View Full Version : British Comedy Thread
H Thompson
02-23-2005, 10:25 AM
Seems like a good idea to me, since every other discussion with the exception of things like "The Office" gets about 5 replies at most and then dies. So maybe a multi purpose thread will encourage better ongoing discussion about a variety of shows.
red dwarf will always be my favorite british comedy, followed by none other than fawlty towers. this is a good idea for a thread.
Darunia
02-23-2005, 10:36 AM
My favourite comedies: Blackadder, The Office and the Fast Show
I would kill to see reruns of the fast show, it has been so long... Scorchio!!
BlindPsychic
02-23-2005, 10:48 AM
Spaced is probably my favorite. It has Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and its done by pretty much all the same people that did Shaun of the Dead. Its brilliant.
f f f f f f f f f f chris waddle!
I'm a Yank so I dont know if Im welcome here or not. Love Monty Python and fawlty towers but I really dont get a lot of access to British comedy in the states.
AllSussedOut
02-23-2005, 12:35 PM
fawlty towers
the office
young ones
monty python shouldn't even be in the conversation... something separate altogether.
George Cauldron
02-23-2005, 12:38 PM
I like Fawlty Towers, Only Fools & Horses, Dad's Army, Are You Being Served?, Keeping Up Appearances et al. Loved Mr Bean in my youth, still funny now.
Sex Cauldron
02-23-2005, 12:39 PM
http://www.vgernet.net/tpelkey/bennyhill/images/scuttle.jpg
kupomog
02-23-2005, 01:54 PM
Only thing I've watched and enjoyed was Absolutely Fabulous, which no one else likes. I don't care though, I love that show.
Red Right
02-23-2005, 01:58 PM
I've seen a couple episodes of Red Dwarf and it's pretty funny.The Office is great and of course, let's never forget Flying Circus.
The General
02-23-2005, 02:02 PM
Do we have any Father Ted fans here? That's one of the funniest shows I've ever seen...
Do we have any Father Ted fans here? That's one of the funniest shows I've ever seen...
yeah, i forgot to mention that. father ted is a great show. i haven't seen it for ages, though.
The General
02-23-2005, 02:07 PM
There needs to be a DVD release. I will set myself on fire in protest if I have to!
There needs to be a DVD release. I will set myself on fire in protest if I have to!
the entire series is available on dvd here in the uk, in fact my mother has the first. we've just never watched it for some reason...
The General
02-23-2005, 02:10 PM
the entire series is available on dvd here in the uk
Yet another reason I want to be a brit...
Yet another reason I want to be a brit...
hey, i thought you were proud to be canadian! but, um, we seem to be going off-topic. we better shut up before necro-- a moderator closes this thread.
a multi-region dvd player is the answer.
H Thompson
02-23-2005, 02:15 PM
Father Ted is indeed very funny; it’s got quite a funny commentary
It’s basically just of the writers brutally criticising his work
I think its time the writers of it wrote something again.
mohammed jafar
02-23-2005, 02:21 PM
it's also not british. it aired on a british channel and was funded by a british production company but its writers and actors were all irish, it was about ireland, and it was only on british television and a british production company because the main irish television station rejected it.
i mean, ulysses isn't a french novel, is it?
H Thompson
02-23-2005, 02:35 PM
it's also not british. it aired on a british channel and was funded by a british production company but its writers and actors were all irish, it was about ireland, and it was only on british television and a british production company because the main irish television station rejected it.
i mean, ulysses isn't a french novel, is it?
British and Irish isn't such a catchy title, but point taken please mods change the title if you think its important.
But why shouldn't we claim credit for their work, wales ireland and scotland should all be england, we should never have given you your own parliment. ;-/
wow, can't believe you mentioned that, Comrade. years since i watched it. very good indeed.
favourites include The Office and Red Dwarf. plenty of our UK shit i can watch and like, knowing loads of people think it's crap.
Hale & Pace, anyone?
Better out than in.
here would be a good place to whore my half-assed red dwarf message board. sign up, won't you?
http://s9.invisionfree.com/Holoship/index.php?
Red Dwarf seasons 1-3 are my favourite. Can't believe nobody's mentioned Alan Partridge.. unless I missed it.
Red Dwarf seasons 1-3 are my favourite.
you mean you don't like series 4-6? i can understand your distaste for 7 and 8 but not this!
I like 4-6, but they're more of an action-comedy than a sit-com. The way I see it:
1-3 - sit-com
4-6 - action-comedy
7-8 - drama comedy
the way i see it:
1-2 - sitcom
3-4 - sci-fi comedy
5-6 - action comedy
7 - drama comedy
8 - sitcom
there were plenty of sitcom moments in series 8, especially in "krytie tv".
Comic Book Guy
02-24-2005, 05:42 PM
i once baked playdo figures in pace's microwave. true story.
p.s. coogan, morris, iannucci
the way i see it:
1-2 - sitcom
3-4 - sci-fi comedy
5-6 - action comedy
7 - drama comedy
8 - sitcom
there were plenty of sitcom moments in series 8, especially in "krytie tv".
I bunched the first three seasons together under the sitcom category mainly because although 3 was more sci-fi, 1 and 2 both were as well. I haven't seen anything past season 3 for a couple of years, but the way I remember it was that season 4 is where they started meeting aliens and getting in physical danger.
I can't remember much of series 8 so I'll take your word for it, I do remember it being a lot lighter than 7 though now that you mention it.
Incidentally they're still working on the movie, it's been in development since a few months after s8 ended, I assumed they had scrapped it but obviously not.
deshem
02-24-2005, 09:53 PM
Does this count movies? The Carry On series are up there, if so.
cheex
02-25-2005, 12:04 AM
is 'coupling' not a cool thing to watch over there? cuz i think it's funny.
H Thompson
02-25-2005, 05:00 AM
Does this count movies? The Carry On series are up there, if so.
