This is another show that I thought I had never seen before.But as I watched it, I started to remember certain recurring characters and even a few sketches.This launched so many great comedic stars that it's truly amazing.The guys from Reno 911!, Michael Ian Black, Ken Marino etc.But of course if you even know who any of those people are, you know all about this show.The only sketch comedy show to launch more comedic stars that are actually funny was Mr. Show.While SNL relies on unfunny hosts, even worse pre-recorded songs, musical guests that only children listen to, anti-white propaganda and political jokes that lose all meaning in a matter of months, The State just went for comedy and it worked.This is a must see show.
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13Funbags12 May 2017
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buyjesus23 December 2001despite glaring pythonisms, the state was the best Post-python era sketch comedy show ever. Founded back in the "golden" age of MTV when Jon Stewart and 'alternative' music reigned the airwaves, the state came out of nowhere as a smart, funny, innovative, and inventive masterwork. At times delightfully dirty, the show was mistaken by many for being low-brow. But like all great things comedic, the base humor came from somewhere sincerely genius. Witness the brilliance of a man delivering tacos rather than mail, or the incredibly popular gay student, or 20 year old pet sea monkeys. This often overlooked gem in television history could really benefit from some sort of re-release by MTV, who has to date released one short compilation video. Their lovely art spoke wonders to many of us growing up in the 90's in a way that no other television show has. It gave us a reason to watch television, which is scarce in this day and age.
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Xander0076 February 2002Not only is The State the most amazing show ever, but it featured some of my longest laughs ever, such as "Love and War" where Timmy and his father race home. The skits are so weird that they're perfect. A skit about origami suddenly ends on 8 members of the cast running in their underwear. If only it was back on TV, and it's so sad that shows like Saturday Night Live are even aired when there should be a show like this. My favorites are "Staring Contest" "Love and War" "Taco Man" "Prom Photos" and "Tammy Wilkins: Notebook Artist". Check em out.
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rikskelton138-487-51227426 September 2012This show had a huge influence on the shows I watch and respect today. "Childrens Hospital", "Reno 911" to mention a few shows that wouldn't exist with out the birth of this show. Also two shows I want to dip my balls in. I can't explain in words how much I respect all the actors of this show. The closest I can come to explaining to how great these actors are is by showing you a video of me dipping my balls in to their dip or punch. I am a huge fan, I wish it was still around so that I could melt down the VHS tapes and dip my balls in it. It has been really hard for me to get a job in the industry but after watching "the state " i realized all I had to do was dip my balls in peoples stuff.
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mindiana-7373010 August 2018Bring back The State! Also please bring back Doug (unless he never came back from being outta here)!
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actionalligator7 June 2021I love lots of things that the cast of this show made or played a part in; Wet Hot American Summer, Childrens Hospital, NTSF:SD:SUV, Burning Love, Reno 911, Medical Police, etc.; but this is dead mediocre and its hard to find a laugh except sporadically. The Captain Monterey Jack skits are really the most memorably funny to me, I blank on most everything else.
I'm actually shocked at how high the ratings are and I'm thinking they're only this high because its biggest fans come on and review it while everyone else hasn't seen it, as I think it's probably pretty unknown. -
sickboy-119 September 1999The state has been off the air for even years now, but even still i manage to quote it on almost a day to day basis even by accident. to say that the state was the funniest television show ever created is a gross understatement.. may blueberry johnson, mean ass sal & frankie the pig, figgy, emmet & lyle, berry & levon and everyone's favorate's "the jew, the italian and the red head gay" rest in peace, for they will always live on in our hearts.
