Sometimes an episode I'm watching is so good I just have to stop and write about it.
I've seen all three series of The League of Gentlemen more than three times over. It's my favorite comedy, possibly my favorite show of all time. I am just in constant awe of the League -- Mark Gatiss, Jeremy Dyson, Steve Pemberton, and Reece Shearsmith -- and their ability to create stories, characters, jokes, all so fantastic and bizarre. The series is all at once side-splittingly funny, brilliantly atmospheric (Royston Vasey is so distinctive; it's its own character), and at times, nightmarish and horrific. And on top of that there are the just stunning performances from the League's three actors. I cannot say enough about the brilliance of these performers. They can do absolutely anything. I was recently struck by a rewatch of "The Lesbian and the Monkey," one of my favorite episodes, in which three of the four main storylines focused on characters played by Steve and Mark. At a few points, the scene would transition from Pauline and Mickey, to Dr. Carlton and Mrs. Beasley, to Earnest Foot and Sheila Foot, all played by Steve and Mark respectively. Vastly different characters, completely believable performances. And I haven't even mentioned Reece, who I believe is the strongest actor of the three (with Steve as close runner-up).
Anyway, the part I'm currently paused at in "The One-Armed Man Is King" (series 3 episode 2) involves all three actors. Glenn (Mark) and Barry (Steve) work as debt collectors for Mr. Lisgoe (Reece). They're in a trailer, and Lisgoe is instructing them, rather violently, on how to collect. In this sketch (possibly my favorite out of the whole series), Mark plays the straight man to Steve's goofy, bumbling fool and Reece's terrifying and violent boss character. The whole thing is magic. Steve brings the laughs effortlessly, as usual (he rarely plays the straight characters, and he's often in the position of goofy/strange foil to Mark or Steve's villainous/straight -- Tish, Herr Lipp, Tubbs), Reece shows off his tremendous dramatic chops, while Mark looks on, acting suitably horrified. I simply cannot get over how fantastic Reece is in this scene. There's an outtake that shows how much he gets into the role, and it's honestly scary. Yet despite the terrifying nature of the character, the whole thing still manages to be funny because of what Steve does with it.
I'm close to wrapping this up solely because I don't have enough synonyms for "fantastic" and I hate to reuse too much, but I do want to say something about series 3 as a whole. It's definitely my favorite of the three. It scrapped the laugh track and gained a cinematic feel that I think really bolstered the show's creepy tone. It became incongruously emotional in parts and had a connecting element at the close of each episode. It explored more of the minor characters from previous seasons. The music is impeccable, especially the uplifting "While There's Still Time." I love the whole thing so, so much.