Yes but they have to be comedies.
i'm a fan of coupling when it was on, cheex. haven't seen it in a few months, actually.
JonHillier
02-25-2005, 06:31 AM
Yeah, coupling is pretty great. One of the better modern comedies.
Even though its not that cool, I used to be a big fan of Keeping up Appearances, which I'm sure airs on PBS or something in the US.
Seeing as alot of the most modern comedies have been mentioned, I guess I'll add Steptoe and Son, Only Fool and Horses, Porridge etc... which are all awesome.
Big fan of some of the alternative comedies as well - Little Britain, Dead Ringers, League of Gentlemen, Mighty Boosh and so on.
Incidentally they're still working on the movie, it's been in development since a few months after s8 ended, I assumed they had scrapped it but obviously not.
yeah, i think doug naylor said that the reason it's taking so long is because hollywood producers wanted an all-star american cast. naylor obviously said no, so they offered an all-star british cast. (including hugh grant as lister!). naylor said no again and negotiations ensued.
Original cast or not at all.
IMDB had a 2005 release date on the last look.
since this thread has gone to page 2, i thought it would be time to bring up my half-assed red dwarf message board again: http://s9.invisionfree.com/Holoship/index.php?
it has a funky new logo and design! join today.
Dennis
02-25-2005, 10:58 AM
I used to watch Mr. Bean a lot. And a show called Are You Being Served? or something like that.
I watch the British version of the Weakest Link on BBC sometimes. That's comedy.
jesle
02-25-2005, 11:01 AM
Only thing I've watched and enjoyed was Absolutely Fabulous, which no one else likes. I don't care though, I love that show.
I agree with you! Ab Fab is a great show and I even got my bf to admit it (tho with him, that's always a challenge). My favorite episode is entitled "Sex." If you've ever seen A&E's Pride and Prejudice, the girl who plays Saphy, Julia Sawalha, plays the sluttiest girl in the film. Really funny change of character.
Also, whoever said League of Gentlemen, I'm in agreement there as well. I LOVE the Job Centre jokes with Ross and Pauline. So funny. Did anyone hear that they are making a movie?
Here's a link from imdb:
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0435687/
Hydro
02-25-2005, 11:11 AM
Nobody's mentioned Brass Eye (which is a better satire of modern TV journalism than anything else I've seen in any medium) or The Day Today yet.
The league of gentlemen IS Comedy at its best!
Lets all not forget Bottom, Rick and Vivian from the young ones!
I went to see Bottom Live at the Liverpool empire last year. I dont think i went a 20 seconds without laughing!
Butters
02-25-2005, 12:12 PM
Lets all not forget Bottom, Rick and Vivian from the young ones!
I went to see Bottom Live at the Liverpool empire last year. I dont think i went a 20 seconds without laughing!
Whom COULD forgot Bottom. Or the Young Ones for that matter. Two excellent, and really weird, comedies.
The Office and Only Fool's And Horses are excellent shows as well.
H Thompson
02-25-2005, 01:03 PM
Brass eye and the day today are fantastic, I remember seeing a comment from jafar once that Day Today was good but Brass eye was pointless I'd like to hear his reasons.
And as I said Morris' co-written sitcom is out at the moment and is quite good, I'd recommend you take a look if you can download it anywhere hydro.
League of Gentleman is good. under-appreciated because people tie it down to catchphrases, and they really deserve credit for their ambition in the 3rd series transforming the sketch show format into something with proper narrative structure with just a couple of sketches as a sort of B-story.
Hydro
02-25-2005, 01:26 PM
I remember seeing a comment from jafar once that Day Today was good but Brass eye was pointless I'd like to hear his reasons.
Wow. Yeah, I'd want to hear his reasoning for that too.
I haven't been able to find Nathan Barley yet, Homer Thompson -- Is there a place where I can download it?
mohammed jafar
02-25-2005, 01:37 PM
because it's mostly comprised of juvenile "big train"-esque zany humor that doesnt have anything to do with anything. just pretending to be someone or something that you're supposedly targeting while acting stupid and childish in a random way is barely satire. it's simply not very funny. i havent seen all the episodes, but the three I saw were not good. its satire is south park standard at best (very vague, ill-thought-out, basic, glib messages), and smug mockery of media sensationalism has been done many times before, and better, anyway.
Hydro
02-25-2005, 02:33 PM
Maybe my perception is being colored by the fact that we have too many news shows in the U.S. that are very close in feeling to Brass Eye. I don't know what "Big Train" is, but comparing BE to South Park is way off. The M.O. of South Park's satire is to make extremely exaggerated strawmen out of people Parker & Stone hate, then have them act annoying and finally die gory deaths so Kyle or Stan can deliver a little moral lesson. Whereas Brass Eye uses a much lighter hand in spoofing investigative news shows; I don't know the situation in the UK, but things like the "right/wrong dial" that they keep giving to their guests to provide moral clarity, the patronising use of props and bad puns to introduce segments, and nonsensical, context-free statistics like "conservative estimates said 1500" are so damn close to what is actually standard on "news" programs like Dateline or The O'Reilly Factor that it's amazing those shows haven't picked them up yet. The efforts in the Science episode to make a firm distinction between "good science" and "bad science" is very close to mainstream American news; it only needed to go a few baby steps beyond the tenor of TV reporting on scientific issues today to reach an absurd situation. How this is at all like South Park's blow-it-all-out-of-proportion tack towards satire, I have no idea (furthermore, Morris never poses an easy solution or homily as a counter-argument to his target, which is something Parker & Stone do that I hate). Maybe all British journalism is of such a higher standard than that of the U.S. (which I highly doubt) that Brass Eye looks like a goofy overstatement, but here it would be only a small stretch for most of my countrymen, raised on Dateline, A Current Affair, and Fox News Channel, to take it for a real news broadcast.
