Re-watching
this series, I'm reminded it wasn't that funny. But the show's
not-being-funny is an acceptable risk--acceptable because its
value for me lie in its ethos. "The Kids in the Hall" cast consisted of comedic
performers more so than comedy actors; they were creatives rather than
laugh-getters, and their schtick was absurdity. Any given sketch might (1) focus on the orthodoxy of their having
to have a premise or be funny or be likeable or act famous, (2) have no premise and instead start in the middle of a scene, or (3) be a monologue. "The Kids in the Hall"
was more like "Monty Python" than "Saturday Night Live", but shared
properties of both, combining them and re-interpreting them as something pretty unique. Some credit for the show's willingness to take
risks belongs undoubtedly to Lorne Michaels. But despite this, it
doesn't make for a lot of entertaining television.
Notes
Notes
- I can only watch in very small doses.
