Smack the Pony

If you've ever marveled at Big Train's unique form of sketch comedy you'll love this, the main cast are all female, Doon from Knowing Me Knowing You and Day Today and the chambermaid Sophie from I'm Alan Partridge amongst others. Like early French and Saunders but very in your face and really funny. Since I'm Alan Partridge in 1997, the most innovative and funny Brit comedies have all been sketch-based like Big Train, Goodness Gracious me and now Smack the Pony

Whippee!

"Smack The Pony" was true twisted television. BRAVO kept it hidden in a late-night weekend time-slot, but this comedy-craving insomniac was not to be denied. "SMP" had me peeing my Calvins. I loved it, I never missed an episode, and my couch still has the urine-stains to prove it.

I don't think this show was anything like "Saturday Night Live". SNL has always been content in it's role as a mostly political/pop culture parody. SMP mostly avoided those themes-- eschewing celebrity impressions and giving us quirky, delightfully-bizarre, slice-o-life comedy. The 90 minute SNL moves with all the momentum of a drunk moth in a bowl of cold punch. SMP scoots right along, thanks to it's ultra-quick sketches and 30 minute running time. When the half hour is up, you're left wanting more.

Perhaps the most significant difference is that Smack The Pony featured a primarily all-female cast. Gifted comediannes all. The divine ladies of SNL have nothing on them.

Two of my favorite sketches are the ice-skaters in the kiss-n-cry (think: tongues) and the dental hygienist from hell (think: she's not very hygienic). Time to coat the sofa in plastic!

One of the funniest shows ever. Honestly.

The writing of this comedy along with a superb cast lead by three extremely funny women make this show wonderful. The half an hour speeds by leaving you wishing for more, much more. The scenes are always unpredictable so there is always a surprise. If you get the chance to see any of them, don't miss it!

I like the shot-on-film look, especially for many of their sketches which are "realistic." They seem to shoot in a variety of locations, and the actors are quite versatile. Also note that this is not "British humor", which I don't always get. I just caught this on Bravo (9/29/00).

Thank goodness for Bravo, which is airing Smack the Pony in the U.S., otherwise I would never have gotten to see this hilarious show. The actors of Smack the Pony's cast are somehow able to act each part with deadpan perfection, and the writing is always unpredictable and hilarious. One particularly nice feature that Smack the Pony has taken advantage of is that each sketch is short and to the point, UNLIKE other sketch comedy shows (one in particular with the initials S.N.L.) that just drag on and on, wallowing in their own stupidity. It's no comparison, really.. P.S. Americans might need to watch the show with closed captioning turned on occasionally.