British Comedies...

[miss_flow]

Ok most Brits will know what I'm talking about. Does anyone watch British comedys...If your not- British and you have do you get them? Becuase when I watched it with my Americian freind she was like 'eh?' every minuite.

Personally I love them..for some strange reason. There kinda tacky, but you grow up watching them...

If you do what are your favourites?

[filius]

Hey miss_flow!

There is a thread on this here: Favourite Comedy/Comedians of all time (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=33034)

I like Blackadder, Mr Bean, Coupling... I'll come back with more. :D

[miss_flow]

I'm always not finding these hreads even when i search for them....

I like only fools and horses...and some mothers do 'ave 'em, and Fawlty towers is kinda good...

[roz]

Lani worte a brief but useful Search Engine Tutorial (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=31651) which might help you.

I know that it took me a while to get used to it.

Roz.

[LilyEvans]

But this thread deals exclusively with British comedies, so we'll maybe be ok.

My favourite British comedies of all time:

- Fawlty Towers
- Yes, Minister (and yes Prime Minister is apparently very good too.)
- Open all hours
- Porridge
- Are you being served?
- To the manor born
- Keeping up appearances.

Cynical, sarcastic, and most of all funny!

[Ranador]

Monty Python and Mr. Bean :rotfl:

I'm not British and I get them... but maybe I'm just smart like that :p

[LilyEvans]

Maybe you're a world-weary cynic like most of the British population...no offence intended, I'm like that too. :)

Oh, Blackadder. Brilliant. Really great. I'm not so fond of Mr Bean, but it's still really funny.

My favourite is Yes, Minister, because this time around, I'm old enough to appreciate it. And the issues in British politics...and politics in general just never change. :)

[Mundungus Fletc]

My favourite is Yes Minister - I used to be a Civil Servant and I assure you it was painfully close to the truth.

So when you wanted a Minister to make a particular option you put up a paper suggesting two options. We can do A (which by the way will result in a plague of locusts and deaths of the first-born) or B which is sensible

Or when your budget is going to be cut you said fine (by the way grannies will be freezing to death this winter)

[Kirsten]

Ok most Brits will know what I'm talking about. Does anyone watch British comedys...If your not- British and you have do you get them? Becuase when I watched it with my Americian freind she was like 'eh?' every minuite.

Personally I love them..for some strange reason. There kinda tacky, but you grow up watching them...

If you do what are your favourites?
I don't think it's fair to say British comedies are tacky. Some of them are. Some of them are awful hideous monstrosities which should never have seen the light of day. Some of them are works of genius. It's also hard to say you like or don't like British comedy because it's all so different.

I'm never less than amazed by the number of Americans who love Are You Being Served? I have heard Americans describe it as daring and risque, when actually it's old, tired, smutty and almost thirty years old.

Fawlty Towers is a work of genius, as are Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. Open All Hours, Porridge and Only Fools and Horses are great, with the common factor being Ronnie Barker and David Jason, both of whom are great comic actors. Keeping Up Appearances is painfully unfunny, like Terry and June, Dad's Army and Love Thy Neighbour - I keep wishing they could never be shown again. To The Manor Born used to be funny, but bear in mind it's 20 years old, and it's hardly an indication of what's considered funny now.

Of the more modern stuff, The Royle Family and The Office are amazingly good, and The Royle Family is so well acted; it's a classic.

Blackadder and The Young Ones were good, as was Bottom.

But my favourite comedy now is an American one - Malcolm in the Middle. I love that.

[Wab]

Yes (Prime) Minister
Coupling
Smack the Pony
Goodies
Dave Allen
Are You Being Served
Dad's Army
'Allo 'Allo
Fawlty Towers
A Bit of Fry and Lawrie
The Young Ones
The Comic Strip Presents...
Blackadder
People Like Us
It Ain't 'Alf 'Ot Mum
'Til Death Us Do Part
On the Buses
Ab Fab
Monty Python
Not Only But Also
KYTV
Drop the Dead Donkey
Wallace and Gromit
Dead Ringers
Saturday Night Clive
Stuff

All good, but if I had to choose one, Drop The Dead Donkey.

[LilyEvans]

My favourite is Yes Minister - I used to be a Civil Servant and I assure you it was painfully close to the truth.

