TVSquad

Let's Bowl! was the creation of Tim Scott, a Minneapolis native who earlier worked as a sound mixer on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Michael J. Nelson, who played "Mike" on MST3K, also worked on the show as a writer for one season.

The basic premise of the show, which began airing in Minneapolis and other local markets in 1998 before being brought to Comedy Central in 2001, was to invite real people with trivial grievances onto the show to settle their dispute on the lanes. The show was a mix of bowling footage, hilarious interviews, and bizarre skits. It featured two commentators, a husky all-American type named Steve "Chopper" Sedahl (Steve Sedahl), and a whiny manchild named Wally Hotvedt (Rich Kronfeld) who would often lament his place in this cruel world and reveal embarrassing things about himself when he was supposed to be providing color commentary. It was an odd mix of irreverent comedy and bowling, and it really shouldn't have worked, but somehow it did.

Like its sort-of cousin Mystery Science Theater 3000, the series kept its own little niche outside of typical Hollywood fare, which might help to explain both its smallish following and its demise. Every episode, besides being hysterical, was also a kind of twisted love letter to the state of Minnesota, with references to actual towns and businesses. Each episode would even begin and end with a polka band. It didn't stick around very long, but it should at least get some praise for being the only television show to make bowling fun to watch. Now if they could just do the same thing with golf.