25 Best Monty Python Sketches of All Time

This curated list highlights the 25 most memorable sketches from Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Only TV sketches are included, as film scenes would complicate the selection and are not part of this ranking.

25. The Bruces

In the Bruces sketch, a group of stereotypical Australian academics, all named Bruce, work in the Philosophy Department at the fictional University of Woolloomooloo. They share a love for beer and a disdain for “pooftahs.” Terry Jones portrays Michael Baldwin, a British professor who joins the department and is humorously dubbed “New Bruce” to fit in with his colleagues.

This sketch is among the most frequently referenced from the series, often performed in their live shows and typically concluded with The Philosophers’ Song. While the song is absent in the TV version, the sketch ends with a humorous reference to recognizing body parts, tying into the episode’s recurring theme. Unfortunately, John Cleese’s delivery of a key line in the televised version falls short of its comedic potential.

While the conclusion might be predictable, the sketch remains effective. Terry Jones has cited this as one of his personal favorites, and it was showcased in the PBS special Monty Python’s Personal Best.

This brief sketch features Arthur Ewing (played by Terry Jones), who owns mice supposedly trained to squeak at precise musical notes. He insists they can perform The Bells of Saint Mary. Jones’s over-the-top enthusiasm, even as he’s forcibly removed from the stage, is the highlight of the skit.

While not matching Terry Jones’s flair for drag, Eric Idle was arguably the most naturally feminine-looking among the Pythons. He often portrayed female roles with subtle voice adjustments, avoiding the exaggerated falsetto used by his peers. This approach is showcased brilliantly in this brief yet uproarious sketch.

The Guild made a comeback in a later episode to recreate the first heart transplant, following their signature style with predictable hilarity.

The sketch Buying an Ant debuted in season four, episode two, shortly after John Cleese’s departure. Cleese reportedly left due to the repetitive nature of the work and challenges working with Graham Chapman, who was increasingly struggling with alcoholism. Eric Idle played Chris Quinn, a gullible customer in the “ant department” of a large store, while Michael Palin took on his usual role as the cunning salesman.

This sketch was part of an episode with a recurring theme centered around ants and a mysterious character named Michael Ellis.

In this sketch, film enthusiasts report from the set of Scott of the Antarctic, where director James McRettin (John Cleese) and producer Jerry Shipp (Eric Idle) struggle to manage the challenges posed by their clueless yet famous actors and the harsh filming conditions. The Hollywood epic is being shot on location in England, adding to the chaos.

This skit draws inspiration from the 1948 film depicting Robert Falcon Scott’s doomed South Pole expedition. However, the Python version adds its own twist, featuring polar lions and giant electric penguins, which are clearly exaggerated for comedic effect.

Graham Chapman plays the role of a man trying to enjoy a quiet date at home, only to have his evening disrupted by a series of unwelcome guests, including a goat suffering from diarrhea. The sketch escalates into chaos and tragedy, showcasing Python’s signature absurd humor.

Eric Idle delivers a charming and determined apology, nearly escaping punishment for his crimes in this clever courtroom sketch.

Terry Jones and his on-screen wife, portrayed by Carol Cleveland, visit one of the strangest mattress stores in England, leading to a series of absurd and humorous interactions.

Carol Cleveland, often called the “Seventh Python” or the “Python Girl,” was the most prominent female performer in the Monty Python troupe. Initially hired for only the first five episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, she became a regular, appearing in about two-thirds of the episodes, all Python films, and most of their live stage performances.

The sketch revolves around a store where each salesman has a distinct eccentricity, yet they are all described as “otherwise perfectly all right,” adding a layer of absurdity to the scenario.

In this skit, Ron Obvious, portrayed by Terry Jones, is pushed by his unscrupulous manager to perform outrageous stunts for fame. Michael Palin shines as Luigi Vercotti, a mafia-like character who also appears in the Piranha Brothers sketch, stealing the spotlight with his performance.

15. The Idiot in Society

Collaborations between Palin and Jones often leaned toward visually imaginative and whimsical concepts, contrasting with the verbally aggressive style of Cleese and Chapman. Cleese once noted that while he and Chapman focused on abusive humor, Palin and Jones preferred scenic, music-driven setups, and Idle’s sketches often delved into wordplay and absurdity.

14. Restaurant Sketch

Elevating an ordinary situation to a dramatic climax can succeed with skilled and clever performers. This sketch, likely conceived quickly, includes dramatic elements like dirty fork seppuku, a furious French chef wielding a knife, and an intentionally underwhelming punchline that provoked boos from the audience.

This sketch embodies Python’s philosophy on punchlines. The group had resolved early on to avoid traditional punchlines, and this skit mocks shows that rely on clichéd endings. Many Python sketches conclude abruptly, sometimes with characters criticizing the sketch itself. As Terry Gilliam explained in Monty Python Live in Aspen, their rule was to avoid punchlines, as they often undermined otherwise brilliant sketches.

13. Crunchy Frog

Years before Mike Judge’s Frog Baseball, Terry Jones introduced these bizarre candies made from “only the finest baby frogs, handpicked from Iraq, rinsed in pristine spring water, gently killed, and encased in luxurious Swiss chocolate, topped with a delicate glucose glaze.”

In a nod to the iconic sketch, the Harry Potter series features magical treats like the crunchy “Chocolate Frog” and the Cockroach Cluster, echoing the absurdity of Python’s confectionery humor.

