Not every week can be a banger of new material on HBO Max, but that's OK.When your back catalog includes some of the best series ever out on television, a quiet week is just an invite to crack open the vault.So, for suggestion seekers with an HBO Max subscription in the U.S., we're digging into all things funny with a gleefully mean-spirited power struggle at the high-school level, a delightfully weird Spanish-language horror-comedy, and nearly four hours with a living legend, in honor of its Emmy nominations.
They're in ascending order from lowest Rotten Tomatoes score to highest.3 Vice Principals Two petty tyrants, one unholy alliance Before they shone together on screen in one of HBO's most hysterical comedy series, , Danny McBride and Walton Goggins first teamed up in , a dark comedy created by McBride and his partner, Jody Hill.The short and sweet series ran for only two seasons and 18 episodes on HBO from 2016 to 2017—enough to cover a single school year at North Jackson High, where one of the funniest shows you'll ever see all goes down.
Introducing our dueling vice principals: McBride plays Neal Gamby, a foul-mouthed disciplinarian, while Walton Goggins (, ) plays sweater-vest-wearing schemer Lee Russell, both vying for the principal's office when the incumbent announces their retirement.But when they're both shunned in favor of a newcomer, Dr.Belinda Brown (Kimberly HĂ©bert Gregory), Gamby and Russell go from rivals to partners to take down Brown by any means necessary.
And if you know McBride's work, it gets hilariously is McBride at his best, and, of course, Goggins shines in everything he's in, so expect some incredible cringe-worthy chemistry from these two masters.The series has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.Vice Principals Comedy Release Date 2016 - 2017-00-00 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming RENT BUY Network HBO Max Cast Danny McBride, Walton Goggins Seasons 2 Streaming Service(s) MAX Powered by Expand Collapse 2 Mel Brooks The 99 Year Old Man! The incredible career of the Spaceballs mastermind Congratulations to The excellent two-part HBO Max docuseries, which I pegged as one of the best docs of the year so far, is fresh off its six Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
Also congratulations to Brooks, who is now the 100-year-old man! The living legend EGOT winner behind , , and gets a well-deserved royal treatment from Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, the duo responsible for the Emmy-winning doc .If you’re a fan of Brooks, it's now the definitive chronicle of his life and career.The film charts Brooks' journey chronologically from WWII to the writers' room and the "2,000 Year Old Man" routine he created with Carl Reiner, through his '70s spoof-movie dynasty and Broadway triumph with .
Brooks is candid and razor-sharp throughout, joined by admirers such as Jerry Seinfeld, Nick Kroll, Ben Stiller, Dave Chappelle, and Sarah Silverman.The mini-series has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.Quiz8 Questions · Test Your KnowledgeMel Brooks comedies and charactersTrivia challengeFrom Blazing Saddles to Spaceballs — can you name the films and faces of Mel Brooks's comedy universe?CharactersMoviesQuotesCastingSpoofsBegin01 / 8MoviesIn which Mel Brooks film does a corrupt politician and a con-man producer scheme to make a guaranteed flop that accidentally becomes a massive hit?ASilent MovieBThe ProducersCTo Be or Not to BeDBlazing SaddlesCorrect! The Producers (1967) launched Mel Brooks's film career and won him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder played the scheming duo, and the show-within-a-film, Springtime for Hitler, became one of comedy's most legendary set pieces.Not quite — the answer is The Producers (1967).The story of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom overselling shares in a doomed Broadway musical is the film that put Mel Brooks on the map and earned him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.Continue02 / 8CharactersWhat is the name of the hunchbacked, scene-stealing assistant played by Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein?AYgorBFritzCIgorDEygorCorrect! The character's name is Igor, though the running gag is that Dr.Frankenstein keeps mispronouncing it as 'Eye-gor' and Igor keeps shifting his hump from shoulder to shoulder.
Marty Feldman's wild eyes and perfect comic timing made Igor one of the most beloved characters in the film.Not quite — the character's name is Igor.The joke is that Dr.Frankenstein insists on calling him 'Eye-gor,' and Igor plays along by constantly moving his hump.
Marty Feldman's unforgettable wide-eyed look made the role completely his own.Continue03 / 8SpoofsSpaceballs (1987) is primarily a parody of which famous science fiction franchise?AStar TrekBDuneCStar WarsDBattlestar GalacticaCorrect! Spaceballs lovingly lampoons the Star Wars universe, with characters like Lone Starr (Han Solo), Princess Vespa (Princess Leia), and Dark Helmet (Darth Vader).Mel Brooks himself played both President Skroob and Yogurt, the latter being a direct spoof of Yoda.Not quite — Spaceballs is a parody of Star Wars.From Dark Helmet's comically oversized helmet to the merchandising joke ('Spaceballs: The Flamethrower!'), nearly every gag targets George Lucas's galaxy far, far away.
Interestingly, Lucas gave Brooks his blessing to make the film.Continue04 / 8CastingWhich actor played the lead role of Sheriff Bart in Mel Brooks's Blazing Saddles (1974)?ARichard PryorBCleavon LittleCJim BrownDBilly Dee WilliamsCorrect! Cleavon Little played Sheriff Bart with effortless cool and sharp comic timing.Richard Pryor was actually co-writer of the screenplay and was originally considered for the role, but Warner Bros.was unwilling to cast him as the lead.