And there's a lot of humor that doesn't even go anywhere near satire. The writing has an amazing flair for darkly absurd phrasing ("the twisted brain-wrong of a one-off man-mental" "splatted by roboplegic mad-cock" "seriously monged music") that I've never seen anything like on television. The show packs in humor as densely as The Simpsons, with subtle little twists of language and freeze-frame jokes so I keep finding new things every time I watch an episode again. The location segments have great staging. But yeah, if you look at Brass Eye and all you see is arch smugness, you're missing the forest for the trees.
And I don't think sensationalist, alarmist journalism can ever possibly be spoofed more accurately in a few seconds than by showing a shocking scene followed by the line "If this were REALLY happening, what would you think?"
H Thompson
02-25-2005, 02:59 PM
Big train was a sketch show I thought it was quite good but its completely non-satirical humour it tended to come from having crazy situations but people reacting in a very naturalistic way to them. Considering the writers of it wrote some additional material for Brass Eye it would explain the occasional similarities.
From what I've read it seems Morris would be reluctant to describe his work as satirical, because he aims to make things funny above all, and wouldn't want to be so pretentious as to claim his work is an important statement.
that new Nathan Barlet thing is class. i've missed the last two (including tonight's) from being at the pictures.
Clarence
02-25-2005, 06:13 PM
omg, British comedy is terrible...
I watched a british sitcolm once, and all I heard was the audience laughing at random moments.... but NOTHING was funny. It was actually quite disturbing.
yeah, clarence, all british sitcoms are exactly the same as each other.
Clarence
02-25-2005, 06:16 PM
Well, ok, you're right, it was only one british sitcolm that was like that, but still it was frightening as hell, and it actually made it on tv. I don't know, something's wrong somewheres.
I really like Monty Poython though.
Hydro
02-25-2005, 06:23 PM
From what I've read it seems Morris would be reluctant to describe his work as satirical, because he aims to make things funny above all, and wouldn't want to be so pretentious as to claim his work is an important statement.
Well, one of a satirist's best tricks is to deny that his work is satire. You're right, though, about Brass Eye being simply funny even when it's not trying to make a point. Morris definitely deserves credit for pacing his projects, defying what people (not just his detractors, but moreso his fans) want or expect him to be, not reveling in the "bad-boy" image that has been unfairly imposed on him, and not acting like a smug media hog who makes outrageous work just so he can go on all the talk shows and bitch about being censored.
H Thompson
02-26-2005, 04:38 AM
omg, British comedy is terrible...
I watched a british sitcolm once, and all I heard was the audience laughing at random moments.... but NOTHING was funny. It was actually quite disturbing.
Evidently you've never watched an American sitcom.
George Cauldron
02-26-2005, 07:25 AM
Well, ok, you're right, it was only one british sitcolm that was like that, but still it was frightening as hell, and it actually made it on tv. I don't know, something's wrong somewheres.
What one was it?
Clarence
02-26-2005, 06:11 PM
I'm not sure, it was about some old guy and some old girl, and there was a fram with some ducks.
There was one part where NOTHING was happening, and then he had a sip of coffee, and the audience pissed themselves with laugher. Meanwhile I sat in the corner holding a cross and calling the nearest exorsist on speed dial.
I think you're thinking of The Good Life. I never liked that show, but I understand why some people found it funny.
Clarence
02-26-2005, 06:17 PM
Yes, I'm almost certain that was the one. About some fairly old couple, all I'm saying is that there seemed to be way too much audience laughter included in that show.
stevedude530
02-26-2005, 06:33 PM
Hey, is the British version of "The Sketch Show" any good? Kelsey Grammer and Dan Patterson are bringing it over to Fox with an American (minus one Brit, Lee Mack, from the original's cast) group that include MaryLynn Rajskub from 24 (and David Cross' ex-girlfriend), Kaitlin Olsen from Curb Your Entusiasm and Paul F. Tompkins (Mr. Show).
By the way, I'd like to vouch for Clive Anderson's Whose Line is it Anyway? Was that popular over there?? It's so much funnier than Drew's Line
I think you're thinking of The Good Life. I never liked that show, but I understand why some people found it funny.
That show is fucking awful, the fact that it was popular really concerns me. It was a huge success and yet The Simpsons is still referred to as a 'cult comedy', what must the rest of the world think of the British public? Then again the public have also taken to good shows like OFAH, Fawlty Towers and Blackadder (2,3 & 4).
FoTwenny
02-27-2005, 04:23 AM
Blackadder
Young Ones
Harry Enfield and Chums
Fast Show
Reeves and Mortimer
Keeping up Appearances
Ab Fab
One Foot in the Grave
Father Ted
Red Dwarf
Mr Bean
Thin Blue Line
It ain't Half Hot Mum
Allo' Allo'
Hi-De-Hi
Bottom
Open All Hours
2 point 4 children
Gotta love that Brit com.
JonHillier
02-27-2005, 05:19 AM
Going to the recording of Comic Relief on March 11th, so hoping to see alot of Britcom stars eg. Rowan Attkinson, Ade Edminson, Matt Lucas etc... especially considering its the 10th anniversary, there should be alot of the originals.
Wall E. Weasel
02-27-2005, 06:15 AM
Comic Relief shouldn't be necessary, us rich western bastards shouldn't need to be entertained to give money to a third world country, and I use entertained in the loosest sense of the word.
Speaking of cynical ego-fests disguised as charity events did anyone watch Comic Aid last night? It was quite predictable (Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey were funny, Dave Spikey and Lily Savage were not etc.)
Samuel L Bronkowitz
02-27-2005, 08:26 AM
don't know how his UK episodes were, but Da Ali G Show on HBO is some of the funniest stuff I've seen in ages...
and The Office is a Hall-of-Fame series, nuff said.
definitely.
Borat from Ali G becamse fucking huge.
Ali G was always awful. As bad as big brother bad.
Hopefully he will die soon.
But for those who did like him....meh.
snrub
02-27-2005, 11:28 AM
Hey, is the British version of "The Sketch Show" any good?
