Is the Greatest Sketch of All Time 40 Years Old Today?

[DrGreggles]

https://youtu.be/y0C59pI_ypQ

[bgmnts]

Yeah it's either that or Four Candles, which still just really fucking tickles me.

Although, I will say this always sticks in my head as best sketch ever and its so silly.

[Glebe]

It's a cracker, no doubt.

[Ignatius_S]

The sketch predates this version - Renwick originally wrote it for The Burkiss Way, although the one for The Two Ronnies was reworked.

Trying to think of other uses of the same basic concept., as think there has been a few.  One certainly was Benny Hill, where a retired actor was being interviewed by satellite link-up and the time delay meant what they said was in reference to the previous question and it was well executed.

Going back to The Two Ronnies, there's another sketch which is essentially, like this one, where one person is being interviewed for a job and giving bizarre answers, which in some ways I prefer to the Mastermind one.  However, the original radio version from Lines from My Grandfather's Forehead is superior - partly because in the interview it's Barker being interviewed and partly because the tag to the sketch is better. It's the type of sketch that a punchline will have trouble living up to it's more about the journey, rather than the destination - like this Mastermind one.  However, I think there was ones with a strong end, which more satisfactory for me overall.

[Brundle-Fly]

The Two Ronnies Mastermind sketch is mint, but I have to say, Eric & Ernie's Mastermind sketch might not be as cleverly conceived but it makes me laugh harder. Ernie's final line in this clip cracks me up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEjdJszBbY8

[beanheadmcginty]

I remember seeing on the internet years ago a restaurant in Japan that operated in the same manner as this sketch. So you'd go in and order and then get served whatever the previous people ordered. The next people would get what you ordered and so on. I don't think it was called Restaurant Charlie Smithers, but it should've been.

[Jockice]

The Two Ronnies Mastermind sketch is mint, but I have to say, Eric & Ernie's Mastermind sketch might not be as cleverly conceived but it makes me laugh harder. Ernie's final line in this clip cracks me up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEjdJszBbY8

That reminds me of when they had a junior Mastermind show when I was younger. The final went to a tie-break and they obviously hadn't thought it through because the tie-break question was on one of the contestants' specialist subjects. So he won obviously. I thought that was one of the greatest injustices of all time.

[EOLAN]

My rankings of Mastermind/Masterbrain/Masterbrane sketches I watched in last few hours, all of which were quite good (don't feel too bad Harry and Paul).

1: Eric and Ernie
2: The Two Ronnies (as said above, a more classic cleverer sketch but Eric and Ernie interaction and timing just that bit funnier)
3: Russ Abbott
4: Benny Hill
5: Harry and Paul

[lipsink]

Didn't Russ Abbot completely rip off this Two Ronnies sketch but have it as a man being interviewed who answers the question before?

The Two Ronnies sketch where it's them having 2 different phone calls is also brilliant.

[EOLAN]

Didn't Russ Abbot completely rip off this Two Ronnies sketch but have it as a man being interviewed who answers the question before?

The Two Ronnies sketch where it's them having 2 different phone calls is also brilliant.

Russ Abbott's Mastermind sketch was him giving different replies to how he didn't know the answer to the question; or didn't really care; and his worded reply being the correct answer. Maybe a bit more like the Eric and Ernie one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA-ZWQAWr9o

[Shit Good Nose]

Bill Bailey did a good one on Is It...? - https://youtu.be/dmwYsWzjybU?t=1356 (actual Mastermind bit starts at 23:30, but the intro included for context)

[Rolf Lundgren]

The Two Ronnies sketch where it's them having 2 different phone calls is also brilliant.

"Rolls for 20p"
"She doesn't?!"

The rarely seen nowadays close-up on the punchline on a startled Barker's face.

[lankyguy95]

The Two Ronnies Mastermind sketch is cleverer and funnier than Eric and Ernie's. Funnier concept, better writing, perfect timing.

[thecuriousorange]

"The Last Leg" also had a video-interview-time-delay one of these.

[Captain Z]

Bill Bailey did a good one on Is It...? - https://youtu.be/dmwYsWzjybU?t=1356 (actual Mastermind bit starts at 23:30, but the intro included for context)

Replying just to remind myself to watch this series, never seen it before.

[TheMonk]

Trying to think of other uses of the same basic concept., as think there has been a few.

There's a Goodies episode (the one where they go inside a sleeping dinosaur) where Graeme falls down a pothole and it takes seven seconds for the sound to travel to the top of the hole. So his answers are always to the question Tim previously asked.
I seem to remember Tim asking "what are you going to wear?" And Graeme saying "ooh chuck us down a couple of donuts".
Or something like that.

[trabuch]

What I like about that sketch is that when I stop finding the previous joke funny, I am actually laughing at the current joke. I still prefer Fork Handles though, I'm a simple soul.

[Shit Good Nose]

Replying just to remind myself to watch this series, never seen it before.

It's brilliant - in my top 5 comedy shows of all time.