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coles_notes17 April 2023Created in 1993 at the peak of MTV's transition from a primarily music station to what it is today, The State was MTVs first foray into sketch comedy, and wouldn't be its last. Featuring a large cast of the self titled 11 member troupe, if features many greats who would eventually go on to do bigger things, like Robert Ben Garant, Michael Ian Black, Kerri Kenney, and Thomas Lennon (all Reno 911! Stars), Joe Lo Truglio (Brooklyn 99) and even Ken Marino (Party Down). The series is pretty funny, spanning four seasons with only 6 to 7 episodes per season. I definitely laughed hard at at least a single sketch per episode and chuckled at a few more. Wasn't the funniest sketch show, but was kept going by some recurring character favourites (namely Doug), who they were sure to reuses a few sketches per season. A sketch show that was definitely formed out of the troupes improv days, you can really feel many of the bits almost coming from the best results of a "pick a scene from a hat" kind of premise, rather than anything truly original coming from the comedians. Sketch comedy series are often this blend of improv and scripted humour, and this series feels it definitely leans more improv vibe. Not that thats a bad thing, when it lands it certainly does hard, but much of the time it misses the mark and frankly feels a little too silly or just doesn't make much sense. Didn't love, but enjoyed, and would recommend for anyone fans of any of these individuals specifically.
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FeverDog22 August 2006All of their projects ("Viva Variety," "Wet Hot American Summer," "Reno 911!") are brilliantly bizarre (the "Trainspotting" bit in WHAS is classic). The State is where it all began so where's the DVD? MTV needs to give me what's needed so I can show my friends why I quote "I'm Doug, and I'm outta heeeeere" and "It ain't no sofa, it ain't no couch. It's a LOVE SEAT, aw yeah!". Better, run them on Comedy Central with "Just Say Julie," the other great, lost MTV skit show.
And remember the commercials MTV ran for it? The station rolled with the negative reviews the show received ("Significantly less than sporadically funny," Entertainment Weekly), quoting them while showing the cast, despondent. When the commercials for the show are just as memorable as the show itself, one wonders why the suits at MTV are just sitting on this. Surely at least one executive there loved this show when it aired. -
jthompson-55 December 2000"The State" was a brilliantly funny sketch comedy show that ran on MTV in the mid-90's. By far the best and smartest show that has ever graced MTV. Each cast member was extremely talented (especially Thomas Lennon) and every skit was about a million times funnier then anything that has been on "Saturday Night Live" in the past 10 years. There is a VHS tape that is available with about an hour and a half of "The State" skits on it. But this tape does not even come close to representing the best of what ran on the show. I hope that one of these days MTV will get their act together and either re-run all of "The State" episodes or put them out on tape. Or, an even better scenario would be for "The State" to get back together and have a TV show again. By far one of the best shows EVER on TV.
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one episode they redid this running gag skit of theirs only they did it as japanese kabuki theatre, complete with giant wooden shoes stomping around, kabuki mannerisms, painted faces, and japanese kabuki music. they did it well too. that's the kind of show this was. totally cool. another time they had people send in postcards their names, then they did a whole skit using their names. amazing.
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changingshades7 September 2001Forget about the Kids in the Hall. Ground the Flying circus. Fill up the vacant lot. Kill Mr. Show. and remember that SNL SUCKS. This sketch comedy show is the greatest of its kind. It had the most original premises for the its sketches and all the people involved were quite talented. I cannot put into words how much I loved this show. I was fortunate enough to have taped the episodes when they came on and am still able to watch them. Unfortunately, others are not so lucky. This show had some wonderful bits that many will never get to see. Bits like Barry Toink, The hand Signals, Grape Soda, even Please kill Tim. Many may have the mistaken impression that because of the spin off of viva variety was so bad, that its base material the Laupan variety hour and by extension the state itself was as flat and stale. Nothing could be further from the truth. This series is the greatest. Even though MTV made them have reoccurring characters, that is the main down fall of most sketch comedy shows, the state transcended this obstacle and made the funniest character in recent history. And even though he was out of here, Doug is an archetype for our times. Louie while being extraordinarily cheesy knew how to play it, and Barry and Levon gave cool a whole new groove. Mere words fail me when I try to describe my affection for this show, but I must tell you, not a week goes by that I do not tell someone new about how funny this show was.
