Mrs. Brown's Boys
{{short description|Television series and sitcom by Brendan O'Carroll}}
{{for|the suffrage campaigner|Agnes Brown (suffragist)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Mrs. Brown's Boys.png
| genre = Comedy
| creator = Brendan O'Carroll
| writer = {{plainlist|
- Brendan O'Carroll
- Paddy Houlihan
}}
| director = Ben Kellett
| starring = {{plainlist|
- Brendan O'Carroll
- Jennifer Gibney
- Eilish O'Carroll
- Danny O'Carroll
- Rory Cowan
- Fiona O'Carroll
- Pat Shields
- Amanda Woods
- Dermot O'Neill
- Gary Hollywood
- Fiona Gibney
- Martin Delany
- Conor Maloney
- Susie Blake
- June Rodgers
- Sorcha Cusack
- Damien McKiernan
}}
| theme_music_composer = Andy O'Callaghan
| open_theme = Mrs. Brown's Boys Theme Tune
| end_theme = Mrs. Brown's Boys Outro
| composer = Andy O'Callaghan
| country = Ireland
| language = English
| num_series = 4
| num_episodes = 51 (29 specials)
| list_episodes = List of Mrs. Brown's Boys episodes
| executive_producer = {{plainlist|
- Brendan O'Carroll
- Chris Sussman
- Justin Healy
- Mark Freeland
- Martin Delany
- Ewan Angus
- Steven Canny
- Eddie Doyle
}}
| producer = {{plainlist|
- Stephen McCrum
- James Farrell
- Fiona Gibney
- Tracy McParland
}}
| location = BBC Pacific Quay
| editor = Mark Lawrence
| runtime = {{plainlist|
- 30–40 minutes
}}
| company = BBC Studios Comedy Productions
BBC Scotland
BOC-PIX
| network = BBC One
RTÉ One (Ireland)
| first_aired = {{Start date|2011|1|1|df=y}}
| last_aired = present
| related = All Round to Mrs. Brown's
}}
Mrs. Brown's Boys is a television sitcom created by and starring Brendan O'Carroll and produced in Ireland by BBC and BBC Studios in partnership with BOC-PIX and Irish broadcaster RTÉ. The series stars O'Carroll as Agnes Brown, with several of O'Carroll's close friends and family members making up the rest of the cast. The show adopts an informal production style often breaking the fourth wall; material that would normally be outtakes are intentionally left in broadcast episodes, along with intentional tomfoolery, mostly instigated by O'Carroll.
Mrs. Brown's Boys was developed from O'Carroll's works going back to the early 1990s. The character, Agnes Browne, first appeared in stage plays, radio plays, books, and straight-to-DVD films. For the sitcom, the spelling of Agnes' surname was shortened from Browne to Brown. A stage show has continued to run, and during February and March 2014 it toured Australia. A feature film, Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie, was released on 27 June 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/mrs_browns_boys_dmovie|title=Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie|publisher=BBC Films|access-date=25 March 2014|archive-date=22 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322074917/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/mrs_browns_boys_dmovie|url-status=live}} In late 2023, the show returned for a fourth series.{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a43195207/mrs-browns-boys-new-series/ |title=Mrs Brown's Boys set to return to the BBC in 2023 for a mini series |last=Lewis |first=George |work=Digital Spy |date=5 March 2023 |access-date=May 22, 2023}} In April 2025, it was announced that a fifth series of four episodes had been commissioned which will be filmed in May 2025.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/8306/mrs-browns-boys-series-5/ |title=Mrs Brown's Boys to return to BBC One for Series 5|publisher=British Comedy Guide |date=4 April 2025 |access-date=12 April 2025}}
The show has received poor reviews by critics and received unfavourable comparisons to Father Ted. Despite this, it became a ratings success in both Ireland, where it is set, and the United Kingdom, where it is recorded. It also received high ratings in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The show has won numerous industry awards. Despite a limited number of episodes, the show has returned annually for Christmas and New Year's specials since 2013.
Background
The original radio play version of Mrs. Browne's Boys (the 'e' in Browne was later dropped) appeared first on Irish radio station RTÉ 2fm in 1992, then in a series of books written by Brendan O'Carroll from the mid-1990s onwards.{{cite web |last=Ring |first=Evelyn |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfqlojkfmhey/rss2/ |title='Mad' success for Mrs Brown |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=26 November 2011 |access-date=30 September 2012 |archive-date=14 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214222754/http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfqlojkfmhey/rss2/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news | url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/ttv/thecafe/brendantatiana.html | work=RTÉ News | title=The Cafe | date=20 December 2005 | access-date=1 April 2012 | archive-date=2 October 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002142912/http://www.rte.ie/tv/ttv/thecafe/brendantatiana.html | url-status=live }} The books, entitled The Mammy, The Chisellers, The Granny, and The Young Wan, were first published in Ireland, before being made available in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://www.obrien.ie/author.cfm?authorID=8|title=Brendan O'Carroll: O'Brien Press Author|access-date=13 January 2012|archive-date=13 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413075641/http://www.obrien.ie/author.cfm?authorID=8|url-status=live}} In 1999, The Mammy was adapted into a film titled Agnes Browne with Anjelica Huston playing the title character. Following the film's success, O'Carroll wrote a series of stories adapted from the books, in which he played Mrs. Browne (now spelled 'Brown') and cast the rest of the family – including many of his own relatives as characters.
A series of seven film-like adaptations was made and went straight to DVD release, originally officially just for Ireland, and since re-released via Universal Pictures, as "Mrs Brown(e)'s Boys – The Original Series". In turn, while these 7 straight-to-video features were released over the next few years, they would then also become adapted into the 7 stage plays later performed in rotation on the various tours, originally just in Ireland.
During this time, O'Carroll took the show on the road, appearing in a series of Mrs. Brown plays in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Outside of Ireland, the stage show got its big break at Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, where manager Iain Gordon liked O'Carroll's idea and decided to put it on, but the show didn't sell and O'Carroll suggested a 2-for-1 ticket deal, after which the show became a hit. For the next seven years, two different Mrs Brown's Boys shows were on for up to three weeks at a time. The Pavilion became known as "The Home of Mrs Brown".
There were also occasional DVD releases of the live theatre audience theatrical versions of the seven plays adapted from the original "The Original Series" features. These tour versions of the features are the video series referred to as the "Live Tour/Show", not to be confused with the live BBC/RTE TV broadcast episodes.
