jwikstro I agree with the other reviewer who noted the above dichotomy.Recently, this iconic comedy series began a run on the Decades channel.Occasionally, such as during the early part of the third season, I noticed an occasional flat episode or two. Otherwise, most of the humor and wit were sharp and/or amusing for almost all of the episodes of the first three seasons. The second half of season three was a special treat, with both Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin in attendance,the latter just beginning her time on the show. I was wondering why this show had not been so fondly remembered by yours truly. I opined that some of the humor might have been over my head. Well, that may have been the case for those early years...When season four began, I noted not only the cast changes, but more importantly the weakness of the wit on presentation. Gone were Goldie Hawn, Jeremy Lloyd, Teresa Graves and Pamela Rodgers as performers (Judy Carne had also slowly phased herself out during the third season), but most notably, a number of writers had departed after the third season. Apparently their contributions did make a difference, as the laugh-out-loud moments became rare from that fourth season on. As there were some rough episodes even with those authors on board before, the situation seemed to become somewhat dire afterwards. Perhaps this is why we don't recall Laugh-In as the great comedy innovation it was at its outset.For those incipient years, we had sly political commentary, reminiscent of the previous Tom Lehrer/That Was the Week that Was era, occasionally poking its way in through Rowan & Martin's dialogues; i.e. jibes at the NSA, the AMA, hopelessness of widespread implementation of alternative auto fuels, etc., through the Flying Fickle Finger of Fate and Whoopee award spots, as well as Rowan's military general character. In short, issues still on the table today were approached, which made the show seem less than fatuous. The humor often combined old jokes with new issues in a seamless fashion that made things funny, even if we knew the jokes were old. It was old but also cool, just as older guests and the younger cast seemed to blend well.For the fourth season, all that seemed to fly the window. Instead, we had more obviously lame jokes and what felt like tired humor. Instead of crisp barbs we had Barbi Benton and such. There seemed to be more of a spirit of Tuning-Out and Turning-On on display than the more pertinent critiques blended with "flower power" humor that seemed to work in years previous. In short, whereas they had previously, finally made the social commentary of Lehrer and the like palatable to the general public, after years of aborted attempts that had been too caustic, now that area of the scripts was more-or-less scrapped. After season 4, Artie Johnson and Henry Gibson also left. One can see why. If the show had been what it once was, perhaps they would have remained. Some execs obviously told Rowan & Martin and co. to tone down on certain aspects and to fluff things up. This seemed to disembowel the show of its core, the reminders of the motives behind the protest movements, and leave it with the hollow shell of the lifestyle that remained. That resultant, shallow after-taste is what also seemed to happen with Benny Hill, the Carry On films and others, i.e. milking the product whilst also reducing to the LCD level of sophistication.Laugh-In, we remember your early years, lest ye be judged on the later. It was the perfect recipe which was then tinkered with.

DKosty123 Actually, even though you'd think this was an original idea, the folks who created this updated Olsen & Johnson's HELLAZPOPPIN (film version 1941) Broadway show. The show ran during the height of the Vietnam war & even though it ran pieces protesting the war, it also ran cameos on Nixon & all the famous politics's who were supporting it too. The show is often a bunch of disjointed sketches with the only thing in common the fact that it followed a framework every week. The opening would feature Gary Owens & Morgel the Friendly Drelb and a few sketches. Then Rowan & Martin would come out & do some quickie stand up comedy. Next would be the party where all kinds of characters would show up including the great flesh painted dancing of Judy Carne, Goldie Hawn, Terri Garr & others. After the party, the Laugh-In Dancers & Goldie would blow an introduction to the News. Martin would do the news of the Present, Rowan would do the news of the Future, Alan Sues would do sports with BIG AL & his tinkle, then Rowan would intro a sketch to news of the past. Once this part of the framework was over, a special musical guest would appear (I remember Strawberry Alarm Clock doing TOMORROW in one early episode). Eventually another rotating feature would be put in like THE FICKLE FINGER OF FATE, or Lily Tomlin doing an Operator routine or spoiled girl in giant rocking chair. Then finally we'd get to the joke wall (say Goodnight Dick) where almost anything would get thrown in. The credits would roll with the wall & then the end would be Arte Johnson as the German Soldier (sometimes with help) saying Very Interesting but... enjoyable but dated with the dippy sets now days. Fast paced too

deanmartin101 who doesn't like this show. it had some of the biggest names in hollywood, like jo anne worley, goldie hawn, soon-to-be president richard nixon, milton berle, bob hope, and even the merchant of venom: don rickles. it was made during a time when sexist and racist jokes were actually funny, and had the big names in hollywood do skits to make themselves look like asses. if you haven't seen this show, you're an idiot, and if you have, keep on smilin', keep on cheerin', and keep on laughin'!

McKiller This show is a true snap-shot of the expression "My, how times have changed!" The scariest part of watching re-runs of this awful show is that an entire generation of Americans actually found the sketches (if you can call them that) funny. I watch it a few times a week just out of morbid fascination. Kind of like watching a car wreck as you drive by. Nearly every pop culture icon of the late 1960's & early 1970's did a guest spot on the show. Even Nixon. To call it "sketch humor" is a bit rediculous. It's mostly a dated show of 1960's one-liners. Political humor, sexist humor, and just plain corn-ball crap. No one now would find it remotely interesting unless they had a first hand knowledge of the times or were just into 20th Century history. It is fun to see dead stars of the past and those who aged really bad. It is also fun to watch celebrities who have sold their souls to the devil. This is based on several actors who have not changed at all since the show aired! LOL.... This show really sucks to put it bluntly. It's scary to think it was once the number one rated television show in America. I guess so many people were on hallucenogens, that no one noticed how horrible it was.