How to watch

Monty Python Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Monty Python shows and movies in order

Last updated: November 7 2026

Written by: ChronoAlice

From Flying Circus to the Holy Grail and Life of Brian, Monty Python redefined comedy. Here's how to watch every Python TV series, film and live show in order.

Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin met on the BBC in 1969 and created Monty Python's Flying Circus, a sketch show so absurd it still feels ahead of its time. The troupe went on to make a string of beloved films and celebrated stage shows, including a 2014 reunion at London's O2 arena.

πŸ• Release Order

Release order follows the group's work from the BBC through Hollywood and back to the stage.

  1. Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974)
  2. And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)
  3. Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus (1971–1972)
  4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
  5. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
  6. Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982)
  7. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
  8. Monty Python Live (Mostly) (2014)

There's no ongoing plot in the Python canon β€” each film is self-contained. However, And Now for Something Completely Different re-films sketches from Flying Circus, and the live shows revisit classic routines.

πŸ“– Story Chronology

If you arrange the films by historical setting, the Holy Grail's Arthurian Britain comes before Life of Brian's first-century Judea β€” but the comedy works in any order. This list sticks to the order the group made them.

  1. Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974)
  2. And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)
  3. Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus (1971–1972)
  4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
  5. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
  6. Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1982)
  7. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983)
  8. Monty Python Live (Mostly) (2014)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Start with a few episodes of Flying Circus to get the troupe's rhythm, then watch Holy Grail and Life of Brian β€” the two masterpieces. The Meaning of Life is wilder and more uneven, while Live (Mostly) is a warm send-off for longtime fans.

πŸ”— Related Guides

  • Blackadder Watch OrderGuide
  • Red Dwarf Watch OrderGuide
  • Mr. Bean Watch OrderGuide

Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!