Just remember, never watch the CBS special, and that blue muppets have the most meat on them. -
jordanbeaver17 June 2002I don't know why none of my current friends have never seen this show, but when I was in high school I watched it religiously. By far, the funniest, gut wrenchingest stuff ever. Someone mentioned the Sea Monkeys!! Blueberry "...I'm a frickin' blueberry!!!" There are so many things. The difference between The State and the current skit comedies is that The State was not taped in front of a live audience. Some of the ways they transferred from skit to skit are amazingly flowing... something welcome when you don't want to stop laughing.
The last thing I remember the cast of The State doing together was a live show for one of the Spring Break outings that MTV had. A straightlaced shakespearean play scene, with one exception... the ever increasing sizes of the phalluses in their tights. I think Shakespeare would have loved it! -
hddu10-819-3745830 December 20131993 was arguably the year that Saturday Night Live "got the bad news from the Dr" (i.e. that it was dying), so "The Edge" began to fill that vacuum, and pick up where the recently canceled "In Living Color" left off. Though while In Living Color focused on an "urban"/black-centric audience and pushed the envelope by testing how low toilet-humor could get on prime time, The Edge pushed the envelope by breaking the accepted formulas and definitions of what comedy was. This was a show dedicated to the MTV generation of the 90s, which was struggling to find its own identity. The show often capitalized on and poked-fun at this theme (i.e. the "Doug" character, who rebelled against his cool father and the fact that his own catch-phrase "I'm outta here" was becoming main-stream). Many of the sketches were what could really only classify as alternative, such as the Cereal Commercial, Snuggle Bear and International signs...yet at the same time hilarious. As luck would have it, the MTV execs and lawyers finally let their greed subside enough to release the entire series on DVD, so the efforts of the writers and actors can be enjoyed and appreciated by the next generation of comedy aficionados.
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The State is an hysterically funny sketch comedy show that is most known for its shows on MTV. They have since gone off the air but MTV put together a collection of some of their skits.
This collection of skits from The State is absolutely beautiful. When the show went off the air I would often sit on my couch and cry. But then one day a friend bought me this tape. Since then my days have been filled with only joy and laughter. I have watched this tape well over 100 times, and have shared the beauty with countless others.
If you miss them like I do, find this tape and watch it. If you like Kids in the Hall, The Upright Citizens Brigade, Monty Python, or just enjoy laughing, find this tape and watch it. If you enjoy jokes about pudding or beards in space, find this tape and watch it. If you do not have a strange sense of humor or you don't enjoy laughing, then maybe you should just take a nap instead. -
acurchoe23 February 2001This show was so hilarious. "I wanna dip my balls in it"! Come on! Or "Two hundred and forty dollars worth of puddin'." One of the funniest skits was where a lady and her husband were meeting someone at a restaurant and the lady had PMS and kept changing into all of these different moods, but the funny part was that all of the cast played her. It was too funny. Or the one where the guy had bologna sandwich feet and his soccer coach said, "They call him Bologna For Feet or Sandwich Feet or...Penis Face." Or the one where a guy was getting made fun of for eating his Grandma's potato chowder and then he admits to having sex with her. ("But when you eat the soup, do you stick your whole face in the bowl?") I could go on forever. Those of you who watched the show as much as I did will know what I am talking about. MTV needs to put this show back on the air for sure. It got me through my freshman year of high school.
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eich008910 February 2002There is not a day that goes by in which I am not somehow reminded of The State. Every time I see a bowl of pudding, every time I see Thomas Lennon in a Snickers ad, every time I pray to have a family member killed, and every time I think that I might want to dip my balls in a food product I think of those ten plucky guys and one equally plucky woman. It truly was the best sketch comedy show ever. If any one has the opportunity to view any portion of any episode of The State, they should. It would be a crime against humanity if they didn't.
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seltzer31 August 2000I used to watch the State religiously. It really was much funnier than anything else on TV. The cast had the advantage of being not just great writers of comedy, but good comedic actors as well. The only collection of skits available, Skits and Stickers, is well worth the price but it will leave you wanting more. When the State left TV, everything in the world became a little less funny.