So when you wanted a Minister to make a particular option you put up a paper suggesting two options. We can do A (which by the way will result in a plague of locusts and deaths of the first-born) or B which is sensible

Or when your budget is going to be cut you said fine (by the way grannies will be freezing to death this winter)

Lol. I knew it! My favourite was the episode with the hospital with no patients or doctors, and the refugees. :evil: So funny.

Yes Minister is very near the knuckle. I mean, it still is. What are we arguing about now? Overuse of administrative staff, and immigration. Nice to see we've made so muhc progress.

As for Are you being served? it..well, it thrives on innnuendo. Particularly Mrs Slocum. It just depends what you find funny.

To the Manor born, I agree, is very old and hasn't dated so well as some of the others. But I still find things to laugh at.

But i think The Good Life, particularly in the light of so many people wanting to downsize, is still relevant, even if it looks dated.

[Revolution]

I like so many! I get the jokes, I've grown up watching them.

-Only Fools and Horses
-Fawlty Towers
-Keeping up Appearances
-Mr. Bean
-Are you being served?
-'Allo 'Allo
-My Family

Coupling is okay. I don't really fancy it.

[Kazza]

I love with a passion 'Allo 'Allo!

Also Only Fools and Horses! Mainly because it's set in Peckham, which is where I live! :tu:

[MMELevrier]

What a great thread! My favorites, in no particular order except what my age-enfeebled brain can spit out, are:

Absolutely Fabulous (if somehow Eddie & Patsy had offspring, it would be me even if I did quit smoking 18 years ago)
Blackadder (any series, but I am partial to 2, with Miranda Richardson as Queenie)
Rising Damp
The Young Ones
Fawlty Towers (may be the funniest comedy series ever broadcast, especially "Basil The Rat")
Red Dwarf
and of course, Monty Python

[Kirsten]

Oh god, I'd forgotten all about It Ain't 'Alf Hot Mum. I thought it was funny when I was little, especially Windsor Davies, but when I see it now I realise how racist it was. And that it's not a jungle, it's just a BBC studio with lots of pot plants!

Meet the gang 'cos the boys are here
The boys to entertain you
With music and laughter to help you on your way
We're raising the rafters with a hey hey hey
With songs and sketches and jokes all anew
With us about you won't feel blue
So meet the gang 'cos the boys are here
The boys to entertain you
B O B O Y S
Boys to entertain you!

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em was good too.

[LilyEvans]

Oh, of course! I totally forgot Rising Damp, which is really old, and Red Dwarf, which isn't.

Both great. 'Miss Jones' and all. And it really took the mickey out of the guy who was the landlord and his really stupid attitudes. Particularly his racism.

[Mundungus Fletc]

Leonard Rossiter was great in Risng Damp; I loved his attitude to the black guy a mixture of grovel because he's rich and disdain because he's black. But I preferred Reginald Perrin (How did I manage to forget it? - I blame it on aluminium saucepans)

[Wab]

Absolutely Fabulous (if somehow Eddie & Patsy had offspring, it would be me even if I did quit smoking 18 years ago)
Blackadder (any series, but I am partial to 2, with Miranda

Edina did have offspring a son and Saffron. "If smoking while pregnant affected the baby you'd be prosciuto."

There are literally dozens of good ones and some total clangers. But the ratio of good/great to bad is remarkably high.

Perhaps its because a season is usually only six weeks and the British aren't prone to flogging a dead horse. Four seasons of Blackadder, two of Fawlty Towers, two The Young Ones.

Ultimately the most enduring Britcoms are the satirical something they do better than anyone else,

[true_heir_of_slyth]

British comedies... they can't be beat (well, most of them, anyway :p). I agree with all the people who've posted before... I love all the classics- Blackadder (series 2 rocked), Dad's Army, 'Allo 'Allo, Ab Fab and Monty Python- and a lot of the new ones, especially My Family- but what about the Office? It's a bit hit and miss... people seem to either love it or hate it. I don't always enjoy it, but that dance... absolute classic :lol:

:slyth: Slythy xx

[Kazza]

I tell you what I love as well, its not really a comedy, but Caroline Quentin was hilarious in it, and that was Jonathan Creek! I love that prog!