Production
In early 2009, O'Carroll was approached by BBC Scotland producer Stephen McCrum{{cite web |author=Phil Miller |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/fans-of-mrs-browns-boys-face-wait-for-next-run.20050587 |title=Fans of Mrs Brown's Boys face wait for next run |publisher=Herald Scotland |date=30 January 2013 |access-date=4 July 2013 |archive-date=6 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206144935/http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/fans-of-mrs-browns-boys-face-wait-for-next-run.20050587 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |author=Gordon Barr |url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/interview-brendan-ocarroll-aka-mrs-1399204 |title=Interview: Brendan O'Carroll, aka Mrs Brown |publisher=Chronicle Live |date=13 May 2011 |access-date=4 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006093610/http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/interview-brendan-ocarroll-aka-mrs-1399204 |archive-date=6 October 2014}}{{cite news |first=Brian|last=Logan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/jan/29/mrs-browns-boys-worst-comedy-ever-made-smash |title=Mrs Brown's Boys: how the 'worst comedy ever made' became a smash hit|work=The Guardian |date=29 January 2013 |location=London |archive-date=29 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229132531/http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/jan/29/mrs-browns-boys-worst-comedy-ever-made-smash |url-status=live }} to create a television series based on the stage show. O'Carroll recruited an expanded cast mainly from family members and wrote a pilot, but production was held back a year due to the Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand incident.{{cite interview |last=O'Carroll|first=Brendan|interviewer=Mary Comerford|url=http://www.tvchoicemagazine.co.uk/interviewextra/brendan-ocarroll-mrs-browns-boys |title=Brendan O'Carroll, Mrs Brown's Boys |publisher=TV Choice|archive-date=11 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311225811/http://www.tvchoicemagazine.co.uk/interviewextra/brendan-ocarroll-mrs-browns-boys|url-status=dead}} The unbroadcast pilot was created in November 2009, and within three weeks of the pilot being submitted to the BBC, they commissioned a full series. Subsequently, RTÉ came on board to help produce the series in partnership with the BBC. The first series aired on RTÉ One from 1 January to 5 February 2011. In the United Kingdom, the BBC transmitted the first episode on 21 February 2011.
Following the success of the first series, RTÉ and the BBC commissioned a second, which began with a Christmas special broadcast on 25 December 2011 on RTÉ One, and the next day on BBC One. The latter was the most watched television programme in Ireland over the Christmas season.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1228/ocarrollbrendan.html|title=Mrs Brown's Boys tops Christmas viewership|date=28 December 2011|work=RTÉ Ten|access-date=28 December 2011|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|archive-date=7 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107193919/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1228/ocarrollbrendan.html|url-status=live}} The second series began on New Year's Eve 2011 in Ireland, and two days later in the United Kingdom.
The BBC commissioned a third series in November 2011 a few weeks before the second series was broadcast.{{cite web |author=Jaine Sykes |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy/2011/11/mrs-browns-boys-series-three.shtml |title=Comedy Blog: Mrs. Brown's Boys recommissioned for a third series |publisher=BBC |access-date=4 July 2013 |archive-date=4 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204201549/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy/2011/11/mrs-browns-boys-series-three.shtml |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a352501/mrs-browns-boys-handed-third-series.html |title='Mrs Brown's Boys' handed third series – TV News |publisher=Digital Spy |date=23 November 2011 |access-date=4 July 2013 |archive-date=20 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620123038/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a352501/mrs-browns-boys-handed-third-series.html |url-status=live }} O'Carroll described the commission as "An extraordinary gift and we genuinely don't take it lightly. We're overwhelmed with the support of the audience and hopefully when they see what we've done with the second series they'll see that maybe the BBC is not totally mad."{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy/2011/11/mrs-browns-boys-series-three.shtml|title=Mrs. Brown's Boys recommissioned for a third series|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 September 2012|archive-date=17 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017070255/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/comedy/2011/11/mrs-browns-boys-series-three.shtml|url-status=live}} Cheryl Taylor, the controller of comedy commissioning for the BBC also commented on the commission of a third series, "The new Mrs Brown's episodes are rip-roaring fun and will delight her ever growing army of fans. I am pleased as punch that we are commissioning series three – go Agnes!"{{cite web|title=Mrs Brown's Boys recommissioned for third series on BBC One|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/Mrs-Browns-Boys-231111.html|publisher=BBC|access-date=22 September 2012|archive-date=1 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101084114/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/Mrs-Browns-Boys-231111.html|url-status=live}} Following two Christmas specials, the third series began on 29 December 2012 on RTÉ One{{cite web|url=http://www.tvnow.ie/detail.asp?id=142229906|title=Mrs Brown's Boys Season 3 Episode 3 of 8|publisher=TV Now|access-date=20 December 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218011558/http://www.tvnow.ie/detail.asp?id=142229906|archive-date=18 February 2013}} and on 1 January 2013 on BBC One.{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/tgk4d/mrs-browns-boys--series-3---3-mammys-spell|title=Mrs Brown's Boys SERIES 3 – 3. MAMMY'S SPELL|publisher=BBC Media Centre|access-date=20 December 2012|archive-date=31 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121231040706/http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/tgk4d/mrs-browns-boys--series-3---3-mammys-spell|url-status=live}}
