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Butch Patterson: Private Dick

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Butch Patterson: Private Dick
Created byGreg Lawrence
Written byGreg Lawrence
Directed byGreg Lawrence
StarringGreg Lawrence
Vivian Burns
David L. McCullum
Susan Brooks
John Ng
David Elver
Sarah Van Diepen
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes39 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducerGreg Lawrence
Production locationsOttawa, Ontario, Canada
Running time22 minutes
Original release
NetworkThe Comedy Network
ReleaseFebruary 27, 1999 (1999-02-27) –
January 31, 2001 (2001-01-31)

Butch Patterson: Private Dick is a Canadian serial comedy television series centering on the seedy exploits of a self-described premature ejaculating, alcoholic, kleptomaniac, sexually deviant private detective played by Canadian actor/comedian Greg Lawrence. The series had a three season run, airing on The Comedy Network. Although the show was not a critical or commercial success, it maintains a small cult following. After the series' initial run, reruns were featured on the now defunct CBC Country Canada. Since then, all three original seasons have been released on DVD.

Style

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Most of the episodes are focused around the cases that Butch Patterson is investigating at the time. Unlike most comedy series, Butch Patterson has a contiguous plot line running throughout the entire three seasons. The show is shot in a drab hue that provides a film noir feel. Much of the humour is derived from the candid narrative of Butch as he reflects on his cases and his general state of affairs. There is a heavy reliance on recurring jokes about Butch's seemingly irrational disdain for bartenders and tailors, his chagrin regarding his childhood bullies and his brassy, open references to his sexual dysfunction. Other gags involve his near unquenchable craving for alcohol and cheap cigars, as well as his tendency towards kleptomania.

Music

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The show features a short jazz theme song that plays during the opening and ending credits [more info needed]. The score featured throughout much of each episode synchronizes emphatically with the tone of each scene, adding greatly to the comic impression upon the viewer.

Characters

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Butch Patterson (Greg Lawrence) - A hard-bitten private detective who suffers from alcoholism, kleptomania, a tendency to prematurely ejaculate, chronic urinary problems that cause him to continually wet his pants, and a tendency to shoot himself while cleaning his gun. Butch enjoys prostitutes, pornography, cigars, any and every kind of alcoholic drink, and making crank calls to a man named Frank. He hates tailors, has a disturbing predilection for trying on lingerie, and is still trying (and failing) to live down a certain incident at a local petting zoo. Butch also has an unfortunate tendency to misplace his pants, and to wake up in strange places after having too much to drink. He is also banned from the local petting zoo.

Blanche DuMaurier (Vivian Burns) - A virtuous, hardworking newspaper reporter, Blanche is generally disgusted by Butch's deviant tendencies, but often assists him with his various problems, most notably bailing him out of jail on multiple occasions. She is a staunch foe of Tommy Rubella's criminal empire, and strives to bring him down with the help of Butch and the Swede.

Tommy Rubella (David L. McCallum) - The crime lord and kingpin of the city where Butch Patterson lives and operates. Despite seeming like an imposing figure, he is intimidated by domineering women, including Debbie Hitler and Jasmine Griffin, fearing them for very good reason. He is a talented accordion player, and has a tattoo of Buddy Ebsen on his back, something which his wife hates.

Debbie Hitler (Susan Brooks) - Tommy Rubella's power-hungry wife, who possesses an extremely violent temper and a strange fetish for deck wood. Known for beating, maiming and killing people for even the slightest offence, she terrifies even Tommy and the Swede.

"The Swede" aka Serge Lacroix (John Ng) - A contract killer who ostensibly works for Tommy and Debbie as an assassin, but he serves as a double agent, frequently double-crossing his employers and working with Blanche in her investigations of Tommy and Debbie. Killing is his favorite pastime, although he is a consummate company man, only doing so when his employer gives the order. Butch insists that the Swede is French, a claim that is later proven true when it is revealed that the Swede is an undercover French Canadian police agent.

Vance Van Vandervan (David Elver) - The crooked curator of the Scott Baio Museum of Fine Art, Vance is involved in the dirty dealings of Debbie, Tommy and Jasmine, constantly playing each side against the other as he tries to further his own agenda. He greatly enjoys roast chicken, and has an unfortunate tendency to wet his bed.

