And alas that is perhaps the only thing wrong with this compilation box set detailing the favourite sketches of Britains, and quite possibly the worlds, funniest comedic troupe. It carries an enormous host of the Pythons greatest sketches, but the famous sketches, the ultra-famous sketches i.e. The Dead Parrot Sketch and The Spanish Inquisition segments are not there in their entirety, so when someone asks to see one of these specific moments, it's incredibly infuriating, simply because they are incredibly funny.
Inside is a six disc collection, one per Python, in which the five remaining Pythons provide comedic introductions to what may ostensibly be a way of getting as many sketches as possible into a collection, but indeed are their personal favourites (hence no "Ministry Of Silly Walk Sketch (again not one in its complete entirety) on John Cleese's disc). The sixth is a wonderfully compiled edition featuring little stories from the five about the deceased Graham Chapman coming across as a truly heart felt tribute.
A couple of the sketches find themselves repeated on multiple discs, such as "The Fish Slapping Dance", even though it's worth it in all it's silly glory, and there's no room for "How Not To Be Seen" which is disappointing to say the least.
The Terry Gilliam disc is a highly interesting feature, comprised of his cartoon sketches. It works as a concept but an episode wouldn't flow entirely made of them, still as with all things Python, they're often funnier and sillier and just more entertaining than they are not.
The greatest thing that can be said about this boxset is that it's Monty Python, a group of comedic geniuses that all but the most abstinent look up to, admire and indeed follow, and one that few match. A few sketches shown from the Hollywood Bowl also remind us all that these men managed to transcend that most difficult of boundaries in the Atlantic and not only break through there but be as comedically revered there as they are in this country. It has a wide range of sketches, ones that you may not have seen and some you may have even forgotten, but they all tickle the funny bone in one way or another, through either their randomness, their silliness or their unabashed brilliance. Nobody expected a comedy troupe to be this funny!
