When Things Were Rotten

I am not certain that anyone will ever see or care about this, but I have not forgotten this series, because it was extremely well done and way ahead of its time. It was one of the funniest tv series that I can recall. Where is anyone who can provide information with regard to it? Surely I am not the only lunatic who thought it was was funny.

This was a funny show, and I have fond memories or watching it. It was off the air before most of the people I knew had even seen it, although I do recall some schoolyard conversations about the show. Would love to see the show again to see if it is as funny as I recall. This may have been my first experience of realizing that good material doesn't mean the show will be popular. Police Squad died a similar death a few years later. Interesting that both shows later spawned successful movies. Maybe this kind of "stupid" humour is too smart for TV, or maybe it just reaches their expectations more clearly. Because there were a ton of unfunny comedies in that era that lasted much longer ...

"When Things Were Rotten" was the brainchild of comic genius Mel Brooks. He dared to ask, what if the Legend of Robin Hood was overblown hype, and that all of the people involved were nothing more than buffoons? The result was a uproariously funny and engaging program, in which the great legend of Sherwood Forest went slapstick.

The show was brilliantly cast, with each player an expert in comedy. Dick Gautier, who worked with Mel on NBC's "Get Smart" as Hymie The Robot, knew a great deal about timing and was perfect as the leader of this merry band. He was matched in nit-wit by Henry Polic II, who portrayed the equally dunderheaded Sheriff of Nottingham, and a young Ron Rifkin (eventually of "Alias") played the likewise dubious Prince John. Add in Dick Van Patten, Bernie Kopell (another "Smart" vet), and the former Hee-Haw Honey turned Maid Marian, Misty Rowe with her buxom talents and you had a well-rounded group.

The production values for the program were very high, with costumes and sets that looked lavish and the show was shot on film, making it appear as exquisite as any Errol Flynn feature. And the sight gags were hilarious, and should not be described here... they are "sight gags," after all! Years later, Brooks returned to the Robin Hood legend with his film "Men In Tights," but he avoided a lot of the stuff that was used in this production, and that was a disappointment. All he needed to do was to take all of the elements of the series and distill the various episodes into one great movie! What we got was a watered down version that couldn't come close to the laughs this program offered.

Perhaps the reason for the show's demise was either in the subject matter or the competition... Robin Hood might have sounded dull and uninteresting to some viewers and those that would have been willing to look possibly wanted an adventure series, not a schlocky comedy. Also, the program aired opposite NBC's powerhouse drama "Little House On The Prairie," and CBS's variety series "Tony Orlando & Dawn," so perhaps people didn't tune away from these programs to try it. They don't know what they missed.

I live in hope that some day the complete series will arrive on DVD.

This show ran in the fall of '75 (When Things Were Funnier). I remember laughing a bunch at Mel Brooks' latest attempt at TV humor, sitting with my dear old dad (who was roaring on the couch). Alas, it didn't even last until Mel's beloved Hannakuh that fall before ABC gave it the yank.

He revisited some of the material with his similarly themed movie which came out in '93, but it wasn't quite as biting at this show. The comic cast was way better here.

I'd sure pony up if it ever showed again on DVD. Mel, if you're out there, give it some thought.

Created by Mel Brooks, this comedy was actually a spoof on Robin Hood and his Merry Men of Sherwood Forest. Instead of the brave and heroic Robin of legend, he was portrayed as a complete moron, and his band were nothing but a bunch of boobs who only succeed because of the utter incompetence of Prince John and his henchman - the Sheriff of Nottingham. Maid Marian was Robin's cute but brainless love interest. Critics loved this show but Mel Brooks probably doesn't have enough mass appeal to sustain a weekly run and it was cancelled after a few months. I, for one, loved this show. I was about 12 during its' run, and even then I recognized a good farce when I saw it and was very disappointed when it ended. Thirty years later, I still remember it and am so glad to find out other people do too! Let's hope for a TV land run in the future! Hooray for cable!