UKC

Has anybody ever tried to copy, imitate, emulate or improve on Monty Python comedy?

Rees-Mogg, Johnson, Farage, Gove and Fox have been trying really hard to emulate this one:

youtube.com/watch?v=k5ba1OKY7Xc&

I'm not sure, but there was an uproar when the General Synod released their controversial, and some would say, scurrilous, film "the life of Christ"

youtube.com/watch?v=asUyK6JWt9U&

Visionary

youtube.com/watch?v=VdJpDxlI8H0&

Are you actually asking whether there has ever been another sometimes-genius-but-undeniably patchy comedy sketch show using a core set of writers and performers and often doing absurd/surreal sketches? 

There have been plenty of those but perhaps the one that came closest to Python, was C4's Absolutely (1989 to 1994). It even ran - like Python - to an unwelcome and poor fourth series!

You probably think it doesn't hold a candle to Python. You'd be wrong, it's on par - a lot of Python was weak. Now you'll click dislike! Have a nice day

I loved that. Totally underrated.

It IS it's true!

I can't think of the first James Bond without thinking of Seen Canary. Right, that's me, I are off sponking now!

I remember that.  Great stuff. 

StoneyBridge Town Council used to make me smile.  

It could be Timbuktu or Paris, or even Thailand

but there’s only one place and that’s Stoneybridge

for

the

Highland.........

.....

games

I always thought the Fast Show was probably closest to MPFC.

I would respectfully disagree. It was fairly “conventional” comedy, none of came across as “experimental/absurdist”. It was good, but I don’t think it was even trying to be Pythonesque

All the episodes are on All 4  

I don't think there has been anything all that close in the same format. The closest I can think of are a sitcom, The Young Ones, and a comedy variety show, Vic Reeves Big Night Out. They both had pythonesque elements but in a different style and with far fewer pointless references to Kierkegaard.

I have the DVD box set. The last time I tried watching All 4, it was a painful experience. So so much advertising and no way to fast forward even during the show itself. Has it improved? This was three or four years ago

I don’t think The Lemming will reply on thread, this seems like one of his “not in any way a troll but an odd only-post-the-OP-cos-he-wants-to-start-a-discussion” threads.

Postig at 21:07, countdown to first dislike starts NOW

Not the Nine o'clock news springs to mind as similar in format. Given that a lot of python "surreal" comedy was actually parody of things current at the time.

Surreal comedy wise I would go for the Young Ones or the Day to Day which was just pure genius.

Also pre-dating and contempory with Python you have the Goons and Spike Milligan's Q series

Additionally not really python related but still weird is League of Gentlemen

I'd argue that League of Gentlemen is an evolutionary step up from Python, in the same way that Python developed from Spike Milligan.

Good point, good observation. 

I never got into League of Gentlemen but that is from lack of effort on my part mostly - it clearly required some viewer investment. 

Tell you what was proper "Emperor's New Clothes" though. The Mighty Boosh. Feeble stuff. 

For me, the Boosh blew hot and cold. Some of it was brilliant, some feeble as you say.

Shadwell was an Absolutely charachter right? If so it was responsible for one if the best lines I can remember as Shadwell reminisces about his holidays:

"We borrowed Uncle Denzils' company car, we set off in June, and arrived in August. I didn't know he was a milkman"

Long time since I watched it but, at least in my memory,  Naked Video was very good in parts (fond memories of the Outer Hebrides Broadcasting Corporation sketches). But maybe only shown on BBC Scotland ?

First series on radio of the MB was brilliant. Thereafter hmmm

I think some bits of "Look Around You" might have equalled the Pythons, even with a bit of surrealism of ideas

The Lesson about music and the bit about the Boite Diabolique was genius in concept and execution

A fondly remembered headline from OHBC -

"The Government has announced that Scotland is to be developed into Disneyland. This is because Scotland Disney work, Disney vote Tory and Disney matter"

Down here in England we still get most Scottish BBC comedies -Naked Video, Chewin the Fat, Limmys Show, Still Game and Gary Tank Commander are all much enjoyed nationwide.

Naked Video was shown in England. BBC2 9pm slot, not sure which night. I liked it

Spike Milligan - very patchy but at his best genius - I loved the way he’d just crack up when telling a joke. 

As for this - just brilliant.

youtube.com/watch?v=TkOAUht3G5o&

Fondly remembered, and very good in its day.  Hasn't aged quite so well but the good bits remain outstanding.

Which brings me to the probably-controversial that Monty Python - the TV show, not the films - hasn't aged well either.  The good bits remain good, but other bits have lost something as society has developed.  The spam sketch, for all its Viking absurdity, doesn't chime the way it did because now far fewer people eat the stuff.  

T.

I would controversially offer Big Train, and would say it knocks Python into a cocked hat.

Anyone remember Rutland Weekend Television?

Python imitated Spike..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q..._(TV_series)

Big Train was VERY good.  The sketch about the actual Big Train still makes me laugh

Is that what spawned "The Rutles"?

"CheeseAndOnion" is a great song.

First series was great. Second series was beyond wretched. Never seen something drop in quality so markedly