[true_heir_of_slyth]

Ooh, I know the one you mean, Kazza... but I can't remember the name... that'll keep me up all night thinking about it now :lol:

[Kazza]

Er... It was called Jonathan Creek!

[PrtVeela]

But this thread deals exclusively with British comedies, so we'll maybe be ok.

My favourite British comedies of all time:

- Fawlty Towers
- Yes, Minister (and yes Prime Minister is apparently very good too.)
- Open all hours
- Porridge
- Are you being served?
- To the manor born
- Keeping up appearances.

Cynical, sarcastic, and most of all funny!

:agree:
Even though I live in America, luckily the PBS station shows BBC programming, because else I would have missed a lot. My family currently owns tapes of almost all the Fawlty Towers, Keeping up Appearances and Are you being served? and Ab Fab shows. :lol: Speaking of which we just watched this past weekend. They never get old! I have seen them countless times and still find my self laughing :D.

[true_heir_of_slyth]

Er... It was called Jonathan Creek!
Whoops... I must have completely misread your post :lol:

[clairey]

Not really a comedy but Dead Ringers is hilarious!
I loved the sketch where Mel Gibson was doing a film about the "Resurrection" of Den Watts from Eastenders!

[LilyEvans]

Hey PrtVeela, I totally agree. *nods*

And I also wanted to say, I really like your siggy and your avatar. Beauty and the Beast is a favourite of mine.

Anyway, back to the topic we go.

Ab Fab. My mum loves that one, she says I remind her of Saffy. Er...thanks Mum(!)

The British comedies that have survived are classics.

Like One Foot in the Grave. SO great.

[Chrysalis]

I'm one of those persons who thinks American comedies are overrated. I love British shows, I've grown up watching them, and I'm not even British.:D

My absolute favorite is Only Fools And Horses. Also Fawlty Towers, Keeping Up Appearances, Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em, My Family.

What was that show about the grandparents having to raise three unruly grandkids? Penelope Keith acted in it. It must've been from the mid-90's.

Not sitcoms, but genius nonetheless: Dead Ringers, Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks. I was a great fan too of Alistair McGowan's Big Impression.:rotfl:

[LilyEvans]

Ah, Alistair Magowan. Such a great show. Sid and Nancy, and Victoria and David were two of my favourites.

I love the very little Monty Python I have seen.

The Dead Parrot sketch, and part of the quest for the Holy Grail.

Sketches count! Sure they do!

[miss_flow]

I'm one of those persons who thinks American comedies are overrated. I love British shows, I've grown up watching them, and I'm not even British.:D

My absolute favorite is Only Fools And Horses. Also Fawlty Towers, Keeping Up Appearances, Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em, My Family.
:


Yeah I like Americian Comedys, but sometimes it's a bit too far, (no offence..to all americans, some really do crack me up)

But I love british comedys, I lova Fawlty Towers, But only fools and horses was the best. I think it was because they made alot of episodes, unlike some others...

[Ranador]

I'm one of those persons who thinks American comedies are overrated. I love British shows, I've grown up watching them, and I'm not even British.:D


It's all about Seinfeld, Family Guy and The Simpsons! :)

[miss_flow]

The Simpsons is cool though....

[Chrysalis]

Ah, Alistair Magowan. Such a great show. Sid and Nancy, and Victoria and David were two of my favourites.
One of the best ones was the episode in which the Osbournes and the Beckhams engaged in wife-swapping.:rotfl: And Vic fed the cats to the dogs because she thought that was the natural way of things!

I think American comedies are really tacky. No offence meant to the Americans here. Friends is the most un-funny show I've ever seen. But Malcolm In The Middle is the best American sitcom I've seen. It's great! Quite different from the British humor I'm used to though, it's a bit hard to get into in the beginning.:agree:

EDIT: Even Seinfeld bores me, sorry! But the Simpsons takes the cup for best American show, sorry Malcolm! I forgot.:clap:

[miss_flow]

^ I loved that one...hehe.

