Change in sketch shows over the years - TV Programmes

degsyhufc · 03-11-2009, 18:25

I was watching a few shows over the weekend and it got me thinking about how styles have changed over the years.

I was watching "Important Things with Demetri Martin" on E4 and it's something different from other things i've seen in quite a while.
It's low budget, a bit geeky but still funny. It's standup interspersed with sketches.

The only other thing I can think of similar recently would be Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, although that is more concentrated on the standup.

It just got me thinking to how shows used to be. Fry & Laurie, Smith & Jones, Hale & Pace all had monologues or duologues or sketches directly to the audience.

I know Mitchell and Webb have done a few little bits like that but not really in the same way.

Another one that popped into my head was Dave Allen. I just remember him sitting down with a drink telling jokes & anecdotes and then sketches inbetween.

These days it seems to be all quick fire sketches and taking the p out of celebs, shows or genres.

What are your views?

Tassium · 03-11-2009, 19:09

A sketch show with bits to audience would have seemed "old fashioned" to a certain generation of producers/executives.

Basically there comes a point when they don't seem old fashioned any more and wham!, all that we will see will be sketch shows ala Morecombe and Wise.

Who knows the mind of the commissioning executive? They might not actually have one anyway, clockwork bits and Cadburys fingers maybe.

I thought when David Mitchell did something to audience on one of their shows a while back it worked very well. I would like to see the return of this M&W concept complete with celebrity guest. (maybe not the newsreaders dancing though)

smile371 · 03-11-2009, 19:11

The Omid Djalili Show has a mixture of both Stand up and audience interaction as well as sketches, is that the sorta thing you mean?

Tassium · 03-11-2009, 19:16

A person doing their "stand-up" routine and a duo basically in character "talking" to each are very different in tone.

Stand-up has become more popular in recent years to such a degree that it now looks tired. How often do you see a duo in character doing a bit to audience?

Almost never.

degsyhufc · 03-11-2009, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by smile371

The Omid Djalili Show has a mixture of both Stand up and audience interaction as well as sketches, is that the sorta thing you mean?

Actually that's a very good example. I'd forgotten about that.
That's how hard it is too try and think of these types of shows.

degsyhufc · 03-11-2009, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tassium

A person doing their "stand-up" routine and a duo basically in character "talking" to each are very different in tone.

Stand-up has become more popular in recent years to such a degree that it now looks tired. How often do you see a duo in character doing a bit to audience?

Almost never.

Michell & Webb have done it a few times in their series. In the last series Mitchell did a monologue and in an earlier series they did a sketch where a planted audience member became part of it.

That reminded me a little of Fry & Laurie.

But it's no where near the type or amount of audience interaction and sketches that Fry & Laurie had in their series.

I read or saw something the other day that said the next big thing was going to be back to variety (not talent shows).

degsyhufc · 04-11-2009, 20:09

Just thought of another one. The Mary Whitehouse Experience. Live floor show interspersed with sketches.
Infact they are reminiscent of the radio shows, the same as how Lee & Herring started out and how Punt and Dennis still do it.

Stardog · 04-11-2009, 20:21

We need something like Kenny Everett's shows. We don't have the talent though...

Chris1964 · 04-11-2009, 20:57

One inescapable fact is that sketch shows have moved post watershed. Russ Abbots Madhouse was one of my favourite shows as a kid. It was big family entertainment and a hit for over a decade-along with many many others in the seventies and eighties. There arent any Russ Abbots around these days which I think is a bit of a shame.

Tidlee · 04-11-2009, 23:45

I used to love The Frost Report, Dave Allen, Fry & Laurie, Smith & Jones. They kept things simple because they were cleverly written. I haven't liked any of the modern sketch shows that I've tried watching - I don't find them funny. Of course, it may just be me getting old!

abercrombie · 05-11-2009, 00:02

Programmes like the Dave Allen show and Morecombe and Wise, (though dated now!) seemed much better to me then. They had laugh out loud comedy and they were different every week.

The comedy shows now seem to be based on a darker sort of non-humour. Just a sort of 'Tch!' not actually laughing.

The other thing I don't like is the fact that many of them only seem to have six jokes which they do over and over again in each programme.

The old ones, even - what was his name? You are awful - but I like you? - even he had different things happening each week. Not just the same characters and the same joke but in a different situation - or just a different room sometimes. After you have watched one show you dont need to watch the rest of the series.

phew, rant over.

Tidlee · 05-11-2009, 00:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by abercrombie

The comedy shows now seem to be based on a darker sort of non-humour. Just a sort of 'Tch!' not actually laughing.

