Rudy Panucci On Pop Culture

Sunday Evening Videos: The Goodies

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The Goodies were a trio of UK comedians/musicians (Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie), who created, wrote, and starred in a bizarre comedy series  in the 1970s and 80 that combined elements of Monty Python with The Monkees and lampooned the sitcom format.

All three members of the troupe were contemporaries of the members of Monty Python in the pre-Python days of The Cambridge Circus, and in various combinations, they worked in such proto-Pythonian programs as “At Last The 1948 Show,” “Do Not Adjust Your Set” and “The Frost Report.” 

The Goodies was derided by members of Monty Python as a kid’s show. Much of this was done mockingly, in good fun, but there was a genuine dislike of Bill Oddie by some of the Pythons, which made their comments more pointed.  Despite this, The Goodies had a major influence on the British “Alternative Comedy” movement that spawned “The Young Ones,” “Absolutely Fabulous,” and “The Black Adder,” among many others great comendy works.

Though not widely known in the US (the show was only carried briefly on PBS in the 70s) there is a loyal fanbase.  The clip above and those after the jump will give you a hint as to why.  Up top you see the first part of their classic episode “Kitten Kong.” On the other side you’ll get to see the remainder, plus a few extra clips that show off the mix of music, mayhem and anarchy that was The Goodies.

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1 Comment

  1. Elvis Capone

    I thought I read somewhere that the Goodies were dying of cancer on British reality TV.

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