How does one begin to explain The Mighty Boosh?
The BBC comedy series has been airing late nights on Adult Swim for about a year, but I still get blank looks from most people when I mention the show. I'd like to change that because the Boosh is brilliant, surreal, silly and uplifting.
The Mighty Boosh features two main characters, Vince Noir and Howard Moon, plus an assortment of supporting figures, including a talking gorilla and a shaman. British comics Julian Barrett and Noel Fielding created the show and write each episode. They also star as Noir and Moon, plus dozens of other characters.
The Boosh is sort of like an R-rated version of H.R. Pufnstuf or another of those Sid and Marty Kroft kids shows from the 1970s. Anything goes... each show features a musical number, sometimes a cartoon, crazy costumes and lots more.I first discovered this show a few months ago, and must say I didn't "get it" right away. But after watching several episodes and rewatching a couple of favorites it clicked. I think one key to the show's success is its essential good heartedness. There's not a mean-spirited moment in the entire series.
All three seasons (20 episodes) are available on DVD through Netflix and the Central Arkansas Library System. You can also watch clips of the show and even one full episode here at the Adult Swim website.
Here's a short animated segment to give you a taste:
Give the Boosh a try, and before long you'll be crimping with the best of 'em:
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I work at the library and I took it off the shelf one day b/c the cover looked funny and anyway I love British Humor. I liked it better than Red Dwarf. It's great and I'm glad you've recomended it to everyone! I love it!
ReplyDeleteQuick question for anyone who likes to answer it, I'm currently doing a performance of absurdist theatre and was wondering if I could use The Mighty Boosh as an example of the absurdist style?
ReplyDeleteI think the Boosh are more surreal than absurd. Talking apes, transsexual mermaids, chewing gum monsters in itself have nothing to do with absurdism. There are some parallels with absurdist theater though. F.e. the fact that the Vince and Howard characters are completely unsympathetic towards one eachother without it affecting their friendship. The fact that life threatening events are displayed without a hint of conventional drama : one moment Howard is about to kill Vince and eat him, the next they're sitting peacefully together eating coconuts as if nothing happened. So I would say it has elements of absurdism, but it's not the new 'waiting for Godot'.
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