Mr. Show with Bob and David

Mr. Show was a sketch comedy series featuring former Saturday Night Live writer Bob Odenkirk and stand-up comedian/actor David Cross. It appeared on HBO from 1995 to 1998.

Related Topics:
Mr. Show - Sketch comedy - Series - Saturday Night Live - Bob Odenkirk - Stand-up comedian - Actor - David Cross - HBO - 1995 - 1998

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Each episode of Mr. Show essentially consists of a series of skits, each one transitioning into the next by way of some sort of tangential association, called a link; for example, sometimes a minor character in one skit is followed as the major character in the next. Often common storylines or themes are returned to at different times throughout a given episode. The show is highly unpredictable and often quite absurd. It is justly regarded by sketch comedy aficianados as containing some of the best work of its era, though as a pay cable show its audience was limited.

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Cast members on the show included Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Bill Odenkirk, Brett Paesel, Brian Posehn, Dino Stamatopoulos, Jay Johnston, Jerry Minor, Jill Talley, John Ennis, Karen Kilgariff, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Paul F. Tompkins, Sarah Silverman, Jack Black, and Tom Kenny.

Related Topics:
Bob Odenkirk - David Cross - Bill Odenkirk - Brett Paesel - Brian Posehn - Dino Stamatopoulos - Jay Johnston - Jerry Minor - Jill Talley - John Ennis - Karen Kilgariff - Mary Lynn Rajskub - Paul F. Tompkins - Sarah Silverman - Jack Black - Tom Kenny

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The show also included some notable guest appearances, including Ben Stiller, Brian Doyle-Murray, Dave Foley, Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garofalo, Jon Cryer, Jon Stewart, Jonathan Katz, Jeff Goldblum, Julia Sweeney, Kato Kaelin, Laura Kightlinger, Maynard James Keenan, Michael McKean, and Vince Vaughn.

Related Topics:
Ben Stiller - Brian Doyle-Murray - Dave Foley - Patton Oswalt - Janeane Garofalo - Jon Cryer - Jon Stewart - Jonathan Katz - Jeff Goldblum - Julia Sweeney - Kato Kaelin - Laura Kightlinger - Maynard James Keenan - Michael McKean - Vince Vaughn

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Mr. Show also spawned a spinoff movie, Run Ronnie Run, that went straight-to-DVD.

Related Topics:
Spinoff - Run Ronnie Run - Straight-to-DVD

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The format of Mr. Show is heavily influenced by the British sketch comedy show, Monty Python's Flying Circus. The interweaving of taped bits and stage-performed skits found in Flying Circus is prevalent in Mr. Show. Both shows depend greatly on absurdist humor and both avoid satirizing current events that would have quickly dated the comedy. The show contains a strong, confident contrarian viewpoint that at times mocks or satirizes organized religion, global capitalism, and America. Cynicism plays a heavy role in the show and there is little respect for traditionalism. Hence, the show, particularly its later seasons, tends to polarize people between those who love or hate the show. David Cross continued and perhaps refined this in his stand-up comedy albums, Shut Up You Fucking Baby! and It's Not Funny.

Related Topics:
Monty Python's Flying Circus - Organized religion - Capitalism - Cynicism - Traditionalism - Shut Up You Fucking Baby! - It's Not Funny

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