"Funny weird" as opposed to "weird weird" ("weird2" is not "second tier weird").
Let's begin...
Apt. 2F, MTV
IMDb; TV.com; Wikipedia
This starred the brothers Sklar, Jason and Randy. They were funny. The other guys on the show were funny. The whole doggone thing was funny. Okay, I don't remember it well, but I know I liked it. I remember them once arguing about who would win in a fight, Fiona Apple or Jewel. Heh... Anyway, I dunno if it's weird enough to put here instead of just on a comedy page, or quirky, or something... but whatever.... I'd like to see it again sometime.
Black Books, British
BBC; BBC America; Channel 4; IMDb; TV.com; Wikipedia
This was on Comedy Central for awhile. I liked it alot. It was very strange and funny. There was this guy who owned a bookstore but had no interest in customers. He was very rude and always seemed completely put out by having to deal with anyone or anything in life. He drank alot. He had a friend named Fran and hired this strange guy named Manny to work in the shop. I dunno what else to say. It was just weird and really funny, that's all. Didn't last long, as far as I know. At least, I didn't get to see much of it. I'd certainly like to see it again sometime.
Life on a Stick, FOX
IMDb; TV.com; Wikipedia
Not a terribly good show, really, but I still found it pretty amusing. I didn't think it would last long, and it didn't; but I thought it should've lasted a little longer. It's about this 18 year old guy named Laz, who just lost his job at a corn dog stand in the mall, when he stood up for coworker Lily (who we like), when their boss, Mr. Hut, was yelling at her. They start going out. Or not, it's complicated. Anyway, Laz's rather weird, but funny friend Fred (who, btw, went on to voice Spud on American Dragon: Jake Long- cartoons 6) also quit working there in support of Laz. But all three of them very quickly returned to the job.
Meanwhile, Laz's dad Rick and stepmom Michelle (played by Amy Yasbeck, who we've always quite liked) have been pushing him to move out of the house, which he doesn't want to do. But then they decide to let him stay, hoping he'll have a good influence on Michelle's somewhat angry daughter Molly (who we like). Also, Molly became friends this guy named Jasper. She thought they were going to date, I guess, but it turned out he already has a girlfriend, so for now they're just friends. Oh, and Rick and Michelle have a 9 year old son named Gus, the only child they had together. Everyone seems to go to him for advice, including the parents. And that's all I can think to say about the show.
This didn't last long, but it was quite good. Though of course I don't remember it well. There was this utterly insane, power-mad judge in Florida who completely and utterly abused his power. And it was a comedy. Sort of. It was a quirky show, but really insane, and I don't really know quite what to say about it. I loved it while it was on, despite wanting very much to kill the judge. And feeling sorry for the other characters. Plus Liz Vassey was in it, and we've always liked her. Anyway, I'd certainly like to see the show again sometime.
Mr Bean, British
BBC; IMDb; official website; TV.com; Wikipedia
Starred Rowan Atkinson, whose best work was in the various Blackadder series (comedy 1). Mr Bean... well, I never thought it was a great show, but it had its moments. Anyway, the title character was just sort of weird, didn't seem to quite fit into this world properly. The most ordinary things could become these sort of bizarre... "adventures" would be the wrong word, but... I dunno. Anyway, he rarely talked, and when he did it was this strange voice. And I can't really think what else to say....
This show was kind of bizarre. It was a sort of a talk show. But it was insane. Kind of stupid, but I liked it. It was funny in a way. It had a weird, dorky host, and a really weird cohost who never spoke and just sat on the couch not moving or anything. He kind of seemed like he should be in an asylum; he was funny, but also rather disturbing, in a way. And some of the guests were really crazy, eating lightbulbs and whatnot. We liked the announcer, Melissa, though. And they had cool musical guests sometimes. I remember seeing Bis on there one time. Well, that's about all I can think to say.
Pee-Wee's Playhouse, CBS
Adult Swim; IMDb; official website; Retro Junk; TV.com; Wikipedia
This show was seriously wacky. And stuff. It could be quite risqué at times, but still geared toward kids, and when I used to watch it as a kid, I generally thought it was pretty dumb. But still not a terribly bad show. It was kinda nuts, which is often a good thing to be, in my opinion. But I always felt that I never liked it as much as I should have. Of course, in retrospect, now that I'm older, I think I can appreciate it more. I find myself nostalgic for it, so I'm glad Adult Swim is rerunning it now. It's actually rather cool. Oh, and I really liked the wacky opening theme song (by Cyndi Lauper). Adult Swim isn't playing it, but you could see it on Retro Junk.
