Originally Posted by
sunvalleylaw
True, the sketches were scripted. But I guess I meant more to say a full episode scripted as one piece, rather than a collection of skits or sketches.
Again though, I'd contend most of the classic episodes of Flying Circus meet that standard as well. The Pythons were able to craft shows where the bits would flow into the next, sometimes as a result of a running joke, sometimes a thematic link to the whole episode, etc. It stood in contrast to shows like SNL which were more the collection of skits you describe. I didn't see another sketch show that did that until Mr. Show (a must-see for David Cross fans.)
Originally Posted by
sunvalleylaw
I would submit that the original Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show was great too.
The music in those Looney Tunes classics is fantastic as well, much of it the work of the great Carl Stalling. Stalling was a huge influece on John Zorn's Naked City project, one of my favorite bands.
Also, Eric, good call on Arrested Development. That show was able to achieve new frontiers with the running joke concept, one of the many things about Archer which make me think of Arrested Development.
Two more of my favorites, Curb Your Enthusiasm and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Both are done an injustice by just calling them funny.
"I happen to have perfect situational awareness, Lana. Which cannot be taught, by the way. Like a poet's ... mind for ... to make the perfect words." - Sterling Archer
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