When Things Were Rotten

I only give it an 8 because I don't recall too much, I mean, it's been a LONG time since I've seen it and I fully DO recall loving this show. I was lucky enough to catch an episode on, I believe YouTube a year or so ago and it brought back great memories. What lead me to YouTube was, after all the years that passed, I still recalled almost the entire theme song so, knowing you can find almost anything imaginable there, I went to see if it was there and if I had the lyrics right. I was about 95% right. If I recalled the theme, it had to have been a great show. Seeing that one episode confirmed it.

It sadly was a classic example of idiotic TV executives who have no right being in those positions, making a decision that is just plain stupid. It should have run at LEAST a full season, if not several. It just never had time to grow and hit it's stride, and that is a damn shame.

I too cannot understand why this series has not been re-run. I was only about six when I used to watch it on Saturday afternoons with my mum who absolutely loved the show. I would love to see it again, this time round at 31 I might get more out of it!

Mel Brooks is one of our true comic geniuses. He was overlooked for many years, but I am glad that he was able to make a comeback with the Broadway version of his original hit film The Producers. He started off in television with Carl Reiner and the 2,000 year old man skits and he also created Get Smart with Don Adams. When Things Were Rotten is another series that he created that I feel has been overlooked. It came along in a really bad tv season and was unjustly cancelled after only about half a season. Dick Gautier, Bernie Kopell, Dick Van Patten, Henry Polic 11 and Misty Rowe all made a great comic team. Unlike tv shows today, this one made you laugh innocently and not feel guilty about it. Mel Brooks has always been so creative and original in everything that he does. He brought that special quality to this series and I only wish that they would show it again. I was stationed in Korea and saw some episodes on videotape. Brooks made a film almost twenty years later in 1993 called Robin Hood: Men In Tights and he used a lot of the stuff that he used on this show (they pointed that out in a review they did of the film).

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.

"When Things Were Rotten" is yet another example of the fine comedic work of Mel Brooks in his heyday. Casting was spectacular with Dick Gautier as Robin Hood (the way he's never been played before or since) and Dick Van Patten as a hilarious Friar Tuck. This series poked fun at everything from television to social mores with a critical eye and sharp aim, possibly too sharp for its own good.

Though short-lived, this series was, in my opinion, very well compared to Mr. Brook's best cinematic outings, like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.