According to Gary Hollywood, who played Dino, on a radio interview, a Mrs. Brown's Boys Christmas Special for the year 2013 would be recorded in May 2013, due to a busy schedule of UK touring and the potential of filming the Mrs. Brown film (due for cinematic release in June 2014) from September to November 2013.{{cite web|title=Gary Hollywood Interview|website = YouTube| date=10 January 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlTkXoXMdx0|access-date=27 January 2013|archive-date=6 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106165652/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlTkXoXMdx0|url-status=live}} On 30 January 2013, the BBC announced that two Christmas specials had been commissioned for 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/mrs-browns-boys-xmas-2013.html|title=Mrs Brown's Boys to return to BBC One at Christmas|publisher=BBC Media Centre|date=30 January 2013|access-date=30 January 2013|archive-date=31 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131231921/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/mrs-browns-boys-xmas-2013.html|url-status=live}}
The BBC announced that they had commissioned two more Christmas specials for 2015. O'Carroll stated: "I have been commissioned to write another two Christmas specials and the BBC are expecting Christmas specials up until 2020."{{cite web|last=Babbage|first=Rachel|date=2 January 2015|title=Mrs Brown's Boys to air Christmas specials 'until 2020'|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a619034/mrs-browns-boys-to-air-christmas-specials-until-2020.html#~p0gbmIYs4Q4uvY|access-date=18 November 2016|publisher=Digitalspy.co.uk|archive-date=25 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025205648/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a619034/mrs-browns-boys-to-air-christmas-specials-until-2020.html#~p0gbmIYs4Q4uvY|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=ByMaeve QuigleyOlivia Buxton|date=2 January 2015|title=Mrs Brown's Boys star Brendan O'Carroll signs up to make Christmas specials until 2020 – Mirror Online|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/mrs-browns-boys-star-brendan-4907120|access-date=18 November 2016|publisher=Mirror.co.uk|archive-date=13 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313215216/http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/mrs-browns-boys-star-brendan-4907120|url-status=live}} In December 2020, O’Carroll announced that additional Christmas specials had been commissioned up to 2026, stating "This new deal we signed last week goes all the way to 2026, which means I will be able to grow into the part, and we’ve a clause in which guarantees Mrs Brown is aired at 10pm on Christmas night, or else we don’t have to make it.".{{Cite web|date=2020-12-17|title=Mrs Brown's Boys will air until at least 2026|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/mrs-browns-boys-christmas-special-b1775451.html|access-date=2021-01-11|website=The Independent|language=en|archive-date=31 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201231123738/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/mrs-browns-boys-christmas-special-b1775451.html|url-status=live}}
On 19 February 2022, it was announced that Mrs. Brown’s Boys would be returning for a fourth series set to air in 2022. This marked the first new series of the show in almost 10 years. It was later announced that the series was put on hold due to scheduling difficulties, with it instead being a four episode mini-series, filmed in 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6730/mrs-browns-boys-2022-series/ |title=Mrs Brown's Boys to return for full series |date=February 20, 2022 |website=British Comedy Guide |access-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220104148/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6730/mrs-browns-boys-2022-series/ |archive-date=February 20, 2022}} The series aired in September 2023, with the first episode on September 8, and the next three weekly.
Mrs. Brown's Boys is recorded at the BBC Pacific Quay studios in Glasgow{{cite web|author=Marion Scott|date=20 March 2011|title=Brown is the new back as Mrs Brown's Boys is set to return|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/television-news/2011/03/20/brown-is-the-new-back-as-mrs-brown-s-boys-is-set-to-return-86908-23003641/|access-date=30 September 2012|publisher=The Daily Record|archive-date=29 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629121258/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/television-news/2011/03/20/brown-is-the-new-back-as-mrs-brown-s-boys-is-set-to-return-86908-23003641/|url-status=live}} and is recorded in front of a live audience, which is seen at the beginning and the end of each show.
Premise
{{See also|List of Mrs. Brown's Boys characters}}
While a fictional storyline is the basis of each episode, the programme uses a laissez-faire style in which areas beyond the set, including equipment and crew, are sometimes seen and aspects of the show's production are lampooned within the fictional dialogue. The show takes a more irregular concept as bloopers such as characters getting lines wrong or corpsing; and set, camera, and prop faults are not edited out of the episodes.
At the beginning of most episodes Agnes Brown breaks the fourth wall, with an introductory monologue. Each episode ends with Agnes again breaking the fourth wall to say goodbye. As the credits roll, the camera pulls out to see the audience and the cast of the entire episode lining up to take a bow. The finale (also including some Christmas specials) of every series so far has ended with a music performance by the cast. "Who's a Pretty Mammy" ended with a performance of Auld Lang Syne, complete with bagpipes.
The show also has a number of recurring running gags; examples include Agnes' blissful ignorance of Rory's obvious homosexuality in series 1, Dermot's outlandish costumes and alliterative tongue-twisters in relation to his job as a promoter, and in the festive specials, a Christmas tree that typically malfunctions on Agnes with "hilarious" consequences.
Episodes
{{main|List of Mrs. Brown's Boys episodes}}
{{:List of Mrs. Brown's Boys episodes}}
International broadcast
The series is also broadcast in the United States (BBC America), Canada (BBC Canada{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0425/1224315143931.html|title='Thrilled' Carroll leads Irish Bafta charge|last=McGreevy|first=Ronan|date=25 April 2012|access-date=22 December 2012|publisher=Irishtimes.com|archive-date=26 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426081550/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0425/1224315143931.html|url-status=live}}), Québec (French version adapted for Super Écran under the title Mme Lebrun), New Zealand (TVNZ 1{{cite web|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/mrs-browns-boys/brown-s-4912095|title=Mrs Brown's Boys|publisher=TVNZ|access-date=22 September 2012|archive-date=4 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004150044/http://tvnz.co.nz/mrs-browns-boys/brown-s-4912095|url-status=live}}), South Africa, Iceland and Australia (Seven Network{{cite web|url=http://www.irishecho.com.au/2012/06/29/mrs-browns-boys-draws-big-audience/19423|title=Mrs Brown's Boys draws big audience|publisher=Irish Echo|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713102605/http://www.irishecho.com.au/2012/06/29/mrs-browns-boys-draws-big-audience/19423|archive-date=13 July 2012|access-date=22 September 2012}}).
