I am a big mockumentary fan from way, way back. I am not sure who started the trend but am guessing that Monty Python and the National Lampoon Radio hour, and later Saturday Night Live played a part. I am pretty sure that Rob Reiner's This Is Spinal Tap is the first full length feature film mockumentary. It is pretty funny, but I love Christopher Guest's films, especially Best in Show, more.
I like shows about strange people in general. I have been hooked on The Office for some time now (the BBC version is also excellent ...with subtitles "ON") but due to the writer's strike and the release of last season's TV shows, I have fallen under the spell of Ugly Betty.
Why do I like this stuff? There are so many reasons; lack of an irritating laugh track is a big one. Excellent character development, witty intertwining plotlines, snappy dialog, and edgy humor are also biggies.
The HBO series, Flight of the Conchords, is my latest discovery. The plot revolves around Brett and Jemaine, two 20-something New Zealanders, who play in a band together and who are trying to make it in NYC. The deadpan humor, flat-accented New Zealand speech, and random segues into music videos of the duo singing oddly humourous songs about whatever is transpiring in the plot, with passerbys becoming backup singers and dancers, are part of this show's strange allure. This show might not be for everyone, but for me, it is just right.
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