[phantomwitch]

im american, but ive seen brit coms(thats what my family calls em) since i was old enought to see them(according to my parents...) but ive always loved:

Are You Being Served
Keeping Up Appearances
One Foot in the Grave
Fawlty Towers
The Vicar of Dibley
Mr. Bean
As Time Goes By

and more recently ive gotten to see and loved

Chef
Mulberry
Eastenders
Grace and Favor (or-in America-Are You Being Served, Again?)
Last of the Summer Wine

I love all the brittish comedies that ive seen, but I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.

[miss_flow]

They show eastenders in the us? wow. its not really a comedy though.

Fawlty towers is my second favourite, Basil is so funny, I like the one when the man died....

[phantomwitch]

oh i love how basil's wife(can't remember her name this sec) says not in the kitchen when basil brings him in

[clairey]

The Good Life was great too.
Euro 2004 Big Impression crcked me up!
"My tan go below morrocon terracotta, I go into seizure!"
Nancy D'Ololololollio

[miss_flow]

^^ yeah that bit was so funny. manwell is so sweet, hes so funny. her name was....erm...sybil

[phantomwitch]

thank you! sybil! yes thats it, heeheehee...."Oh, I knooooow"

[miss_flow]

omg...that voice is really annoying...but kinda funny...

[GredandFeorge]

I'm from Canada so we don't get much and so far I've only caught British comedies by chance. I don't think it was considered a comedy, but I was nuts about the two seasons of Cold Feet I got to see on W. I saw an episode of My Hero that was ok, not too crazy about Coupling, but my hands down absolute favourite is My Family (with our darling flying teacher no less!). My husband and I laugh non-stop at that show. I am absolutely crazy about the British sense of humour - of course I love Monty Python, Mr. Bean and the rest. And I thought the film Love Actually was a brilliant example of what's best about British comedy (and the young man who played Colin Frissell in the film, is the youngest son in the earlier episodes of My Family!). I swear, my husband and I love all things British - we're pretty sure we were both born on the wrong continent!

[miss_flow]

Love actually is a great film, even though im not supposed to have watched it...hehe.

[phantomwitch]

oh but i love the canadian comedy red green!

[miss_flow]

I have no idea what that is...lol.

[GredandFeorge]

Oh jeez, i can't believe anyone likes the Red Green show, although come to think of it, my husband does seem to think it was amusing...better Canadian comedy is Kids in the Hall - sadly now defunct...and some of the best comedic actors ever came from SCTV, another canadian great (stands for Second City TV) like Catherine O'Hara, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy and more!

[miss_flow]

cool....

[Ranador]

Love actually is a great film, even though im not supposed to have watched it...hehe.

lol you are waaay too young for that movie :p especially with that naked couple. Great movie though, I love it... actually.

[miss_flow]

Bridget Jones is pretty cool too...

^ Me and my mates snuck into the cinema to watch it...hehe...But I got it on DVD now...

[fabulouskirsten]

My absolute favourites are Red Dwarf and Blackadder, I'm collecting the box sets so i can watch them over and over, they're sooo funny!

[miss_flow]

Yeah, I love box sets...lol.

[Rapunzel]

I've only watched 2 British comedys on a regular basis . . . Are You Being Served? and Keeping Up Appearances.

"That Bucket woman" She's so irritating I love to hate her. :rotfl:

[miss_flow]

Yeah...I like it when she picks up the phone...and says that sentance, I forgot the exact words. She tries to make it sound really posh...

[Rapunzel]

Yeah...I like it when she picks up the phone...and says that sentance, I forgot the exact words. She tries to make it sound really posh...

"The BuKAY residence, the lady of the house speaking" (I assumed trying to put a French pronounciation on "Bucket", maybe?) She was always SO offended when people referred to her as "Mrs. Bucket." :rotfl:

[miss_flow]

Thats the one!!! lol...

[MMELevrier]

Chef
Mulberry
Eastenders
Grace and Favor (or-in America-Are You Being Served, Again?)
Last of the Summer Wine

I love all the brittish comedies that ive seen, but I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.


I forgot about Chef! :tu: Very very very funny, especially when he was reaming out someone in his kitchen. When I've had to yell at underlings, I'm always afraid I'll turn into Chef. I'll have to see if I can get it on DVD.