Critical reception
Despite its high viewership, Mrs. Brown's Boys has received poor reviews from critics.{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/critics-hate-us-but-they-never-say-how-the-audience-is-screaming-with-laughter-2589289.html|title=Critics hate us but they never say how the audience is screaming with laughter|last=Finn|first=Melanie|date=22 March 2011|publisher=Herald.ie|access-date=13 December 2012|archive-date=1 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101071837/http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/critics-hate-us-but-they-never-say-how-the-audience-is-screaming-with-laughter-2589289.html|url-status=live}}
"The whole thing is entirely predicated on viewers finding a man dressed as a foul-mouthed elderly woman intrinsically funny", wrote Bernice Harrison, TV reviewer with The Irish Times. "If you do, you're away in a hack, and the viewing figures are astronomical, but if you don't, and you think that died out with Les Dawson and Dick Emery, then it's a long half-hour."{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0212/1224289582149.html|title=It's not that 'Mrs Brown' is too mainstream. It's just not funny.|last=Harrison|first=Bernice|date=12 February 2011|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=21 February 2011|publisher=Irish Times Trust|archive-date=17 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217044645/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0212/1224289582149.html|url-status=live}} The Irish Independent said that Mrs Brown's Boys was the type of TV programme "that makes you vaguely embarrassed to be Irish".{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/why-irish-tv-has-the-cringe-factor-2547198.html|title=Why Irish TV has the cringe factor|date=19 February 2011|work=Irish Independent|access-date=21 February 2011|publisher=Independent News & Media|archive-date=19 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219235537/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/why-irish-tv-has-the-cringe-factor-2547198.html|url-status=live}} Irish writer Graham Linehan has said he does not want his sitcom The Walshes to be compared with Mrs. Brown's Boys.{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-02-24/graham-linehan-on-the-walshes-our-comedy-about-an-irish-family-is-no-mrs-browns-boys|title=Graham Linehan: "I was never really a big fan of Brendan O'Carroll"|access-date=20 July 2014|archive-date=4 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304052637/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-02-24/graham-linehan-on-the-walshes-our-comedy-about-an-irish-family-is-no-mrs-browns-boys|url-status=live}}
Outside Ireland, it has received similarly poor reviews. The Daily Telegraph's Sam Richards noted that the show's comedy has a "rudimentary nature", consisting of "an old-fashioned blend of silly voices and slapstick, played out in front of a live studio audience who collapse into giggles at the mere mention of the word "willy".{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5602956/TV-highlights.html|title=TV highlights|last1=Reporters|first1=Telegraph|date=12 February 2011|work=Daily Telegraph|access-date=21 February 2011|archive-date=15 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115011754/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5602956/TV-highlights.html|url-status=dead}} Bruce Dessau in The Guardian described it as a "predictable, vulgar vehicle for Irish comedian Brendan O'Carroll", and in comparing it with other sitcoms said "No amount of 'fecks' are going to make Mrs Brown's Boys a classic like Father Ted".Dessau, Bruce. [https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/mar/01/mrs-browns-boys "Mrs Brown's Boys: mainstream comedy for the middle-aged"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102085735/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/mar/01/mrs-browns-boys |date=2 January 2017 }}, The Guardian, 1 March 2011. Grace Dent of The Independent remarked: "Once seen, it is rarely forgotten. To love Mrs Brown, one must be thrilled by a man in a hairnet and dinner lady tabard saying the F-word roughly once every ten minutes, egged on by a loyal studio audience so whipped to hysteria by him that one can hear pants being soiled and spleens exploding with mirth."{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/grace-dent-on-tv-mrs-browns-boys-bbc1-8432020.html|title=Grace Dent on TV: Mrs Brown's Boys, BBC1|date=29 December 2012|access-date=24 June 2014|work=The Independent|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714233330/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/grace-dent-on-tv-mrs-browns-boys-bbc1-8432020.html|url-status=live}} Paul English of the Daily Record blasted the show as "lazy, end-of-pier trash rooted in the 1970s... One half-hour of this actually made me angry. Angry that the BBC seem to be abandoning quality in the pursuit of lowest common denominator ratings."{{cite web|url=http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/paulenglish/2011/02/tanks-for-nothing.html|title=Travelling back to the 70s with Mrs Brown was unpleasant experience|date=24 February 2011|publisher=Daily Record|access-date=24 June 2014|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006155417/http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/paulenglish/2011/02/tanks-for-nothing.html|url-status=live}} Metro called it "jaw-droppingly past its sell-by date" and "not even remotely funny", saying that the BBC should "hang its head in shame" for showing "this RTÉ drivel".{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2011/02/21/mrs-browns-boys-series-1-episode-1-tv-review-640105/|title=Mrs Brown's Boys was just jaw-droppingly past its sell-by date|date=21 February 2011|publisher=The Metro|access-date=24 June 2014|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714150121/http://metro.co.uk/2011/02/21/mrs-browns-boys-series-1-episode-1-tv-review-640105/|url-status=live}}
=Irish television ratings=
Mrs. Brown's Boys was a ratings success upon its initial broadcast in Ireland. Every episode aired won its timeslot for RTÉ, with an average viewership of 753,500 in January 2011. One episode's rating beat that of RTÉ's own ratings giant The Late Late Show, with 856,000 viewers tuning in to watch.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/mrs-browns-boys-put-it-up-to-tubridy-2526623.html|title=Mrs Brown's Boys put it up to Tubridy|date=5 February 2011|work=Irish Independent|access-date=5 February 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802011332/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/mrs-browns-boys-put-it-up-to-tubridy-2526623.html|archive-date=2 August 2012|publisher=Independent News & Media}} The 2011 Christmas episode was the most-watched TV show in Ireland over the holiday season, with a 48.6% audience share. A year later the show again topped the Christmas ratings with "The Virgin Mammy" gaining an average of 972,000 viewers and a 47% share, and "Mammy Christmas" gaining an average of 851,000 viewers and a 51% share.{{cite web|url=http://www.iftn.ie/broadcast/BroadcastNews/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285676&tpl=archnews&force=1|title=RTÉ Television Tops Christmas 2012|last=Gilmore|first=Gearóid|date=2 January 2013|publisher=The Irish Film & Television Network|access-date=8 January 2013|archive-date=1 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201074119/http://www.iftn.ie/broadcast/BroadcastNews/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285676&tpl=archnews&force=1|url-status=live}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
