Given the lack of original material and repetitive nature of the sketches in Series 3 of Flying Circus John Cleese left the show; the loss was heavily felt on the series and the remaining five Pythons clearly lost all enthusiasm for the series and only produced six episodes instead of the usual thirteen and it was the last series of the TV show.
Of the six episodes three have the continuing story style of The Cycling Tour and the movies. This is not a style I especially enjoy for the show, as I feel that belonged to the realm of pure sketches without having to deal with the golden age of balooning, or Eric Idle buying an ant, or Mr Neutron. As such I definitely class this as the weakest of the series, and not just because they changed so much of the style, but also because the sketches that are there just aren't as funny.
Of the six episodes three have the continuing story style of The Cycling Tour and the movies. This is not a style I especially enjoy for the show, as I feel that belonged to the realm of pure sketches without having to deal with the golden age of balooning, or Eric Idle buying an ant, or Mr Neutron. As such I definitely class this as the weakest of the series, and not just because they changed so much of the style, but also because the sketches that are there just aren't as funny.
It pains me to say that anything from Monty Python doesn't work as it is one of my favourite things ever, I love the Python's enormously, but I have to be honest about this series, it just doesn't work. The loss of Cleese on both the writing and performing side is the worst thing that could have happened to the show and the lack on enthusiasm on the others is clear, their hearts just weren't in this series and as a result it's just a less interesting product.
The end of Monty Python was a considerable loss for TV comedy, regardless of the strength of the final series. However even though the show had ended its legacy was considerable, there were the movies, of course, each of the performers and writers went of to do other things which I will explore through the rest of this month. They also spawned many people who would take the inspiration of the show as the model for their own careers, people who owe the Pythons are such legends as The Young Ones, Not the Nine O'Clock News and A Bit of Fry and Laurie.
The end of Monty Python was a considerable loss for TV comedy, regardless of the strength of the final series. However even though the show had ended its legacy was considerable, there were the movies, of course, each of the performers and writers went of to do other things which I will explore through the rest of this month. They also spawned many people who would take the inspiration of the show as the model for their own careers, people who owe the Pythons are such legends as The Young Ones, Not the Nine O'Clock News and A Bit of Fry and Laurie.
Overall I wouldn't recommend the fourth series to anyone other than serious fans of Python who want to see all of it, because it just sadly isn't funny enough.