LET THE BLOODLETTING BEGIN! Which do you think is better?

Question

Now in the comedic gladiatorial arena come three contestants. In the blue corner, all the way from England is Monty Python in the red corner is M*A*S*H, and in the green corner come the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 crowd. These three will square off here and now in one of the greatest blood-fests of all time! LET THE COMBAT BEGIN!!

I'm doing something of a poll here, and am fairly curious as to who will win this. In short, I am asking all of you which of the three that I have mentioned do you think is best. Whoever gets the most votes will be declared the winner. The only rule I have is that you keep at least vaguely on topic. Everything else, from trash talk to whimpering, is not only legal, but encouraged. So let's commence the debate, shall we?

Answer 1

Great question and great choices!

So, let me mull this over as I type.

Monty Python, as an initial reaction, gets my hands down vote. They were truly the cutting edge of comedy - not only that, but they are, AFAIK, the only ones to actually have one of their productions end up on Broadway - and from what I've heard, it's a phenomenal experience. The television show was so very much a pioneer in avant garde type comedy - furniture races? How the heck do they come up with that? And make it SO dang funny! I'm sure you're aware of the phenomenon of people who actually carry on conversations absolutely rife with quotes from various movies, most notably their "Holy Grail" movie. Another benefit it has is that while the movies and shows were cutting edge in the political arena, they never made the same mistake M*A*S*H did of taking themselves too seriously or becoming maudlin at times.

I have to say that M*A*S*H cannot make my final cut. The movie the show was based on is one of my all-time favorite movies. "Oh my God, they've shot him!" has me hurting myself from laughing so hard every time I see it. When Duke says, "Colonel, fair's fair. If I punch Hawkeye and nail Hot Lips, can I go home too?" I have to pause the movie so I can collect myself and go on. And of course, "God d@mn Army Jeeps," is a complete metaphor for the inadequacies of the Army itself - this is where the movie excelled over the t.v. show - it made its point, but it did it subtly and with great humor. The show oftentimes moved into bashing its viewers over the head with its liberal tone (and I'm a liberal LOL!).

MST 3000 is pretty damn funny. I remember Saturday mornings, long long ago - before kids, waking up at my own leisure, fixing a cup of tea or a mimosa and wandering out in a worn-out robe and a pair of fuzzy slippers to enjoy an episode or two of it. However, compared with MP, I can say that I could get distracted while watching the show. If the phone rang, I wouldn't mind getting up to answer it, while with MP I'd grumble if I had to get it and ignore it if it wasn't an important call.

So Monty Python it is. The guys were geniuses - and could you ask for a more diverse group of guys? You've got John Cleese who did everything from playing Shakespeare's "Petruchio" in "Taming of the Shrew," to "Q" in Bond movies to playing some of the funniest characters in the MP movies ever created. You've got Terry Gilliam who, while being a bit too avant garde for me at times (for instance, I really did NOT like "Brazil"), is still just awesomely talented. Eric Idle and Graham Chapman rounded out this group and really helped cement the comedy genius that was MP.

Finally, I'll give you a few of the reasons MP will always be one of the greatest t.v. shows/movie makers ever:

After hearing how Arthur became King: "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony."

"Every sperm is sacred,
Every sperm is great,
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate"

"We had it tough... I had to get up at 9 o'clock at night, half an hour before I went to bed, eat a lump of dry poison, work 29 hours down mill, and when we came home our Dad would kill us, and dance about on our grave singing Hallelujah."

"It's not pining, it's passed on! This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet it's maker! This is a late parrot! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed it to the perch it would be pushing up the daisies! It has rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible! This...is an ex-parrot!"

"There is no cannibalism in the British Navy, absolutely none, and when I say none, I mean there is a certain amount. "

"The thing about saying the wrong words is that A, I don't notice it, and B, sometimes orange water gibbon bucket and plastic."

I'm afraid that neither MASH nor MST 3000 have offered themselves up as serious competition to men who can, quite simply, write like that.

:)

Answer 2

Monty Python is definately the best. Flying Circus changed the face of comedy and it's impact is seen to this day in everything from Little Britain to Saturday Night Live. Generations of comedians have claimed it as their inspiration, from Eddie Izzard to Rowan Atkinson and most of the SNL lot.

Monty Python also spawned 4 movies, two of which (Holy Grail and Life of Brian) consistently score in the top 10 of funniest movies ever made. It's also got a hit musical show that opened 30 years later than the movie that inspired it yet still packs houses in America and the UK.

The fact that Monty Python is still popular and still see-able all over the world shows that it's humour is universal. It used archetypes that don't age or date, and cross cultural boundaries.

M*A*S*H is funny if you're American and of a certain age. However if you're younger, or not a Yank, a comedy about the Korean War just doesn't resonate.

As I've never even heard of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 it kind shows you how NOT popular it is - hasn't made it to the UK consiousness at all (where as Monty Python...)

Besides, where is M*A*S*H did you ever hear "she turned me into a newt... I got better".

Answer 3

Monty Python, pure, random class, you can still see its effect in modern comedy like Little Britain and (previously) The Fast Show, the fantastic animation and sheer anger of John Cleese win out

Answer 4

Monty Python easily beats MST3K.

MASH puts up a good fight, but their need for drama allows the Monty Python gang to gain the edge and win the fight.

Answer 5

Monty Python - all the way.

I dont know anyone who can watch The Quest for the Holy Grail without laughing. I do admit that it is above some peoples sense of humor but I think its clever, quick witted and they mix slapstick,satire, sarcasm, and fart jokes in all of their movies.

Answer 6

Monty Python, no contest. M*A*S*H was crap, never really watched MST 3000 but I got nothing against it.

Answer 7

Monty Python...theres nothing like it. Off the wall.

And now for something completely different

Answer 8

M*A*S*H

I liked the guy who dressed like a women

Answer 9

m*a*s*h...was a tv institution for over a decade..
the other two were f*a*d*s.....