Yes, a lot of it is very funny. There is the odd sketch that can be poor, but that's like in any sketch show (or any comedy show for that matter).
Peep Show is my show of the moment - again Under-Watched (not under-rated as it gets rave reviews) - acutely observed and hilarious. A true cult comedy. The two main guys do a comedy show on Radio 4 - That Mitchell and Webb Sound - try and listen (or listen again on the Radio 4 site), as it is great.
George Cauldron
02-27-2005, 11:35 AM
I'm told The Good Life is The Queen's favourite comedy, but I see where you're coming from. It's a little too "nice" for my tastes, I never really got into it.
Wall E. Weasel
02-27-2005, 12:00 PM
It's a little too shit for my tastes. And by that I mean Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal resemble two turgid turds, blissfully unaware of the fact that they are floating on dangerous waters, liable to be flushed into the sewers where they fucking belong and can stay forever at any minute.
Talking of shit, my friend appeared on Keeping Up Appearances when he was four.
SeanOhio
02-27-2005, 05:03 PM
I enjoyed Dead Ringers (UK version, not BBC America version) and their sketches. I also love Fawlty Towers (and I've heard good things about To the Manor Born).
I own The Office and Yes, Prime Minister on DVD.
FoTwenny
02-27-2005, 07:11 PM
Talking of shit, my friend appeared on Keeping Up Appearances when he was four.
Who did he play?
Wall E. Weasel
02-28-2005, 08:14 AM
He didn't, he was an extra.
Butters
02-28-2005, 08:25 AM
I'm told The Good Life is The Queen's favourite comedy, but I see where you're coming from. It's a little too "nice" for my tastes, I never really got into it.
"Bloody bloody bloody! I hate it! It's so bloody nice! Felicity "Treacle" Kendall and Richard "Sugar-Flavored-Snot" Briars! What do they do now? Chocolate bloody Button ads, that's what! They're just a couple of reactionary stereotypes, confirming the myth that everyone in Britain is a lovable, middle-class eccentric and I HATE THEM!"
It's one to comment on a British comedy, but to use a quote from a British comedy that comments on another British comedy is ingenius... :-X
Wall E. Weasel
02-28-2005, 08:45 AM
http://www.reames.org/images/fark/vyvyan.jpg
H Thompson
02-28-2005, 09:26 AM
It's a little too shit for my tastes. And by that I mean Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal resemble two turgid turds, blissfully unaware of the fact that they are floating on dangerous waters, liable to be flushed into the sewers where they fucking belong and can stay forever at any minute.
Talking of shit, my friend appeared on Keeping Up Appearances when he was four.
Not as bad as I guy I know in his twenties who's been in a couple of episodes of the most recent series of "Down to Earth" :uhh:
JonHillier
02-28-2005, 09:41 AM
... and thats not as bad as one of my mates being an ex Disney-channel presenter and now a main character in the awful kids series "I Dream". :ashamed:
snrub
02-28-2005, 10:52 AM
I enjoyed Dead Ringers (UK version, not BBC America version) .
What's the difference?
SeanOhio
03-01-2005, 10:33 AM
The BBC America version was really sanitised, like Little Britain. Certain words and skits were omitted.
Wall E. Weasel
03-01-2005, 10:42 AM
I very much doubt that other than the very few sketches involving American personalities and politicians Americans would find Dead Ringers funny anyway.
SeanOhio
03-01-2005, 05:12 PM
Actually, I enjoyed all of the sketches--it was mostly the editing out of double entendre and other words that made it seem weird.
I really enjoyed a sketch about Tony Blair and ministers leaving his cabinet and him losing cabinet loyalty. He says, "I'd like you to meet my new education minister, Mr 12 Gauge!"
I thought that was good.
H Thompson
03-06-2005, 01:45 PM
Seems I should just bump this because of the other irrelvant thread.
Got Peep Show and Jam chris morris' sketch show for my birthday on DVD, and wow Jam is by far the darkest thing I've ever seen, most things classified as dark comedy don't make me flinch but this, wow just wow.
Samuel L Bronkowitz
03-07-2005, 05:31 AM
someone please answer this for me: Coupling was supposed to be (somewhat) the UK answer to Friends, right? So why did the US try their hand at Coupling? That would mean the US Coupling was based on the UK version, which was based on yet another sitcom altogether, which also happens to be on the exact same network as the US version? Sheesh, talk about diluting something...
I've only seen 2 episodes of (UK) Coupling, since I don't have BBC America. They were pretty good I guess, but I'd probably need to see more for the vibe to soak in properly...
ItchyScratchy100
03-09-2005, 02:17 PM
I'm watching "Blackadder II" now on BBC2. The episode "Head" has been repeated to death but they, it's the second series. So, it's all good. :)
H Thompson
05-17-2005, 05:15 AM
a bump to mention something that may be of intrest to a few people here.
there's a new political sitcom called "The Thick Of It" that airs this thursday on BBC4 (at 10:00 pm I think) from Armando Iannucci.
who was kind of the main writer on Alan Patridge and co wrote The Day Today among other things.
here's a link about the show a press pack if you will. also there's only 3 episodes so far but I think they might have already commisioned another 3.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/05_may/06/thick.shtml
and an interview with Armando.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-1506-1610776,00.html
Jayrayman
05-17-2005, 07:14 AM
Talking of British comedy, Men Behaving Badly is on UK Gold tonight.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/images/400/menbehavingbadly_1.jpg
H Thompson
05-17-2005, 08:07 AM
Well done, Uk Gold does show old british comedy.
I don't think MBB is worth mentioning but there's a lot worse out there.
Jayrayman
05-17-2005, 08:16 AM
For bad comedy (and i mean just plain bad, not of bad taste) try watching shirley ghostman on BBC3.
I dont think MBB is that bad, but your statement is true there is better comedy on UK Gold. For example Im Alan Partridge (the greatest British comedy ever made....ever) and Only Fools and Horses.