[Spew Member]

I'm American, but I love Coupling and Little Britain, I watch them every Sunday and tape them for my brother and his wife because they don't get the BBC. They tried to make an American Coupling, but it failed, I really don't understand why they can't just play the Coupling from Britain, it's hilarious...Maybe they think that we wouldn't get it... :huh:

[marcasitevah]

I have always enjoyed Monty Python, especially the earlier episodes of Flying Circus. I also love Red Dwarf, or what little I have seen of it. I watched it a long time ago when they showed it on PBS where I lived. Other than those two, I haven't seen many British comedies.

[Kirsten]

Little Britain is sheer genius - and it has Tony Head in it!

[FluffyEarmuffs]

"The BuKAY residence, the lady of the house speaking" (I assumed trying to put a French pronounciation on "Bucket", maybe?) She was always SO offended when people referred to her as "Mrs. Bucket." :rotfl:
:lol: That is so funny!

I also love anything to do with Peter Kay.
He is hilarious.

[miss_flow]

I also liie some mothers do 'ave 'em. Frank cracks me up...hes always doing things wrong!

[Pilum]

Can't believe no-one's mentioned the Royle Family yet.... :)

Would post a quote here but it'd end up looking like this:

Jim Royle said:

***** **** *** ****** *** ***** **** *** *****

:rotfl:

Not many new ones to add, though Spaced had it's moments. As for Yes (Prime) Minister, I find it bitter-sweet. Damned funny, but still painfully close to the bone as far as politics goes. Some of it feels like it was written yesterday (Like Drop The Dead Donkey or Spitting Image). That said, I understand it was actually written by a senior civil servant, so he must know about how entrenched 'Sir Humphrey-ism' really is.

[miss_flow]

[QUOTE=Pilum]Can't believe no-one's mentioned the Royle Family yet.... :)
QUOTE]


The royle Family Is great!

[Claireyellen]

I love British comedy then again I'm British so that's most likely why. I have to say my favourites are Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Coupling and The Good Life for sitcoms and I love the League of Gentlemen but I don't class that as a sitcom, same with Little Britain.

I think the reason why the US version of Coupling didn't do well is that (and please don't be offended here anyone) but American comedy from what I've seen is a bit more conservative than Coupling. Yes some people in the US love the UK version but when you comapre it with friends it's a lot more risque.

Then again the US IS the country which gave us Sex and the City so what do I know. Maybe the general US audience didn't get the humor. One thing I remember Steve Moffat (the writer) saying in the documentory shown here about the US version being made was that 'In Friends when Chandler makes a joke he means to make a joke so you know it's funny. In Coupling the jokes are played dead pan and so I'm unsure if the US audience will get it'.

Anyway back to why I love these comedies......

Red Dwarf - pure genius. To begin with just one human, a cat which has evolved 3,000,000 years, a hollogram of a complete Smeg Head and a senile computor. Is excellent.

Blackadder - well not series one. The cast is amazing for this and Miranda Richardson as Queenie is amazing.

The Good life - harmless fun

Coupling - if you've ever watched the episode from series one 'Inferno' that episode made me laugh so much. Series 4 isn't so good though with no Jeff.

There you go!

[praisequeenfreddie]

I just moved to San Francisco for art school and my dorm gets direct tv. I was searchimg and found BBC America. I started to watch coupling but became more interested in Little Britian and My Family. I think those two shows are the funniest shows I have ever seen. I have always thought bitish comedy was better then American. Just my opinion though. But don't get me wrong. I love the American Sitcom too. Home Improvement was great and so is Will and Grace. And who can forget friends?

And before I go I have a question on Coupling. I have only seen a couple shows of it and thought it was really funny. But like anyone coming in the middle of something, I am a tad bit confused as to the history. Can anyone tell me more about the series. How long its been on the air and about the characters so I'm not constantly going "who are they and what do they have to do with this?"

[Flying Saucer]

Red Dwarf - pure genius. To begin with just one human, a cat which has evolved 3,000,000 years, a hollogram of a complete Smeg Head and a senile computor. Is excellent.

OMG, I absolutely loooooove Red Dwarf!! The characters are fantastic, and I can watch the episodes over and over again. "...I just want to say: over the years, I have come to regard you as... people I met" -Priceless!
I'm not British, so I've probably missed a few really good British sitcoms. I have seen Blackadder though, and I think it's brilliant, especially series two. :)

[tetaelzbieta]

My favorite show is Coupling, and I also love My Family. Those are the only shows where I am consistently on the floor laughing.

