, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1478925

**Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 70 (early) from 5 reviews

*In a sentence:* Julian Barratt deserves a quiet half-hour after every half-hour he spends beside Noel Fielding

> *The Mighty Boosh* is a warm, funny fantasy comedy, with Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding excellent together. We recommend it for their partnership, with a warning that some jokes go on after the laughter has stopped.

## Synopsis

Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding create and star in *The Mighty Boosh*, a half-hour comedy series mixing science fiction and fantasy. Barratt plays Howard Moon and Fielding plays Vince Noir, alongside Michael Fielding as Naboo the Enigma, Rich Fulcher as Bob Fossil and Matt Berry as Dixon Bainbridge. Across three series, the cast also includes Richard Ayoade as Saboo, Ramon Tikaram as Banoo and Margaret John as Nanatoo. Paul King and Steve Bendelack direct, with writing by Barratt, Fielding and Ayoade and music by Barratt.

## Review

*The Mighty Boosh* is good company, provided we accept that some of the jokes will stay longer than they should. Creators Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding take silliness seriously, and their commitment makes this peculiar comedy worth the evening. The science fiction and fantasy give them plenty of freedom, but the warmth matters more than the licence to be odd. There is something generous about comedy that wants to be strange without making its audience feel unwelcome.

Barratt’s Howard Moon is the main reason it works for us. His solemnity gives the nonsense something to push against, while Fielding’s Vince Noir brings a lighter, more casual confidence. We laughed at Barratt’s seriousness; he makes the effort of maintaining it funny in itself. The pairing is strong enough to hold our attention even when the writing seems pleased with how peculiar it can be, and neither performer needs to win every exchange.

Michael Fielding is economical as Naboo the Enigma, and his restraint is welcome among these more emphatic performances. Matt Berry’s Dixon Bainbridge is emphatic but never tiring; the precision of his delivery makes a difference. Rich Fulcher’s Bob Fossil is the more testing contribution: his performance can feel like extra noise where there is already plenty. Still, this is a cast whose differences are useful, and the comedy would be poorer if everyone approached it with the same degree of enthusiasm.

Directors Paul King and Steve Bendelack give the visual comedy attention without letting it make the performers incidental. James Dillon and Dennis De Groot’s production design has a pleasing sense of play, and its artificiality suits material that would gain little from looking convincing. The cinematography by Dave Brown and John Simmons is most effective when it keeps the actors clear amid that visual busyness. Their work gives us enough to look at without making faces and reactions difficult to follow.

Barratt’s music is funny partly because it sounds so confidently played. It helps the comedy feel considered even when the material is cheerfully refusing to make sense, and deserves attention beyond its usefulness as accompaniment. Editor Gary Dollner has the less grateful job of deciding how long to let all this continue. The cutting is often responsive to the performers, although there are stretches where the joke has spent itself and the scene carries on for another beat.

The writing, credited to Barratt, Fielding and Richard Ayoade, shares responsibility for that slackness. A weak idea can receive the same patient attention as a good one, and affection for the cast does not make those minutes quicker. Half an hour is hardly a great demand, but the programme can still feel overextended within it. We would prefer a little less indulgence in those passages, especially when a performance is already making the point clearly.

Surreal comedy can become exhausting when every oddity has to outdo the last, and this has enough interest in its performers to avoid that much of the time. Barratt and Fielding give us a reason to return even after an episode that has wandered. There is no reason to pretend that its humour will suit everyone. Try one episode before planning an evening of them.

*Fi1m score 80, published 15 September 2026.*

## Straight answers

**Is The Mighty Boosh worth watching?**

*The Mighty Boosh* is worth watching for anyone who enjoys surreal comedy built on a strong double act, and we scored it 80. Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding are the reason it works, with Barratt's solemn Howard Moon giving the nonsense something to push against. Some jokes run on after the laughter has stopped, so try one episode before planning an evening of them.

**How long is The Mighty Boosh, and what is it rated?**

*The Mighty Boosh* has episodes of about 30m. It is a comedy and sci-fi & fantasy series.

**Where can I watch The Mighty Boosh in the US?**

*The Mighty Boosh* is streaming on Hulu and Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to buy from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Mighty Boosh, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Mighty Boosh* carries a UK 15 certificate, so it is not intended for children, though its comedy is silly rather than violent or frightening. The fantasy and science fiction settings are playful and artificial, not menacing. The certificate points to adult humour rather than anything the squeamish need worry about, and teenagers of fifteen and over should be fine.

