Watch Upright Citizens Brigade

TV-14
1998
3 Seasons
8.0 (2,454)

The Upright Citizens Brigade was a sketch comedy show aired on Comedy Central from 1998 to 2000, created by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh. The show was based on the popular improvisational and sketch comedy group that had the same name. The Upright Citizens Brigade comedy group was established in Chicago in the early 1990s, and they became well known for their unconventional and absurdist humor that often challenged the norms of traditional comedy. They moved to New York in 1996 and began performing at a theater in Chelsea. The group's popularity grew quickly, and they soon became one of the most respected comedy groups in the city. Upright Citizens Brigade the TV show followed a loose narrative that centered around the four main cast members. Each episode was composed of a series of loosely related sketches, all of which shared a common theme, and often broke the fourth wall, with characters addressing the audience directly. The show's unique style and humor were quickly embraced by a passionate fan base, and it gained a reputation for its intelligent and subversive style of comedy. Upright Citizens Brigade was hailed as a critical success, and over the years, it has become a cult classic that's still beloved by fans today. One of the defining traits of the show was its improvisational nature. Most of the sketches were created on the spot, with the cast improvising around a loose premise. This led to a raw and loose feel that viewers found refreshing, and it also allowed the cast to mine new comedy material that was unique and unexpected. The Upright Citizens Brigade was also notable for its use of recurring characters and running jokes. The famous running joke "Ass Pennies" was a standout feature of the show. In this sketch, Matt Walsh played a man who claimed to have "ass pennies," which he claimed would make people ill if they ever touched them. Throughout the series, this joke would be referenced in numerous sketches, with Walsh's character often making absurd claims about his ass pennies. It became one of the most iconic moments of the series and is still quoted by fans today. Another notable aspect of Upright Citizens Brigade was its willingness to tackle taboo subjects. The show was unafraid to tackle subjects such as racism, sexism, and controversial political issues. It did so in a way that was often hilariously absurd, but it also brought attention to important issues in a way that was both thought-provoking and entertaining. The performances of the four main cast members were also praised by critics and fans alike. Besser, Poehler, Roberts, and Walsh all brought their unique comedic sensibilities to the show, and they had excellent chemistry on screen. Their performances were often a mix of physical comedy and verbal wit that was both impressive and hilarious. In addition to the core cast, the show featured many guest stars who would go on to become famous in their own right. Some of these guests included: David Cross, Tina Fey, Horatio Sanz, and many others. Overall, Upright Citizens Brigade was a groundbreaking show that helped redefine what was possible in sketch comedy. It was a cutting-edge, daring, and intelligent show that was unafraid to push boundaries and challenge viewers. While it only ran for three seasons, Upright Citizens Brigade has left a lasting legacy in comedy and remains a beloved classic to this day.

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Seasons

3 2 1 0

10. Thunderball

April 3, 2000

This is entirely done as a showing of the sport Thunderball, complete with announcers. In Thunderball, players are allowed to use bats as weapons, wild hounds and georgeous honeys roam the field to distract the players, there is a car that can be used to flatten opponents, and a circle inside of which is a fully loaded pistol that the players are forbidden to use. The match headlines two of its greats - Steve Youngblood of the Decatur Fist and Silky Slim of the New Salem Terrorists. Also includes a horseshoe toss which can either give or take existing cancer research money, a coach trying to inspire his team, and a mummy.

9. Virtual Reality

March 27, 2000

A new virtual reality workout, Cyberflex, is used. Astronaut Mike Berchwood appears again on his trip to France where hotel employees are in charge of the water, electricity, and tv channel changing. He is also in the middle of an edible panty experiment by NASA and is working in an office where phone calls begin to come in through the coffee machine and faxes come out of the microwave. Then he's stranded in a snowed-in cabin with 3 coworkers, and to pass the time they play a game in which they all say the worst thing they've done to someone else in the room without their knowing. One of the workers admits to Mike that back in the Saigon Suicide Show episode, he took Mike's body to his basement and hooked his brain into a reality matrix (a la The Matrix) and has been raping him from behind for 10 years and feeding him nothing but edible panties. He is saved when someone's Cyberflex program crosses over into his matrix.

8. Small Town

March 20, 2000

A quiet small town deals with earthquake parties, dolphin aliens, and Armageddon.

7. Sex

March 6, 2000

To resurrect a fallen agent, the Upright Citizens Brigade invades an orgy.

