[ SECRET POST #3378 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3378 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 053 secrets from Secret Submission Post #483.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

05. http://i.imgur.com/zA3y8VM.jpg

[(Anonymous)]

I don't know why this is a secret. Even John Cleese and Michael Palin have said as much in various interviews. Plus we've lost a lot of social context for some of the sketches, they were very much tied into the politics and social mores of the day. Comedy is like that, not many jokes have the staying power over the long run simply because attitudes change (and the forerunners of any change are always cruder and less refined than their followers simply due to the latter being able to build upon the foundation laid by the former).

[(Anonymous)]

I agree completely, as someone who grew up watching the films so they'll always have a special place in my heart. There's some brilliant stuff, but most of it was just dumb.

Then again, I feel that way about most of that brand of British humor.

[(Anonymous)]

I agree with you, but I do need to point out that you shouldn't really be sitting down and watching collections if you want to get it. It was designed to be watched in half hour segments, once per week, so bingewatching it will obviously lead to it becoming same-y quicker.

[(Anonymous)]

I completely agree. I won't deny the impact they made on culture, but like someone else above said, a large part of it is so dependent on cultural-at-the-time context. The only really funny bits are the ones that don't exactly rely on it (such as the Minister of Funny Walks and the Dead Parrot sketches).

And of the films, Meaning of Life is by far the worst imo. I know some people find it to be hysterical and that's fine, but I couldn't even get through the first 20 minutes without wanting to go outside and do something productive with my life.

[ketita]

Yeah, but I don't see how that denies that the brilliant stuff they did was pretty brilliant? It's not just one sketch or one movie that gained massive popularity, it's a whole bunch. They weren't just a one-hit wonder (and tbh, when it comes to a work becoming classic - even one hit is pretty amazing!)
Of course a lot of it is miss, and a lot of it is so contextual that it doesn't make sense anymore.

[(Anonymous)]

I agree. Case in point, the Golden Age Of Ballooning skit, for one.

[nightscale]

Most people I know who like Python share this sentiment(myself included). Their movies are pretty funny and they have some absolutely hilarious sketches, but they've also got a lot of stuff that's just really weird or not that funny to me.

[(Anonymous)]

Eh, even of my most loved comedians no one is at 100% all the time.

This is especially true for sketch comedies where they are coming up with a different premise all of the time, I love Kids in the Hall but I wouldn't say I love ever single sketch.

[fishnchips]

I agree but I still like them as a whole. I'm usually not fond of the parts that feature puking or other disgusting stuff, but I just don't watch them.
(When I was younger, I always thought the animated bits were super creepy.)

[(Anonymous)]

This is true of many, many things.

[(Anonymous)]

Well, sure. Takes some panning to get to the gold. Still totally worth it, though.

[(Anonymous)]

It helps to have a British, late-boomer husband who can explain all the historical-context stuff.

It's not necessarily side-splitting then, but at least you can get why it might have been, once.

[(Anonymous)]

The wonderful thing about the Flying Circus skits is that even the not funny ones give me a chance to teach my kids about the context of the skit, and why it might have been funnier when it was first broadcast. We've had some amazing discussions about history, politics, cultural mores, and fashions.
Just because you can't see the value doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

[(Anonymous)]

I love Monty Python and really, none of it is funny, like, laugh out loud funny. It's just weird and off-kilter and often quotable.

[(Anonymous)]

I wish they hadn't done so many drag acts. I'm fairly certain the high profile nature of the Python drag acts was a major contributor to the UK's hostility to trans people for so long, and the reason why shows like Little Britain and Mrs Brown's Boys are still considered acceptable humor sources.

[(Anonymous)]

I'd rather watch Mel Brooks over anything Monty Python anytime.

[(Anonymous)]

I think all sketch shows are kind of uneven like that, because sketch comedy is really hard--and as others have said, some of their sketches don't make as much sense out of context. And some of them just weren't that funny! But I think the ones that ARE funny are very funny and memorable still, plus they had so much influence on the comedy that came after them, and that's why they're deservedly so well remembered.

[esteefee]

You can say only 30-40% of their body of work is good, but it's a huge body of work, so that's saying a lot. I used to watch MPFC religiously when it showed up on cable and I'd listen to Contractual Obligations and Matching Tie and Handkerchief and man, I adored those guys. And I still think Holy Grail is one of the funniest movies of all time.

[(Anonymous)]

The same could be said of literally every sketch comedy series and troupe. There is no sketch comedy series, ever, that is all killer no filler. The reason that Monty Python is so important is that it's (a) profoundly formally innovative and (b) extremely funny, and intensely funny in novel, revelatory ways. Not because it's honed to the highest pitch of comedy perfection.

[(Anonymous)]

40% is pretty good for skectch comedy. I mean thats just the way it works. If your laughing over almost half the show, I think you got a winner. Not every joke anyone makes is gonna be great. Doesn't mean they can't havw moments of brilliance.

[(Anonymous)]

don't you have some offs to fuck?

[(Anonymous)]

This is a secret? I thought it was well known knowledge. But I totally agree with you, OP. It's very hit or miss. For me, mostly a miss.

[(Anonymous)]

Congratulations, you've discovered the weakness of comedy.

[(Anonymous)]

Honestly, this describes pretty much every successful comedy troupe.