Brain Surgeon - That Mitchell & Webb Look , Series 3 - BBC Two
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 8. 06. 2009
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Comedy sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb.
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What I love about this sketch is that you can hear the punchline coming from so far off, and yet you are still dying to hear it.
Lindybeige! I love your videos :)
Lindybeige!
Why are you just repeating other top comments
Maybe he just wrote that without reading the other comments.
Hi Lindy
As soon as she says "Did they keep you late at the space centre?" the whole thing unfolds with glorious predictability.
Not gonna lie I predicted the punchline even before the space centre line and that just confirmed it :)
@voidz Well it doesn't take brain surgeon to see that coming. :)
So?
just brilliant,,,
@@JJensen143 or even a rocket scientist
I love this sketch. They make the punchline, the EXACT punchline, obvious long before saying it, and yet, the tension of waiting for it to appear is hillarious.
Hilarious. One L.
@@andyelliott8027 No, it's very hilly.
D&D could learn from this sketch. You don't always have to subvert expectations!
It really helps that they made the brain surgeon character insufferable, so there's an emotional satisfaction to seeing him one-upped.
@@trevorlambert4226 Yes, that's the reason the joke works. Had the brain surgeon been modest in his bragging, the punchline would have fallen a bit flat.
"I'm an accountant."
"Oh, that's GOOD.."
"Charity? Oh God, I couldn't do what you do. Well, I _could_ , it's not hard. I mean, it's not brain surgery, is it?" Freaking Webb is so damn good at "smarmy" it's amazing.
The way he fills "good" with so much condescension is a thing of beauty.
That's such a Robert Webb line isn't it
I knew some smarmy medical types and some of them were like that.
someone lost it at "did they keep you late at the space centre"
+thelouisfanclub i think they were laughing at the two other people hurrying away
+aakksshhaayy I think they picked up on the punch line there
+aakksshhaayy no they weren't
@@aakksshhaayy It's easy to work out, I'm mean it isn't exactly brain surgery is it!
@aakksshhaayy spotted the american who finds british humour a bit too complex.
I mean... it's not exactly brain surgery.
And then a rocket surgeon walks into the room......
You mean Scott Manley?
personzorz What a great comeback!!! for SCIENCE!.
personzorz HELLO ITS SCOTT MANLEY
MissBrri Scott Manley xD
+MissBrri While I'm still laughing!
Its the delivery that makes it happen.
Yup
Yeah, but it's just acting. Not exactly rocket science.
+Brandon Xing That sip of champagne before he says it xD
No, that's obstetrics.
Brandon Xing ya perfect timing
I like how you can tell different members of the audience figured it out at different times
I only realised soon as 'space centre' popped up.
@JeSSEbism And it's not like the punchline was rocket s... oh.
Clearly there are not many rocket scientists in the crowd.
@@icarus-wings clearly you aren't one lol
I love the one quick audience member who bursts into laughter the moment the words "space center" leave her lips. 1:29
This is so good. You can see the punchline coming from a mile away but it's still so satisfying!
Birta R That's probably why it's so good! I love it :-)
+Birta R It's weird how sometimes the funniest jokes are ones where you can predict what the punchline is going to be right from the beginning!
+Birta R Seeing it coming is part of the joke you pillock.
my thoughts exactly haha
It's that little groan that goes up from the audience as soon as she asks how he got on at the space centre. The whole sketch is so well executed.
The pause and drink after David says 'Brain surgery?' is what makes the sketch. Superb timing.
Eyes open, blankly starin' into space (pun not intended... ;D ).
The punchline is obvious but I think the real beauty of this sketch is the timing. Mitchell taking that sip before the punchline just absolutely kills it.
Such a classic. I still regularly share this with my coworkers at NASA.
I shared this with my neurosurgeon colleagues.
My friends at the accounting department didnât like it
Lmao
NASA? Not exactly quantum physics, now is it.
I think it is đ
the sip he takes from the glass makes this before the punchline
That woman who laughs first at 1:30 is very quick. She must be a rocket surgeon.
Rocket surgery?âŠâŠ
Not exactly brain science, is it?
I love how the humour in this actually comes from the anticipation of the lines
What I like is that we only see Jack for a few seconds but instantly get the sense he isnât a giant prick, but, is self aware enough to know when one needs putting in its place :)
What I love about this is that when she says "Did they keep you late at the space centre?" you can tell pretty much what is going to happen, - the audience starts laughing already - but it is still funny when it happens.
In comedy, sometimes the timing is as important as the actual joke.
That dead stare David Mitchell gives as he says "Brain surgery?" is absolutely perfect.