Little's performance became iconic.Not quite — Cleavon Little played Sheriff Bart.Richard Pryor is a common wrong answer because he co-wrote the screenplay and was a leading candidate for the role, but the studio ultimately chose Little.Pryor's writing, however, was instrumental in shaping the film's sharp racial satire.Continue05 / 8QuotesIn Blazing Saddles, which character delivers the famous line 'Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!'?ATaggartBGovernor William J.
Le PetomaneCMexican Bandit CalveraDLili Von ShtuppCorrect! Taggart, the villainous henchman played by Slim Pickens, delivers the line as a parody of a similar quote from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.The line has since become one of cinema's most quoted and parodied moments, appearing in countless films and TV shows.Not quite — it's Taggart, played by Slim Pickens, who delivers that legendary line.It's a spoof of a quote from the classic 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
Mel Brooks used the moment to poke fun at classic Western movie conventions while creating a new classic of its own.Continue06 / 8MoviesIn which Mel Brooks film does he play both King Louis XVI of France and a stand-up philosopher named Comicus?AHistory of the World, Part IBRobin Hood: Men in TightsCThe Twelve ChairsDTo Be or Not to BeCorrect! History of the World, Part I (1981) is a sprawling comedy anthology covering the Stone Age, ancient Rome, the Spanish Inquisition, and the French Revolution.Brooks played multiple roles throughout, including the stand-up philosopher Comicus performing at Caesar's Palace — literally the palace of Caesar.The answer is History of the World, Part I (1981).Mel Brooks played several roles in this episodic comedy spanning human history, including a stand-up philosopher in ancient Rome and a very distracted King Louis XVI.
The film famously promised a Part II that never actually came — though a Hulu series eventually revisited the concept.Continue07 / 8CharactersIn Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), Mel Brooks plays a character named Rabbi Tuckman.What is his occupation beyond being a holy man?AA traveling swordsmithBA circumcision mohel who also sells sacramental wineCA court jester for the Sheriff of RottinghamDA wandering minstrel and physicianCorrect! Rabbi Tuckman is Mel Brooks's twist on Friar Tuck — a mohel who travels the countryside offering circumcisions and peddling sacramental wine.It's a classic Brooks move: taking a familiar character from legend and reimagining him through a very specific Jewish comedic lens.Not quite — Rabbi Tuckman is a mohel who also sells sacramental wine, Mel Brooks's hilarious reimagining of the classic Friar Tuck character.
Brooks has long woven Jewish humor and identity into his films, and Rabbi Tuckman is one of his most memorable self-insert roles.Continue08 / 8MoviesWhich Mel Brooks film is a direct parody of Alfred Hitchcock's thriller style, featuring a blind man, a wheelchair chase, and a climax at a museum?AHigh AnxietyBSilent MovieCDracula: Dead and Loving ItDThe Muppet MovieCorrect! High Anxiety (1977) is Mel Brooks's loving tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, spoofing films like Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds, and Spellbound.Brooks also starred as Dr.Richard Thorndyke, a psychiatrist with a crippling fear of heights.
He dedicated the film to Hitchcock, who reportedly enjoyed it.The answer is High Anxiety (1977), Mel Brooks's affectionate parody of Alfred Hitchcock's body of work.Brooks starred as the anxiety-prone Dr.Thorndyke and packed the film with clever references to Vertigo, Psycho, and The Birds.
Hitchcock himself was said to be a fan of the film.See My ScoreChallenge CompleteYour Score/ 8Thanks for playing!Try Again 1 Los Espookys A hilarious Spanish-language horror If you love fast-paced, quirky, supernatural comedies, like , but with a feisty Spanish flair, then this perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes series from 2019-2022 will totally scratch that itch.comes from incredible stock, having been created by great Fred Armisen, 's Julio Torres, and actress/writer/producer Ana Fabrega, who all star in the two-season show.Set in a dreamy, unnamed Latin American country, follows a group of friends who turn their love of horror into a business, staging horror-movie-style situations—fake exorcisms, fake hauntings, fake sea monsters—and convincing people they're real.
The crew includes gore-obsessed leader Renaldo (Bernardo Velasco), chocolate-empire heir Andrés (Torres), the level-headed Úrsula (Cassandra Ciangherotti), her scatter-brained sister Tati (Fabrega), and super-supportive uncle Tico (Armisen).The gang hilariously conjures up a fake sea monster to drive tourism to a failing town; they fake a solar eclipse to sway voters; and real horror sets in when they actually trap someone inside a cursed mirror.The Spanish language masterpiece is a quick and fun binge, with just a dozen 30-minute episodes you can easily handle in a few days or over a weekend.
​​​​ Los Espookys TV-MA Comedy Drama Family Release Date 2019 - 2021 Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming BUY Network HBO Max Cast Bernardo Velasco, Julio Torres, Ana Fabrega, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Fred Armisen, Alejandro Goic, Giannina Fruttero, Yalitza Aparicio Main Genre Comedy Creator(s) Fred Armisen, Julio Torres, Ana Fabrega Seasons 2 Powered by Expand Collapse The funny comes this week Petty high-school vengeance, fake hauntings, or a legend telling stories—hopefully one of the suggestions on this week's list hits just right.For more picks across every service, check out our streaming recommendations.HBO Max Subscription with ads Yes, $10.99/month Simultaneous streams 2 or 4 HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service offering content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and more.
In 2025, the service re-branded itself as HBO Max after having previously cut "HBO" from its name.Live TV Live sports available in Standard and Premium plans Price Starting at $10.99/month or $109.99/year See available plans Expand Collapse
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