I’ve always been a fan of sketch-comedy. Loved it. When I was a kid, sometimes on a Saturday or Sunday, if a t.v. movie ended early and the station needed time to fill, I remember them showing “Best Of SNL” 30-minute blocks. Channel 9 would show Monty Python’s Flying Circus & its juvenile brother The Benny Hill Show. As a young teenager I also discovered SCTV (SNL’s Canadian Cousin). And later, when I was in college (or at the age where I should be in college as it were) I had MTV’s The State. The Fox network gave us the short lived The Ben Stiller Show….I watched ‘em all.
Anyways…one of the best, and one that holds up really well to this day is HBO’s Mr. Show with Bob & David. This mid-90’s late-night Cable laugh-fest was the brainchild of Bob Odenkirk & David Cross (Arrested Development) & ran for four seasons before being canceled in 1998.
Besides Bob & Dave, you get a soon-to-be-star-studded cast, including Tom Kenny (The voice of Sponge-bob), Jay Johnston & Brian Posehn (The Sarah Silverman show…she shows up too!), Mary Lynn Rajskub (24) and appearances from folks like Ben Stiller & Jack Black.
The show follows a Monty-Pythonesque sequence, in that all the sketches flow together or are linked somehow. It’s also pretty pop-culture heavy, so if you can’t “Ride The Reference Train” you might want to skip it. Religion, Kid’s Shows, Brit-pop, Sid & Marty Kroftt, Phone Sex, 80’s Films, Brian Wilson….yeah. It’s good stuff.
The cast made a movie…”Run, Ronnie, Run” Which they hated and disowned. But it’s not that bad. Trust Me.
We have the second two seasons of “Mr. Show” in stock. I’d rush in and get them, as they won’t last.
Peace…I’m out.
Geoffrey.

