Independent comedy creators making sketches for the internet have now started to match traditional TV broadcasters in terms of production quality. Here's our twelve favourite sketches from 2013, sorted by upload date...
Wobble Box
This fast paced animated sketch show for the HuHa! channel is full of surreal delights:
Link to this video. There's lots of episodes of Wobble Box. Watch more
Moonwalking Shetland Pony
As you may recall, at the start of 2013 there was the horse meat scandal... and that ubiquitous pony mobile phone advert was all over the TV. Cope and Dalton, who have since gone on to create the warped sitcom Future Duck, mashed the two topics up brilliantly in this viral spoof:
Building A Human
This retro instructional film by Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz is so incredibly well put together. Admire all the small touches:
Link to this. Peter Serafinowicz is no stranger when it comes to creating hit videos for the internet of course. See also: Get Lucky and Singing Morrissey's Book.
Adolf Hitler in Mr Men
Jake Yapp is one of the online video producers who really made a name for himself in 2013. His Channel 4 News video showed off his skill for impressions, however it was his animated Mr Men video that most caught our eye this year:
Shopaholic Apocalypse
2013 saw a number of new independent video channels spring up, one of which was Hunka Wunda. This is perhaps their best video to date. We love how the topic of the video is slowly and subtly revealed:
This Glorious Monster
We love This Glorious Monster, a group which mixes great writing with slick filming. Their Office Cult sketch was our highlight last year, and they've continued with more great sketches this year. It's hard to pick a favourite, but here's a musical one from them:
Link to this. Don't miss Victorian Babestation, their sinister Ladies Of HR sketches, and other creations: More from This Glorious Monster
Don't Fear Death
Rik Mayall narrates this fast-paced comedy arguing the joys of being dead. It's made by the rather talented pens of Dice Productions.
The Dam and the Damned
The director George Kane is making quite a name for himself online at the moment. In this spot-on spoof of 1980s soap operas, Rufus Hound and Isabel Fay have some issues to get over:
Marek Larwood - How To Make An Art Film
Marek Larwood has been experimenting all year with various styles of comedy video. Here's one of our favourites from his channel - advice on how to make an art film. We love rule two:
Link to this. More Marek Larwood videos
Alan Rickman Karaoke
This short from Max Dowler makes our top 12 for the simple reason it made us giggle a lot. It's him, as Alan Rickman, as Professor Snape, singing an Adele song:
Kill Yourself by Phil Nichol
This music video for Phil Nichol's Kill Yourself is the most inventive video of the year. Bec Hill is the talented person behind the effects:
Barbershopera - The Christmas Jumper Song
Barbershopera, the comic musical theatre foursome, did themselves proud earlier this month with this tribute to a particular festive garment:
Link to this. See also: More from Barbershopera
2013 was a good year for musical comedy videos, others to check out include Shopping in Lidl, Downton Abbey Gift Shop, and the rude Simon Cowell protest song.
Best Advert of 2013
Using humour in adverts can really boost a brand's profile. This is what the team at Yorkshire Tea found when they created this charming but not entirely true song about their favourite beverage:
Best from the Broadcasters
Whilst the above list focuses on independently produced comedy, we shouldn't forget the TV channels have been working on their own online projects too. We've got two favourites, both from Channel 4's Comedy Blaps strand...
The Alternative Comedy Memorial Society
Link to this. See also: 3 more episodes
Claudia O'Doherty
Link to this. See also: Episode 2
So those were our favourites from 2013. There was so much to choose from, inevitably some great videos didn't quite make the cut, so do search around our site for more.
We'll continue to publish the best new sketches throughout 2014, so keep an eye on our videos page, or get our newsletter for the best delivered to your inbox each Monday.