Snuff Box: "demented genius" Brit-com

Richard Metzger has posted an appreciation for the British sketch comedy show Snuff Box, starring Matt Berry (IT Crowd, Darkplace) and Rich Fulcher ("Bob Fossil," "Eleanor," etc., on The Mighty Boosh, which we've been featuring in a series of one, two, three BB Video episodes). Snip from Metzger's post, which includes a bunch of video embeds of his favorite Snuff Box moments:

First broadcast at 11pm on BBC3 in 2006 and never broadcast again, Snuff Box sadly was missed by its target audience, who ended up discovering it anyway, via YouTube and Bit Torrent. (Snuff Box finally came out on DVD in 2008). Each episode begins with Berry and Fulcher (playing "themselves") walking down a white hallway, before choosing a door leading to a typically odd "situation." The pair are employed as government hangmen. They also spend a lot of time in a gentleman's club (where time travel occurs), nursing whiskeys and swearing. There is a LOT of swearing in Snuff Box, so much so that it gives Deadwood a run for the money. It's one of the meanest spirited comedies I can think of (not that this is a bad thing, of course).

SNUFF BOX: BEST SKETCH COMEDY SHOW YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF (Dangerous Minds)

[#1 posted by dunnright, August 18, 2009 12:09 PM]

Also Richard Ayoade (AKA Moss from IT Crowd).

I like this snuff box clip from the tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZDjWLwqAPY

[#2 posted by Anonymous, August 18, 2009 12:36 PM]

Absolutely loved Snuff Box. Totally crazy, and completely indescribable.

Another great comedy series from a few years back was Black Books.

[#3 posted by Powell, August 18, 2009 1:01 PM]

Snuff Box is the best, if you havent seen it check it out immediately!

[#4 posted by Anonymous, August 18, 2009 1:05 PM]

I loved this show. The people on a park bench doing a very NSFW rendition of the theme song has gotta be one of the funniest things ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN1L3HN0cvg

[#5 posted by Anonymous, August 18, 2009 1:26 PM]

To be perfectly honest, I still can't quite decide if Rick Fulcher is a comic genius or just rude. But the show is very good. And Ayoade is just so damn cool.

And although you already mentioned it in the post, here's a bit of Darkplace goodness (probably my favorite scene, from the very first episode even):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWwYzj47abU

[#6 posted by Takuan, August 18, 2009 1:36 PM]

splendid #4, thank you!

[#7 posted by hicks, August 18, 2009 1:52 PM]

Mustn't forget Matt Berry's album Opium, which features extended versions of the theme song (which he wrote and sang), among other oddities.

I saw Fulcher a few weeks back at the live Boosh show after Comic-Con. Pretty sure he's incredibly funny, not just awful and rude. Though sometimes it's close.

[#8 posted by Anonymous, August 18, 2009 1:58 PM]

Love Snuff Box!

Here's one of my favorite segments, just 65 seconds but it got stuck in my head for days: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ2ZVWyOVRI

[#9 posted by Njclarke, August 18, 2009 2:24 PM]

Thats great, these guys have made loads of stuff I love but I hadn't heard of this, definately going to check it out some more.

Incidentally I'm fairly certain this sketch is inspired by The Edgar Winter Groups appearance on the old grey whistle test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SLTe0Ls3qs

[#10 posted by Keeper of the Lantern, August 18, 2009 2:39 PM]

Eh. The humor to sucky music ration wasn't high enough for me to deem this worth the effort. In fact, the humor is so "subtle" (ie, unhumorous), they should have stamped "THIS IS FUNNY" on it.

[#11 posted by Powell, August 18, 2009 3:50 PM]

NJCLARKE, good call, that sketch has got to be patterned after that clip. lol.

[#12 posted by Powell, August 18, 2009 3:57 PM]

I would also like to reccomend the following british comedies for the unintiated...
Spaced
Green Wing
Mighty Boosh (duh)
ITCrowd (duh)
and Black Books

[#13 posted by jaybushman, August 18, 2009 4:36 PM]

I quote Matt Berry all the time: "WHISKY!!!"

