Mr. Show with Bob and David: Genius or Overrated?

Hm...all right, let me serve up an example -- one sketch I found egregriously painful was the one in the restaurant where the staff is all falling over themselves to take care of the dude when he poops. So, was that a 'fake' sketch (and was I apparently unaware not to notice?)? (I'm not objecting to that approach -- see also SCTV, MST3K, etc. -- but I don't think it worked well here.)

like ILX is a good arbiter of what's funny. get off yo own nuts!!

-- miccio (anthonyisrigh...), April 23rd, 2005.

I mean even America's Funniest Home Videos has that smug Bob Saget cracking wry over the shots of dogs sliding around on ice.

-- miccio (anthonyisrigh...), April 23rd, 2005.

i'd understand the complaint if they, like, gratuitously paused for applause or something, but the show has a pretty zippy pace.

-- miccio (anthonyisrigh...), April 23rd, 2005.

otfm!

I was referring to the live segments--i.e. the "Space Dog" sketch.

As dumb as Lemonade Salesman's argument is, I don't know if "trying too hard" is a particularly useful criticism as it's phrased, especially when so much sketch could stand to try a lot harder (Michael Showalter, I'm looking at you). I haven't seen the poop sketch in a few years, but I'm remember it being executed very well--great raising the stakes, strong beats--but predicated on pretty weak ideas. Blount brought up Chappelle Show, which suffers from the opposite problem; great (if sometimes same-y) ideas, half-assed execution.

Is "Trying Too Hard" In Art Really THAT Bad?

I still love it.

yes

sad songs are nature's onions

paul f tompkins was chubby once

my shoes hurt too

i really love the jesus christ superstar sketch. i was obsessed with that movie at some point in my youth though.

gagortion

jcss is OK. not many lols.

the sketch i mean. the original is the best thing ever made.

yeah that sketch really goes on too long

It took me a while to start liking Mr. Show, to be honest. I had to get accustomed to it... but I think that happens with most sketch shows. You need to get a feel for the actors on the show, and for the writing. I am, however, a giant sketch comedy fan, so inevitably, this show became one of my favourite shows. When I was younger, I liked Cross best, but now it's definitely Odenkirk. All of the "best" parts I remember of his show were Bob-related... there's one sketch in particular whose name I forget, where Bob is this kid with a squeaky voice who's really down on himself, and David is his swearing friend who leaves in a jeep at one point... I think Bob says "aw, gee..." all the time. Anyone help me out here?

I still don't think I like it as much as Kids in the Hall, though, but I am a Canadian. Again, though, acquired taste?

no. kids in the hall are the greatest sketch comedy group of all time.

Hadn't watched this for a couple of years until I looked up a few favorites on YouTube yesterday. "Change for a Dollar" and the "Van Hammersley" (the guy who teaches you about history through billiards) sketches are still great.

yeah KITH is better, more consistent, generally weirder and relied much less on direct and obvious parodies

the Bob one you're thinking of Will is in Season 1, I think...? He wanders around complaining about how things change (leaves, streetlights, etc.) Its a pretty short interstitial piece if I recall.

altho yeh in general Bob >>>>>>>>>>>>> David

Kids in the Hall is superior (it's easily my favorite show of all time), but I still heart Mr. Show 2 tha max

maybe the key difference is that KITH stuff is generally character-driven, whereas Mr. Show is more concept-driven...?

Yeah but I have tried to show people KITH who aren't yet into it, and they are never amused... until they start watching many episodes. Not a sitcom, but also, people need to wach a few Seinfelds before they "get it" (which isn't to say everyone enjoys it after some eps, but NOBODY seems to like any of these shows after 1 or 2 episodes)

xpost YEAH, that's the one Shakey!

the dice and sponge sandwich KILLED

Ha ha my wife and I do the "These leaves used to be cool ... but they changed" voice all the time.

maybe the key difference is that KITH stuff is generally character-driven, whereas Mr. Show is more concept-driven...?

-- Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:20 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

yeah otm. but boy, what concepts!

because it's Halloween, the Monster Parties: Fact or Fiction? sketch

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fo4tzrxyXsA

I'm willing to side with the "funniest american sketch comedy show" people.

Also, the "Video Complaints" sketch has a joke I still say in regular conversation:

"I HAVE NEVER! EVER! ...EVER! ...NERVER! ...NENVER! ...NEVEREVEREN!

which reminds me of another david cross thing that I still oversue, but it's very subtle... in one eisode of arrested development, in one of the best moments, tobias is telling michael why he'd never take marriage advice from him. "And secondively, why would I take marriage advice from you? Your wife is dead!"

Secondively creeped its way into my speech, to the point where I no longer ven use it with a hint of irony in my voice, and just sound uneducated.

I often describe myself as an adventurist, a noveler, and a travelaire

funniest American sketch comedy show was The State.

which is like light years funnier than Mr. Show. and they weren't allowed to cuss!

I liked a lot of the side people, really think they made the show: Brian Posehn, Jay Johnston and my fave Tom Kenny (aka voice of Spongebob). Season (3? 4? the last one) had like way tons tons of Jay Johnston, which was surprising. The best one from that season was called (IIRCE) "The Story of the Story of the Story of Antarctica," where he kept knocking over the thimble cabinet. I wish they were that puzzling and slapstick all the time.

KITH mos defs>>>>>>>Herr Scahuen

Ned's comment upthread about me liking the Ben Stiller Show more still stands. There's still some howlingly funny episodes of Mr. Show, but like Abbott mentioned the side people are underrated (and David Cross is way way overrated)

The show would be horribly suffocating if it were just Bob & David.

Jill Talley, people

sorry to resurrect this old thing, but i just watched the bob lamonta story and laughed my ass off... this seemed like the best place to post about it.

Since they met on the Ben Stiller show, much of the show's precursors can be found in the Odenkirk sketches from there

the dice and sponge sandwich KILLED

― sunny successor, Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:22 PM (1 year ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^

my favorite odenkirk from the ben stiller show is - besides manson, obv - val the background singer who is fluent in two languages: english and legalese.

Taint Misbehavin'

Was Odenkirk's Hillbilly Industries from Stiller of Mr Show?