The pedigree of stars and initial sole writers Bob Odenkirk and David Cross is enough to recommend this '90s sketch show, which resembles a more savage Flying Circus or grown-up Fist of Fun. As with Python, it's the effort (even when minimal) to link sketches and theme episodes that means it's always satisfying to watch, even when the ratio of actual LOLs isn't that high.
In spite of what I just said, here are some of those LOLs in isolation. If you haven't watched the Show, do that rather than let me spoil the jokes.
"The pants worked!"
Just a brief bit of tomfoolery – one of several that's reminiscent of Brass Eye – this non-sequitur epilogue that had nothing to do with the overlong sketch preceding it made me laugh for a long time. I was wavering on whether to commit to the whole series, but the pants worked for me.
"It's so big, it's fucking great."
Swearing isn't big or clever, but shaking up the familiar context of a fast food advert with casual profanity took me back to the shocking thrill of seeing the South Park movie at 14. It wouldn't have had that effect deeper into the series.
"It's like double reverse racism times nine."
'The White People Co-opting Black Culture Network' is the big, worthy gag here, but I was more tickled by the estate agent showing prospective tenants around without even bothering to tidy away the previous occupant's noose.
"Thank you."
More than mere "where's me washboard?"-style music hall mockery, this develops into a nice character study as Dickie Crickets and Kid Jersey vie for the approval of the picky public and its unrelenting demand for short songs about brand new inventions (but not so new they don't exist yet).
"We forgive you."
Bob and David court viewer hate mail with offensive singalongs, bookended by apologetic context and featuring background extras of colour serving the same role as Tim/Jim's disapproving faces in The Office. It's a shame some viewers will respond to it on a different level, but you can't worry about cunts.
"Foolproof plan. I think."
It may deal with edgy subject matter to please HBO subscribers, but this is traditional sketch comedy, pure and perfect, all building to a fantastic punchline.
"NO!"
A frustrated David Cross is always funny, but this sequence of unhelpfully "apropos" decisions made by an auditioning actor and a TV network gets funnier the more you think about it, especially when it returns in a customary coda.
"I don't know what that was in reference to."
We're spared the unnecessary boardroom interludes to enjoy a sequence of alternately devious and desperate ads as an evil retail tyrant drives a local family out of business. The format would return a few episodes later with McHutchence vs. Greeley III: "You fucked with the wrong guys, reverend."
"Let's try it again. It's really not that hard."
Why does our host look so dishevelled at the start of this week's seemingly innocuous phone-in about the elderly? The answer becomes clearer and clearer as we see the cumulative consequences of an initial bad decision, and we're left wondering how long he stuck it out.
"Try, try, try again."
Heavy metal suicide trials are a no-brainer target for satire, but this riff goes all-out with an unforgettable reveal and a seriously fucking dark ending where the band ingeniously doubles down on controversy to rid themselves of an inconvenience.
