It is hard to imagine anyone hotter than Mel Brooks must have been in 1975. Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein had both been released to wild applause only the year before. (Incredibly he brought both films to the screen in the same calendar year.)With that power he was able to bring his vision of the Robin Hood legend to television as a series, returning to that medium for the first time since the beloved Get Smart. Unfortunately When Things Were Rotten only survived a scant 13 episodes. Why was that?
First the good. The casting is top notch, including guest stars such as Carl Ballentine and John Byner to name only two. My only small complaint would be the role of Little John in which I would have preferred to see a comedic actor such as Pat McCormick, but that is quibbling. The behind the scenes people were also by and large top notch. I particularly liked the Pat Proft written episode.
Now to the bad. Although Mel Brooks is listed as a co creator he does not have a single writing, directing, or story editing credit and I believe that the show suffers from that. While the series has many of the Brooks trademark bits (Sentences interpreted literally and the like) it feels a bit like Brooks lite. Half the calories, but half the laughs, though the ones there are hilarious. Having said all that, I believe the main problem with the show is that it tries to be not only a comedy, but it also incorporates elements of a straight action/adventure show in many, though not all, episodes. It makes for an uneasy mix.
Bottom line is that When Things Were Rotten is a classic that all Mel Brooks fans, and indeed comedy fans in general, should see. I watched this show when it was on and also very recently and I wish there were 10 seasons instead of just one. Mel Brooks obviously felt he wasn't through with the Robin Hood legend as he returned to it in the film Robin Hood Men in Tights, even repeating many of the same jokes from the series. I love the "Hey, Abbott" joke so much I could hear it every day.
This one is highly recommended despite its flaws.
First the good. The casting is top notch, including guest stars such as Carl Ballentine and John Byner to name only two. My only small complaint would be the role of Little John in which I would have preferred to see a comedic actor such as Pat McCormick, but that is quibbling. The behind the scenes people were also by and large top notch. I particularly liked the Pat Proft written episode.
Now to the bad. Although Mel Brooks is listed as a co creator he does not have a single writing, directing, or story editing credit and I believe that the show suffers from that. While the series has many of the Brooks trademark bits (Sentences interpreted literally and the like) it feels a bit like Brooks lite. Half the calories, but half the laughs, though the ones there are hilarious. Having said all that, I believe the main problem with the show is that it tries to be not only a comedy, but it also incorporates elements of a straight action/adventure show in many, though not all, episodes. It makes for an uneasy mix.
Bottom line is that When Things Were Rotten is a classic that all Mel Brooks fans, and indeed comedy fans in general, should see. I watched this show when it was on and also very recently and I wish there were 10 seasons instead of just one. Mel Brooks obviously felt he wasn't through with the Robin Hood legend as he returned to it in the film Robin Hood Men in Tights, even repeating many of the same jokes from the series. I love the "Hey, Abbott" joke so much I could hear it every day.
This one is highly recommended despite its flaws.