That's so true - its exactly the noise I make when something isn't really very funny but I feel obliged to laugh!
Dick Emery is the whats-his-name you are thinking of - that show was quite entertaining in a strange sort of way - except for when he started to sing.

abercrombie · 05-11-2009, 00:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tidlee

That's so true - its exactly the noise I make when something isn't really very funny but I feel obliged to laugh!
Dick Emery is the whats-his-name you are thinking of - that show was quite entertaining in a strange sort of way - except for when he started to sing.

LOL That's him! Dick Emery

I don't remember the singing though. Maybe my brain has blanked it out

Tidlee · 05-11-2009, 08:59

Good decision by your brain - the singing bit was rather painful. Like Dickie Henderson (remember him?), and of course the awful Bruce Forsyth. Thank goodness he doesn't try to sing any more.

the marc-ra · 05-11-2009, 09:20

Sketch shows also age more and don't last as long as regular comedies, they are always changing with the style of the moment which makes them look dated quickly. Monty Python looks awful now for all but a few sketches, the fast show looks a little tame even little britain looks dated as the characters became so popular they sort of just wore out

blimpyboy · 05-11-2009, 09:39

Its this kind of nostalgia that allowed Horne and Corden to happen.

Have we learned nothing from that darkest half-hour?

Well I say "Never Again".

Rorschach · 05-11-2009, 10:42

Whilst the rest of their show is very modern and quite sit-com, The Mighty Boosh used to start with a very Morecombe and Wise bit of talking to the audience in front of a curtain.

brangdon · 05-11-2009, 11:18

Bremner, Bird and Fortune is another current comedy show that mixes stand-up (from Bremner) with sketches.

So the format is still alive. It's OK but I don't think there's anything especially good about it. It's not the reason why some people don't find some programmes funny.

Harry Hill's TV Burp is a borderline example. It is mostly Harry talking to camera, mixed with lots of clips, and a few so faked and over-the-top that they amount to sketches. But it's a bit different to a pure clip show with presenter like "It'll Be Alright On The Night" (partly because HH is funny).

cartree · 05-11-2009, 11:54

The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) which used to be on Paramount all the time is a brilliant example of this style. The studio bits are generally far superior to the sketches, but luckily they also outweigh them heavily. Smell of Reeves & Mortimer was the same, brilliant studio pieces, very hit-and-(really bad)miss sketches.

degsyhufc · 05-11-2009, 16:24

Some good examples there. I can't believe I forgot about R&M. I was only watching Big Night Out the other day and although that's a different type of show it was a denifinate stand out show in the genre of the time.

I must confess that i've never watched the Mighty Boosh.

Gulftastic · 05-11-2009, 16:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartree

The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) which used to be on Paramount all the time is a brilliant example of this style. The studio bits are generally far superior to the sketches, but luckily they also outweigh them heavily..

True in the main, but I loved 'I Bloody Dare Ya!'.

degsyhufc · 10-11-2009, 15:54

Just read this from Ben Elton
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...ow-comedy.html

I agree with some of the argument but I actually rather like Mock The Week and 8 Out Of 10 Cats.
As the main point of the thread was about missing those standup/sketch shows but Stewart Lee and Omid's shows are both recent and both slightly daring. Omid as it could be seen as a box ticker and Lee as he probably has a small demographic for his type of comedy.

Overall though all of these standups still do their tours and DVDs. You can still get bog standard standup all around the country.

03-11-2009, 18:25	#1
degsyhufc Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 4,776	Change in sketch shows over the years I was watching a few shows over the weekend and it got me thinking about how styles have changed over the years. I was watching "Important Things with Demetri Martin" on E4 and it's something different from other things i've seen in quite a while. It's low budget, a bit geeky but still funny. It's standup interspersed with sketches. The only other thing I can think of similar recently would be Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, although that is more concentrated on the standup. It just got me thinking to how shows used to be. Fry & Laurie, Smith & Jones, Hale & Pace all had monologues or duologues or sketches directly to the audience. I know Mitchell and Webb have done a few little bits like that but not really in the same way. Another one that popped into my head was Dave Allen. I just remember him sitting down with a drink telling jokes & anecdotes and then sketches inbetween. These days it seems to be all quick fire sketches and taking the p out of celebs, shows or genres. What are your views?

05-11-2009, 00:02	#11
abercrombie Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 432	Old shows were better! Programmes like the Dave Allen show and Morecombe and Wise, (though dated now!) seemed much better to me then. They had laugh out loud comedy and they were different every week. The comedy shows now seem to be based on a darker sort of non-humour. Just a sort of 'Tch!' not actually laughing. The other thing I don't like is the fact that many of them only seem to have six jokes which they do over and over again in each programme. The old ones, even - what was his name? You are awful - but I like you? - even he had different things happening each week. Not just the same characters and the same joke but in a different situation - or just a different room sometimes. After you have watched one show you dont need to watch the rest of the series. phew, rant over.