[SpARKlinDiaMonD]

I think either "Are You Being Searved" or "My Hero" are aboslute fantastic comedies. I nearly die form laughing wehn I watch them, especially the fitness one of "AUBS" ... HAHAHAHAHHA....

"I've Been Robbed!"

that was pure genious!

[ChoChanger]

i love all the good old ones like the vicar of dibley and Father Ted, couplings, My Family -- anything that's a good giggle ;)

Luv Cho xxx

[miss_flow]

If I where to write a list...it would be so long...

[Spew Member]

I think the reason why the US version of Coupling didn't do well is that (and please don't be offended here anyone) but American comedy from what I've seen is a bit more conservative than Coupling. Yes some people in the US love the UK version but when you comapre it with friends it's a lot more risque.
Then again the US IS the country which gave us Sex and the City so what do I know. Maybe the general US audience didn't get the humor. One thing I remember Steve Moffat (the writer) saying in the documentory shown here about the US version being made was that 'In Friends when Chandler makes a joke he means to make a joke so you know it's funny. In Coupling the jokes are played dead pan and so I'm unsure if the US audience will get it'.
There you go!
No offense taken, maybe it was because Sex and the City is a cable show so they don't have to be as conservative as they would have been on regular tv. Sex in the City just got moved to another channel, but they had to take out all of the risque humor so that the show could air and it's just not the same. I just don't know why they felt they had to make an "American" version of Coupling, when we already had a really funny British version, why couldn't they just air the British show? I don't know of any American who has seen the original and not thought it was funny.

[miss_flow]

I totally agree with you.

[SpARKlinDiaMonD]

I do too! And all the old ones are fabulous: except, father ted just creeps me out...

[miss_flow]

No-one mentions only fools and horses, but i love that. I wasen't too keen on the new episdoes though..

Father Ted rules!

[Chrysalis]

The best Fools And Horses episodes are the ones where Rodney and Del are still single.:rotfl: Does anyone remember the Batman and Robin episode?

[miss_flow]

I loved that episode...And it was a funeral...hehe.

[Wab]

I just don't know why they felt they had to make an "American" version of Coupling, when we already had a really funny British version, why couldn't they just air the British show?

Same reason they felt compelled to butcher 'Til Death Us Do Part, Man About the House, George and Mildred, Fawlty Towers...

[Da_Chinkster]

Does anyone remember the Batman and Robin episode?
That was brilliant. It was a part of the xmas special trilogy intended to be the last of the series. I've actually got that episode on tape somewhere. What a great series Only Fools and Horses was, its great that they're doing re runs now always a good laugh

[miss_flow]

Yeah, I have most of them on tape! I know like most of the lines...hehe. sad i know. I'm not too keen on the newer episodes though, but Damion (sp?) turned out just as i expected him to be...

[missmazy]

I'm a total sitcom freak, and i love Coupling UK - the us version is just.... well Jeff wasn't quite as funny and weird, and u know it's british humour anyways ;)! Red Dwarf is also really funny in a weird way and i LOVE the office, the guy's (the boss person) so funny.... what else? well i dunno i don't have british channel, nor american for that matter, so am, er, forced to download everything, well u know, kinna!

[Pilum]

Just remembered again - I forgot Father Ted!

Will you have a nice cup of tea, Father? Go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on...

[miss_flow]

Father Ted is a classic too...

[LilyEvans]

Ya will. Ya will ya will ya will! YA WILL!

All right! *shrink away from amd tea lady*

Loved the Batman and Robin episode of Only Fools and Horses!

Funniest thing....*bursts into laughter thinking about it*

[miss_flow]

Yeah and the lady, when she saw them...And del got a medal for it!...lol

[Jamara]

There are too many good shows it's hard to pick just one. I'll make a list of what I like most, some have been mentioned, some have'nt.

Ab Fab
The Mary Whitehouse Experience
The Kenny Everet Show
Fawlty Towers
Monty Python
Red Dwarf
The Young Ones
The Good Life
Drop The Dead Donkey
One Foot in the Grave
The Goodies
Not the Nine o'Clock News
Birds of a Feather
Yes Minister
Blackadder
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Benny Hill
Only Fools and Horses

Of course my favourite at the moment is The Office, all my friends love it too!