George Cauldron
05-17-2005, 01:01 PM
What? Men Behaving Badly is brilliant observational comedy about anything from women to anything else of relevance to the typical male.
mohammed jafar
05-17-2005, 01:06 PM
no. no it's not.
and please refrain from phrasing every post like you're planning to submit it to the daily mail for inclusion in their culture review supplement
George Cauldron
05-17-2005, 02:12 PM
I think I'll take orders from someone who knows how to or can actually exert the effort to use capital letters and fullstops, thanks, darling.
H Thompson
05-17-2005, 02:29 PM
If he was submitting it to the mail it would be about how the show represents a huge decline in moral standards for television with its celebration of laddish behaviour.
spiritofstlouis
05-17-2005, 02:46 PM
Mmmm...there aren't any hoodies or baseball caps in MBB though
mohammed jafar
05-17-2005, 03:19 PM
If he was submitting it to the mail it would be about how the show represents a huge decline in moral standards for television with its celebration of laddish behaviour.
come on, get with the times. it's 1993!
Jayrayman
05-18-2005, 05:34 AM
What? Men Behaving Badly is brilliant observational comedy about anything from women to anything else of relevance to the typical male.
Agreed. Another reason the show is great is due to Neil Morriseys character, Tony. He basically makes the shows complete, thank god Harry Enfield made his sketch show "Harry Enfield and Chums" (or whatever) because if he didnt leave after season one then i couldnt see the show carrying on as long as it did.
H Thompson
05-18-2005, 05:41 AM
In that case its a shame Harry Enfield made his sketch show, there wouldn't have been Harry Enfields sketch show and there wouldn't have been anymore men behaving badly.
We might also have avoided the fast show because Harry Enfield helped launch Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson.
and Of course Harry Enfield and Fast Show created a bad precident for sketch shows that are exactly the same each week, so we might have avoided Little Britan.
The world would have been a better place.
Jayrayman
05-18-2005, 07:23 AM
You cannot compare The Fast Show to Little Britian (not like you where or anyhting). But IMO The Fast Show is in a completely different league to Little Britian, and it also shows how struck of good british comedy this country is at the moment, considering how unbelievably over-rated Little Britian was and still is.
H Thompson
05-18-2005, 08:53 AM
Oh yeah Fast Show is actually, when you compare it to Little Britan a good show, I mean some sketches actually had some depth in writing jokes and characters beyond repeating the same catchphrase and sketch every week.
Sadly Little Britan is getting a 3rd series. Still critically it might start to get slated for its repetition people will start to realise it sucks.
Grippa
05-18-2005, 09:49 AM
It's nice to see people showing a dislike for Little Britain. I truely cannot understand why people love it so much, it just isn't funny at all. I personally though am not a fan of all the popular British sketch shows, including the Fast Show and Harry Enfield and Chums, as they are too repetetive, and well the jokes just aren't that funny.
Oh, I may aswell put what i do like:-
The Office
Only Fools and Horses
Bottom
Blackadder
I'm Alan Partridge
Knowing me, Knowing you
Red Dwarf
Phoenix Nights
Father Ted
Those are my favourites which i can think of anyway
Jayrayman
05-18-2005, 10:00 AM
It's nice to see people showing a dislike for Little Britain. I truely cannot understand why people love it so much, it just isn't funny at all. I personally though am not a fan of all the popular British sketch shows, including the Fast Show and Harry Enfield and Chums, as they are too repetetive, and well the jokes just aren't that funny.
Oh, I may aswell put what i do like:-
The Office
Only Fools and Horses
Bottom
Blackadder
I'm Alan Partridge
Knowing me, Knowing you
Red Dwarf
Phoenix Nights
Father Ted
Those are my favourites which i can think of anyway
Thats pretty much the list i would have but in this order:
1. I'm Alan Partridge
2. Father Ted
3. The Office
4. Only Fools
5. Knowing Me, Knowing You
6. Bottom
7. Red Dwarf
8. Phoenix Nights
JonHillier
05-18-2005, 10:02 AM
Disagree somewhat with Little Britain being overrated, I think the praise it's recieved from the public is well deserved, its just the shocking number of awards it's picked up in the mean time which is odd.
Just remember, we comedy nerds are overly critical of everything. Little Britain came at the right time - there are no other current sketch shows, and it's humour appeals to middle england. Sure it's not quite as sophisticated as British comedy normally is, but its as audacious and pioneering as other classics.
I chatted briefly to Matt and David last year at Comic Relief, and they didn't seem phased by their success at all. It couldn't have happened to a nicer couple of guys, and as I've suggested, I think they were in the right place at the right time. Both of them have worked bit parts in British comedy for the nigh on two decades - it's about time they recieved the applause they deserve.
Oh, and yes, I have audience tickets for the third season.
mohammed jafar
05-18-2005, 10:27 AM
i dont think little britain is audacious any more than, i dunno, 2 live crew were audacious. crass, vulgar, crude, but not actually ambitious or anything.
and i dont see how its pioneering. it just uses the format of the fast show and harry enfield except with a narrator between sketches
i'm a fan of little britain. it gets too much recognition from really young people who make it sound faggoty, though.
also, never really watched the fast show or sketch shows like the league of gentlemen (was a HUGE fan of harry enfield) but my mate says both were way better than little britain, which he hates.
JonHillier
05-18-2005, 12:25 PM
and i dont see how its pioneering. it just uses the format of the fast show and harry enfield except with a narrator between sketches
I'd say bringing fringe comedy to the beeb is pretty pioneering. Whether or not you believe it to be crass, crude etc... Little Britain moved the barriers of what could and couldn't be done in a comedy tv show; which I think was pretty necessary. The BBC needed to move with the times.
I guess it was a result of BBC3 being such a minority channel that meant new comedies like this could come through. Not all have been sucessful, but I think there was a need for comedy that didn't comply to how button-down BBC1 comedy had become.
