Best sketch shows

[Black Francis]

As the title says, this thread is dedicated specifically to sketch shows

Which ones you think are good or which ones you don't like
Now, talking about sketch shows is kinda tricky, we all don't have the same Tv programs so ppl might not know the show you are talking about so if you are talking about a local sketch show program, plz point that out.

Most of us know SNL has the most iconic sketch show but there are a couple of good sketch shows overshadowed by SNL's popularity

For exmpl, i prefer Mad tv over SNL because i think their sketches are better, and i prefer Kids in the Hall over Mad tv cause canadians are frickin hilarious, americans love to make fun of canada for them being too peaceful or naive, but they actually know more than americans think.



Anyway, to further clarify the point of this thread, here are 2 stupid questions:

Which is your favorite sketch show?

Which one is your least favorite?

My fav sketch show is Mr show

My least fav is SNL

[Frownland]

Kids in the Hall has its moments, but overall I find it kind of contrived or just not funny. I like what Whitest Kids U Know did with the style that Kids in the Hall had i.e. making funny sketches.

[Black Francis]

Originally Posted by Frownland

Kids in the Hall has its moments, but overall I find it kind of contrived or just not funny. I like what Whitest Kids U Know did with the style that Kids in the Hall had i.e. making funny sketches.

Oh yea, i think i know those guys but im not too familiar with them..
ive seen that vid before somewhere also that long haired guy is in that NCA wire tapping video lol

And i actually agree a bit on Kids in the hall
Honestly most of their sketches are not all that great, but some of them for me are f*ckin genius and i still remember them.

exmpl



Luv me some David foley, he is such a likeable guy.

[Paul Smeenus]

Way before ANYBODY'S time, even mine, but Sid Caesar's "Your Show Of Shows" was the best comedy from the first days of TV



It's not really possible to discuss SNL as one consistent show as the cast members come and go, as do the writers. The current SNL sucks festering nads IMO, losing Andy Samberg in particular totally took the funniest figurative wind out of their proverbial sails...



But what nearly everyone here wouldn't have experienced was the ground that first Not Ready For Primetime lineup broke in 1975. It's commonplace now but people were SHOCKED at the open discussion of drug culture references, myself included (maybe more delighted than shocked), that John Belushi talked about "fifty pounds of black Tibetan finger hash and two keys of slam"...




This was a taboo discussion until 1975

There is no way to discuss TV sketch comedy shows without mentioning the Carol Burnett show. There were unquestionably those change-the-channel moments, the standard variety-show-seventies moments like the songs and whatnot, but there were also times of pure hilarity, and the unscripted, in-the-moment & honest inability of the cast to keep a straight face (especially when Tim Conway was riffing) that to this day makes me LOL

[Black Francis]

Originally Posted by Paul Smeenus

That was surprisingly funny and contemporary

That bit would still kill today,
And yea i was thinking about SNL the other day, and how it is a generational show, i was internally comparing SNL with Mr Show trying to find out why Mr show is so much better and it all came down to the cast members and their brand of humor.

SNL is not only a sketch show that changes from generation to generation it's also a mainstream sketch show, it has to be topical and it has to keep in the viewers so they have to pander to the mainstream humor of today, Andy samberg is a good exmpl of that kinda humor.

His Lonely island humor is part of this new brand of humor emerging nowadays, internet humor.

it's dumb and stupid, it's instant gratification in a Gif, the content is not funny it's just said in a funny way.

Mr show however, focused on a funny idea that is also interesting.

here is an exmpl

[Psychedub Dude]

Portlandia is awesome, although it can be a bit strange sometimes haha they have slme really great skits.







Alot of my all time favorites sketches are from Chappelles Show.I never really got into SNL or Mad TV.

[Engine]

The problem with all sketch comedy shows is that they are all not funny 90% of the time. The 10% of airtime that works is hilarious, but the rest is embarrassing to watch.

That said, I second Chapelle's show for the one that has the smallest amount of sadly unfunny moments, but it stopped after just a few seasons. Not fair to compare that to shows like SNL and MADTV, which mostly suck but were on network TV broadcasts (i.e. extra censored), despite some very funny sketches and characters.

Generally I don't like sketch shows because of how dismally unfunny they are on a regular basis. I especially never got SCTV (I don't recall ever finding it funny, but I was young... and American) and Kids in the Hall was mostly just veiled gay jokes, wasn't it? Please be funny at least 50% of the time if you're going to put yourself out there so often. I don't wanna hate comedians.

Also, shout out to Paul for mentioning The Carol Burnett Show (particularly the 'The Family' sketches). As a child, I used to watch it with my mom and saw her laugh herself silly, which made me happy.

[Frownland]

Wait a minute, now wait just a minute. Have we forgotten to mention Monty Python's Flying Circus? Well **** me. The Flying Circus is the best sketch comedy, hands down.

[Paul Smeenus]

^ what frownie said

[djchameleon]

Originally Posted by Frownland

Wait a minute, now wait just a minute. Have we forgotten to mention Monty Python's Flying Circus? Well **** me. The Flying Circus is the best sketch comedy, hands down.

I thought they were only a collection of sketches in movies.

Was it also a show?

This thread is about shows.

I was going to post about Portlandia but I see that's covered already. Kind of hit and miss but more hits than misses.

Two of my favorites here.

I actually did the same thing but with Netflix. I burned through it so quickly haha.