By now, there’s a good chance that you’ve seen or heard about Adult Swim’s Too Many Cooks — an epic, warped internet video that sends up the overly tidy world of ’80s and ’90s sitcoms. But just why did this video manage to click with so many people? If you ask PBS, it’s because the 11-minute clip speaks directly to the heart of online culture. The internet is fond of absurdist humor that highlights the apparently meaningless, repetitive nature of life, PBS argues; Too Many Cooks plays on that love of the ludicrous by dismantling a formulaic, “perfect” TV universe where everything has meaning.
Yes, that’s surprisingly deep for what’s ultimately a well-done spoof, but it makes sense. Many of the best-known videos and memes, such as Brent Rambo and Keyboard Cat, are funny precisely because they underscore how weird and irrational real life can be — Too Many Cooks is just taking that to another level. Besides, it’s fun to think that a philosophy legend like Albert Camus would approve of your next YouTube viewing spree.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_MOzbgUydg?rel=0&wmode=opaque]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrGrOK8oZG8?rel=0&wmode=opaque]
Filed under: Internet
Comments
Source: PBS Idea Channel (YouTube)