I mean seriously, what the hell was "All About Me" or "Mad About Alice" doing on prime time? It's because of Little Britain that the BBC had the confidence to get back into the swing of funding decent new comedy. Pioneering if you ask me.
Sure, Little Britain has touches of the Fast Show, League of Gentlemen etc... but there are few shows that don't have some aspects that were inspired by others shows of the same format.
mohammed jafar
05-18-2005, 12:31 PM
i think that's more indicative of the bbc's attitude towards its shows, than the show itself. it maybe was in the position to move the barriers of what could and couldn't be done on a show shown on BBC1, but it certainly didn't move any stylistic barriers for comedy shows in general.
say, did anyone watch that spastic thing last night on The Comedy Lab (channel 4)?
that was fucking hillarious.
Jayrayman
05-19-2005, 03:03 AM
After I'm Alan Partridge (2002) the BBC has failed to produce any decent cult comedy.
The last comedy that ive seen which i think is bloody brilliant is Peep Show on Channel Four.
H Thompson
05-20-2005, 05:25 AM
So anyone see the thing I mentioned earlier or is no one intrested.
wow. it's getting a third series?
H Thompson
05-21-2005, 05:28 AM
Little Britan (boo) and Peep Show (quite good) are getting 3rd series. I don't know if anyone watched QI which I thought was quite good is also getting another series, I think its the 3rd.
aso Green Wing (boo) is getting a 2nd series.
Kamp Krusty Kamper
05-21-2005, 05:36 AM
I don't watchalot of Bitish comedy... except for Monty Python.
H Thompson
05-21-2005, 05:46 AM
gee thanks for that what a fantastic contributinon you've made, you're an inspiration to our entire organisation.
excellent that peep show is getting a 3rd series.
Jayrayman
05-22-2005, 05:40 AM
Agree with above. Has anyone seen Monkey Trousers on ITV, the first episode was shown at 10 on Friday, though i missed it. It starts Steve Coogan aswell as Vic & Bob Mortimere from shooting stars. It looks brilliant.
Rowdy Roddy Peeper
05-22-2005, 06:05 AM
My favourites are Only Fools And Horses, The Office and Alan Partridge.
I feel out of the three, The Office was the only one not to decline. As i reckon Only Fools And Horses slowly declined in the 90's and was pretty much rotten on the last episode. Alan Partridge started off amazingly with KMKYWAP and the Alan Partridge Season 1, however i reckon Season 2 slightly declined, and there was more boredom and less funny intelligent lines in AP S2, they went for more cheaper laughs.
However, The Office i felt stayed the same level throughout the 14 episodes and had a great ending episode too.
Other faves our mine include The Peep Show, Fawlty Towers, Harry Enfield (Earlier shows, not anything from 1998 +), Nathan Barley and Little Britain (Yes it's silly and repeitive, but it's silly in a funny way).
I'm really glad Peep Show is getting a third series, and find it very clever and cringe-worthyly funny aswell. I also reckon Nathan Barley is underrated and especially the last 3 episodes were grand.
I also heard Alan Partridge is having he's own movie. Hopefully it will be really good, however one of the 3 writers is refusing to do anymore with the character of Alan Partridge.
think i saw the advert. not sure how good it is.
The lesson is never try
05-22-2005, 06:27 AM
Does anyone know if Max+Paddys road to no-where is coming back? or even better the classic Phoenix nights? just ordered series 1+2 off amazon.
H Thompson
05-22-2005, 08:18 AM
I though Monkey Trousers was terrible, only a couple of mildly funny sketches.
Peep Show really grew on me, Series 1 I just cynically dismissed it about halfway through the episode. Mainly because of the gimmicky filming style. But Then I started watching again from the 2nd episode of series 2 and I loved it, it's a really nice blend of cringe worthy awkwardness, but still with proper jokes and fun sitcom plots.
Sort of Like I'm Alan Patridge, but at the same time not at all.
Nathan Barley was very dissapointing coming from Chris Morris it was ok I just hoped for a lot more.
And Coogan want's to do a movie but Armando Iannucci (The guy I mentioned earlier with the new political sitcom on bbc4 10:30pm on thursdays called "The Thick Of It") doesn't want to do any partridge anymore and he's actually the main driving force, apparently coogan didn't really write partridge in the traditional sense, that was mainly Iannucci and Peter Baynham (Baynham on IAP 1 and 2) and KMKYWAP was Iannucci and Patrick Marber who went on to write the screenplay for that film "closer" ( Which I have on good authority was crap)
Comic Book Guy
05-22-2005, 08:51 AM
i agree with Mr. Thompson *stomps foot*
monkey trousers deserves to be looked down on immediatly due to its name. dissapointing considering its possibilities. i was with Bob Mortimer filming a pilot for a show called "titty bang bang" last month. three girls doing in my opinion unfunny scetches. not written by V+B. rest assured, it wont get past the pilot.
Nathan got better towards the end, and i hope it gets the chance of a second series. a lot of great comedies were initially looked down on during their first series only to be lauded a masterpiece in hindsight.
Jayrayman
05-23-2005, 05:00 AM
Did anyone else watch the Jonathan Ross show on Friday Night. Bob Mortimer was on it (with Steve Coogan who was excellent) talking about Monkey Trousers and another comedy starring the guy from Little Britian, does anyone know what it was called/when its on/whether its good?
H Thompson
05-23-2005, 06:13 AM
i agree with Mr. Thompson *stomps foot*
monkey trousers deserves to be looked down on immediatly due to its name. dissapointing considering its possibilities. i was with Bob Mortimer filming a pilot for a show called "titty bang bang" last month. three girls doing in my opinion unfunny scetches. not written by V+B. rest assured, it wont get past the pilot.
.
Care to explain more about this, do you work in the industry. I wouldn't have thought so from your age.
