Ali G is an interesting character. Giving him his own show was a very bold move from British TV executives, but it seems to have worked rather well and gained him a fanbase that stretches the world over, despite his humor coming primarily from a satirical look at the UK youth culture of the 2000s.
Of course, Sacha Baron Cohen has had to retire the character now, thanks to his incredible fame, but there is certainly no harm in going back and taking a look at the ten best episodes Da Ali G Show (repackaged and released in the US as Ali G: Rezurection) had to offer.
10 Politics (7.9)
In one of his more impressive meetings, Ali G manages to land a chat with the current President of the USA, Donald Trump. It seems really quite incredible that he doesn’t see straight through the character when he tries to get him to invest in an ice cream glove, but just watch and see.
In one of the first appearances from Bruno, we see him attend New York Fashion Week in some incredible garish outfits.
9 War (8.0)
Borat’s guide to etiquette in this episode is one of the funniest things the show was ever able to offer. How Baron Cohen manages to keep a straight face throughout is something seriously impressive, while Ali G’s roundtable discussion on religion led to some of the show’s more controversial moments.
8 Belief (8.1)
Ali G comes up with yet another brilliant idea, this time he spends a while pitching a James Bond script to Hollywood producers.
In an incredibly brave move that really exposes a few homophobes for their horrific opinions, Bruno travels to Alabama and is relentlessly mocked by many of those living there.
7 Realize (8.1)
This episode is full of a lot of controversial opinions about immigration, the environment, and animals from Ali G himself, but its Borat’s adventures through a list of American hobbies that really gets us this time around. It's not surprising this episode has the rating it does.
6 Science (8.2)
Making sure to remain as controversial and uninformed as he possibly can, Ali G leads a discussion on science with a man who still believes the Earth was made in seven days.
His ignorance and miseducation remains front and center later on in the episode as well, where he attends an anti-nuclear protest, angering pretty much everyone who opposes nuclear weaponry.
5 Anita Roddick (8.2)
The final episode of season one of Da Ali G Show saw the original format of the show come to an end, while also bringing the character of DJ Tha4orce to a close. However, his interview with Anita Roddick (the founder of The Body Shop) and interactions with Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker are timeless. However, the show was still just getting started by this point, and as such, it’s the only entry from season one that has made it into the IMDb top ten.
4 Respek (8.3)
The first episode of season three of Da Ali G Show is also the first in the line of four episodes from that season which top IMDb’s list.
This one has one of the most uncomfortable interviews the show ever managed to produce, with Bruno (in his incredibly over the top manner) talking to a Pastor known as ‘The Gay Converter’.
3 Peace (8.4)
One of the most iconic scenes from Da Ali G Show crops up in this episode, when Borat sings an incredibly controversial song called ‘In My Country There Is A Problem’, which is nicknamed ‘Throw The Jew Down The Well’... Obviously, this sparked a huge backlash from viewers and critics alike, but has been remembered as one of the funniest moments in British TV history.
2 Realness (8.4)
The final episode of Da Ali G Show gives us some great content from each of the three main characters. Ali G confuses everyone at a pro-choice rally, while Borat is being taught about how to find a job in the US.
Baron Cohen’s very overtly gay character, Bruno, has a wrestling lesson that he probably wouldn’t have been able to get away with these days.
1 Rekognize (8.5)
The second episode of season three, ‘Rekognize’, doesn’t exactly have the most famous guests Baron Cohen has ever lined up, but it just works on so many levels. We see Ali G chat to ex-Nixon, Ford and Reagan consultant Pat Buchanan (how he managed to land that one we don’t know) and Borat also gets his own taste of American politics. It’s comedy genius.
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April 20, 2020 at 07:30AM
