The series is named after the last names of the main characters. Gertrude "Richie" Rich (Rik Mayall) plays an actor who is "resting" in between engagements. Ralph Filthy (Nigel Planer) is an impressario, promoter, pornographer and common thief who acts as manager for Richie. He is perennially complaining about his sickly constitution and the fact that everyone thinks he is a dirty old man just because he runs a chain of brothels. Edward Catflap is Richies minder, although he himself has severe issues with alcoholism and personal hygiene.
The show is characterized by the flamboyant dress, style and argot of stereotypical theatre actors. Verbal exchanges happen at break-neck speed and on occasion involve breaking the "fourth wall". Stooges style slapstick violence plays an important part and sometimes even leads to the killing of milkmen, including copious amounts of artificial blood. Off-colour humor and a general disregard for taboo and authorities is offset by the occasional reference to high-culture and appeals to morality.
The six episodes have a number of celebrity cameos and also some well-known actors play roles. Midge Ure, The Nolans and Anne Diamond make appearances as themselves, Chris Barrie (Red Dwarf, The Brittas Empire) plays a director of a TV show, and Harry Enfield (Men Behaving Badly), Barbara Windsor (Carry on ...), and Stephen Fry (Blackadder) also feature in the programme's cast.
The last episode pays tribute to Benny Hill ("Benny Hill, the governor! Benny Hill! The Beeb's got Ronnie Barker, but ITV's got the governor.") and includes an homage to his signature chase scenes. In a final act of ludicrous off the wall humor the set is demolished by the actors whilst the last titles roll.
The series was scripted by Ben Elton, who also created Blackadder, with addtional material from Mayall.