Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show

Network: Fox; Genre: Sketch; Content Rating: TV-PG (for adult content and dark comedy); Classification: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);

Season Reviewed: Complete Series (6 episodes)

It may have been slight, shallow, short-lived and a overseas concept anyway, but "Kelsey Grammar Presents The Sketch Show" solves one of the biggest problems that come with the sketch comedy series. Many sketch shows present us with a funny idea and then stretch the life out of it trying to get it to full sketch length. "Sketch Show" keeps things alive with a unique format that packs several unrelated sketches into 22 minutes - with a different sketch every few seconds, some of which connect.

"Sketch" was the 2005 British remake that wasn't "The Office". Produced and lending his credible appearance to some of the skits is sitcom legend Kelsey Grammar himself. The show is fast enough to keep up with the attention of the MTV generation but the jokes feel at least 30 years behind the times. The sketches are made of quick one-liners, puns or a stupidly funny piece of slapstick. Two knights show up at a hotel asking for a room for two nights, an astronaut locks himself out of the lunar rover, two cops give news that a man's wife has died through song. A low point comes in a psychiatrist (hot Kaitlin Olson) who whines back at her patients. It is all intensely lame stuff, but done as such a fast pace it becomes watchable, even addictive. If only to see what will come next. Proving the shorter-the-better theory with sketch comedy, it is usually the longer sketches that become the most tiresome.

The biggest attraction is the inclusion of Mary Lynn Rajskub. Fans will be interested to see Rajskub outside of her role as socially dysfunctional Chloe O'Brien on a hiatus during "24's" 4th season and in her comic element. A bit in which Rajskub plays a wedding photographer is a series high. Which also says a lot about the show's limits.

There is no satire, no parody here, no desire to appeal to the kids and nothing that can be identifiable as coming from this decade. I'm sure Grammar was going for a timeless quality, which is rather refreshing on an American network. Grammar has succeeding in bringing something that is distinctly British to American shores once again. It's almost karma that "The Sketch Show" lasted about as long as the average British TV season.

* * / 4

this show was awful, it was

a complete copy of the

British sketch show which aired in 2000 which actually had lee mack in it. they completely copy all of the sketches which were used in the British version, and is a lot less funny. The acting is poor and the dialog is cheap. i expected a lot more from Kelsey grammar who really isn't that bad at acting. the actors are not natural enough, and it is evident through their body language and the way they deliver their lines that it has been over rehearshed, it basicaly lacks the spontinaety that the original British version had. lee mack was also a lot funnier in the British version, i feel that his American co stars are bringing him down to a certain degree. i know that this may sound harsh but i see no need for this show to be remade as it was

I was flicking through the channels a few days ago and happened to stumble across this. When I saw it was titled 'Kelsey Grammers Sketch Show' I was interested, mainly because I loved the 'Sketch Show'.

sorry, but the only people that I found funny in this pile of wreck was Lee Mack and Kelsey Grammar. Sticking a bunch of American actors in was a really bad idea, they just can't compare to the original cast in this sad attempt of a remake. Lee Mack was funny as always, but his talent is sadly wasted in this. Kelsey Grammar is good and I found him funny, but I guess I like him better in sitcom roles such as 'Frasier'. The rest of the cast in my opinion are not all that good, but did occasionally make me giggle.

If you liked the original than by all means watch this, it isn't a complete and utter waste of time, though it comes pretty close. Still, be prepared to be disappointed, it just does not compare.

This show has just been airing in Australia in the afternoons, and i was a little confused at first when i switched channels and saw it. I've seen that several sketches here are reused from the UK show THE SKETCH SHOW.... check that out and compare... i think i prefer the sketches originally performed on the UK show to this re-enactment although i don't have a problem with any of the performers here ... the humour just seems to be more like British writing than U.S.... Wouldn't u think that if Kelsey Grammar's name is featured in it, he would have written or presented new sketches...i guess they are NEW for an unknowing U.S audience.... It still is entertaining though, and beats watching lame cooking shows.

First of all, I would like to congratulate Kelsey Grammar and the cast of "The Sketch Show." The premiere episode was tonight, and it was fantastic. I am very excited to have such original, smart humor and I look forward to many more episodes to come. I was introduced to some new talents, all of whom were fantastic. It was nice to witness Kelsey in these light humored scenarios. Although "Fraiser," which was fantastic, was filled with laughs, there is something new and refreshing about this program. I am very much a fan of the way the situational skits flow into each other, some, connecting back to previous skits, with renewed laughter, and the way the even express about the occasional one liners. It was also a pleasure to see the uniquely beautiful Mary Lynn Rajskub, of "24," and "Punch Drunk Love," fame playing something so openly funny and true to herself. I can't wait to see more. Everyone must check out this show!