 The Pythons wrote all of their sketches in teams. Cambridge  graduates John Cleese (qv) and Graham Chapman (qv) wrote  together, as did Oxford men Terry Jones (I) (qv) and  Michael Palin (qv). Eric Idle (qv), another Cambridge alumnus,  wrote alone. "Links" between sketches were the only pieces written  by the entire group collectively. Animator Terry Gilliam (qv)  worked independently of the five core members, but joined them for  writers meetings to help them piece it all together and act as a  sort of test audience.