MovieChat Forums > The State Discussion > The State vs. Mr. Show

The State vs. Mr. Show

posted 20 years ago by LesBalloonsSportif
54 replies | jump to latest

I'm a huge Mr. Show fan and I've heard a lot about The State and how funny it was. So here's a question to those of you who have seen both: how do the two compare? I can't imagine any sketch show even approaching the brilliance of Mr. Show but I'm willing to give The State a shot since I've never seen it, although I did see half of a Thanksgiving Dinner sketch where the guy is asking for gravy and no one is passing it to him so he takes his sister hostage with a fork (not funny). But back to the question: how are the two shows alike, different, etc? I've run out of steam at this point, but if anyone would answer this for me, it'd be appreciated.

[–] waterville10 20 years ago

If you like Mr.Show and are a comedy nerd you should frequent this site. http://pub104.ezboard.com/faspecialthingthetenaciousdfanboardfrm2 Heres someones description of it. "Yeah, it was smart, it just wasn't aimed as much at society and the media (Mr. Show) as it was at comedy itself. And often they would just do something to deconstruct the form. Absurdity was their primary weapon. The sketches didn't always work, but the good ones were gold. As a college kid at the time they aired, I loved recurring characters like Doug, which in retrospect might've been a little lazy since it was as repetitious as any SNL refill, but hey, it was 1994, I was 20, whaddya want?

Wet Hot and Stella show how much these guys have developed and refined their sensibility, and I think they're up there with UCB and Mr. Show (even though they're different from both) right now. The State was a huge group, and I think they had some dead weight, along with youth, going against them. Stella is a more mature, lean, mean comedy machine. More on that after they perform in LA."

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] atomican-1 19 years ago

Wet Hot American Summer is classic. First time I saw it, I put it in my Top 10 Comedies of all time.

As for Mr. Show vs. The State, I'm gonna have to give it to Mr. Show. Just higher quality stuff in my opinion.

[–] nuggdachamp11 20 years ago

The State or Mr. Show???

I would have to go with Mr. Show. I laugh non-stop at both shows but there is just something about Mr. Show that puts it one notch ahead in my book.

But my all time favorite sketch comedy is the Kids in the Hall, nothing but KITH can make me laugh until I cry.

[–] andrea1884 20 years ago

I'd definitely say The State. I bought the Mr.Show 1st and 2nd season dvd set, and I really didn't like it. I don't think it measures up to other sketch comedy such as The State and KITH.

[–] bsaylor_2000 20 years ago

The State was an excellent comedy sketch show. It's too bad The State aired on MTV and not on HBO or another cable show. It probably would have been one or two of the top comedy sketch shows overall. (Although Kids in the Hall was on network TV at one point and was simply perfect.

Mr. Show, however, is better. Seasons 1 and 2 of Mr. Show are much more intelligent than The State. The State, though, back when it aired did set new grounds for sketch comedy standards.

I think as comedy sketch goes the rankings are:
Mr. Show
Kids in the Hall
Tenacious D (episodes on HBO)
The State
SNL

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] andrea1884 20 years ago

You rank Mr.Show over KITH?? Well, different strokes, I guess.

[–] bsaylor_2000 20 years ago

Kids in the Hall can definitely be #1 that's for sure. I guess since I've been on a huge Bob and Dave kick and that Mr. Show is more recent, they got the edge. Seasons 1 and 2 take the next step in sketch comedy. I like how they intertwine all their sketches for a show, very creative how they bring them together.

Speaking of Bob and Dave, did you ever catch Dave's appearance on Just Shoot me?? "Chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot, piiiieee!" Classic stuff.

[–] captaingliitch 20 years ago

I love the tacos. They're probably the best tacos I've ever tasted; but I need my mail.

I'm just glad Mad Tv hasn't come up yet. Oh, and this time doesn't count.

Anyone who talks smack about Tina's show gets an islap(an islap looks like this: >*< ) Smarts don't it? David Cross is cool.

Hey, what about the O show a.k.a. SteveOedekerk.com, with the Plane Stalker, Oedebattle, The Bobby and Lisa sketch... mixed with wild and wacky stand up and cg characters?

[–] hillel2245 20 years ago

Refuse to rate and debate. Both are fantabulous!

[–] andytronic 19 years ago

I'm just glad Mad Tv hasn't come up yet. Oh, and this time doesn't count.

That, or Upright Citizens Brigade. They bit hard. Tried waaaaay too hard to be outrageously "wacky" and edgy.

[–] waitingroom 19 years ago

UCB is just as brilliant.

[–] nateaguerra 9 years ago

What about Chappelle's show? That show is the *beep*

[–] Iheartspam4eva 20 years ago

As much as I love David Cross, I still like 'The State' better.