[#14 posted by Piers W, August 18, 2009 5:18 PM]

# 12

I would nominate Chris Morris's Jam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYFQZFL0yoo

[#15 posted by Anonymous, August 18, 2009 6:01 PM]

I'm here to pick up my silver cowboy boots....

Man this show is GENIUS

[#16 posted by J France, August 18, 2009 7:51 PM]

Just when I think I've mined BBC for all it's obscure, single-season champagne comedies... ta-daa. More!

Not at all a bad thing. Thanks for the suggestion.... I think Metzger should just post a complete catalogue of his DVD collection here, every time he makes a suggestion it's gold.

[#17 posted by Anonymous, August 18, 2009 8:26 PM]

both of these actors were in the show 'Garth merenghi's dark place' which you can find on youtube. it's absolutely brilliant and anyone who enjoys the shows mentioned above (spaced etc) will love it. also check out 'Look Around You' (see youtube).

[#18 posted by dunnright, August 18, 2009 9:29 PM]

@ NJCLARKE, you probably won't see this but, Is your first name Nelson?

[#19 posted by jjloy314, August 18, 2009 9:47 PM]

I've heard enough people complain about this show to realize that it's not for everybody. In fact, the original title was supposed to be Comedy Bronze, which is referenced in the theme song.

I wrote a post on some of my favorite UK comedies last year- lots of video clips and some recommendations.

http://reallygoodmagazine.com/?p=395

...not mentioned in the clip, Nighty Night. It's my new favorite thing. It's the darkest comedy, I've ever seen.

[#20 posted by _kevitivity, August 18, 2009 10:02 PM]

Does the BBC only have a pool of like 5 actors to use or something? :)

Looks like a funny show - time to fire up bit-torrent.

[#21 posted by Takuan, August 18, 2009 10:08 PM]

"Does the BBC only have a pool of like 5 actors to use or something? " You fool! Run! Save yourself!

[#22 posted by devophill, August 18, 2009 10:44 PM]

#20 _Kevitivity- The thing is, shows don't tend to run as long on the BBC, so actors can end up doing lots and lots of different shows. Most of the shows mentioned in this thread seem to feature many of the same folks, but none of them ran very long. Also, there are lots of other shows, these are just the better ones.

[#23 posted by yer_maw, August 19, 2009 2:10 AM]

peep show= the best

[#24 posted by Piers W, August 19, 2009 2:45 AM]

#20 kevitivity

They have Martin Jarvis. That's it, but he's very versatile.

[#25 posted by monstrinho_do_biscoito, August 19, 2009 5:10 AM]

my DVD of snuffbox is the only time i have ever received a birthday gift that i didn't specifically ask for that i have utterly loved.

my favourite is the guitar lesson sketch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZDjWLwqAPY

also, another lost classic is 15 Storeys High. Bit of a slow burner, but it sucks you in utterly, like a darker Black Books.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzr2FhQUONg

[#26 posted by sebastian6, August 19, 2009 5:46 AM]

The clip in this entry is kinda funny but wasn't it already done in Spinal Tap with the "Lick My Love Pump" bit?

[#27 posted by reginald, August 19, 2009 5:48 AM]

welcome to the darkside
where british comedy reins supreme

[#28 posted by Powell, August 19, 2009 7:30 AM]

Great thread! #19, awesome post, thanks for sharing it, I will be searching these out immediately. #12 thanks also!

[#29 posted by Anonymous, August 19, 2009 11:05 AM]

im a rapper with a baby, with a baby...
i got a little bitty mother fuckin baby...

classic stuff, I love BBC3, thank god for torrents and IMDB

also recently got into - Unnatural Acts, Man Stroke Woman, How Not to Live Your Life, The Day Today, Time Train, Ideal, Pulling, Jam...

all because of a mighty boosh rec here on BoingBoing over a year or so ago... so thanks a ton