In the Deep South, 1963. Bennie Patrick doesn't belong here. A stand-up comic from Chicago, he has been thrust into the south by fate and a contract with That Sordid Little Story, a family band on a tour below the Mason-Dixon Line. Tonight is just one more night to survive. Do the set and hope you don't get killed.

The kids have been tucked into bed and read their bedtime stories, and after a long, tiresome day, a young married couple is about to retire for the evening. The husband turns on the TV and channel-surfs between commercials as his wife, clearly exhausted, settles into a deep sleep. Each commercial the husband views is more sensual than the last and, in short order, he's horny. He tries to stir his wife, but she's not having it. Through a series of fantasies and flashbacks, A Bedtime Story offers a humorous glimpse into the minds of the couple as they try (again and again) to achieve their conflicting goals. Compromise was seldom this inventive.

These bunnies are fun, helpful, and very dumb. But they tackle problems in new ways while remaining confident and never giving up.

Tim and Eric's dark comedy anthology series.

Tim and Eric's dark comedy anthology series.

Benson is a Casanova who tricks women into having sex with him before leaving them. He is content with this game until he meets Jamison, a real operator who poses as an exiled prince and not only gets women to share his bed but also to give him money to help him fund his supposed counter-revolution.

A witch that is observing from the apartment across the street and a story no child should ever hear. Dani is trying to sleep on the top bunkbed, while his mother is telling Lucas a story on the one below… but who is actually the woman telling the story? Better not take a look…

An American institution turns fifty, and the disc release to mark the event is a very long (almost six hours) compendium of uncut historical segments from the show, without overdubs — Disc one features musical highlights and disc two dramatic and comedic highlights. It’s terrific background material, especially the music disc with the favorite characters both human and muppet. Plus some of my nostalgic favorites — it helps if you once had a baby or toddler in your lap, clapping along with you for these things. I can’t think of a better way to honor the show, and am ready for a followup, with more favorite segments.