| Institute | Award | Year | Results |
| British Academy Television Awards
| 2011 | {{nominated}} |
| Irish Film and Television Awards
| Best Entertainment Program | 2012 | {{won}} |
| British Academy Television Awards
| 2012 | {{won}} |
| British Academy Television Awards
| Best Male Performance in a Comedy for Brendan O'Carroll | 2012 | {{nominated}} |
| TV Choice Awards
| Best Comedy | 2012 | {{won}} |
| British Academy Scottish Awards
| Best Comedy Entertainment Program | 2012 | {{won}} |
| National Television Awards
| Best Comedy | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2024 | {{won}} x 3 consecutive years |
| Scottish RTS Awards
| Best Comedy | 2014 | {{nominated}} |
| BAFTA Awards
| Best Male in a Comedy for Brendan O'Carroll | 2014 | {{nominated}} |
| TV Choice Awards
| Best Comedy | 2024 | {{Won}} |
{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/arts/ocarrolls-hit-comedy-nominated-for-bafta-award-2630215.html|title=O'Carroll's hit comedy nominated for BAFTA award|last=Bray|first=Allison|date=27 April 2011|work=Irish Independent|access-date=27 April 2011|publisher=Independent News & Media|archive-date=6 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506232238/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/arts/ocarrolls-hit-comedy-nominated-for-bafta-award-2630215.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/what-eurovision-mrs-browns-boys-leads-the-irish-winners-at-the-bafta-awards-3120040.html|title=What Eurovision? Mrs Brown's Boys leads the Irish winners at the BAFTA awards|last1=Hilliard|first1=Mark|date=27 May 2012|work=Irish Independent|access-date=29 May 2012|last2=Sweeney|first2=Ken|archive-date=29 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529065527/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/what-eurovision-mrs-browns-boys-leads-the-irish-winners-at-the-bafta-awards-3120040.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/mrs-browns-boys-wins-best-comedy-at-tvchoice-awards-in-london-3226739.html|title='Mrs Brown's boys' wins best comedy at TVChoice awards in London|date=11 September 2012|access-date=23 January 2013|publisher=Independent.ie|archive-date=11 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011034329/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/mrs-browns-boys-wins-best-comedy-at-tvchoice-awards-in-london-3226739.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/nominees-winners-2012,3494,BA.html|title=British Academy Scotland Awards Winners in 2012 – Awards – Scotland – The BAFTA site|author=Staff|date=18 November 2012|publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)|access-date=1 December 2012|archive-date=8 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108193803/http://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/nominees-winners-2012,3494,BA.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-23/national-television-awards-mrs-browns-boys-wins-best-sitcom|title=National Television Awards: Mrs Brown's Boys wins Best Sitcom|last=Jones|first=Paul|date=23 January 2013|publisher=Radio Times|access-date=23 January 2013|archive-date=25 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125001125/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-23/national-television-awards-mrs-browns-boys-wins-best-sitcom|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-01-22/mrs-browns-boys-wins-nta-award-for-comedy/|title=Mrs Brown's Boys wins NTA award for comedy|date=22 January 2014|publisher=ITV|access-date=24 January 2014|archive-date=1 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201234854/http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-01-22/mrs-browns-boys-wins-nta-award-for-comedy/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/bbc-dominates-nominations-for-rts-scotland-awards|title=BBC dominates nominations for RTS Scotland Awards|last=Dibdin|first=Thom|date=28 May 2014|publisher=The Stage|archive-date=20 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220033844/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2014/05/bbc-dominates-nominations-rts-scotland-awards/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/tv-radio/rts-scotland-awards-nominees-announced-1-3425212|title=Piper Alpha film shortlisted in RTS awards|author=Martyn Mclaughlin|publisher=The Scotsman|access-date=18 November 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1819022/awards|title=Mrs. Brown's Boys|via=www.imdb.com|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-date=27 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627133359/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1819022/awards|url-status=live}}
Distribution
=DVD and Blu-ray releases=
More than one million copies of the first series of Mrs. Brown's Boys were sold on DVD in Ireland and the UK between October 2011 and February 2012. A complete series 1 and 2 box set was also released on 8 October 2012, containing the 2011 Christmas special as a content exclusive, meaning to own the special, one has to buy the box set.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0213/mrsbrownsboys.html|title=Over 1m Mrs Brown's Boys DVDs sold|work=RTÉ Ten|publisher=RTÉ|date=13 February 2012|access-date=13 February 2012|archive-date=4 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304155725/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0213/mrsbrownsboys.html|url-status=live}}
Some of the episodes on the Series 1 DVD differ from their original broadcasts. Due to copyright issues, scenes where casts perform songs were edited out. These edits included a scene where Mrs Brown sings Altered Images' "Happy Birthday", the entire cast singing The Proclaimers song, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" in episode 3, and a scene in episode 6 where Buster sings the theme tune to Mission: Impossible.{{cite video|title = Mrs.Brown's Boys Series 1 |medium = DVD and Blu-ray|publisher = Universal Pictures UK|year = 2012}} No changes have been made to the Series 2 episodes on their DVD release.{{cite video|title = Mrs.Brown's Boys Series 2 |medium = DVD and Blu-ray|publisher = Universal Pictures UK|year = 2012}} A joke was made about being sued for singing a copyrighted song featured during the stage show Mrs Brown's Boys Live: Good Mourning Mrs Brown.{{cite video|title = Good Mourning Mrs. Brown |medium = DVD and Blu-ray|publisher = Universal Pictures UK|year = 2012}}
On 11 October 2012, Series 2 was released in Region 4{{cite web |url=http://www.ezydvd.com.au/search?q=mrs+browns+boys&t=all |title=mrs browns boys |publisher=Ezydvd.com.au |access-date=23 December 2012 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924091917/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/search?q=mrs+browns+boys&t=all |url-status=live }} in both standard form and a limited edition. The limited edition version contained the Christmas special. The Complete Collection was also released at the same time, containing all 13 episodes.
A US DVD release of the complete series (which will also contain the first 7 Christmas specials and the unaired pilot) was released on 3 November 2015.{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mrs-Browns-Boys-The-Complete-Series/21504 |title=Mrs. Brown's Boys DVD news: Announcement for Mrs. Brown's Boys – Complete Series |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=18 November 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119055717/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mrs-Browns-Boys-The-Complete-Series/21504 |archive-date=19 November 2016 }}
In North America, NBCUniversal Television Distribution handles distribution of the series.