But, even though it is'nt a series I think they deserve to be mentioned here; The "Carry On" films! It was worth watching them just to hear Kenneth Williams voice and see THE nostril flare. Also Sid James' dirty laugh was a must! But British comedy is the best in the world, they will always be known for the dry humour. You either get it, or you don't, though I pity those who don't as they're missing out!

Remember though; sarcasm is the lowest form of wit and the highest form of retaliation!

[miss_flow]

Yeah I love the office...he so funny....

[Chrysalis]

LOL, I also loved the episode where the guy who was trading in gold faked a cardiac arrest in a restaurant. Boycie insists on sitting next to Del, giving a lady in the vicinity the impressions that they are homosexuals.:rotfl:

[elperuaan]

Well, I'm Dutch, and I 'get' Brit coms just fine. They're easy to understand, if you know the people who made them. Blackadder is superb, Monty Python rewarding if you pay attention. 'It aint half hot mum' is great for a while, until you can see it's always the same patern, then it just becomes: laugh at the British. By the way, it is NOT racist, as was stated earlier. In every episode, the British were made to look stupid, and the Indians always got the upper hand, even though they were servants (which again is not racist, but accurate for the time it is situated in, like for example the series North and south, which isn't racist because there are slaves in it, but an accurate description of the racism in those times.) As for another oldy but fun: Man about the house, quite shocking in it's age, I guess.
As for american com's, I don't like the simpsons, it's just to mindless (again, try to understand the people who made them :evil: ) I did like Due South, and of course M.A.S.H. But well, we can't like everything, eh?

[Wab]

But, even though it is'nt a series I think they deserve to be mentioned here; The "Carry On" films! It was worth watching them just to hear Kenneth Williams voice and see THE nostril flare. Also Sid James' dirty laugh was a must! But British comedy is the best in the world, they will always be known for the dry humour. You either get it, or you don't, though I pity those who don't as they're missing out!

You forgot Charles Hawtrey's "Oh, hello."

The dinner scene in Carry On Up the Khyber remains one of the finest pieces of comedy filmed.

[pegrose]

i dont know why so many people like the office :huh: something must have passed me by.. but i love sitcoms such as

Blackadder (because all the characters rock!)
My Family ( hilariousss)
Red Dwarf (smegging fantastic)
Monty Python (i wouldnt class them as a sitcom, but its monty python, who cares?)

they're my favs, but i also like my hero, vicar of dibley, ive seen about one episode of coupling which was funny..

comedy just rocks..

[Jamara]

You forgot Charles Hawtrey's "Oh, hello."

The dinner scene in Carry On Up the Khyber remains one of the finest pieces of comedy filmed.

You're right, how could I forget such a thing? Charles Hawtrey's "Oh, hello", was difinitive!! I agree with you about the dinner scene, it was great, but my all time favourite carry on has to be 'Carry on Cleo'. Superb in every way

[pasalita]

Of course my favourite at the moment is The Office, all my friends love it too!


GARETH KEENAN INVESTIGATES!

Finally, someone mentioned The Office. It is HILARIOUS mainly because, if you work in an office, it feels very familiar. My favorite character is Tim (I LOVE TIM!)

It's too bad that only 2 series were filmed. I'm hoping for the Christmas specials to show up on DVD soon.

[miss_flow]

I've got some of them on dvd...you never get bored...lol

[Moodyblues]

I love 'Are You Being Served' ! That and 'Allo Allo'. Though there are others I find very funny, like 'Waiting for God', 'Keeping Up Appearances', 'The Vicar of Dibley', 'Only Fools and Horses', and 'Monty Python' .

[roz]

Red Dwarf rules. About the only reason that I miss PBS is that the BBC doesn't put on Red Dwarf Marathons.

Blackadder is something else. Particuarly Blackadder goes Forth. How can a show have you rolling around on the floor in laughter one moment and in tears the next. The final scene of the final show is so poigniant.

Roz.

