BBC Babble – Under the Monty Python big top

A couple weeks ago, I praised Little Britain‘s no-holds-barred comedy and reminisced about the glory days of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Well, the Flying Circus still graces BBC America’s airwaves as an appropriate lead-in to Little Britain. If you’re new to the Python experience, or would like to take a laugh-filled trip down memory lane, set your DVR for 8pm on Fridays.

The series — which ran from 1969 to 1974 — was renowned for developing an absurd, often depraved brand of satire never before seen. Their acid-tongued, masterfully crafted, highbrow brand of humor set the standard for comedy troupes on television. John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin were the brilliant minds behind this classic series. Each member went on to future success as actors, directors, composers and hosts, and all but Chapman are still alive.

The Python style was fueled by an intellectual slant and was uniquely indefinable. Many sketches had no real point or logical conclusion. The sheer number of original characters created for the episodes is staggering. There were few recurring roles, which kept the show fresh from week-to-week, but they did take aim at the same targets on occasion: the British Conservative party, Richard Nixon, and the police; the latter, in particular, were mocked as being over-dramatic and dimwitted.

Cross-dressing was all the rage with the Python gang. Very rarely did they hire actresses to portray the female characters; Jones and Idle specialized in donning a dress and wig, normally to mimic matronly women called “pepperpots,” who were unnecessarily loud and frumpish.

Another inventive feature was Terry Gilliam’s original animations, which always managed to toe the line between bizarre and insane. Killer cars, man-eating houses and a cat that trampled London were a few of Gilliam’s memorable productions.

The list of seminal sketches is endless. To name them all would require extensive research and countless hours of DVD viewing. Since I’m a tad lazy, I eschewed that amount of labor. Instead, I’ll just mention a few bits still rattling around in my memory bank.

• The Spanish Inquisition – Cardinals Ximinez, Fang and Biggles would pop on screen whenever they heard “I didn’t expect The Spanish Inquisition.” Fear and surprise were their most lethal weapons. Of course, they were utter fools.
• Mr. Nudge – As played by Idle, this touchy-feely bloke was an annoying pervert with a knack for ruining a good mood.
• The Dead Parrot – Everyone knows the “Dead Parrot” sketch. If not, see below.
• The Ministry of Silly Walks - John Cleese’s signature skit is physical comedy at its finest.
• The Piranha Brothers – The nonsensical tale of ruthless gangsters known as “The Piranha Brothers.” Oh and there’s a giant hedgehog named Spiny Norman. It’s quintessential Python.
• Timmy Williams - Idle’s not-so-flattering parody of David Frost.
• The Lumberjack Song - I can’t explain. Just give it a listen.

Monty Python rules! Amazingly, the majority of their stuff still holds up. Thanks to BBC America we can enjoy the jocularity every Friday night at 8pm. If you need a good laugh, sample the zany exploits of Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Clacked by Scott Tunstall
on Feb 04, 2009 @ 13:05 EST5EDT