Still some of the best deliveries ever. So many years and I always come back to this sketch.
Me, too! I laugh just has hard as the first time I saw it. This whole bit was flawlessly executed.
Me too!
I've seen this probably 50 times in 3 years and it still kills me.
+Eric Franklin Shook Its like watching the villain die in a movie. So satisfying.
Lol I read that as 3 times in 50 years.
Same here. I laugh every time. I think it's mainly because of the over the top arrogance of the brain surgeon, and how many times he says he's a brain surgeon.
I watched it 51 times
Here it is. You've found it... the greatest sketch ever written.
The beautiful part about this sketch is that we see the punchline coming from a mile away and yet...it's still hilarious. These guys are wonderful. Recommend Peep Show as well.
It's amplified by the long pause before he actually says it :D
Peep Show is comedic gold.
This is the single most perfect comedy sketch I've ever seen. I can watch it over and over again.
Four candles?
@@RobertMounceOnLine Thanks, I didn't know that one. Very good, but quite difficult to understand for me as a non-native speaker đ
Webb's acting is incredible in this sketch. He is just aching to talk about how awesomely difficult his job is.
The thing about M&W is the material is not only hilarious, but they're such good actors; fantastic comedic timing and nuance. I'll watch a sketch repeatedly just for the performances alone. Brits are best, imo!
***** It's because they telegraphed the joke so far ahead here, you know it's coming.. so timing is everything. Then when he finally says it, it's so satisfying.
Gee Man Yes, it's absolute genius isn't it? I only have to start thinking about this sketch and I'm laughing. And I must have seen the video a thousand times. :)
+Gee Man That's why we took over the world.
+Arthur Peterson Well not any more, but hey, at least you've still got James Bond.
I wish this show was still running!
This might be the best sketch ever made. The way it plays with the audience is masterful
+CupOfTeam Ah! I knew I could detect a little Mitchell and Webb in your sketches!
Yeah, it's really perfectly made. It's not one where the punch line is hidden from you either, which definitely takes talent to pull off. You can see what happening as soon as the hostess asks Mitchell about the space center, and the way they dance around what we all know before finally delivering the final line is just perfect.
i still think the nazi skit with the baddies is the best
Especially the Baxter one. So reminiscent of the Old Sherlock Holmes sketch.
The sip of that drink before he delivers the inevitable punchline is just pure epic.
Love this joke more than any other bit on Mitchell & Webb. They telegraph the joke so obviously but the anticipation makes it even better somehow.
It's because the Brain Surgeon has been so obnoxious through out the sketch that you need to see the tables turned.
@@IceWolfLoki of course but even when you can see he is going to be put in heâs place itâs still hilarious heâs even got a rocket scientist jumper on. Funny đđđđ
What I love about this
Comment Section is that you can tell what the comments are going to be from a mile away but it's still funny
The funny thing about this sketch is how long David makes us wait for the punchline we all are waiting for!
1:30 that guy gets it straight away lmao
You know the joke is coming but you STILL LAUGH!
I don't
It's much funnier if you suggest it and move on I think, would improve the skit a lot
You didn't see the 'joke' coming? My God, how many cliches does it take to make something bloody obvious to you???
You don't happen to be a scriptwriter for Mock The Week, do you?
Ummmm... Actually, I said, you KNOW the joke is coming but you LAUGH ANYWAY. As in you DO see it coming. Saw it coming a mile off in fact.
Maybe comprehension is not your strong point. Are you a German politician?
He was probably referring to me. When I said I don't, I meant I don't laugh, not that I don't see the joke coming.
Well he has got a skull for an avatar. Are we the baddies?
The timing on David Mitchell's last line was aboslutely perfect.
I love how the audienced laughed as soon as the word "space" was mentioned because they all knew what was coming. đ
I have a degree in aerospace engineering before business management. Trust me, I used the "it's not rocket science" a thousandfold.
Aerospace huh? It's not exactly electrical engineering
+Mike Hunt Avionics mate
I envy you
Goku Black don't
Aerospace engineering sounds like plane sailing to me.
Lolol brilliant show x good ol' british humour! Wait.. I commented this 8 years ago... still freaking hilarious!
I come back to this and watch it at least a couple times a year.
You did update your comment from the now terribly aged "haha" to the more modern "Lolol" Who can believe people spoke like that back in those days.
See you in another 8 years my boy
How's the last 8 years been ?
@@daishi5571 Actually, being able to compare those two terms vis-Ă -vis, I must say I prefer the older form as it is much more elegant.
As a 'rocket scientist' in a family of doctors, I can really appreciate this sketch
But are they Brain Surgeons
The best part is that you know what the punchline is going to be, yet it's still epic when they drop it.
