Bad timing was the show’s downfall, as it arrived just a little too early to be appreciated the way the later sketch shows it inspired would be. Despite rave reviews from critics and adoration from the series’ handful of followers, the general public barely took notice during The Ben Stiller Show’s run on Fox, and the network didn’t know how to fix the popularity problem of their latest sketch experiment. After just thirteen episodes, Fox canceled The Ben Stiller Show, ending one of the most unique chapters in ‘90s television history.
But that didn’t stop The Ben Stiller Show’s most devoted fans from singing its praises. The series won the 1993 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program just a few months after cancellation, and the cult following for the show continued throughout the decade. The unique sketch format was revived for shows featuring The Ben Stiller Show alumni, with programs like The Andy Dick Show and Mr. Show following in its footsteps. There was even a cast reunion at the NY Comedy Festival twenty years after the program’s cancellation, a rare occurrence for a single-season series.
The Ben Stiller Show was tragically premature, and possibly the ultimate “before its time” sketch series. Legendary music producer Brian Eno once said of the legendary experimental rock band The Velvet Underground’s debut, “The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band.” Well, everyone who watched The Ben Stiller Show – not to mention, everyone who was on the show – went on to change the medium of comedy in some way, and its influence has lived on long past its own lifespan.
To send off the most underappreciated sketch comedy of the ‘90s, here’s a video of Bob Odenkirk playing Charles Manson as if he were in the show Lassie:
Top Image: HBO Independent Productions
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