Monty Python is considered as a landmark TV comedy and in its way I suppose it is.
It's a show that I never got into the habit of watching even though I have an acute sense of comic absurdity.
I tried watching occasional episodes but in all honesty I found it a bit hit and miss. Sketches started okay as original and off beat, and then fell flat, that's my impression of them.
As an example of this I cite a strange reaction I had to a Monty Python sketch, one of the most famous the Dead Parrot sketch. During this I made a cardinal sin of actually wondering why I was laughing, approximately half way through it. Once I'd got the notion in my bonce I couldn't dislodge it from my mind.
This was the only time I was stupid enough to make this mistake. But the overall effect on me was to put me off the show.
This attitude towards the TV program persisted regarding the Python films. Until their film Life of Brian, which is now my favourite film comedy. Why did I change my mind over that film? Because there was so much stupid ill informed comment about it, that I had to watch it to see what all the fuss was about. I have now seen this film more times than any other film.
Monty Python has however managed to achieve something that British comedies have in general failed, and that is to acquire cult status in the USA. This has had a knock on effect of an unwarranted assumption that esoteric comedy emanates from this show. I say this as any reference to Monty Python online elicits copious comments, that illustrate this point. A typical example being to declare of Monty Python, that they are 'The Beatles of Comedy'. Even this side of the pond the same feeling has permeated, that any originality in comedy emanated via Monty Python. If your knowledge of comedy is so restricted then that may seem to be the case. But for my part I'm not surprised that Spike Milligan got put out after watching Monty Python, when he declared "They've nicked my stuff"
I tried watching occasional episodes but in all honesty I found it a bit hit and miss. Sketches started okay as original and off beat, and then fell flat, that's my impression of them.
As an example of this I cite a strange reaction I had to a Monty Python sketch, one of the most famous the Dead Parrot sketch. During this I made a cardinal sin of actually wondering why I was laughing, approximately half way through it. Once I'd got the notion in my bonce I couldn't dislodge it from my mind.
This was the only time I was stupid enough to make this mistake. But the overall effect on me was to put me off the show.
This attitude towards the TV program persisted regarding the Python films. Until their film Life of Brian, which is now my favourite film comedy. Why did I change my mind over that film? Because there was so much stupid ill informed comment about it, that I had to watch it to see what all the fuss was about. I have now seen this film more times than any other film.
Monty Python has however managed to achieve something that British comedies have in general failed, and that is to acquire cult status in the USA. This has had a knock on effect of an unwarranted assumption that esoteric comedy emanates from this show. I say this as any reference to Monty Python online elicits copious comments, that illustrate this point. A typical example being to declare of Monty Python, that they are 'The Beatles of Comedy'. Even this side of the pond the same feeling has permeated, that any originality in comedy emanated via Monty Python. If your knowledge of comedy is so restricted then that may seem to be the case. But for my part I'm not surprised that Spike Milligan got put out after watching Monty Python, when he declared "They've nicked my stuff"