TVSquad

The Sketch Show, or, if we're to use the full title, Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show, ran for four whole episodes this year on FOX. Why didn't it last, despite one of its writers being Ricky Gervais?

The show, an American version of a British show with the same name, did not follow the typical sketch show format of longish segments, instead, the show tried to be an updated version of Laugh-In, with most sketches consisting of just one gag. The only difference is that Laugh-In felt zany and chaotic, whereas The Sketch Show just felt forced most of the time, not to mention some of the gags were so old I had to think back to Kindergarten to remember some of them. What made it equally painful was the amazing talent assembled, such as Paul F. Tompkins and Mary Lynn Rajskub, both of whom were hilarious on Mr. Show but couldn't quite rise above the puns and lame sight gags that made up an episode of The Sketch Show. It was a show that was so far behind the times it really belonged in no time at all.