Ahh i've watched this so many times but i'm literally crying with laughter the second she says "kept you late at the space centre?".
Most satisfying punch line to a skit, EVER, despite that you knew it was coming. Mitchell and Webb are comic geniuses. They could make the chicken crossing the road joke hilarious.
Such a predictable finish, but that actually works in its favor. I love the audience reaction as soon as the hostess mentions the "Space Center." They know exactly where it's going from there.
I love how the audience can see the punchline coming a mile away and they still laugh themselves silly. That's talent for you
I used to know some medical types and this is pretty accurate, some of them do actually talk like that.
I'm a medical guy, and I usually let my fancy car do the talking. Slowly edge the conversation that way.
"Aston Martin? Nice, how'd you get that?"
"Oh you know, all those extra hours in the surgery room, need to get around places quick".
@@TheTazzietiger lol.
Old but GOLD!
I always come back to this video when I encounter people who LOVE talking about how significant their job is.
That last sentence is delivered with perfection.
This is one of the few sketches where you can see the punchlines coming from kilometres away, yet it still hits you like a train.
haha, brilliant show x good ol' british humour eh ;D
Just saw this on Twitter thought I'd say hi lol my Twitter in case you want to know is @abrave808
the sip of champagne is just classic timing. such a simple joke but it's all perfect
It's amazing that someone could think of something, see that almost every other comment on a video is saying the same thing, and then just comment it anyway as if it's the first time..
Ok whose internet did you steal?
@@oxymoron02 my nemesis'
who reads the comments anyway?
@@grisha54 well you read this one didn't you
Could see that comment comming from a mile off still was dying to read it
I saw the joke coming but it felt so satisfying to hear it said.
Whenever Ben Carson speaks, I think of this sketch.
The way he says "complex" is exactly how brain surgeons say it.
As a neurosurgeon, I never tell people about my job in face to face settings.
People like this absolutely exist, and sketches like this help is collectively release the annoyance we feel
One of my favorite details is the lone person who starts chuckling the moment Sarah Hadland's character says "Space Center" (1:30). Sure, the punchline is obvious within a couple seconds of this line, but here we have someone who managed to spot it even a fraction earlier than the rest of us. Kudos to you, Lone Chuckler!
Such a perfect sketch.
This sketch maybe unique in the annals of comedy. As others have pointed out, when David Mitchell enters at the end, you can see the punchline coming a mile away. And they deliberately do this. And yet the sketch is still utterly hilarious.
It's just so simple and clever. I think we are all primed to want the loathsome (Webb) blowhard brain-surgeon character to get his ass handed to him.
I dunno, but it just works. Such is the genius of Mitchell and Webb.
Try the Cake / Broth sketch on Big Train from the mid to late 90s.
Yes. I think it's unique. I can't think of any other sketch or joke where the whole joke hinges on the punchline that everyone knows is coming. In fact the punchline *only* works because 'rocket science' is a well-known meme for difficulty, and because everyone is expecting exactly that phrase.
I can watch this 5 times consecutively and it still brings a smile to my face. So well performed.
Hilarious dialogue aside - these guys are incredible at the characters they play.
So glad I found them
+Sean L Watched Peep Show?
Rocket Science?
It's not exactly Numberwang Science is it...
Now that stuff's _complicated_
Nice
And *THATâs* Numberwang!
Numberwang's fairly easy once you get used to it. The new edition's got me stumped though. Can't get over how we lost 4.
unstoppable force and an immovable object
What I love about this sketch is that this guy is a brain surgeon.
There is always a bigger fish.
The great thing about the sketch is how shocking and unpredictable the punchline is. I've watched this sketch many times, and it always surprises me!
Let me guess, you are not exactly brain scientist.
@@ronrozen2105 Heâs a rocket surgeon.
Almost as funny as the sketch were these 3 viewer comments in a thread⊠I am sure the first is almost certainly a 'tongue-in-cheek' job which has achieved an amazing 40 thumbs-up at the time of me writing this⊠and it is rightly trumped by Ron Rozen's witty rejoinder. But hats off to RyanPazz for a zinger of a line.
I am still laughing now⊠ten minutes after I first read it. (Dai Woosnam, Grimsby, UK.)
Is it sad that I've memorized this entire sketch? Like...the entire sketch. I play it out accent, pauses, everything to my mom and anyone who will listen incessantly.
No, it's not sad. Did you end up in comedy?