Anyway, the show was about this weird sort of man-child named Pee-Wee Herman (played of course by Paul Reubens). He had this wacky playhouse, with all sorts of weird stuff like a talking Magic Screen (who could show videos and stuff, and Pee-Wee could jump into the screen to play connect-the-dots or whatever) and a robot named Conky, and a genie (actually a floating head in a box) named Jambi, and a Picturephone (before any such thing existed in real life), and Magic Glasses (which worked rather like VR goggles, before any such thing existed), and talking furniture, and stuff. And lots of friends who'd stop by frequently, like Cowboy Curtis (played by Laurence Fishburne), Miss Yvonne ("the most beautiful woman in Puppetland," who we kinda liked), Dixie (a trumpet-playing cabbie who we kinda liked), the King of Cartoons (who would show cartoons, and who was introduced by Dixie), Reba the Mail Lady (played by S. Epatha Merkerson), Captain Carl (played by Phil Hartman), and so forth. There were also puppets and claymation, including Pterri the pterodactyl, a chair named Chairry, a globe named Globey, a cow named Cowntess, a jerk named Randy, a sort of beatnik Puppet Band (Dirty Dog, Cool Cat, and Chicky Baby), Mr. Window, Mr. Kite, a clock named Clocky, a couple of wisecracking fish in a fish tank, a family of dinosaurs who lived in a mouse hole, an ant farm, the food in the fridge, etc. Oh, and there was a second chair called Dog Chair, which I thought I remembered having talked when I was a kid, but now in reruns it doesn't seem to talk, so whatever. And every day there'd be a secret word which, whenever anyone said it, everyone would scream. And there were Penny cartoons, and snack time, and I dunno... lots of weird stuff went on.
There were some cast changes in season 2. Captain Carl wasn't around anymore, nor was Dixie. The King of Cartoons was played by a new actor, and was now introduced by some singing flowers in the playhouse's window (they were around in season 1, but their role was expanded from season two on). The annoying neighbor from season 1, Mrs. Steve, was replaced by a less annoying and more friendly neighbor named Mrs. Renee. The Latino lifeguard Tito was replaced by a Latino soccer player named Ricardo. The Playhouse Gang (three little kids named Opal, Elvis, and Cher) were replaced by three new kids named Fabian, Li'l Punkin, and Rapunzel (who only appeared in a couple episodes). Well, throughout the series new characters were introduced. I'm not actually sure when Clocky first appeared, or Floory (a section of the floor). In the fourth season a chandelier named Chandelier was introduced, as well as a real live dog named Roosevelt. And at some point they started showing some weird cartoon (in Spanish) called "El Hombre." Well, I dunno what else to say, except that despite the changes, the show basically stayed pretty much the same throughout its run. And I think it probably helped create ADD.
See also Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (specials).
Sifl 'n' Olly, MTV
IMDb; The Sifl & Olly Archive (fansite); The Sifl & Olly Cyberspace Station (official website); Toonarific; TV.com; Wikipedia
Sifl and Olly were sock puppets. There were lots of other sock puppets on this show. Okay, the other major one was Chester. But there were others I guess. Maybe a few regulars and any guest was almost always a sock puppet. This show was so insanely crazy and hilarious. I don't remember it well enough. I want to see it again. This show rocked so hard! It was definitely an adult show, not for little kids. Even though it was kind of juvenile in a way, or sophomoric, or whatever. It was stupid, but mostly just nuts and hilarious and so cool. There were different segments on the show, and songs and stuff. Man this show rocked.
Twitch City, CBC
IMDb; TV.com; Wikipedia
I dunno how many seasons of this there have been. I watched one season on CBC, which was very short. Then a long time went by and I rarely watched CBC, but I tuned in one night just to see if anything was on, and there was a new season. But I didn't get to see much, and I don't think it lasted any longer than the first one. So I couldn't tell you how many eps there are, and I'll probably never see it again. But what little I did get to see, was very interesting.
There's this guy Curtis who just sits around in his apartment watching TV, taping everything. He especially watches one particular daytime talk show. Um... his roommate goes out to get some food for the cat and ends up like accidentally killing a homeless man or something. And went to jail. And his girlfriend Hope (who we like) moved in with Curtis and they soon developed a relationship. And started looking for new roommates. And stuff. Curtis never leaves the apartment, he's a complete shut-in. Psychologically not capable of leaving, though I think he was drugged once so he could be transported somewhere else for a little while. Anyway, um... I don't remember it too well, but it was a very sort of bizarre and interesting show. I liked it alot, and I'd probably like to see it again sometime. That's about all I can think to say.
Viva Variety, Comedy Central
IMDb; TV.com; Wikipedia
Weird show, mildly amusing. The premise was that it was a European variety show which was brought to America (though of course it was totally fake), and hosted by a divorced couple, Mr. and the former Mrs. Laupin. Of course they were just fake characters. And the other guy was Johnny Bluejeans, who was kinda dumb, but thought he was really cool. Not much else to say. Yeah, often stupid, occasionally funny.
The Young Ones, British
BBC; BBC America; IMDb; TV.com; Wikipedia
Four students: Rick, Vyvyan, Neil, and Mike, live together and um... don't ever seem to go to class or do laundry or go shopping or work or indeed do much of anything. Anyway, they're each very different sorts of people. Rick is... well, I really can't quite describe Rick. Bit of a git, I suppose. Vyvyan is a punk. Neil is a hippie. Mike is supposed to be cool and like a ladies' man or something, I guess. And they all seem to hate each other, especially Rick and Vyvyan, and there's a fair amount of slapstick violence. Anyway, they're all awfully hilarious and insane and strange. It's an oft-times surreal show and always breaks at one point for a song from some cool band such as Madness. I couldn't possibly think of the song "Our House" without thinking of this show, and vice versa. Yes, this is absolutely crazy and classic and essential and bizarre and cool and hilarious and stuff.
Later on Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson (Rick and Vyvyan) made a show called Bottom (BBC; IMDb; TV.com; Wikipedia), in which they played different characters who were nevertheless quite crazy and weird and stuff. I dunno what to say about that show, as I've seen hardly any of it. And I don't think I'd like it nearly as much as The Young Ones. But I thought I should mention it, anyway.