Jayrayman
05-23-2005, 06:31 AM
And Coogan want's to do a movie but Armando Iannucci (The guy I mentioned earlier with the new political sitcom on bbc4 10:30pm on thursdays called "The Thick Of It") doesn't want to do any partridge anymore and he's actually the main driving force, apparently coogan didn't really write partridge in the traditional sense, that was mainly Iannucci and Peter Baynham (Baynham on IAP 1 and 2) and KMKYWAP was Iannucci and Patrick Marber who went on to write the screenplay for that film "closer" ( Which I have on good authority was crap)
Lets face the facts now, its looking evident that Alan Partridge is dead and unfortunalty i cant see him coming back. And i for one would prefer a third series over a movie, lets face it Steve Coogan hasnt really cut it in the movie industry has he?
Comic Book Guy
05-23-2005, 09:07 AM
Care to explain more about this, do you work in the industry. I wouldn't have thought so from your age.
ahh.. 20s a good age to be working in the industry bud.
cheex
05-23-2005, 09:12 AM
i don't get bbc anymore. i am missing out on everything. fuck being poor.
H Thompson
05-23-2005, 09:14 AM
ahh.. 20s a good age to be working in the industry bud.
What are you production assistant, 3rd assistant director one of those things that sounds a lot better than they are.
Jayrayman
05-23-2005, 09:17 AM
i don't get bbc anymore. i am missing out on everything. fuck being poor.
Your not missing out on that much anymore as the programmes they are producing these days arent anything special.
Still plenty of decent British Comedy is avaliable on DVD on region one or two.
Comic Book Guy
05-23-2005, 10:29 AM
What are you production assistant, 3rd assistant director one of those things that sounds a lot better than they are.
heh. producer
JonHillier
05-23-2005, 11:33 AM
Anyone been watching the repeats of Catterick on BBC2 recently. I caught it on BBC3, still not sure what I make of it though.
It was filmed a matter of minutes away from my house, which is pretty much the only reason I've been watching it - Vic Reeves lives in a big house about 5 minutes away.
Opinions? Even though its got a star cast, and has many funny moments, I find it a wee bit slow.
mohammed jafar
05-23-2005, 11:45 AM
yeah, i thought it was great actually. very original and ambitious, lovely direction, excellent musical score. it's quite a feat to make something which manages to be so zany, surreal, touching, and subtle without any of those four characteristics encroaching on any of the others. quite simpsonsesque, actually. the final scene on the park bench in the final episode is just beautiful.
haven't saw many of the catterick episodes. back then i didn't have freeview but my brother watched them all. was quite a fan too.
cheex
05-23-2005, 09:41 PM
Your not missing out on that much anymore as the programmes they are producing these days arent anything special.
Still plenty of decent British Comedy is avaliable on DVD on region one or two.
yeah but brit comedies always seem to be more expensive on dvd. like one season of coupling is almost 30 dollars. but 3 seasons of family guy is 35
but really all i'm sayin is that i am cheap. :-$
and pbs in dallas doesn't offer many brit comedies. there are like 5 or 6 that come on every saturday night, but i never get to see those either.
H Thompson
05-24-2005, 04:24 AM
Enjoyed Catterick, I saw the last episode and a half once before and was quite amazed that Vic and Bob were able to pull off something like this.
and of course for more comedy afterwards there was that Jose Mourinhio program. ;-/
C.Ds and DVD's are a lot more expensive in Britan for some reason. One dollar is worth about 0.60 pounds but I seem to find that something in America will only be worth only a few more in Dollars than something here is in pounds.
Jayrayman
05-24-2005, 06:00 AM
Enjoyed Catterick, I saw the last episode and a half once before and was quite amazed that Vic and Bob were able to pull off something like this.
Agreed, i watched it last night and i was quite suprised by the performance of Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer, i thought they did a good job. As for Matt Lucas.......
H Thompson
05-24-2005, 08:39 AM
Well I find him at least tolerable unlike David Walliams.
JonHillier
05-24-2005, 11:06 AM
I've met Walliams and Lucas on a few occasions - I've got on better with Matt because he's more forward and relaxed; both times I've met David he's been a more difficult person - perfectly friendly and charming, but quiet and a little withdrawn.
In interviews, Walliams seems to come across a little smarmy in my opinion. Don't think its anything intentional at all though.
Jayrayman
05-29-2005, 12:33 PM
Alot of British comedy out this week at the cinema:
Its All Gone Pete Tong - which stars Paul kay as the DJ in ibiza who loses his hearing, seen some good and bad reviews for this film. Apparently its funny when its funny though its downfall is when the film tries to be emotional.
Millions - heard good things for this film, though its suppose to be more of a family oreinated film than a comedy. Directed by the brilliant Danny Boyle.
The League of Gentlemens : Apocalypse - Its a love and hate thing and i hate it.
JonHillier
05-29-2005, 01:15 PM
I'm hoping to see the League of Gentlemen Apocalypse. Looks interesting, not entirely sure how they're going to make the transition though. Should be worth it though.
Saw Shawn of the Dead for the first time last week, loved it. So many Britcom stars, t'was great. Bought the Black Books DVD as a result, because it reminded me how much I love Dylan Moran.
H Thompson
05-29-2005, 01:50 PM
I do like the sound of LOGA plot, they've been ambitious successfully in the past, the christmas episode was almost film length. and I'm one of the seemingly few people that loved the 3rd series, It was a really intresting clever idea where you really wanted to see what would happen next week. although the 4th and more so the 5th episode had a slight over reliance sex humour. But I don't see why it doesn't get any credit for the doing the sketch show/contious narrative sitcom idea well before the crap that was green wing.
Black Books was a fun traditional sitcom though the 3rd series was quite a decline.
I've bough Bill Bailey and Dylan Moran's stand up comedy dvd's as a result, Moran is definatley the better of the 2.
And Paul Kaye is still trying things? Even he know's he not funny post dennis pennis.
Jayrayman
05-30-2005, 01:49 PM
And Paul Kaye is still trying things? Even he know's he not funny post dennis pennis.
