SCTV on DVD

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El Vez
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SCTV on DVD

Post by El Vez »

Finally! The first nine episodes of SCTV's 1981 season have just been released on a deluxe DVD box set. SCTV was one of the smartest, funniest, weirdest and most influential sketch comedy shows of all time. If you've only seen John Candy in his later, second-rate features you owe it to yourself to see how brilliantly funny he was capable of being. Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy and Harold Ramis (among others) congealed into perhaps the most perfect comedy improv ensemble ever. As a child, I eagerly awaited the weekend to watch Nick At Nite with my father and catch SCTV, 70's SNL reruns and Rowan & Martin's Laugh In. This was my favorite.
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Post by alexv »

El Vez, I took to be much older. You watched SCTV reruns on Nick at Nite?If memory serves me right, SCTV was on Friday nights after Tom Snyder in the early 80s I think, and ran for about an hour and a half. The thing is that the show was so casually produced that sometimes it ran for one hour. You never could be sure. Yet there was nothing like it on tv. I was in law school at the time and me and my best law school buddy memorized each episode (Levy doing Sammy Davis; Moranis doing woody AND dick cavett taking turns name dropping on each other and fawning while Thomas as Hope looked on in disgust; Lola Heatherton; Moranis as the "video" obsessed auter; the classic parody of the camp classic "The Oscar" with Thomas hosting the ceremony as Hope; Candy as the Coppola-like grandiose director, etc.). We would pass the time during excruciatingly boring classes doing SCTV bits. My friend went so far as to travel to Toronto to talk to Moranis and Thomas about doing a movie (they thought him a stalker and almost had him arrested) featuring their "hoser" characters. Best comedy stuff on tv!! I have never bought a DVD, I just rent, but this one I'll buy.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

I wonder if anyone on this board knows about Rick Moranis' health. I understand that he was dealing with some unfortunate illness-related issues for awhile. I sincerely hope he is doing better.

I'm a mere 24 and just learning to cope with how startling it is to hear a DJ say something like "And now.....here's an oldie from Pearl Jam!" Nearly drove off into a tree first time I heard that one.
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Post by ice nine »

I'll take SCTV over SNL everytime - even the old SNL with Gilda, John, and Bill
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

Second City was just smarter and had this wonderfully gentle, goofy quality that permeated its every frame.
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Post by wehitandrun »

I'll take Mr Show over both.

Seasons 1-3 of Mr Show are currently on DVD.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

First, let me say that I really, really like Mr. Show. Have you seen any of the old SCTV shows, WHAR? Bob & David definitely drew a lot of inspiration from the Second City Players in how they crafted each and every episode. Particularly Mr. Show's final season where they were absolutely on fire.
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Post by BlueChair »

wehitandrun wrote:I'll take Mr Show over both.

Seasons 1-3 of Mr Show are currently on DVD.
Yes, but this thread isn't about Mr. Show, it's about SCTV, which is a great show, regardless of what might be better or worse.
This morning you've got time for a hot, home-cooked breakfast! Delicious and piping hot in only 3 microwave minutes.
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Post by wehitandrun »

Well, Bluechair, Mr Show is a child of SCTV (in a way). And, if we can talk about SNL, we can talk about Mr Show. All of these shows are sketch comedy shows with reference to SCTV.

El Vez, I actually haven't seen ANY SCTV, but I am well aware of its influences on Mr. Show.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

That seems a little hostile. I don't think that's necessary...it was an innocent question.
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Post by wehitandrun »

How was that hostile? I said I haven't seen any SCTV, that's actually me voicing a handicap to the knowledge of this thread. Not exactly the best way to 'up' somebody.

I was stating that I have read a lot about Mr Show, like the book that was recently published about the self-cancellation, and they talk about SCTV a lot.

I didn't think you were so sensitive.
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El Vez
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Post by El Vez »

Chalk it up to an honest misreading on my part then.
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