Jasmine Griffen (Sarah Van Diepen) - The ex-lover of both Tommy and Vance. Now a conniving, manipulative seductress, Jasmine attempts to manipulate Tommy, Vance and Butch for her own purposes. In her youth, she travelled through Finland as a circus performer after overcoming an addiction to crystal meth.

Episodes

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Season 1 (1999)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"The Jewel Heist: Part 1"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceFebruary 27, 1999 (1999-02-27)
22"The Jewel Heist: Part 2"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMarch 6, 1999 (1999-03-06)
33"The Hit"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMarch 13, 1999 (1999-03-13)
44"Call Him Ishmail"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMarch 20, 1999 (1999-03-20)
55"Losing It"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMarch 27, 1999 (1999-03-27)
66"The Dinner Party"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceApril 3, 1999 (1999-04-03)
77"The Affair"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceApril 10, 1999 (1999-04-10)
88"Strike One"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceApril 17, 1999 (1999-04-17)
99"Mom"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceApril 24, 1999 (1999-04-24)
1010"The Dance Contest"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMay 1, 1999 (1999-05-01)
1111"The Chase"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMay 8, 1999 (1999-05-08)
1212"The Reading Drive"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMay 15, 1999 (1999-05-15)
1313"The Wrath of Vance"Greg LawrenceGreg LawrenceMay 22, 1999 (1999-05-22)

Season 2 (2000)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
141"The Return of Vance"UnknownUnknownFebruary 12, 2000 (2000-02-12)
152"Head Wound"UnknownUnknownFebruary 19, 2000 (2000-02-19)
163"Debbie Gets a Trout"UnknownUnknownFebruary 26, 2000 (2000-02-26)
174"Altar, He Go"UnknownUnknownMarch 4, 2000 (2000-03-04)
185"The Stake-Out"UnknownUnknownMarch 11, 2000 (2000-03-11)
196"The Ties That Bind"UnknownUnknownMarch 18, 2000 (2000-03-18)
207"Old Lady Digthorpe"UnknownUnknownMarch 25, 2000 (2000-03-25)
218"The Big Meeting"UnknownUnknownApril 1, 2000 (2000-04-01)
229"Birds, Booze and Gas"UnknownUnknownApril 8, 2000 (2000-04-08)
2310"The Approximate Size of a Human Head"UnknownUnknownApril 15, 2000 (2000-04-15)
2411"The Beginning of the End"UnknownUnknownApril 22, 2000 (2000-04-22)
2512"The Plan Underway"UnknownUnknownApril 29, 2000 (2000-04-29)
2613"The Plan Revealed"UnknownUnknownMay 6, 2000 (2000-05-06)

Season 3 (2000–01)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
271"An Affair to Forget"UnknownUnknownNovember 8, 2000 (2000-11-08)
282"Fresh Tarts"UnknownUnknownNovember 15, 2000 (2000-11-15)
293"Ante Up"UnknownUnknownNovember 22, 2000 (2000-11-22)
304"Shrinking Heads"UnknownUnknownNovember 29, 2000 (2000-11-29)
315"Alley Oops"UnknownUnknownDecember 6, 2000 (2000-12-06)
326"Snapsy Come Home"UnknownUnknownDecember 13, 2000 (2000-12-13)
337"Those Who Can't, Teach"UnknownUnknownDecember 20, 2000 (2000-12-20)
348"Oh Yea: Part 1"UnknownUnknownDecember 27, 2000 (2000-12-27)
359"Oh Yea: Part 2"UnknownUnknownJanuary 3, 2001 (2001-01-03)
3610"Hepcat on the Catwalk"UnknownUnknownJanuary 10, 2001 (2001-01-10)
3711"I, Thadius"UnknownUnknownJanuary 17, 2001 (2001-01-17)
3812"How to Make Love"UnknownUnknownJanuary 24, 2001 (2001-01-24)
3913"The End of it All"UnknownUnknownJanuary 31, 2001 (2001-01-31)
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