6. College

February 28, 2000

During a physics class, a born-again Christian challenges the professor to explain "spitty slurpy" and the moonwalk, but the professor is unable to give a adequate explaination. A frat boy is visited by his "Fairy Hockeyplayer," who forces him to chug beer so that he will brave enough to cheat on his girlfriend. In a liquor store, Santa promotes his new Santa Liquor. When a man refuses a sample, Santa follows him home with a laser pointer. When the Fundamentalists are winning during a Christian basketball match, the Crazy Christians bring out Perdu, possessed by a demon that has "improved his range and jumping ability." The frat boy is encouraged by his Fairy Hockeyplayer to hit on Perdu, who calls him a "two-timer" and fries him. The born-again Christian tries to confront the demon with the "glory of God": - but the demon explains spitty slurpy with simple physics. Santa stops shining the laser pointer in the man's face long enough to make Perdu drink some Santa Liquor, which exorci

5. Food

February 21, 2000

When a man eating Chinese food won't swap him for a plate of salad, Simmons gives up his firstborn son for a single grain of white rice, smothered in a half-dollop of moo-shu sauce. His son grows up to be the Glendale Fitness Authority, in charge of an "anti-fatties" organization. During a roundup of fat people, the Fitness Authority's birth parents are lured out with promises of "free chocolate" - but Simmons is rescued by the Fat Underground before he can be sent to the work-out camps. When the Fitness Authority learns Simmons is his birth father, he attempts to understand why his father abandoned him by eating a muffin from the Happy Bakery, shaped like a father giving up his baby. Also featured is Moleman's ex-girlfriend, who is heartbroken when Moleman won't come to the surface to meet her parents.

4. Music

February 7, 2000

The Upright Citizens Brigade unplugs the music industry with a satanic rock band, The Murderers, and a man who composes phone symphonies.

3. Hospital

January 31, 2000

A sick husband shares a strange dying wish with his wife. Grim reapers complain about work in the hospital break room and the Head Resident, Big Red Cat, helps patients in the emergency room. A doctor holds a medical seminar to prove that his patient can use "the Force." A patient has trouble getting his diagnosis. A man earns extra money as a subcontractor for the coroner's office by performing autopsies in his apartment. Orange Drink and Toady visit the doctor on account of a stomach ache. People have problems with helper animals. Meanwhile, Orange Drink and Toady mix and drink some medicine and are suddenly able to see grim reapers everywhere, so they try to warn the rest of the hospital of their presence.

2. Mafia

January 24, 2000

The Upright Citizens Brigade explores the seamy underworld of organized crime.

1. Costumes

January 17, 2000

A man attempts to have "werewolf sex" with his girlfriend, a woman puts Wolfman Jack novelty bells on everything in the house, a man mistakes his grandson in a skeleton costume for the grim reaper, costumed themepark workers fight when they find out one of their own is not castrated, and a man takes skydiving lessons from an incompetent instructor.

Description

Upright Citizens Brigade the TV show followed a loose narrative that centered around the four main cast members. Each episode was composed of a series of loosely related sketches, all of which shared a common theme, and often broke the fourth wall, with characters addressing the audience directly.

The show's unique style and humor were quickly embraced by a passionate fan base, and it gained a reputation for its intelligent and subversive style of comedy. Upright Citizens Brigade was hailed as a critical success, and over the years, it has become a cult classic that's still beloved by fans today.

One of the defining traits of the show was its improvisational nature. Most of the sketches were created on the spot, with the cast improvising around a loose premise. This led to a raw and loose feel that viewers found refreshing, and it also allowed the cast to mine new comedy material that was unique and unexpected.

The Upright Citizens Brigade was also notable for its use of recurring characters and running jokes. The famous running joke "Ass Pennies" was a standout feature of the show. In this sketch, Matt Walsh played a man who claimed to have "ass pennies," which he claimed would make people ill if they ever touched them.

Throughout the series, this joke would be referenced in numerous sketches, with Walsh's character often making absurd claims about his ass pennies. It became one of the most iconic moments of the series and is still quoted by fans today.

Another notable aspect of Upright Citizens Brigade was its willingness to tackle taboo subjects. The show was unafraid to tackle subjects such as racism, sexism, and controversial political issues. It did so in a way that was often hilariously absurd, but it also brought attention to important issues in a way that was both thought-provoking and entertaining.

The performances of the four main cast members were also praised by critics and fans alike. Besser, Poehler, Roberts, and Walsh all brought their unique comedic sensibilities to the show, and they had excellent chemistry on screen. Their performances were often a mix of physical comedy and verbal wit that was both impressive and hilarious.

In addition to the core cast, the show featured many guest stars who would go on to become famous in their own right. Some of these guests included: David Cross, Tina Fey, Horatio Sanz, and many others.

Overall, Upright Citizens Brigade was a groundbreaking show that helped redefine what was possible in sketch comedy. It was a cutting-edge, daring, and intelligent show that was unafraid to push boundaries and challenge viewers. While it only ran for three seasons, Upright Citizens Brigade has left a lasting legacy in comedy and remains a beloved classic to this day.

Upright Citizens Brigade is a series that is currently running and has 3 seasons (40 episodes). The series first aired on August 19, 1998.

Where to Watch Upright Citizens Brigade

Upright Citizens Brigade is available for streaming on the Comedy Central website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Upright Citizens Brigade on demand at Apple TV, CMT and Comedy Central.