12. Ministry of Silly Walks

Whether you love or loathe this straightforward sketch, it’s impossible not to laugh at John Cleese’s gangly, awkward movements. Over time, Cleese found performing these walks increasingly challenging, often declaring, “I’m not doing silly walks,” when approached about new Python tours.

Some viewers interpreted this sketch as a critique of government inefficiency, but the Pythons themselves, as noted in *The Pythons*, insisted it was simply absurd humor. Cleese, in particular, expressed mild frustration that fans often regard it as their “best” work. A condensed version was performed at *Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl*.

11. Woody and Tinny Words

Graham Chapman, often regarded as the ultimate straight man despite his personal quirks, delivers one of his finest performances here. This sketch is among the most overlooked in Monty Python’s repertoire, partly because it appeared in a post-John Cleese episode. However, its brilliance remains undiminished. Notably, Chapman, who reportedly consumed up to two quarts of gin daily at the time, may have been intoxicated during filming.

10. The Argument Clinic

This sketch revolves around a service where customers pay to endure unpleasant experiences, such as verbal abuse or being struck with a mallet. Michael Palin pays to argue with John Cleese, but Cleese merely contradicts everything Palin says. Frustrated, Palin insists that contradiction isn’t the same as an argument, leading to a meta-debate about what truly constitutes an argument.

9. Cheese Shop

Terry Jones plays the owner of a supposedly top-tier cheese shop in England that, ironically, has no cheese in stock—not even Venezuelan Beaver Cheese. This sketch exemplifies the collaborative writing style of Cleese and Chapman, whose characters often find themselves in increasingly absurd disputes.

8. Self Defense Against Fresh Fruit

John Cleese stars as a self-defense instructor wielding a 16-ton weight, teaching viewers how to protect themselves against attacks by fresh fruit. The sketch includes a humorous moment where the cardboard weight breaks as Terry Jones fails to duck in time. The first half of this sketch was recreated for the film *And Now for Something Completely Different*.

7. Nudge Nudge (Candid Photography)

Originally penned by Eric Idle for a different comedy program, this sketch was initially rejected. Idle acknowledges that the script is intentionally confusing, with the humor relying heavily on delivery. Unlike the other Pythons, who often collaborated in pairs, Idle preferred to write solo.

The phrase, “Nudge nudge, wink wink,” has become a popular idiom in English, often used to suggest sexual innuendo.

6. Homicidal Barber / The Lumberjack Song

The sketch, which has been presented in various versions, centers around a man unhappy with his profession, yearning to become a lumberjack. Michael Palin and Eric Idle have both delivered performances of this song. It was penned by Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson, with the Fred Tomlinson Singers, dressed as Mounties, providing the background vocals.

Inspiration for the sketch came from a conversation Palin had with an assistant cameraman, who shared details about his past occupations, one of which was working as a lumberjack.

5. Spam

Many Python members considered Terry Jones the most humorous when dressed in drag, and his portrayal of a waitress clearly illustrates this sentiment.

The sketch was inspired by the reality that Spam, unlike most meats, was not part of the British rationing system during and after World War II. Over time, the British public became thoroughly weary of it.

4. Hitler in England

In this sketch, Mr. “Hilter” makes a trip to England. The humor and context of the scene are self-explanatory.

3. The Funniest Joke in the World

This segment debuted in the first episode aired on October 5, 1969. It revolves around a man who crafts a joke so hilarious that it proves lethal to anyone who encounters it. The British Army eventually secures the joke, intending to replace the famed pre-war joke famously held by Neville Chamberlain, alluding to his return with the Munich Agreement. Due to its dangerous nature, even a single word can be harmful, so it is translated into German for deployment during World War II.

The joke: Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! … Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput.

There’s no point trying to translate it, as it’s utterly meaningless and devoid of sense.

2. Upper Class Twit of the Year

This iconic sketch features a comical obstacle race involving five caricatured upper-class twits competing for the title of the 127th Annual Upper-Class Twit of the Year. The sparse audience, primarily composed of cardboard donkey cutouts, adds to the absurdity.

Cleese once joked that this sketch alone cost him a British honor. In truth, he turned down the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) due to political reasons.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus was pulled off Finnish TV after just four episodes in the 1970s following the airing of this sketch. The decision was made due to claims that the sketch was offensive to individuals with cerebral palsy.

1. Dead Parrot

The Dead Parrot sketch, also referred to as the Pet Shop sketch or Parrot Sketch, stands as one of the most iconic moments in British television history. It was ranked second on Channel Four’s list of the 50 greatest comedy sketches.

The sketch depicts a heated argument between an irate customer, Mr. Eric Praline (played by John Cleese), and a shopkeeper (Michael Palin), who disagree over the condition of a supposedly deceased “Norwegian Blue” parrot. The absurdity lies in the fact that parrots are typically associated with tropical regions, not Scandinavia, though it may also be a playful nod to the African Grey parrot.

The sketch originated from an acting exercise where repeating a line meant losing. It drew inspiration from a Car Salesman sketch performed by Palin and Graham Chapman in *How to Irritate People*. In that sketch, Palin played a car salesman who stubbornly denied any issues with a customer’s (Chapman) car, even as it disintegrated before their eyes. This, in turn, was based on a real-life encounter Palin had with a car salesman.

Throughout the years, Cleese and Palin have performed numerous renditions of the Dead Parrot sketch across various TV programs, albums, and live events.

Bonus: Fish Slapping Dance

Honorable Mention: Police Station (Silly Voices), Kilimanjaro Expedition, Vocational Guidance Counselor, Confuse-a-Cat, Ltd.