I think us brits should give the guy a break, granted he sucked in Blackball but we have to encourage british talent and the guy has got talent. I saw Pete Tong today and he was great (i disagree with the harsh critiscm over his performance in the film aswell) if we keep slagging off British comedians, whats that going to do to our film industry.
P.S The film looks like its going to flop, their was only six people watching it. :MrT:
H Thompson
05-30-2005, 02:06 PM
He had talent as his Dennis Pennis character, his other work has flopped due to unmemorable performance and writing. If people do successful stuff then they probably will get their plaudits. Simon Pegg for example, not actually the most versatile actor but started in stand up then appeard in some sketch shows, Co-wrote and starred a great sitcom, Co-wrote and starred in Shaun of the Dead, its done well in America and he's made some showbusey american director friends (Tarintino, Kevin Smith) he's well liked here as well, and is now writing another film.
I've got nothing against the guy, in fact he actually had a good cameo in Spaced, but most of his work just hasn't been very good.
JonHillier
05-30-2005, 03:12 PM
Yeah, I really like Paul Kaye - he's just one of those characters in television that I admire. Dennis Pennis was brilliant.
Didn't he go on to host a quiz show called "Liar, Liar" on BBC2 about three or four years ago? Got dropped, but I thought it was fun - mainly because of him as host though.
Jayrayman
05-31-2005, 07:48 AM
Yep he did back in 2002 the show was entitled "Liar". Heres his most recent projects as an actor both in film and tv (film is highlighted in bold):
Down to Earth (2005)
It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004)
Spivs (2004)
Win, Lose or Draw Late (2004)
Waking the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004)
Blackball (2003)
Blowing It (2002)
Liar (2002)
Two Thousand Acres of Sky (2001)
Perfect World (2000)
Citizen Kaye (2000)
H Thompson
05-31-2005, 08:44 AM
I hardly think being a zombie extra for 2 seconds counts as much.
Jayrayman
05-31-2005, 12:30 PM
I hardly think being a zombie extra for 2 seconds counts as much.
Maybe not, but it was better than his performance in Blackball.
Veryjammy
06-02-2005, 08:21 AM
No-one has mentioned.........MONKEY DUST!
Dark as you like, I love it. Well, loved it....series 1 and 2 were great, series 3 was pretty shitty though.
"By the power invested in me by a Sky News poll, I hearby declare you guilty of paeodophilia."
H Thompson
06-02-2005, 08:28 AM
I thought Monkey Dust was shit.
"hey let's tackle dark and controversial subjects but not actually make any intresting jokes or satirical comments about them"
By the way Ricky Gervais: Politics is on Channel 4 tonight at 10:50pm.
JonHillier
06-02-2005, 11:05 AM
Brilliant, been looking forward to that, and would have inevitably forgotten about it had you not reminded us ;)
Regarding Monkey Dust, I thought the principle of animation behind it was good - outsourcing it to small independent companies who gave the sketches their own individual styles - but as you said, I don't think the comedy was quite up to scratch - they tried too hard to explore those so called dark or shocking areas of comedy and missed the target most too much of the time.
watched politics for the first time a few months ago and loved it. not sure if it's better than Animals but i'll still be watching.
H Thompson
06-04-2005, 04:47 AM
I saw League Of Gentlemans Apocalypse last night, Really liked it, probably only really for the more hardcore fans. Best off all It was midnight screening so the group I was with were basically the only people there apart from a couple of people behind us. So you didn't get idiots whooping at catchphrase and when certain characters came on screen. Only trouble is, what with it being the summer by the time I get home, it's starting to get light again, So I didn't sleep so well last night.
Jimmy
06-04-2005, 05:00 AM
did anyone watch Ricky Gervais 'Politics' on Thursday night? It was pretty funny, not quite as good a animals. Proably the most impolitically correct thing ever but still funny.
Jayrayman
06-04-2005, 06:36 AM
I saw League Of Gentlemans Apocalypse last night, Really liked it, probably only really for the more hardcore fans. Best off all It was midnight screening so the group I was with were basically the only people there apart from a couple of people behind us. So you didn't get idiots whooping at catchphrase and when certain characters came on screen. Only trouble is, what with it being the summer by the time I get home, it's starting to get light again, So I didn't sleep so well last night.
Will people who are not really that massive fan's of the show still find something to like about it?
H Thompson
06-04-2005, 06:51 AM
Maybe, I've read some reviews from people who said they weren't fans of the show but enjoyed the movie. I think there's some great gags in that aren't character based, or specifcally LOG style humour. there just funny jokes and would work in any good comedy. The plot is intresting and it's add some fresh ideas to the format of characters entering the real world and writers writing themselves into the film. (they potray themselves as very unlikeable to stop it being so self-indulgent)
Lil Bandit
06-21-2006, 05:05 AM
I do like the sound of LOGA plot, they've been ambitious successfully in the past, the christmas episode was almost film length. and I'm one of the seemingly few people that loved the 3rd series, It was a really intresting clever idea where you really wanted to see what would happen next week. although the 4th and more so the 5th episode had a slight over reliance sex humour. But I don't see why it doesn't get any credit for the doing the sketch show/contious narrative sitcom idea well before the crap that was green wing.
Black Books was a fun traditional sitcom though the 3rd series was quite a decline.
I've bough Bill Bailey and Dylan Moran's stand up comedy dvd's as a result, Moran is definatley the better of the 2.
And Paul Kaye is still trying things? Even he know's he not funny post dennis pennis.
Sorry for bumping the thread back up; just wanted to comment and pose a question here. I agree about Black Books and it's traditional bits, but on the stand up front- I don't think they can be compared. Their styles are quite different. I love Bailey for his spoofy songs (Hats off to the badgers XD) and I love Dylan Moran for his criticism of everything and anything. to me he *is* bernard black on stage! Going to see him this fri, much looking forward to it :)
my question- does anyone know if there will be a christmas special of Green Wing??
thanks
Lil Bandit xxx
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