We like to turn people on to music, artists and albums here on the blog. This week is a slightly different mission: to turn you on to great sketch comedy and Mr. Show.
Mr. Show
The 90s were kind of a golden era for tv sketch comedy that we haven't seen since. It was a solid stretch for Saturday Night Live. Kids In The Hall were still going strong in the early 90s. MadTV and The State were around.
But the show that most comedy nerds put on a pedestal was Mr. Show.
Great, Just Not Perfect
In my experience when you're sitting friends down to turn them on to something funny, there's a little pressure on each sketch to be a killer. If you show somebody SCTV, sometimes some sketches fall flat or drag. If we're all honest with ourselves, the same is true of Monty Python's Flying Circus, too.
Mr. Show still has some duds (the Anne Frank house sketch comes to mind). But their batting average is great.
Single Episodes
Mr. Show took a page from the Monty Python Flying Circus book and had sketches blend from one to the other. Even though we are recommending highlight individual sketches here in this article, watching full episodes are pretty fantastic.
Great full episodes to try:
* Season 3, Episode 10 - Includes Pre-Taped Call-In Show, Titannica, Local World News, The Return of the Curse of the Creature's Ghost/Chip on Your Shoulder Club/Up Your Mother's Ass, Acting Is Dumb
* Season 4, Episode 4 - Includes The Story of Everest, Pallies, The Fairsley Difference,
Why 75 In The List
There are about 150-170 skits in the history of the show, depending on how you break up some of them.
We listed just under 50% of them in a gotta-watch list, which is about the same ratio of playoff teams out of total NBA teams
Top 28 - Watch Em Here
Or watch MOST of them. We assembled all 28 of these videos from what’s out there on YouTube a couple weeks ago. In the two weeks since then, six of the videos were taken down for rights issues. I find that a little ironic since Sony kind of buried all the episodes for years in the 2000s right up to the HBO Max era. NOTE: In the coming weeks or months, some of these videos may also be yanked. If you notice that here before we do, we would love it if you sent us a message letting us know.
1. Taped Call-in Show
(Season 3, Episode 10)
A perfect Mobius-strip of comedy. You can re-watch it on a comedy nerd level, or just belly laugh the first time you see it for David Cross’ frustration level alone
2. Drugachusetts
(Season 3, Episode 3)
This is the sketch I’ve shown to the most people, hands-down. If you’ve ever seen HR Puffenstuff, Lidsville or if you’re a fan of drugs then "Don’t forget to breathe", "Is he cool?", "They’ll know, they’ll know!" or "The Professor’s freaking out!" are incredibly resonant
3. The Story of Everest
(Season 4, Episode 4)
The only other consensus top sketch among Mr. Show fans. The more the premise (falling into shelves of thimbles) gets beaten to death, the funnier it gets. Come for Jay Johnston’s physical comedy, stay for Bob Odenkirk’s angry responses!
4. Teardrop Awards
(Season 4, Episode 9)
Another tour-de-force of premise, but doesn’t matter because it’s funny. At the Sad Song Awards, things go haywire - every year. The best parody music ever on Mr. Show. Prepare to feel weird laughing about Eric Clapton’s "Tears In Heaven"
5. Coupon: The Movie
(Season 2, Episode 6)
Comprises about 40% of one of their best episodes. The studio pitch meeting starts out funny, Coupon: The Movie gets you laughing out loud and then still morphs into Jack Black et al giving their thumbs up. Must watch.
6. Streakers
(Season 3, Episode 6)
This episode is non-stop greatness. But the sketch keeps hitting you hard from two alternating directions: Repeat panning-in on David Cross movie host (a la Robert Osborne) and then the movie Streakers. Chef’s kiss.
7. Megaphone Crooners
(Season 2, Episode 6)
Maybe the hardest I’ve ever laughed at a comedy sketch. The outrageousness of the dueling Monsters of Megaphone keeps escalating, but when the Feds step in after "Counterfeit Money Machine", I laughed uncontrollably.