;Key
: {{Color box|#4fa8ff|border=darkgray}} = Series
: {{Color box|red|border=darkgray}} = Christmas / New Years specials
: {{Color box|yellow|border=darkgray}} = Live shows
: {{Color box|green|border=darkgray}} = Box sets
| class="wikitable" style="width:99%; left:0 auto; text-align:center;" |
| colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Title
!rowspan="2"|# of disc(s) !rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|# of episodes !colspan="3"|DVD release !colspan="2"|Blu-ray release |
|---|
| Region 1 |
| style="background:#4fa8ff;"|
|2 |2011 |6 |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:#4fa8ff;"|
| 2 |2012 |6 |{{TBA}} |11 October 2012{{cite web|title=Mrs Brown's Boys – Season 2 (Blu-ray) |url=http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/comedy/mrs-brown-s-boys-season-2-blu-ray/671892|publisher=bhifionline.com.au|access-date=24 January 2013}}A limited edition Blu=ray was also release the same date |
| style="background:yellow;"|
|Good Mourning Mrs Brown: Live Tour | 1 |2012 |Live show |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Series 1, 2 & Christmas Special | 5 |2012 |13 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:#4fa8ff;"|
|2 |2012/13 |6 |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Crackers | 1 | 2011/2012 | 3 |{{TBA}} | 7 November 2013{{cite web|title=Mrs Brown's Boys – Christmas Crackers|url=http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/mrs-brown-s-boys-christmas-crackers/692406|publisher=JB Hi-Fi|access-date=2 January 2014|archive-date=3 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103031900/http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/mrs-brown-s-boys-christmas-crackers/692406|url-status=live}} | 7 November 2013{{cite web|title=Mrs Brown's Boys – Christmas Crackers (Blu-ray)|url=http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/mrs-brown-s-boys-christmas-crackers-blu-ray/692469|publisher=JB Hi-Fi|access-date=2 January 2014|archive-date=3 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103021732/http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/mrs-brown-s-boys-christmas-crackers-blu-ray/692469|url-status=live}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys Big Box | 7 |2011–13 | 21 |{{TBA}} |7 November 2013{{cite web|title=Mrs Brown's Boys Big Box|url=http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/mrs-brown-s-boys-big-box/692478|publisher=JB Hi-Fi|access-date=2 January 2014|archive-date=3 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103025059/http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/dvd/dvd-genres/tv/mrs-brown-s-boys-big-box/692478|url-status=live}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:yellow;"|
|Mrs Brown Rides Again: Live Tour | 1 |2012 |Live show |{{TBA}} |1 May 2014 |1 May 2014 |
| style="background:yellow;"|
|For The Love of Mrs Brown: Live Tour | 1 |2013 |Live show |{{TBA}} |18 April 2018 |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: More Christmas Crackers | 1 |2013 | 2 |{{TBA}} |4 December 2014{{cite web|title=Mrs Brown's Boys: More Christmas Crackers DVD|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/mrs-browns-boys-more-christmas-crackers/637998/|publisher=JB Hi-Fi|access-date=7 November 2014|archive-date=23 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223030140/https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/mrs-browns-boys-more-christmas-crackers/637998/|url-status=live}} |4 December 2014{{cite web|title=Mrs Brown's Boys: More Christmas Crackers Blu-ray|url=https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/mrs-browns-boys-more-christmas-crackers/638002/|publisher=JB Hi-Fi|access-date=7 November 2014|archive-date=23 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223025911/https://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/mrs-browns-boys-more-christmas-crackers/638002/|url-status=live}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Big Box of Crackers | 2 |2011–2013 | 5 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys Live: Nice Big Box | 3 |2012–2014 | 3 Live Shows |{{TBA}} |18 April 2018 |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys | 8 |2011–14 | 25 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Mammy's Tickled Pink & Mammy's Gamble |1 |2014–15 |2 |{{TBA}} |5 October 2015 |5 November 2015 |5 October 2015 |5 November 2015 |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mr's Brown's Boys: Christmas Cracker'd Big Box |4 |2011–15 |7 |{{TBA}} |5 October 2015 |5 November 2015 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:yellow;"|
|How Now Mrs Brown Cow: Live Tour | |2015 |Live show |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:white;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Unplugged & Unleashed (Live Episode) |1 |2016 |1 |{{TBA}} |10 October 2016 |2 November 2016 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Crackin' Christmas |1 |2015–16 |1 |{{TBA}} |14 November 2016 |16 November 2016 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Cracking Big Box |4 |2011–16 |9 |{{TBA}} |14 November 2016 |16 November 2016 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Christmas Treats |1 |2016–17 |2 |{{TBA}} |13 November 2017 |15 November 2017 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Christmas Box |5 |2011–16 |11 |{{TBA}} |13 November 2017 |15 November 2017 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:green;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Really Big Box |12 |2011–16 |30 |{{TBA}} |13 November 2017 |15 November 2017 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Christmas Surprises |1 |2017–18 |2 |{{TBA}} |12 November 2018 |14 November 2018 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Christmas Corkers |1 |2018–19 |2 |{{TBA}} |11 November 2019 |13 November 2019 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Merry Mishaps |1 |2019-2020 |2 |{{TBA}} |9 November 2020 |11 November 2020 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Festive Fancies |1 |2020-2021 |2 |{{TBA}} |8 November 2021 |10 November 2021 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Very Merry Christmas Bundle |9 |2012-2021 |19 |{{TBA}} | 8 November 2021 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Holly Jolly Jingles |1 |2021-2022 |3 |{{TBA}} |7 November 2022 |9 November 2022 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs Brown's Boys: Christmas Box of Treats |10 |2012-2022 |22 |{{TBA}} |7 November 2022 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|Mrs. Brown's Boys - Tinsel Teasers |1 |2022-2023 |2 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |15 November 2023 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:#4fa8ff;"|
|Series Four |1 |2023 |4 |{{TBA}} |10 June 2024 |5 June 2024 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
| style="background:red;"|
|{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |2023-2024 |2 |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |{{TBA}} |
=iTunes releases=
The first series of Mrs. Brown's Boys has been available on iTunes since 31 October 2011, including in High Definition.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/mrs.-browns-boys-series-1/id462277155|title=Mrs. Brown's Boys, Series 1HD|date=January 2011 |publisher=iTunes|access-date=9 May 2012|archive-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519202537/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/mrs.-browns-boys-series-1/id462277155|url-status=live}} The two 2012 specials were released 11 November 2013.{{cite web|title=Mrs. Brown's Boys, Mammy's Christmas & The Virgin Mammy HD|date=January 2011 |url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/mrs.-browns-boys-mammys-christmas/id731546441|publisher=iTunes|access-date=2 January 2014|archive-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519234601/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/mrs.-browns-boys-mammys-christmas/id731546441|url-status=live}} Additionally the Mrs. Brown's Boys Live Tour: Good Mourning Mrs Brown was also released 12 November 2012. Also, Mrs Brown's Boys Live Tour: Mrs Brown Rides Again was released on 11 November 2013.{{cite web|title=Mrs. Brown's Boys Live Tour: Good Mourning Mrs. Brown|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/mrs.-browns-boys-live-tour/id568473818|publisher=iTunes|access-date=2 January 2014|archive-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519202449/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/mrs.-browns-boys-live-tour/id568473818|url-status=live}} On 17 November 2014, Mrs. Brown's Boys Live Tour: For The Love of Mrs Brown was available to rent or buy.
=Original series DVD releases=
The original location films.