[–] arrgghh 20 years ago

The State was to Mr. Show like The Simpsons were (or are) to Family Guy.
This is the best way to describe contrast between the two shows.

They're both awesome shows. They both delivered something different than most of the other sketch comedies at that time. They had very genuine material. Although their formats closely resembled Monty Python, they made their humor their own. They didn't rely a great deal on bluntly spoofing celebrities like SNL and MadTV do.

However, I can't render a decision on which is better. I haven't seen an episode of the State since I was 15. And, damn the guy on another board who said that Comedy Central is airing reruns later on. Although, it would be friggin' sweet if they do!!!! Until then, I have to tease myself with Reno 911.

[–] julesy9 20 years ago

I think The State/Mr. Show to Simpsons/Family Guy is an apt comparison, except Mr. Show should be the Simpsons in that analogy. It's just far more sophisticated and layered.

No sketch comedy show has EVER combined intelligence and insanity as well as Mr. Show, and no show has ever been so funny while trying. This might be a bit unfair, but the fact that Mr. Show was on HBO makes a HUGE difference. They were able to go places other sketch shoes couldn't, and they used that freedom well. Not for cheap jokes about celebrities or bodily functions, but jokes about hypocrisy (political and ESPECIALLY religious), tolerance (homosexuality) and more.

When they got surreal, it was usually brilliant. And every skit gets better the more you see it.

There are few comedy bits as ingenius and hilarious as: Wicked Sceptre, Thrilling Miracles ("That man's gone now."), Larry Kleist ("Larry is my name, insurance is my game...rrrrrrrraping was another game of mine..."), the Satanic Evangelists ("You truly are the mother of all whores."), God as Robert Evans ("Jesus, you're tops and you teach me new things every day.").

The State was very funny but a lot tamer. They relied on recurring characters, something Mr. Show NEVER did (with the possible exception of Ronnie Dobbs). And no show ever incorporated musical numbers as well as Mr. Show ("Can't a man not control his bitch with violence?" Y'all are brutalizing me!").

Hands down the best sketch show ever.

[–] dieawol 20 years ago

The State vs Mr. Show is such a difficult choice, it'd be like choosing your favorite child, ya know?

I feel The State was geared more towards complete absurdity whilst Mr. Show was 50% absurdity and 50% vulgarity; the most perfect blend to date. (Any cock'll do!!)

Both The State and Mr. Show blended the perfect amount of intellect in their silliness, because without that intellect, silliness is just gay and unfunny.

As I watch Mr. Show, I find myself constantly thinking, "Bob and David are complete genius'" whereas when I watch The State, I think that a little bit less. I laugh equally at both shows though.

I'm so glad season 4 came out for Mr. Show because to me, it was by far the funniest season. "I've broken all my ankles!" "Sad Songs are Nature's Onion" I've been watching it nonstop.

I don't feel that The State relied on reoccuring characters at all. Out of all of their skits, reoccuring characters were a small fraction of a whole. In fact, I didn't really find their reoccuring characters funny, sans Louie skits just because they're awesomely childish.

Anyone who can say with a straight face that SNL is currently a great show should be dead, face down in a quagmire with a 9 iron lodged between their shoulder blades. And the day that Cheri Oteri chick dies is the day I'm throwing a delightful party with balloons and cake and streamers all about. I hate her and the mere thought of her makes me want to push the elderly into traffic. She's like in fast forward and on speed at the same time; I'm just waiting for her bastard head to explode.

Having pointlessly said all that: The State and Mr. Show = both sincerely and equally loved by me. Cock rings, cock rings, cock rings.

-Dena

[–] andytronic 19 years ago

<because without that intellect, silliness is just gay and unfunny. >

Do you see the irony in that statement? :P

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lampwick312 19 years ago

How is a guy holding his sister hostage with a fork not funny? You are an idiot.

[–] Moonsorrow 19 years ago

Too Right!

I havn't seen The State, but when I read about the fork sister hostage thing i laughed very loud. Sounds funny to me!

I Know Mr Show is hilarious because I have all the DVD's and i have a feeling i would still like it better that The State, but you never know.

Summary: Mr Show wins! (probably)

[–] infomofo 19 years ago

I'm sorry but Mr. Show has a much better hostage skit. If you've seen the one where the hostage taker is eventually reduced to attempting to sell his severed toe for 50 bucks, you know what I'm talking about.

That being said, I can't decisively say that Mr. Show is a better show all around. It definitely had more producton value, and the lack of commercials allowed for a unique format that can't be duplicated on a network series, but The State was so offbeat that it must be instantly placed in a class of its own.

"Toothbrush, you've come back to me!"

"Chicken Sandwich, Carl! What the hell is wrong with you?"

I could go on and on...