The Mighty Boosh

Formed in the late 1990s, the Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe that moved to television after several years of stage productions and radio broadcasts. Their 2004 first season on TV (a total of eight episodes) showcased the often surreal vibe of this rather peculiar show. Co-writers Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding star as the central characters, Howard Moon and Vince Noir, respectively. The hopelessly self-deluded Howard (“the man, the myth, the maverick,” in his own words) and the more innocent and childlike Vince (who, with his predilection for spandex and shag haircut, resembles a misplaced glam rocker), work at the Zooniverse, a zoo quite unlike any other. Some of the action takes place there, where clueless boss Bob Fossil (Rich Fulcher) is forever dreaming up ridiculous scams (in the episode “Killeroo,” he stages a boxing match between Howard and a stuffed kangaroo), but just as often our heroes are transported to far-off locales (in “Tundra,” they visit the Arctic, where they discover the frozen remains of explorer “Ziggy Shackleton”). At times the show recalls the antic absurdity of Brit stalwarts like Monty Python; it also carries a suggestion of classic American kids' programs like Captain Kangaroo and The Soupy Sales Show. With its combination of special effects, animation, comedy, and music (much of which, provided by Barratt, is excellent) The Mighty Boosh can be hit and miss, but this is recommended, overall. [Note: The Mighty Boosh 2 and The Mighty Boosh 3 are also newly available.] (S. Graham)