We have approximately four weeks before Flight of the Conchords invades our small screens with fresh quirky episodes (unless you've already seen the first episode of the second season on FunnyOrDie.com) and I thought it would be fitting to revisit some of the most hilarious storylines from season 1 that made Bret and Jemaine an irresistible comic concoction.

Created by cast members Jemaine Clemaine and Bret McClegnie, as well as James Bobin, Flight of the Conchords is a pleasing mix of deadpan wit, picturesque songs, and silly music videos written into the storylines.  Jemaine and Bret take the center stage as guys from New Zealand trying to make it as a digi-folk band in New York City.  The program's humor is mostly focused on trivial matters, but it also pokes fun at serious topics from time to time with its inimitable approach.  And while most of the plots don't really count as groundbreaking comedy, the witty music videos make this half-hour series worth watching.

Throughout the first season, the running jokes seem to come from Bret's general ignorance and Jemaine's barely disguised contempt for Bret.  Jemaine is the goofier one mainly because his character is written as the dumber guy, and can't seem to grasp the concept of privacy when Bret and his girlfriend go on dates.  Bret, on the other hand, is the more serious one though he has a tendency to become a pushover.

But there were several recurring themes that caught my attention such as the duo's unsuccessful relationships with women and Australia being perceived as a nemesis.  The boys have often been mistaken for Australians, a concept featured prominently as a source for the boys' misfortune.  Both have been dumped by a girl, who would “definitely be in the top three hottest girls on the street, depending on the street,” in favor of an Australian suitor, and both have been victims of discrimination because a fruit vendor believes them to be Australian.

Then there's the band's futile attempt to remedy their poor financial situation and their dependency on inefficient band manager Murray, who obviously lacks musical knowledge and is incapable of distinguishing between an actual song and when the band is just tuning their instruments.  Adding more absurdity is Murray's enthusiastic attitude towards etiquette and roll-calls at the start of every meeting.

The show also wouldn't be complete without Mel's romantic obsession for the two band members, Murray's somewhat secretive and on-again off-again relationship with his unseen wife Shelley, Bret's head on an animal body, and giving reference to New Zealand as quaint and an "obscure backwards country that nobody knows anything about."

Flight of the Conchords has certainly showed viewers that funny music can be original and catchy without sacrificing the jokes.  Season 1 is going to be hard to top but I have faith that the second season, which is probably the show's last, is going to be just as hilarious.

Flight of the Conchords returns with new episodes beginning January 18 on HBO.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of HBO)