RaspberryLucozade Before we had 'Monty Python', we had 'At Last The 1948 Show'. This Associated Rediffusion sketch show featured some of the best comedy talent around at that time - Marty Feldman ( who later would land his own BBC sketch show ), Tim-Brooke Taylor ( who later became one of 'The Goodies' ), John Cleese and Graham Chapman ( both of which would later become part of the 'Monty Python' cast ). Aimi MacDonald opened and closed each show, describing herself as 'the lovely Aimi MacDonald'.It trod the same line as 'Monty Python' later would. Surreal sketches, sometimes dark in tone, clever wordplay and musical items. The title, 'At Last The 1948 Show', was a light hearted dig at TV executives inability to get productions in the can on schedule.Not all the sketches made their mark but there were some absolute corkers, such as a men's wear department wracking a customer with guilt in order to get him to purchase a shirt, a man going to visit a psychiatrist in belief that he is a rabbit and a group of police officers going under disguise as female dancers to crack a case. The best one of all was 'The Four Yorkshiremen' in which a group of wealthy men from Yorkshire reminisce about the days when they were poor, with each trying to outdo one another with tales of how worse off they were, each tale being more far fetched than the last.The two main comedians in the show were indeed John Cleese and Marty Feldman, though without Tim-Brooke Taylor and Graham Chapman, the show would have went nowhere. Aimi MacDonald's sketches I found rather irritating ( wasn't she gorgeous, though? ). Barry Cryer and Eric Idle appeared from time to time.For years, it was believed that only two of the thirteen episodes still existed however in recent years, more episodes have been rediscovered, meaning that only two of the 11 episodes are still missing. The next stepping stone to be laid for the path of 'Monty Python' was 'Do Not Adjust Your Set!' ( another Rediffusion show ) but in my opinion it was largely inferior in comparison.

ingemar-4 I watched the DVD release of the surviving material from "At last the 1948 show" and enjoyed it very much.The show is a funny humor show, more "classic" in its form than Monty Python and The Goodies. Ami MacDonald is a self-centered hostess pushing herself at any possible moment, while Cleese, Chapman, Brooke-Taylor and Feldman do sketches in-between.MacDonald is really the most daring part. Otherwise, much is classic punchline-driven sketches. However, beyond the punchlines and laughter tracks, you can feel the humor of what was to come. There are sketches very much in Monty Python-style (for example, "Let's speak English"), as well as Goodies style "Chartered accountant dance"). The show is most famous for including the original "Four Yourshiremen", which was written by Feldman and Brooke-Taylor, later used by Monty Python despite not really being their style. (There shouldn't be a punchline in a Monty Python sketch.)Fans of Marty Feldman, Monty Python or the Goodies (or why not all three?) will like this both for its humor and its historic/nostalgic value.

MarkA-21 Okay, it is black-and-white, but that is what we had in those days. We considered ourselves lucky to have pictures! We were happier then, despite being poor. BECAUSE we were poor! Not long before The 1948 show, this zany British humour could only be found on the radio, in ISIRTA (I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again) or the Goon Show. (Thinks! Did not mention Telegoons! Thinks again... should not think aloud). Afterwards came Monty Python, admittedly zanier and more polished, but At Last The 1948 Show has some advantages for being early in the learning process of translating weirdness to television: it has a warmer touch to it, partly because the actors are more candid, and partly because they are not trying to out-do what Spike Milligan nor Do Not Adjust Your Sets is up to (in fact there is friendly interaction with DNAYS).Some of the skits here were re-workings of material from radio or live performances, or would be repeated later, elsewhere. Yet these were often the best, the definitive versions. The acting isn't amateurish, it is more like a live performance; they are obviously comfortable with ad-libbing and everyone works well together. By not taking themselves too seriously, even the "lovely" female link between segments, they break molds and the viewer cannot help feeling this is something revolutionary, even today.But mostly this series is great because it has plenty of extremely funny moments in it, funnier than Monty Python, in my opinion, and done with great style. Pure, clean, unadulterated fun.

craigjclark Believed lost for decades, this series is finally available on DVD (well, five episodes of it, at least), and it is definitely one of the great comedy finds. Written by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman, it is one of the clearest forerunners of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (along with "Do Not Adjust Your Set," which has also been given an archival release). Not only that, it shows four bright, young comedians clearly having fun with the medium and producing some high-quality comedy.The series even features Eric Idle in various bit parts, so some of the cross-pollination that lead to the creation of Python was already taking place. Pity the other eight episodes are still lost.