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Reviews
Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Buzz Aldrin Show (1970)
At the Height of Their Creativity
Certainly one of their best episode which doesn't contain sketches in the movie, "And Now For Something Completely Different".
Memorably sketches include The Gumbys announcing, "The Architect Sketch", which features John Cleese trying to sell a slaughterhouse in the guise of an apartment building. When his idea is turned down, he gives a long-winded speech complaining about his lack of opportunity because he never became a mason. A group of businessmen are then seen hopping down the sidewalk with their pants down at their ankles, which of course in the world on Monty Python indicates that these businessmen are masons.
Other sketches include The Bishop which wraps around the motor insurance sketch, where claims are never paid. This ripping off of customers causes the bishop to make an appearance to right this wrong. Unfortunately, the bishop always arrives too late to fix the actual problems he's seeking to correct.
Eventually Buzz Aldrin does appear in the closing credits, but only a picture of him in his space suit without the helmet.
Monty Python's Flying Circus: Déjà Vu (1970)
A Real Good Episode
One of my favorite episodes, mainly because it's so different. None of the sketches made it to the film, "And Now For Something Completely Different" but that's understandable because the length of some of these sketches are longer than normal.
Replete with animals exploding, a long walk through the sewer system (as if that's a valid way to go from one office to another) and other bizarre subjects. A gynecologist checking under a man's kilt. A Scotsman constantly begging for money through postal mail with clever excuses. A very polite highjacker who eventually leaps from the plane with a parachute because he doesn't want to be too much trouble. A milkman who spends more time psychoanalyzing his customers than selling them milk.
The episode culminates with a Deja Vu sequence. The commentator starts realizing he's having the same phone conversation over and over and seeks out a psychiatrist.
It's one of the few episodes that I like to go back and revisit. It certainly caught me by surprise when first seeing it.
Salt Water Daffy (1933)
Good Comedy
This comedy is available on the DVD "The Three Stooges, The Early Years". Features Shemp Howard and a young Lionel Stander, who later appeared on the TV series "Hart To Hart" as Max.
Shemp and Jack Haley accidently signup to the Navy while trying to hide from the police. The Three Stooges did a somewhat similar storyline in their short "Boobs In Arms".