Guilbert
Friday 4th April 2014 8:37am
87 posts
While people talk about the individual sketches I always felt that what took Python above a "normal" (all be it zany) sketch show was the "stream of consciousness" ideas running through some (but not all) of the shows.
I remember one show where "theme" was anagrams and many sketches (and even the closing credits) were in anagram.
One sketch showed Eric Idle going into the "Mary Recruiting Office" (a scene filmed outdoors) to join the army. Graham Chapman was the recruiting officer.
Half way through the sketch Chapman stopped, walked outside, and in another scene filmed outdoors, changed the sign to read Army Recruiting Office.
And of course the "Spanish Inquisition" show when almost every sketch was stopped when somebody said "I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition" and they burst in.
All expect the LAST "court room" sketch where the Spanish Inquisition were sitting at home reading the paper when they realised they had missed the end of the sketch.
As they rushed to the court room the closing credits started, and just as they burst into the court room "The End" popped up and Michael Palin said "Oh Bugger".
One of the great endings of any sketch show.