In comedy, timing is everything, and the timing in this skit is sheer perfection.
i love the way robert webb looks at his watch at the end, encapsulates his frustration perfectly, very simple but very effective they are truly great actors
my favourite sketch
English is not my first language, so I had never heard the expression 'not exactly brain surgery' and 'not exactly rocket science'
It took me years to finally appreciate the punch line
"did they keep you late at the space centre"
Hmmmmm.... I wonder where they're going with this.
congratulations for guessing the punchline, that's not what this sketch is about at all.
probably the only joke i've seen coming for a long time yet still laughed when it was delivered. From the moment he said 'mainly with rockets', the timing of anything was brilliant till the line was finally said. Comic geniuses both of them.
I've watched this sketch so many times. It still hasn't stopped being funny. Pure brilliance.
I completely missed these guys when they were originally broadcast. Some of their material is priceless!
Not exactly rocket surgery is it?
Please stop.
no, dont listen to him, please do go on!
anudistsjury On the other hand, you've got to admit that 'brain science' sounds quite funny.
But, is rocket surgery doing surgery on a rocket.. or surgery WITH a rocket?
Personally I think the second one sounds more challenging.
Well. It's not exactly Brain Science is it?
one of the best m&w sketches
I love how everyone saw the punchline from a mile and a half and that only made it so much better
You can tell from the laughter the audience sees the joke coming from miles away which makes it even better.
Just absolute perfection
1:30. That person laughing is clearly a Rocket scientist
I love that they set up a two minute sketch for that one brilliant punchline
This has to be a top 10 of all time meta-meta-sketchs. It's five dimensional comedy.
That's the beauty of it. For the last ten seconds or so, you KNOW exactly what's the punchline is going to be, and so you take extra satisfaction in actually finally hearing it.
This has to be one of their best sketches, hahah. I've seen it so many times but all the punchlines still land so well, it's too good.
The comedy in this is like a game of chess and the surgeon here played himself into a dead end.
Possibly the most perfect comedy sketch ever.
This is hands down one of the funniest thing I have ever seen
I laughed the pain away. It's back already.
When I watched this for the first time, as soon as he came in the door and the woman said "They keep you long at the space centre?" I literally burst out laughing. Such a predictable joke, and yet, they still provided such hilarity from it. David Mitchell and Robert Webb are genius!
Not sure theyre geniuses.. I mean the sketch is funny, but it's not exactly brain surgery, is it?
@@ThatPianoNoob A brain surgeon would not be able to do it.
paul whitehouse chose this as one of his favorite sketches ever,,,,
just wonderful
The 2 "specialists" do a spot on perfect job with their characters IMHO ...AND that IS more complex than both rocket science and brain surgery. BRAVO gentlemen, BRAVO!
What I love about this comment section is the endless number of people who feel the need to repeat the obvious fact that part of this jokes brilliance is the anticipation and knowledge of the punchline. yes, not only have dozens lf other people pointed that out, it's also quite obvious. I mean....it's not exactly rocket science
ice la honk Yes, predictability of outcome is key to enjoyment here. What we don't want to be able to predict is HOW we get to that punchline.
the predictability of repeat comments mirrors the anticipation of the punchline. you know they're coming.
What makes me laugh is comments about other comments stating the obvious
I know, it's not exactly brain surgery, is it?
On a serious note, you're really complaining that the comments are talking about the most notable element of the video
Shout out to David Mitchell: you have a devoted Yank fan in Southern California.
I live in Belgium and I saw that punchline coming from the other side of the Channel. Still, one of the funniest sketches I've seen.
David's deliverance timing is absolutely perfect
The first time I watched this, I knew exactly where it was going; probably one of the oldest jokes I've heard since middle school, and yet I still laughed. Now, watching this over and over, I still laugh out loud at it again and again. Just a perfect little script and with perfect execution by the performers, leading to sheer joy and satisfaction in seeing someone get their comeuppance at the end. Pure brilliance.
Webb's performance absolutely carries this.
"They keep you late at the space center?"
They telegraph the punchline a minute in advance, and it suffers for naught.
The minute she said did they keep you late at the space station you knew from that one comment what was coming and yet the timing and facial expressions were hilarious. Itâs when he says mainly rockets I lost it. Iâve watched it so many times and know it word for word but how he keeps a straight face when he say mainly rockets đđđđđđđđđ
lol I work for a charity.. It is emotionally draining..
No. Brain surgery, believe me, is very complex.
Arthur Nichols Did you transfer into charity as a brain surgeon?
Yeah now I get sponsored to perform brain surgery in the third world. Took a bit of a pay cut but it's very rewarding.
True.
But I did manage to reverse into the tiniest of parking spaces earlier.
Simply Great!!!!
This never gets old and should have a billion views.
This is the best punchline of all time.