420 Weird Shows: 241-300

The same way that these dramas echo back to The Prisoner (1967), a couple of years later there'd be a comedy troupe who got a sketch show that would change comedy going forward, influencing countless others who came after. Enter Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969). Absurdist comedy now had something of a visual identity. Though they were beaten to the punch by Spike Milligan's Q... series by a matter of months, that ended up having almost no worldwide significance in comparison. Then in turn Tim & Eric were inspired by Bob & David, who had cited Python as their biggest inspiration.

The vast majority of the spotlight here is on Western (primarily US and UK) media. There's bound to be some recency bias too. I purposely opted for mostly scripted rather than loosely scripted or unscripted content that you might find in improv and so-called reality TV. However I made sure to include a small sampling from supposed documentary programming that feature over the top larger than life characters or who have odd things going on in their lives.

Some of these are a blend of actual people and semi (if not fully) fabricated stories either on the part of the producers, people desperate to get on TV, or a mix of both. Often you don't know where the truth ends and the lies begin. One episode or even season could have nothing deceptive about it and another one be full of shit.

And of course there's different types of weirdness, from mild to mindfuck. There's “you need to read a breakdown or watch a video essay to understand the symbolism” kind of weird, there's meaninglessly silly, and everything in between. Then you've got first of its kind, groundbreaking, innovative, and unique projects where the subject matter itself isn't what's odd. Sometimes all you need is a quirky, kooky cast full of unconventional, offbeat beatniks to be considered strange. Maybe it's surreal and trippy, maybe it's puzzling and confusing. From the bizarre and eccentric to the avant-garde and arthouse to the creepy and nightmarish.

420 Weird Shows: 241-300

Monkey (1978)

Monkey Dust (2003)

Mononoke (2007)

Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969)

Moral Orel (2005)

Mostly 4 Millennials (2018)

Mr. Meaty (2005)

Mr. Pickles (2014)

Mr. Robot (2015)

Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995)

Mr. Smith (1983)

Mrs. Davis (2023)

My Mother the Car (1965)

My Strange Addiction (2010)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 aka MST3K (1988)

Nathan Barley (2005)

Nathan For You (2013)

Neo Yokio (2017)

Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)

Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter (2015)

Night Gallery (1970)

Nirvanna the Band the Show (2017)

No Soap, Radio (1982)

Now Apocalypse (2019)

Nowhere Man (1995)

The OA (2016)

Oats Studios (2021)

The Oblongs (2001)

Oh My Ghost (2015)

Off the Air (2011)

OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes (2017)

On Cinema at the Cinema (2012)

On the Air (1992)

One Piece (1999)

One Punch Man (2015)

Orphan Black (2013)

The Outer Limits (1963)

Outer Range (2022)

Over the Garden Wall (2014)

Oz (1997)

PB&J Otter (1998)

Painting with John (2021)

Pantheon (2022)

Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (2010)

Paranoia Agent (2004)

Patriot (2015)

Peacemaker (2022)

Pee-Wee's Playhouse (1986)

Penny Dreadful (2014)

People of Earth (2016)

Perpetual Grace, LTD (2019)

Phineas and Ferb (2007)

Pingu (1990)

Police Squad! (1982)

Popee the Performer (2000)

Portlandia (2011)

Preacher (2016)

The Prisoner (1967)

The Problem Solverz (2011)

Psychoville (2009)

Part six tomorrow, same Bat time, same Bat channel.