Can't see past The Fast Show as it was: a) Fast b) Funny Monty Python deserves a mention as the early classic and so many sketches that will live on for ages. What's yours?
There was one on in the 90's called Absolutely that I thought was brilliant at the time. Some of it hasn't aged well though. I would go for Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse they still make me laugh.
That black pepper sketch at 3:46 was around 3:00 too long. Still, The Fast Show and Monty Python were guilty of using the same jokes over and over again.
Not the 9 o'clock News Alas Smith and Jones Harry Enfield and chums [video=youtube;ACMcjbmniC8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACMcjbmniC8[/video]
Being a musician, this still remains one of the funniest sketches ever. [video=youtube;R7GeKLE0x3s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7GeKLE0x3s[/video] Followed by this [video=youtube;oaGpaj2nHIo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaGpaj2nHIo[/video]
Seeing the Hale and pace clip reminded me of these 2 sketches. I saw these live at the Hexagon (as it was then) in Reading in the mid 80s. [video=youtube;a5FfLo1KPRg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5FfLo1KPRg[/video] [video=youtube;i0u_BQ2PDDs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0u_BQ2PDDs[/video]
I just remember this bit: "What does a man do standing up, a woman do sitting down and a dog do with its leg in the air?" "Pass" "No, shake hands"
for their time The Muppet Show -Spitting Image - were original and funny ...one of my favs was the Benny Hill Show
The Fast Show was good. But Python was brilliant. I see Python sketches in everyday life all the time - Spam (obviously), Deja Vu, Confuse A Cat, Upper Class Twit of the Year, The Four Yorkshireman, Is This The Room For An Argument?, Ministry of Silly Walks, Hell's Grannies, Vicious Keep Left Signs, How Not To Be Seen, Seduced Milkmen, Blackmail TV Show, Dirty Fork, Self-Defence Against Fresh Fruit, Nudge Nudge Wink Wink, Dead Parrot (not in the top ten), The Piranha Brothers and of course The Spanish Inquisition Brilliant.
Turns out the Mastermind spoof I was thinking of was by Benny Hill: [video=vimeo;40394442]http://vimeo.com/40394442[/video]
I don't think M&W were great at sketches, but were more suited to general chat and interaction with guests - some was scripted, obviously, but a lot was ad libbed by Eric and was brilliant.