d on MTV for more than one season, the show consisted of four very short ones, with the obscure references to Bogart movies and the plays of Tennessee Williams and Odets. They they did their fair share of sticking it to the powers that be through their rants and sarcastic use of catchphrases. Catchphrases that ended up catching on a little too well. Unlike most sketch comedies, and MTV shows for that matter (I'm looking at you, MAD TV, SNL and, well...all of MTV) most to all of these sketches have aged well. However, it seems that the network was somewhat shortsighted, cancelling the show after two years, though, it was in decline anyway. Though no matter, most have turned into successful comedians, writers, directors and actors, with resumes including: Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911, Best Week Ever, Role Models, Stella, Viva Variety and even professors of theater and direction at NYU. When I look at the shows, and then again with the commentary, I can see the perfectionist and the genius in all of the players. It's a miracle that these egos were able to come together for that long and create what may be one of the greatest comedy shows of all time.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Greatest State
Since hell has decided to visit Seattle for the week, I've taken inside to my semi-cool basement to relax with a coke float and the complete series of The State. For those of you who don't know, it was a bunch of college kids like Michael Ian Black/Showalter, Tom Lennon, Kerry Kenney, David Wain etc. Who ended up being people like Dangle and Junior from Reno 911! and both Michaels from Michael and Michael Have Issues, the new series for Comedy Central. Meeting on the fringes of New York University's art scene, these kids collected and formed what became the New Group, which became the State. In the vain of the greats before them--Monty Python, Carol Burnett etc.--the show consisted of a bunch of hilariously bizarre skits, with the show (for the most part) linked from random skit to the next...somehow. It's a shock that this played on MTV for more than one season, the show consisted of four very short ones, with the obscure references to Bogart movies and the plays of Tennessee Williams and Odets. They they did their fair share of sticking it to the powers that be through their rants and sarcastic use of catchphrases. Catchphrases that ended up catching on a little too well. Unlike most sketch comedies, and MTV shows for that matter (I'm looking at you, MAD TV, SNL and, well...all of MTV) most to all of these sketches have aged well. However, it seems that the network was somewhat shortsighted, cancelling the show after two years, though, it was in decline anyway. Though no matter, most have turned into successful comedians, writers, directors and actors, with resumes including: Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911, Best Week Ever, Role Models, Stella, Viva Variety and even professors of theater and direction at NYU. When I look at the shows, and then again with the commentary, I can see the perfectionist and the genius in all of the players. It's a miracle that these egos were able to come together for that long and create what may be one of the greatest comedy shows of all time.
d on MTV for more than one season, the show consisted of four very short ones, with the obscure references to Bogart movies and the plays of Tennessee Williams and Odets. They they did their fair share of sticking it to the powers that be through their rants and sarcastic use of catchphrases. Catchphrases that ended up catching on a little too well. Unlike most sketch comedies, and MTV shows for that matter (I'm looking at you, MAD TV, SNL and, well...all of MTV) most to all of these sketches have aged well. However, it seems that the network was somewhat shortsighted, cancelling the show after two years, though, it was in decline anyway. Though no matter, most have turned into successful comedians, writers, directors and actors, with resumes including: Wet Hot American Summer, Reno 911, Best Week Ever, Role Models, Stella, Viva Variety and even professors of theater and direction at NYU. When I look at the shows, and then again with the commentary, I can see the perfectionist and the genius in all of the players. It's a miracle that these egos were able to come together for that long and create what may be one of the greatest comedy shows of all time.
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