'Monty Python' crew to reunite
BBC brings troupe together for a 'Night'
The event is the highlight of BBC2's £82 million ($131 million) fall schedule, unveiled Thursday by BBC2 controller Jane Root. The sked marks the first major season Root has assembled.
The five remaining Pythons -- John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin (Graham Chapman died in 1989) -- are taping some new material for the night, which will feature a documentary and episodes of "Monty Python's Flying Circus."
Root added that a few old sketches originally shelved would be resurrected, material "too rude, too weird to show the first time around." A date for the showing has not been set.
Lineup big on laffers
Comedy in general is big in BBC2's lineup, which includes three new sitcoms.
"Hippies" is the latest effort from the creators of "Father Ted," Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan. The show is set in the world of alternative publishing in 1960s London.
Then there is the mock fly-on-the-wall documentary series "People Like Us" and as well as "Perfect World," which takes a poke at the advertising industry.
"World" stars Paul Kaye, who made his reputation playing the roving BBC journalist Dennis Pennis, who dared to ask Steve Martin, "How come you're not funny anymore?" and queried Demi Moore with, "If it were tastefully done, would you consider keeping your clothes on in a movie?"
Also coming up is the comedy-drama "Sex'n'Death" with Martin Clunes of "Men Behaving Badly" fame. Clunes plays an anarchic TV exec who will stop at nothing to win ratings.
