All the queen's madmen: the two comedians behind Little Britain create a wide range of wacko characters, including "the only gay in the village".

Little Britain * Starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams * BBC America * Premieres June 20

American audiences may struggle with some of the parochial cultural references in the hit BBC comedy sketch series Little Britain, but they will not fail to respond to the scintillating humor on offer in this Pythonesque revue, which has become a cultural phenomenon in the United Kingdom. Written by and starring--in many guises--comics Matt Lucas and David Walliams, Little Britain supposedly portrays the real people who make up British society but instead provides a series of highly memorable lunatics and bizarre caricatures.

Best of all is Daffyd (Lucas), whose catchphrase is "I'm the only gay in the village," the funniest (and apparently most quoted) of all the characters. Bearing the hallmarks of a dedicated circuit boy--elaborately styled peroxided hair, lip gloss, rubber hot pants--the fat Daffyd lives in a small rural village in Wales, where he makes his famous claim (in a wonderfully camp Welsh accent, no less). But as we see in every episode, Daffyd is all talk; whenever presented with the opportunity to meet other gay men, he shies away. He even goes so far as to have an HIV test even though he freely admits he's never had sex. (When asked his occupation at the sexual-health clinic, he replies, "Gay.")

Sexual lines are blurred effortlessly throughout, whether the actors are donning drag to play women, playing gay, or, in one case for Walliams, playing Emily Howard, an "unconvincing trite" with the catchphrase "I'm a lady; I do ladies' things."

Although there is a natural failure rate in the gags, the recurring characters are never less than amusing. There's Sebastian (Walliams), the overzealous assistant to the U.K. prime minister (played by Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Head) who cannot conceal iris love for his boss; Jason, the 20-something man who is in lust with his best friend's decrepit grandmother, Marjorie Dawes (Lucas), the leader of a weight-watchers group called Fat Fighters who ritually humiliates the members; Vicky Pollard (Lucas), a teenage tart in and out of juvenile detention centers who starts her every sentence with, "Yeah, but no, but yeah, but"; and the docile, wheelchair-bound Andy (Lucas), whose abuse of his caretaker and friend, Lou (Walliams), is constant and howlingly funny.

Parallels to Monty Python's Flying Circus are frequent, including the absurdist narration by Tom Baker (a former Dr. Who) linking the sketches in each episode, the surreal goings-on at Kelsey Grammar School, and the wacko mannerisms of barmy Scottish hotelier Ray McCooney. Affectionately unforgiving of every minority and social demographic, it's the best British import since The Office.

Goodridge is U.S. editor of Screen International.