The 2011 Summer Re-Watch: Monty Python's Flying Circus "The Naked Ant" Review

The Monty Python re-watch concludes in a week's time. In the last several weeks, I've written about each episode to the best of my ability. I attempted to avoid repetition. I examined what the sketches reflected and signified. I wrote many words about how the bicycle repairman sketch tackled themes found in Nietzsche’s philosophy. Each week, though, I wondered whether my arguments about the show were worth anything. After all, the point of Python's laughter. I focused on each sketch as if they would yield the ultimate answers about life and death. I searched for profound social commentary and satire in sketches dominated by pepper-pots. Still, I always felt like a blowhard after each Monty Python post. I wondered if readers would think that I loathed the series because of how I'd sort of dismiss a sketch if it didn't offer breathtaking social commentary. I just thought that I needed to write about more than "Oh this sketch is delightful and oh I laughed a bunch.'

I decided to re-read the section in Monty Python's oral history about the series upon reading the 'Useless Tidbits' for "The Naked Ant." The useless tidbit provided a moment of clarity. I read that the 'Upper-Class Twit of the Year" sketch was inspired by the people who went to a wine shop near John Cleese's home. The people kept him up with their non-sense. Suddenly, I remembered the essence of Monty Python. They weren't trying to re-invent political or philosophical rhetoric. They were reactionary; they reacted to what was around them. In the book, Terry Jones said, "I think Python must be of its time. We weren't lampooning, we weren't actually tying it to people of the moment or events of the moment, so it was hopefully kind of zoning on human nature more, but it was still defined by the society that we found ourselves in and rebelled against." Before that quote, Terry Gilliam said, "That's the great thing I like about Python--it goes from being incredibly intelligent to incredibly infantile. What I think we're at good at is avoiding middle ground." Gilliam continued by explaining how they aimed for hip stuff then childish stuff, that they'd either fly or fall. And, suddenly, I felt vindicated and less like a blow-hard.

"The Naked Ant" is the second episode with the word "Ant" in the title. According to Palin, during the 1960s, animal behavior was prominent on the BBC so they had a bit of fun with that. No naked ladies appear in any sketches. The episode features the aforementioned classic 'Upper-Class Twit of the Year' as well as the classic 'Ken Shabby' sketch. The episode also features my favorite frame in the entire series.

'Upper-Class Twit of the Year' is extremely biting and funny. John Cleese performs the play-by-play over the seven minute span of the sketch. His vitriol for those wine folk can be felt during certain stretches like when the twits compete to wake the neighbor up first by slamming the car door repeatedely. The sketch concludes with the death of the twits because they're stupid enough to compete in every last dangerous challenge presented to them.

I have two favorite sketches in "The Naked Ant." Both are silly. The one sketch, 'Mr. Hilter' imagines a world in which Hitler faked his death and lived life in an English suburb with two of his officers. He's known as 'Mr. Hilter.' For the last 20+ years, he's tried to re-organize the third Reich but he's a failure. The citizens have no interest in Hitler's Nazi propaganda. His assemblies attract only one confused person. My favorite exchange in the sketch is between Hilter and the Landlady. Hitler informed the lady that he and his friends would take a hike but the map's of Stalingrad. Terry Jones' Landlady cracks, "you wouldn't have had much fun in Stalingrad, would you? Hitler bristled and begrudgingly agreed, "not much fun in Stalingrad, no." The lines are great but John Cleese's Hitler is amazing. Terry Jones' line delivery's fantastic.

I also love 'Police station-silly voices' because of the silly voices. The structure of the sketch is something the Pythons returned to throughout the series. The sketch is sort of like the argument clinic where it's built around a single, silly idea of men who need to speak in different registers depending on the person. The sketch concludes as the three men yell in their silly voices.

I''ll write a few words about 'spectrums' and 'Ken Shabby.' The spectrums sketches features my favorite frame in the show--when Michael Palin holds the 'So There' cards with that smirk on his face. 'Ken Shabby' is just funny. Shabby's a repugnant male who brought a goat with him to ask his love's father for her hand in holy matrimony.

"The Naked Ant" is a hilarious episode in the series. It boasts some underrated gems and two classics. Next week, I'll wrap up the re-watch.

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