Title: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Goes to the Bathroom
Original Airdate: 28/12/1969
Guest starring: Carol Cleveland, Ian Davidson, Maureen Flanagan, Sheila Sands
It's: People complaining about Toilet Humour, a man trying to discuss the history of the world getting interrupted, incompetent policemen getting murdered, undertakers getting into their own coffin, a sports show with an idiot, a talk show showcasing interesting people ("Interesting People"), 18th century English history interspersed with sexy ladies, Gumbys talking about the Battle of Trafalgar, and housewives reenacting the Battle of Pearl Harbor.
Tropes:
- Acme Products: Stock Footage of the Royal Philharmonic in action is accompanied by the sound of a flushing toilet. Then we see a Terry Gilliam cartoon where the lid of the Royal Albert Hall opens and a balloon carrying a toilet and the sign "Acme Toilets" rises up.
- The Bore: Idle's character in the "Interesting People" sketch claims to be invisible. But he is very visible, but speaks in a very droll voice, and drones on and on before being ignored, so he may as well be invisible.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Inspector Tiger has difficulty saying what he is trying to say, until he gets lobotomized.
- Cheerful Funeral: In one undertakers film, the undertakers dump out the body, making the coffin lighter and it turns into a jazz funeral.
- Clown Car: Fourteen people and a dog come out of the freshly dug grave that's awaiting the coffin with the five undertakers.
- Cramming the Coffin: Played for Laughs where a group of undertakers carrying a coffin climb into it one by one as they become exhausted. Also inverted at one point when they take another undertaker out from the coffin to replace one that fell over dead.
- Fanservice: Parodied when a montage of topless women leads to a sexy lady (Carol Cleveland) writhing in bed in lingerie, while delivering (in John Cleese's lip-synced voice) a dry historical lecture on "Social Legislation in the 18th Century".Animated Policeman: I apologise for that. I think you'll find this a bit more interesting. (takes off uniform to reveal a lady's breasts)
- Hypocritical Humour: In the animation after the "Lavatorial turn" sketch, an animated man seconds the complaints about the jokes about "poo-poos", but not before pulling a lever and the sound of a toilet flushing is heard.
- Laugh Track: Parodied in the "Interesting People" sketch, the announcer had a switch which could turn on canned applause whenever he needed it.
- Lights Off, Somebody Dies: "The Detective Sketch" has a police detective entering a house to investigate a murder, he sits down, the lights go out, a shot is heard, and when the lights come on, he's dead. A second policeman comes in to investigate the first's murder and want to recreate the crime, so he asks for the lights to be turned off, and he's shot.
- No Indoor Voice: In the "Interesting People" sketch, Ken Dove (John Cleese) talks with a constant shouting voice.Compere (Michael Palin): What does your wife think of this?Mrs. Dove (off-screen voice, also shouting): I AGREE WITH HIM!Ken Dove: SHUT UP!
- Offscreen Crash: How the bizarre high-speed race between two hearses ends.
- One-Word Vocabulary: Footballer Jimmy Buzzard only says one of four lines whenever answering the interviewer:"Good evening, Brian!""Well, Brian................... I'm opening a boutique.""I hit the ball first time, an' there it was in the back of the net.""I've fallen off my chair, Brian!"
- Punny Name: The Agatha Christie parody has members of the fuzz with silly names like Inspector Tiger, Chief Superintendent Lookout (of the Yard), Assistant Chief Constable Theresamanbehindyer, and Chief Constable Fire.
- Strongly Worded Letter: As usual, Played for Laughs in true Python style: first, a man complains about the heavy amount of Toilet Humour and asks to hear about Mary Bignall's winning jump at the 1964 Olympics. Shortly afterwards, we see Stock Footage of said event, then another man complains that he wants more Toilet Humour. Finally, a third man complains:Dear Sir, I object strongly to the letters on your programme. They are clearly not written by the general public and are merely included for a cheap laugh. Yours sincerely, etc. William Knickers.
- Take a Moment to Catch Your Death: The "It's" man narrowly dodges several cars as he crosses the street, only to get run over by a young woman pushing a stroller.
- There Is No Kill Like Overkill: Inspector Tiger is found with a bullet hole in his forehead, an arrow through his neck, and a bottle of poison in his hand.
- Toilet Humour: Hilariously and literally played with in the first sketch.
- Visible Boom Mic: In the Agatha Christie parody (with Inspector Tiger), a mic is briefly seen at the beginning.
