What do you get if you take a little Monty Python and mix in the mind behind The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy? Apparently this sketch comedy show pilot that aired on BBC 2 in 1976 (in a time slot with little promotion so it wasn’t seen by many).
OUT OF THE TREES was written by Graham Chapman (of Python fame), Douglas Adams (the creator of Hitchhiker‘s Guide) and Bernard McKenna (who may not be well known but he did write for the DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE series and for several Chapman films). The show runs about 30 minutes and in addition to featuring Chapman in several key roles (and Adams in a few minor ones), future HHGTTG stars Simon Jones and Mark Wing-Davey (Arthur Dent and Zaphod Beeblebrox, respectively) appear in some sketches.
Now let me be honest and say that while this never aired on PBS to the best of my knowledge, I think fans of Monty Python and Douglas Adams will find this interesting. Some of the humor is dated (and has been done elsewhere before and since – arguably better) and there’s far too much feline abuse for my personal taste but OUT OF THE TREES has some genuinely enjoyable bits and a occasional actual laughs. That makes it worth the look as far as I’m concerned.
If you concur, check it out for yourself…
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