Gotten

I knew it wouldn’t work but they offered me a lot of money.
I knew after the pilot that this kid couldn’t carry the show.
— Don Adams,
on the remake of Get Smart

Enlightening to listen afresh to John Cleese’s commentary for Life of Brian, on how nightmarish the experience had been for the filming of Holy Grail — for no matter what the experience for the lads was at the time — the success of Holy Grail made the comparatively paradisal experience of filming Life of Brian possible.

(And to be fair, half of the commentary is Michael Palin’s. Palin was always a great foil to Cleese.)

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As iconic as it has since become of The Show — “I asked you not to tell me that” dates from the very first shows of the third season.

— And seems an expertly calculated move in those scripts.