Spin-offs
=''Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie'' (2014)=
{{main|Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie}}
A film adaption of the series entitled Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie was released in cinemas on 27 June 2014. BBC Films is acting as its sales agent. In January 2014, whilst speaking to the Radio Times, Brendan O'Carroll said "We're already working on a sequel – Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie 2". In December 2015, it was confirmed that there will be a sequel.{{cite news|author=Bycolin Brennan |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/brendan-ocarroll-planning-mrs-browns-7039455 |title=Brendan O'Carroll planning Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie sequel with much bigger budget|website=Mirror Online|date=19 December 2015 |access-date=18 November 2016 |archive-date=16 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216124549/http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/brendan-ocarroll-planning-mrs-browns-7039455 |url-status=live }}
In June 2014, it was announced that there would be two Mrs. Brown's Boys spin-off films. The first spin-off film is to be entitled Wash and Blow, set in the salon where Rory and Dino work. O'Carroll will write the film but rather than playing Mrs. Brown, he will star as the salon's owner, Mario.{{cite web |author=29 June 2014Updated12:51, 29 June 2014 |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/mrs-brown-star-gary-hollywood-3784301 |title=Mrs Brown star Gary Hollywood reveals plans for spin-off show based on his gay hairdresser character |publisher=Daily Record |date=29 June 2014 |access-date=18 November 2016 |archive-date=19 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119060014/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/mrs-brown-star-gary-hollywood-3784301 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27926563 |title=Mrs Brown's hopes for Rory spin-off – BBC News |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=20 June 2014 |access-date=18 November 2016 |newspaper=BBC News |last1=Lindrea |first1=Victoria |archive-date=11 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111181305/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27926563 |url-status=live }} The second spin-off film in development is to be entitled Mr Wang, who is a character introduced in D'Movie. It was confirmed that English actor Burt Kwouk had been asked to take the title role but was unable to travel to Dublin, citing illness, so O'Carroll decided take on the role himself if the film gets produced. Kwouk died in 2016. It will also co-star Buster Brady and Dermot Brown working for him under a detective agency. It is currently not yet known when, or if, the spin-off films will be filmed nor released.
=Tours=
After starting the Ireland-only release of the original feature-length episodes, that would become known as "The Original Series", on DVD, the adapted for the stage version of Mrs. Brown's Boys began as a theatre show in 1999 performing across venues in Ireland, Scotland and the North of England. O'Carroll wrote three stage plays entitled Mrs Brown's Last Wedding, Good Mourning Mrs Brown and Mrs Brown Rides Again. These three stage shows formed part of the Mrs Brown Trilogy and was toured for several years. After playing to acceptable sized audiences across Ireland and the north of England, O'Carroll decided to write a fourth stage play entitled For the Love of Mrs. Brown in 2007 he then recorded the live show and made it available onto DVD via his own website in a bid to increase the popularity of the stage show. In 2009, O'Carroll then decided to write a fifth stage play entitled How Now Mrs Brown Cow which later toured in 2010.
Since the show was picked up by the BBC in 2011 as a TV series, O'Carroll has decided to re-tour all these shows across the UK. In March and April 2014, the live stage show Mrs. Brown Rides Again was performed in theatres across Australia.[http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/mrs-browns-boys-heading-down-under/story-e6frfmyi-1226617800998/ Mrs Brown's Boys heading Down Under] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518013406/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/mrs-browns-boys-heading-down-under/story-e6frfmyi-1226617800998 |date=18 May 2013 }} News Ltd. Brendan O'Carroll announced at the end of each performance of Mrs Brown Rides Again that the cast would be returning to Australia and New Zealand in January 2016 for various performances of the live stage show Good Mourning Mrs. Brown. On 30 June 2014, it was announced that How Now Mrs Brown Cow would tour UK arenas starting in March 2015. Tickets for the shows went on sale on 4 July 2014.{{cite web|url = http://shows.stv.tv/talk-tv/281027-mrs-browns-boys-is-coming-to-the-hydro-arena-as-live-tour-is-announced/|title = Mrs Brown's Boys is coming to the SSE Hydro as live tour is announced|date = 30 June 2014|access-date = 30 June 2014|website = stv.tv|archive-date = 14 July 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140714202319/http://shows.stv.tv/talk-tv/281027-mrs-browns-boys-is-coming-to-the-hydro-arena-as-live-tour-is-announced/|url-status = live}}
=Television=
In 2012, O'Carroll confirmed that a game show starring Mrs Brown was in development with production company 12 Yard called Mrs. Brown's Celebrities. A non-broadcast pilot was recorded in late 2012,{{cite web |url=http://www.imediamonkey.com/2012/08/15/bbc-orders-saturday-night-gameshow-pilot-mrs-browns-celebrities/ |title=BBC Orders Saturday night gameshow pilot, 'Mrs Brown's Celebrities' |publisher=iMedia Monkey |access-date=4 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619073946/http://www.imediamonkey.com/2012/08/15/bbc-orders-saturday-night-gameshow-pilot-mrs-browns-celebrities/ |archive-date=19 June 2013 }} A full series was due to be broadcast in 2013 but O'Carroll turned it down, stating that he did not need to water down the Mrs. Brown brand.{{cite news|last=Khalsa |first=Balihar |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/commissioning/mrs-brown-gets-saturday-night-gameshow/5045334.article |title=Mrs Brown gets Saturday night gameshow |publisher=Broadcast|date=14 August 2012 |archive-date=18 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918172900/http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/commissioning/mrs-brown-gets-saturday-night-gameshow/5045334.article |url-status=live }}{{cite web|title=Exciting New Pilot!|url=http://www.12yard.com/2012/08/13/exciting-new-pilot/|publisher=12 Yard Productions|access-date=22 September 2012|archive-date=16 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916195816/http://www.12yard.com/2012/08/13/exciting-new-pilot/|url-status=live}} The format was brought up again in 2014, this time entitled The Guess List with Rob Brydon now hosting the full series.