8. Pallies
(Season 4, Episode 4)
Short simple premise of how bad edited-for-television substitutes for swearing are. "You dirty piece of shoe" and "Chinese dentist" will get you. Not a bad Goodfellas parody in the meanwhile.
9. Cock Ring Warehouse
(Season 3, Episode 2)
Bob’s flat affect voice over artist really sells it. I could have watched 20 minutes of this. "Any cock’ll do!"
10. Monk Academy
(Season 4, Episode 5)
By the time we get to the rap-off at the end, outloud belly laughs ww/ Bob and William Van Landingham (the 3rd) faceoff and then David slitting the kid’s throat during the bike race.
11. Commercials of the Future
(Season 1, Episode 2)
Covers a lot of ground: Pit-Pat the spokescreature, swearing in burger commercials, Bag Hutch, Jay Johnston run of distant swears.
12. Dr. X Doomsday Telethon
(Season 3, Episode 5)
There are so many highlights in this one: "Please don’t kill me", telethon humor, King of the Putdown Dick Rondell, the Singing Duke of Beepers. A favorite
13. The Fairsley Difference
(Season 4, Episode 4)
A triumph of negative advertising, except between supermarkets. Keep your eyes on the number of locations at the end of each commercial.
14. Blowing Up the Moon
(Season 3, Episode 6)
So many parts inside of the Blowing Up The Moon sketch �" particularly the country music of C.S. Lewis, Jr.
15. Mustardayonnaise
(Season 3, Episode 5)
Are you a two-jar slave? If so, then "Let’s get the hell out of here!" - Abe Lincoln in a yellow suit.
16. Genuine Hollywood Factual Report
(Season 4, Episode 10)
The repeat clips of Josh Fenderman dancing are incredible. So incredible, they’re "Pumpkininny!"
17. Titannica
(Season 3, Episode 10)
A great, great sketch. It could be the one you show to people to turn them on to Mr. Show but the puppetry and fake body are legitimately gross, despite how funny it is.
18. Lie Detector
(Season 3, Episode 3)
Simple premise, great lines throughout, Miss Saigon reference, "It’s awesome, it gets you really high" and Paul F. Tompkins realizing a repressed memory. Fantastic.
19. Kedzie Matthews
(Season 3, Episode 7)
Lots of great comedians have parodied manic free-association comics (aka Robin Williams) but Tom Kenny as Kedzie Matthews is the gold standard.
20. Good News
(Season 1, Episode 2)
It’s Bob’s religious host Dr. Rudy Moore that makes this ("and the lapse he has planned for August")
21. Car Wash Change Thief Action Squad
(Season 4, Episode 6)
Another meta sketch with layers to unpack, all while poking a hole in the America’s Most Wanted reality bubble.
22. Limits Of Science
(Season 3, Episode 1)
How good is Tom Kenny? The secret weapon of Mr. Show whom you may know as the voice of Spongebob Squarepants. You’ll appreciate the wheelbarrow after this one.
23. Blowjob
(Season 3, Episode 10)
The law firm recruiting process, and the world, is run by blowjobs. Bonus points if you’ve seen The Firm more than five times.
24. Van Hammersly
(Season 2, Episode 4)
Thin premise of trick-shot-billiard videotape ad, but pure manic Bob Odenkirk at his best.
25. You’re Fired
(Season 3, Episode 6)
It may be apocryphal but I once read that this sketch is partially responsible for getting Bob Odenkirk cast on Breaking Bad.
26. Fad Three
(Season 3, Episode 5)
Very specific for Beatles fans. Every on the street interview is perfect (John Ennis as a stuffy Brit). The Fad 3 changing diirections during onstage photograph kills me
27. Young People & Companions
(Season 3, Episode 4)
Jay Johnston is so good in this sketch it almost makes you forget he was part of the Jan 6. Capitol riots. That is not a joke. Google it.
28. Local World News
(Season 3, Episode 10)
Not the most substantial or creative ones ever. But it’s got reporters Jazz Witherspoon and the "Singing" "News" Reporter, Carl Bellflower
