Second City: First Family of Comedy

The series traces the evolution of one of the world's most successful comedy troupes from its humble beginnings as a stage production in Chicago to the hit late-night TV show.

ComedyDocumentary

Seasons

1. Part One

Air Date: 2006-08-25

The first episode, hosted by Dave Thomas, traces how a little theatre stage in Chicago launched several generations of famous comedians and revolutionized the world of comedy. We find out what was behind the name “Second City” and who was behind the drive to create comedy that was smart, political, edgy and, of all things, improvised.

2. Part Two

Air Date: 2006-09-01

The focus is on SCTV - one of the funniest television series ever to hit the airwaves. From the opening credits, with TV sets being hurled from apartment windows, to the insane movie parodies and wacky characters, Life and Times charts the inner workings of a show, which became a huge North American hit. Host Scott Thompson adds his own cross-dressing flair to an hour of hilarious entertainment featuring some of the biggest names in comedy - from Andrea Martin, John Candy and Catherine O'Hara to Martin Short, Eugene Levy and Joe Flaherty.

3. Part Three

Air Date: 2006-09-08

The final episode explores how Second City revolutionized the world of comedy by pioneering improvisation. Hosted by Second City alumnus Joe Flaherty, the show features a cast of comedy greats who got their start with Second City, honing their comedic skills by learning to improvise. The hour is an entertaining blend of comic sketches, movie clips and exclusive interviews with the likes of Tina Fey, Alan Arkin, Mike Myers, Martin Short, Patrick McKenna and Colin Mochrie.

Select an episode to start watching