**How does The Mighty Boosh compare to Flight of the Conchords?**

*The Mighty Boosh* is the stranger and more visually busy of the two, while [*Flight of the Conchords*](https://film.one/tv/flight-of-the-conchords) is the drier, and both build on a contrasting pair of leads and music worth hearing beyond the joke. Barratt and Fielding lean into fantasy and oddness; Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement keep things deadpan and let the songs carry them. Choose the Boosh for warmth and surrealism, the Conchords for understatement and the numbers.

**What should I watch after The Mighty Boosh?**

After *The Mighty Boosh*, try [*Daisies*](https://film.one/film/daisies) (1966, Fi1m 85): A less cosy choice, equally happy to disregard sensible behaviour. Then [*Flight of the Conchords*](https://film.one/tv/flight-of-the-conchords) (2007, Fi1m 84): Two contrasting leads and music worth hearing beyond the joke.

### Reviews we read (5)

- **The AV Club**, Noel Murray (80/100, inferred): The critic highlights the series' assured episodes filled with surreal adventures, rapid-fire near-non-sequiturs, elaborate costumes, and snappy musical numbers that create a distinctive headspace. While noting that some installments prioritize self-mythologizing over jokes in later seasons, the review singles out Fielding's brilliant offbeat characters and the show's convulsively funny moments when premises click. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-mighty-boosh-the-mighty-boosh-2-the-mighty-boos-1798206588)
- **The Times**, Stephen Armstrong (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the show genuinely delightful, describing it as a fairy tale directed by David Lynch that could almost pass muster for 10-year-olds. It mixes the silly, the beautiful and the strange in contrast to darker surreal comedy like The League of Gentlemen. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/comedy-a-class-menagerie-gj59glhmr0h)
- **The Guardian** (30/100, inferred): The early seasons captured a joyous, quotable odd-couple sitcom with magical adventures and DIY charm that felt like a secret club for fans. The third series grew overly slick, self-referential and smug, losing the underdog appeal that made the show special. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/mar/25/bish-bash-boosh-how-the-mighty-boosh-started-to-believe-its-own-hype)
- **Collider**, Chelsea Adelaine Hassler (90/100, inferred): The critic calls The Mighty Boosh the greatest comedy series ever, praising its rejection of conventional TV rules in favor of a fully realized surrealist universe of whimsy, handmade visuals, and integral musical elements that advance the story. [Read](https://collider.com/best-comedy-show-mighty-boosh-bbc/)
- **Paste**, Leila Regan-Porter (90/100, inferred): The critic finds The Mighty Boosh a wonderfully bizarre British comedy export that Americans should embrace without trying to understand its oddness. She singles out its surreal world of zookeepers, magical characters, and handmade psychedelic visuals for praise. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-mighty-boosh/the-mighty-boosh-season-1)

## Details

- **Created by:** Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt
- **Creator:** Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt
- **Director:** Paul King, Steve Bendelack
- **Writer:** Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, Richard Ayoade
- **Cinematography:** Dave Brown, John Simmons
- **Editor:** Gary Dollner
- **Music:** Julian Barratt
- **Production design:** Dennis De Groot, James Dillon
- **Costume design:** Annie Hardinge
- **Producer:** Steve Coogan, Henry Normal, Spencer Millman
- **Cast:** Julian Barratt as Howard Moon; Noel Fielding as Vince Noir; Michael Fielding as Naboo the Enigma; Matt Berry as Dixon Bainbridge; Dave Brown as Fire; Rich Fulcher as Bob Fossil; Margaret John as Nanatoo; Roger Daltrey as Roger Daltrey
- **Runtime:** 30m
- **Release (the US):** 18 May 2004
- **Genres:** Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

## Where to watch in the US

- Hulu: streaming
- Disney+: add-on, sd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy, sd
- Apple TV: buy, sd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AT, AU, CA, DE, FR, GB, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Goodies* (1970): Another comedy that commits fully to nonsense and comic partnership
- *Daisies* (1966), Fi1m 85: A less cosy choice, equally happy to disregard sensible behaviour — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/daisies.md)
- *House* (1977): For those who would like their comic fantasy considerably more frightening
- *Flight of the Conchords* (2007), Fi1m 84: Two contrasting leads and music worth hearing beyond the joke — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/flight-of-the-conchords.md)
- *Los Espookys* (2019): For comic friendship and strangeness treated as ordinary working life

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/the-mighty-boosh