{{cite web |url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/000001367/rob_brydon_the_guess_list/ |title=Rob Brydon to host new Saturday night BBC series |publisher=British Comedy Guide |access-date=7 February 2014 |date=7 February 2014 |archive-date=9 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209124742/http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/000001367/rob_brydon_the_guess_list/ |url-status=live }} O'Carroll has also confirmed that an animated version of the show is in development.{{cite web |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/771/bbc_pilot_brendan_ocarroll_mrs_browns_boys_cartoon/ |title=New pilot and Mrs. Brown's Boys cartoon in production – News – British Comedy Guide |publisher=Comedy.co.uk |date=6 March 2012 |access-date=30 September 2012 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102174612/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/771/bbc_pilot_brendan_ocarroll_mrs_browns_boys_cartoon/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author=Ken Sweeney |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/brendan-ocarrolls-mrs-brown-creation-goes-global-in-comic-cartoon-caper-26829107.html |title=Brendan O'Carroll's Mrs Brown creation goes global in comic cartoon caper |publisher=Independent.ie |date=6 March 2012 |access-date=4 July 2013 |archive-date=30 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234159/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/brendan-ocarrolls-mrs-brown-creation-goes-global-in-comic-cartoon-caper-26829107.html |url-status=live }} In the Spring of 2012, O'Carroll turned down an offer to create a one-off special for HBO with the option of a full series if the show was well received as he wished to spend his time with family.{{cite news |author=RTÉ |url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2012/0403/436567-ocarrollb/ |title=O'Carroll turns down big bucks in US – RTÉ Ten |publisher=Rte.ie |date=3 April 2012 |access-date=4 July 2013 |archive-date=16 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116091133/http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2012/0403/436567-ocarrollb/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |author=www.wearebrandsocial.com |url=http://www.joe.ie/entertainment/entertainment-news/brendan-ocarroll-turns-down-hbo-offer-of-us-mrs-browns-boys-series/ |title=Brendan O'Carroll turns down HBO offer of US Mrs Brown's Boys series |publisher=JOE.ie |date=30 May 2013 |access-date=4 July 2013 |archive-date=16 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116093611/http://www.joe.ie/entertainment/entertainment-news/brendan-ocarroll-turns-down-hbo-offer-of-us-mrs-browns-boys-series/ |url-status=live }}
On 23 July 2016, Mrs. Brown's Boys had a one-off live episode, "Mammy Sutra", to celebrate 60 years of comedy on BBC. The show went live on BBC One and RTÉ One at 9:45 pm (BST) until 10:15 pm. The episode was then released on Mrs. Brown's Boys: Unplugged & Unleashed On Air Live DVD on 10 October 2016.
A new television chat show hosted by "Mrs. Brown" titled All Round to Mrs. Brown's began in March 2017. The show is hosted primarily by Brendan O'Carroll (as Mrs Brown) but also includes a segment titled 'The Cathy Brown Show' in which Cathy interviews celebrity guests in a talk-show like fashion. The show also heavily relies on audience participation with a member of the audiences 'Mammy' brought on set to participate in a game-show like segment. The show did not return in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2022, it was reported that the series had been cancelled.
During 2018, Brendan O'Carroll hosted a quiz show for the BBC called For Facts Sake as himself, with rotating members of the Mrs. Brown's Boys cast as team captains. The rest of the teams was made up from members of the audience.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/ffs|title=BBC – Brendan O'Carroll fronts new panel show For Facts Sake for BBC One – Media Centre|website=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=23 December 2019|archive-date=27 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227220702/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2018/ffs|url-status=live}}
= Adaptations (television) =
The television show has been adapted for francophone audiences in Canada as Madame Lebrun, with the lead role performed by Benoît Brière. The series has aired on Super Écran since 2015, with five seasons to date.Pierre-Luc Houle, [https://hollywoodpq.com/madame-lebrun-de-retour-pour-une-5e-saison/ "Madame Lebrun de retour pour une 5e saison"]. HollywoodPQ, May 5, 2021. Having surpassed the original series in number of episodes produced, the series has now transitioned from translating the original series to writing new original episodes.Marc-André Lemieux, [https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2019/03/18/pierrette-robitaille-remplacee-dans-madame-lebrun "Pierrette Robitaille remplacée dans Madame Lebrun"]. Le Journal de Montréal, 18 March 2019.
The show has been also adapted for the audiences in Greece as Super Mammy and began aired on 3 April 2022, on ANT1, with the lead role performed by Markos Seferlis.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19042662/ |title=Super Mammy |website=IMDb |access-date=May 22, 2023}}{{cite web | url=https://www.ant1news.gr/eidiseis/article/632212/super-mammy-to-1o-epeisodio-tis-seiras-toy-markoy-seferli-eikones- | title="Super Mammy": το 1ο επεισόδιο της σειράς του Μάρκου Σεφερλή (εικόνες) }}
This show was also adapted in Czech Republic as PanMáma and has aired on TV Nova back in 2013, with the lead role performed by Rostislav Novák.{{cite news|url=https://kladensky.denik.cz/zpravy_region/novy-televizni-sitcom-panmama-nasel-domov-v-kladne-20130814.html|title=Nový televizní sitcom PanMáma našel domov v Kladně|newspaper=Kladenský Deník |date=14 August 2013 |last1=Husárová |first1=Kateřina Nič }}
Crossover
The show crossed paths with the Madea franchise by Tyler Perry in the 2022 movie, A Madea Homecoming with Brendan O'Carroll and Jennifer Gibney reprising their roles as Agnes and Cathy Brown respectively
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|BBC|Comedy|Television|Ireland}}
- [http://mrsbrownsboys.com The official website of Mrs. Brown's Boys]
- [http://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/mrs_browns_boys.html Mrs. Brown's Boys] at RTÉ Television
- {{BBC programme}}
- {{British Comedy Guide|tv|mrs_browns_boys}}
- {{epguides|MrsBrownsBoys|Mr.s Brown's Boys}}
- {{IMDb title|id=1819022|title=Mrs. Brown's Boys}}
{{Mrs. Brown's Boys}}
{{BBCScotlandProgrammes}}
{{BAFTA TV Award for Best Situation Comedy}}
{{RTÉ Comedies}}
Category:2010s British sitcoms
Category:2020s British sitcoms
Category:2011 British television series debuts
Category:2011 Irish television series debuts
Category:BBC television sitcoms
Category:RTÉ original programming
Category:Television series by Universal Television
Category:BAFTA winners (television series)
Category:British surreal comedy television series
Category:Irish television sitcoms
Category:Television shows set in the Republic of Ireland
Category:BBC Scotland television shows
Category:Irish LGBTQ-related television shows
Category:Cross-dressing in television
Category:2020s Irish television series
Category:Surreal comedy television series
Category:Television shows adapted into films
Category:Television shows adapted into plays