03-11-2009, 19:09	#2
Tassium Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: It's Grim Services: MK2 Interocitor Posts: 2,309	A sketch show with bits to audience would have seemed "old fashioned" to a certain generation of producers/executives. Basically there comes a point when they don't seem old fashioned any more and wham!, all that we will see will be sketch shows ala Morecombe and Wise. Who knows the mind of the commissioning executive? They might not actually have one anyway, clockwork bits and Cadburys fingers maybe. I thought when David Mitchell did something to audience on one of their shows a while back it worked very well. I would like to see the return of this M&W concept complete with celebrity guest. (maybe not the newsreaders dancing though)

03-11-2009, 19:11	#3
smile371 Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 5,054	The Omid Djalili Show has a mixture of both Stand up and audience interaction as well as sketches, is that the sorta thing you mean?

03-11-2009, 19:16	#4
Tassium Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: It's Grim Services: MK2 Interocitor Posts: 2,309	A person doing their "stand-up" routine and a duo basically in character "talking" to each are very different in tone. Stand-up has become more popular in recent years to such a degree that it now looks tired. How often do you see a duo in character doing a bit to audience? Almost never.

04-11-2009, 20:09	#7
degsyhufc Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 4,776	Just thought of another one. The Mary Whitehouse Experience. Live floor show interspersed with sketches. Infact they are reminiscent of the radio shows, the same as how Lee & Herring started out and how Punt and Dennis still do it.

04-11-2009, 20:21	#8
Stardog Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 945	We need something like Kenny Everett's shows. We don't have the talent though...

04-11-2009, 20:57	#9
Chris1964 Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 2,397	One inescapable fact is that sketch shows have moved post watershed. Russ Abbots Madhouse was one of my favourite shows as a kid. It was big family entertainment and a hit for over a decade-along with many many others in the seventies and eighties. There arent any Russ Abbots around these days which I think is a bit of a shame.

04-11-2009, 23:45	#10
Tidlee Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 368	I used to love The Frost Report, Dave Allen, Fry & Laurie, Smith & Jones. They kept things simple because they were cleverly written. I haven't liked any of the modern sketch shows that I've tried watching - I don't find them funny. Of course, it may just be me getting old!

05-11-2009, 08:59	#14
Tidlee Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 368	Good decision by your brain - the singing bit was rather painful. Like Dickie Henderson (remember him?), and of course the awful Bruce Forsyth. Thank goodness he doesn't try to sing any more.

05-11-2009, 09:20	#15
the marc-ra Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 123	Sketch shows also age more and don't last as long as regular comedies, they are always changing with the style of the moment which makes them look dated quickly. Monty Python looks awful now for all but a few sketches, the fast show looks a little tame even little britain looks dated as the characters became so popular they sort of just wore out

05-11-2009, 09:39	#16
blimpyboy Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Barnstoneworth Posts: 51	Its this kind of nostalgia that allowed Horne and Corden to happen. Have we learned nothing from that darkest half-hour? Well I say "Never Again".

05-11-2009, 10:42	#17
Rorschach Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,282	Whilst the rest of their show is very modern and quite sit-com, The Mighty Boosh used to start with a very Morecombe and Wise bit of talking to the audience in front of a curtain.

05-11-2009, 11:18	#18
brangdon Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nottingham, UK Posts: 5,430	Bremner, Bird and Fortune is another current comedy show that mixes stand-up (from Bremner) with sketches. So the format is still alive. It's OK but I don't think there's anything especially good about it. It's not the reason why some people don't find some programmes funny. Harry Hill's TV Burp is a borderline example. It is mostly Harry talking to camera, mixed with lots of clips, and a few so faked and over-the-top that they amount to sketches. But it's a bit different to a pure clip show with presenter like "It'll Be Alright On The Night" (partly because HH is funny).

05-11-2009, 11:54	#19
cartree Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 98	The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) which used to be on Paramount all the time is a brilliant example of this style. The studio bits are generally far superior to the sketches, but luckily they also outweigh them heavily. Smell of Reeves & Mortimer was the same, brilliant studio pieces, very hit-and-(really bad)miss sketches.

05-11-2009, 16:24	#20
degsyhufc Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 4,776	Some good examples there. I can't believe I forgot about R&M. I was only watching Big Night Out the other day and although that's a different type of show it was a denifinate stand out show in the genre of the time. I must confess that i've never watched the Mighty Boosh.

10-11-2009, 15:54	#22
degsyhufc Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 4,776	Just read this from Ben Elton http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...ow-comedy.html I agree with some of the argument but I actually rather like Mock The Week and 8 Out Of 10 Cats. As the main point of the thread was about missing those standup/sketch shows but Stewart Lee and Omid's shows are both recent and both slightly daring. Omid as it could be seen as a box ticker and Lee as he probably has a small demographic for his type of comedy. Overall though all of these standups still do their tours and DVDs. You can still get bog standard standup all around the country.