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I haven't seen every episode (there weren't that many), but I have seen a number of them, and each had my friends and I ROTFL several times. TedEBear and I must have very different working definitions of sarcasm, satire, parody & wit, because in my opinion The State displayed a mastery of each that would make current network offerings envious. If you're a fan of Kids in the Hall and/or Myers/Carvey/Hartman era SNL I strongly recommend you give The State a try--if you can find it.
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amoore-228 August 2004Okay- I guess a non-amercian has to write something about this absolutely funny show. Back when MTV were still decent, The State played here (MTV Europe) Sunday nights along side The Maxx and Aeon Flux and I watched it religously. It was at a time when there was a renaissance of sorts in American comedy. Emo Phillips and Sam Kinnison were doing the rounds and all of a sudden american comedy was edgy and FUNNY!!!
I never thought that america could produce something as sublime as The State; I was reminded of TW3, The Goon Show and Python. However we only got the first season (and a couple of episodes from the second) so I'm really buzzed to hear that a DVD featuring all the sketches is on the board- I look forward to seeing some of the sketches I've only read about here.
Favorite skit- well there are so many- Louie, Doug, Mime Plane Disaster, International Signs but I think I have to go with Muppet Meat.
All in all The State was Brilliant- we need these people back together again and producing more shows. -
FilmTx13 July 2003Could we all go camping and exploring in a house owned by someone else while the house itself is sideways and on a cliff. Could we watch a one man show of Jurrasic park while eating tacos from our mailbox? Could we ride a Harley with God to the Porcupine Races? Could we play naked battleship in a prison with open gates while our hormones dance? Can a Jew, an Italian and a redhead-gay live in the same apartment without strange people jumping out and dancing? AND?????? Let's have staring contests and always remember that children of coal miners are worthless. Let's watch men in bikini thongs perform drama while a man in a suit and tie dips his balls in some things. Could there be a better show? If you don't get these references but want to, watch the show. Soon to be on DVD with commentaries!!! But most importantly, aquaman, go talk to some fish.
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It takes a good sense of humor to understand the State. But those who do will say "the state is one of the funniest and most original sketch comedy shows ever. It came on MTV in the early nineties and immediately hooked many viewers with a spoof of the 'Snuggles' commercials which involved a startled woman beating the talking bear with her iron. And it only got better as time went by. The State understood that one of the most important elements of comedy is surprise, unlike many of today's comedies where the joke is telegraphed from a mile away, then explained to make sure everybody got it. They put the joke out there and left it up to the audience to get it. Of course they were on TV during what some consider to be a sketch comedy renaissance with Saturday Night Live in their prime and shows like Kids in the Hall and Mr Show following. Still shows of this caliber are missed in today's comedy void, the only show that comes anywhere near in quality is 'What the Hell is This', but you can only watch if you live in or around Atlanta, or go to their website.
For those of you who barely remember The State, here are some sketches that might remind you; Barry and Levon(the pudding pimps), Doug, The Popa, and monkeys doin it. -
CrazyBoB1 December 1998This was one of the only shows on TV that really ever made me curl over laughing. I wish it would come back. Viva Variety is funny (sometimes) but it will never beat the State. Hands down, one of the funniest shows ever made.
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jmg260t28 August 2001MTV has always been hit and miss with their programming...hell, they've missed with most all of them. The State is no exception. They suffered from what Saturday Night Live goes through every so often (too many people, not enough talent). And now their alumni have moved on to movies. Did the Tom Green disaster of Freddie Got Fingered have no impact on Hollywood? On a final note, I had high hopes that once MTV got rid of "The State" that they might go back to playing music videos. No such luck.
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TedEBear31 August 2001For some reason, I sat through every episode of this series, hoping against hope that maybe I'd laugh just once. I did, during the hormone sketch. For the myriad other sketches, I just sat and watched them. I found this series to be double plus unfunny, trying too hard to push an envelope that really doesn't exist any more. There was no sarcasm, no satire, no parody, no wit, essential elements in comedy and humor. Other people found it funny, and that's up to them. I, for one, have tried to see what the deal was and just couldn't.