So funny I forgot to laugh

I was walking through the public library the other day and I came across something of a treasure. There, sitting among the DVDs, was the complete second season of "Rocky and Bullwinkle." With no hesitation I grabbed the lot, rented it and hurried home to watch it. I originally checked it out because of the fond memories I had of watching it as a child, but after about six or seven episodes I started to realize that this show was still funny, and not giggle-to-yourself funny either. It is fall-on-the-floor-funny, and this is 46 years after it was written. \nOne peculiar thing about comedy is that it has a much shorter shelf-life than any other genre. A good drama is a good drama forever, but as cultures evolve, so to do the things that we find to be comical. That is what makes a show like "Rocky and Bullwinkle" so remarkable. Even as a poorly animated anachronism, its humor remains intact.\n"Rocky and Bullwinkle" is not the first, nor will it be the last to achieve this level of prosperity in comedy, but it certainly deserves to be listed among the truly great comedies. These are not necessarily the shows we find to be the funniest right now, because humor is a fragile thing and what is funny now may be cliché tomorrow. What makes them noteworthy is the way which they distinguish themselves by not being subject to the deteriorating effect which time has on comedy. Each of them is still as funny today as the day it was written and more importantly they have become the archetype for the style of humor which they each perfected. As far as I'm concerned there are only four that have really established themselves in this way.\n"I Love Lucy": It was the first show to realize the full potential of the television sitcom. It is also the truest example of successful situational comedy. The writers would simply take established characters and place them in the most outrageous situations possible. It had been done before, but never with such candor. Each time the show began to get stale they would find some inventive way to put a fresh spin on the concept. They spent a season on the road, a season in Hollywood and even in Europe, with each change in setting providing a new set of absurd situations. In this way, it surpassed its forerunners and became the measuring stick for all sitcoms to come.\n"Rocky and Bullwinkle": Trying to explain this show to someone who hasn't seen it is about as easy as using Pig Latin to explain quantum physics to a Watusi tribesman; your only response will be an empty stare. But watch it and you immediately become aware of the genius behind the show. The show is silly and satirical, constantly broke television conventions and never took anything seriously. The characters used puns, stereotypes and every cliché imaginable, but they did so in such a way that it became the ultimate farce. Every moment was meant to be funny. Even the jokes that fell short, like the puns that capped each segment, were hilarious because of how unfunny they actually were.\n"Monty Python's Flying Circus": If there is any show that totally embodies the art of absurdity, it is "Flying Circus." It is ingenious in its stupidity. On a given episode the comedy troupe could have a sketch which included an insightful look at the dogmatic roots of the communist philosophy, but the ultimate joke would be that Karl Marx knew relatively little about English Soccer leagues. They were rarely topical, and when they were, the joke was always broader than the issue itself. This is the main reason why Python's style is still as fresh today as it was 30 years ago.\n"The Simpsons": This show is the ultimate anti-sitcom. It is the pinnacle of that wry cynicism that infects all television today. If there is any show that is responsible for the sense of humor of our generation it is "The Simpsons." Most of us can't even remember a time when it wasn't on the air. It is the epitome of intelligent well-scripted comedy. Plus, it's really funny.\nHonorable Mention should also go to "Arrested Development," which is being cut down in its prime because FOX wants to waste all of its money on Seth MacFarlane cartoon comedies and another irritating season of "American Idol." If given the chance I think that it could have become something truly great.