The State was the MTV sketch-comedy series created by and starring members of the comedy troupe The State.
The program began on MTV in 1993 and used short, character-driven sketches built around an ensemble cast. Its performers included Michael Ian Black, David Wain, Michael Showalter, Thomas Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio, and Ken Marino, many of whom later became prominent in film and television comedy.
The series developed from the troupe’s live comedy work and became an important part of MTV’s non-music programming in the 1990s. Its deliberately absurd style and recurring ensemble chemistry helped distinguish it from conventional television sketch shows.
The title can be confused with other ensemble comedy programs from the same period, including The Kids in the Hall and The Ben Stiller Show. Those were separate productions and were not created by The State troupe.