[MrsRemusLupin]

Are You Being Served...good old Mrs Slocombe and her pussie :rotfl:
Father Ted
Keeping Up Appearances...I have a great aunt who is exactly like Hyacinth...notice how Sheridan always sponges off of Hyacinth and she lets him, she still hasn't cracked on that he is gay...and poor Elizabeth next door always having to attend her candlelight suppers and spilling tea :clap:
Some Mothers Do Have 'Em could he be anymore accident prone? I just love Michael Crawford, he is great :p
And, I don't think anyone has mentioned On the Buses does anyone else watch this? (good old power of box sets again) I think it is just so funny, Stan & Jack are too funny...and don't even get me started on Olive..."Arfur, ARFUUUUURRR" :rotfl: who knew she would go on to be Aunt Sal in Eastenders :p

[Chrysalis]

Right now I am really digging Are You Being Served...childhood nostalgia!:D

[esmerelda]

GARETH KEENAN INVESTIGATES!

Finally, someone mentioned The Office. It is HILARIOUS mainly because, if you work in an office, it feels very familiar. My favorite character is Tim (I LOVE TIM!)

It's too bad that only 2 series were filmed. I'm hoping for the Christmas specials to show up on DVD soon.

Oh, I love Tim too! I almost cried at the end of the Christmas specials!

Besides The Office, I adore Spaced, Blackadder and Fawlty Towers. I need to get them all on DVD! Spaced is my absolute favourite thing of the moment, I wish there was another series being made.

[Claireyellen]

I love the Vicar of Dibley - that rules. My Aunt was in a episode of it once, that was cool. I liked The Office too - more the Tim and Dawn thing than the David thing.

[Bunny]

Its wonderful knowing that all the comedies I have appreciated over the years are still giving pleasure to many more people.
All the ones I remembered :

- Fawlty Towers
- Yes, Minister (and yes Prime Minister is apparently very good too.) Sharp and incisive
- Open all hours Very funny
- Porridge Observant
- Are you being served?
- To the manor born
- Keeping up appearances.Blackadder
Goodies - Loved the slapstick and the anarchyDave Allen
Dad's Army - I loved the way they played off each other
It Ain't 'Alf 'Ot Mum
'Til Death Us Do Part - Making fun of the racist
Monty Python
Not Only But Also
Wallace and Gromit - gentle humour
Dead Ringers
Rising Damp
Bremner, Bird and Fortune - Bird and Fortune had one skit where they ridiculed the British army hierarchy. It was brilliant.
Dinner Ladies - quirky
Last of the Summer Wine
Waiting for God
And of Course Dah dah dah Red Dwarf (My sig)

[CHPF]

I'm a big fan of British comedies. A partial list is below:

- 'Allo 'Allo
- Monty Python
- Keeping Up Appearances
- The Brittas Empire
- Absolutely Fabulous
- Fawlty Towers
- Mind Your Language (my all time favourite :blush: )
- Are You Being Served
- The Vicar of Dibley

Thanks for reading.

[Tirza]

A friend came to visit last month and "edumacated" us on British comedies. He has the boxed sets of so many things that we ended up not finishing them all. But most of this list is thanks to him. :)

Blackadder - Didn't get to see all of it, but the parts we saw were hilarious.

PYTHON!!!!! I think we watched all of it except the last season of Flying Circus, including Meaning of Life (which was hilarious) and Life of Brian (I didn't think it was quite so funny, but I never took organized religion that seriously anyway). We own Grail, so that didn't get watched.

Are You Being Served - My family used to watch this all together on Sunday nights. I thought they were great. :)

Red Dwarf - Didn't appreiciate it at the time, but I may now. Hard to say.

Keeping Up Appearances - Haven't seen much, but what I have seen amuses me greatly. One scene that sticks with me in particular is when Hyacinth buys a huge potted plant and they're attempting to drive home with it. :)

American comedies bore me. I can see the ending a mile off, and they don't even get there in an amusing way. They also usually include at least one character who's so obnoxious that I couldn't stand them in real life, where I could at least tell them they were obnoxious and to go away. Why would I want to spend my time watching these people?

*Disclaimer: The opinions above are my opinions, and are (in some cases, sadly) not shared by every American. In fact, I daresay I'm unlike most Americans in that I'm not entertained by moronic drivel. Of course, moronic drivel in a British accent, if it's intentional, is worth watching. :) *