British Comedies...

[Dragonstar]

:D I was wondering if there were any other fans of British comedies here (obviously) ya know like Red Dwarf, The Fast Show, Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, One Foot in the Grave, Only Fools and Horses, The Thin Blue Line, Mr Bean, Keeping up appearances, Dad's Army, Black Adder, Are You Being Served, Maid Marrion and Her Merry Men, The Brittas Empire, Allo, allo, allo, Last of the Summer Wine, Porridge, Open All Hours, Fawlty Towers, um... ooo, The League of Gentlemen (no, NOT that one, Sean Connery was NEVER in Hadfield) there are probably a load more I'm forgetting...

Of course the movie stuff too, Monty Python, The Carry On Gang.

My favourites bieng Red Dwrf and The League of Gentlemen. Red Dwarf is just dumb enough that people who laugh at Sci-fi can watch it as a spoof, and just clever enough that seriious fans like it. And I went to school in League of Gentlemen country, Tubbs and Edward are pure genius.

Oh, and I love Last of the Summer Wine, the concept of three OAP's acting like schoolboys... 'nuff said...

anyone know what I'm talking about..? :D

[Guest rttocs77]

You forgot the only good one. Absolutely Fabulous. It's one of the funniest, best written shows around. It's great.

[AnonymousSource]

I watched "Are You Being Served" once at my g/f house... it was pretty hillarious... It was the one about the Japanese ppl taking over the offices... Great one!

Monty Python is the best thing sinced pickled herring! I have 6 tapes with like 6 shows each... and yea, I watched them all in one day!

The Holy Grail was great, but it's highly over rated... Sure it's hillarious seeing a ravenous bunny, and a limbless black knight... and the word NEE!(sp? heh...) but you've seen nothing until you've seen the random hillarity of a normal Monty Python's Flying Circus episode...

Ah, yes... greatness = Michael Palin! "BICYCLE REPAIRMAN!"

Heh...*looks side to side to see if anyone's listening anymore...* moving on...

"And now for something completely different!"

[Oukan05]

OMG!! I love British Comedies. I totally remembered my three favorites, well... four shows I always watch every weekend night.

I know "Are You Being Served?", "Monty Python", and my favorite of all time "Mr. Bean."

"Are You Being Served" is the funniest show I've ever watched. Mrs. Slocums (I'm not sure what her last name is spelled) is my favorite. Everytime, she would change her hair color in any style. I like it when it's purple.

I have friends who are crazed fans of "Monty Python." They would sing the goofiest songs and remember almost every quotes. I remember one quote from this dirty old guy who walks up the screen very fast and says "It's". It's cool

Mr. Bean has been the greatest show I love. He wouldn't talk much, but he goes through a lot of crazy stuff from his home to almost any place. I love that show.

Also, the fourth show I started liking is about three guys from another planet who came to earth; and live in a shagy apartment. One has short-straight black hair, the other has spicky orange hair with pierced eye-braws, and the last one has long brown hair. I don't know what show it was called, but it sure was funny.

British Comedy ROCKS!!!:D :D

[Pagan]

I just can't find these funny at all. The comedy is so dry and plain and in desperate need for some actuallt funny jokes. I've tried to get into them; honestly I have but they just suck to me. I half way like Chef and Bean and at times I even laugh at then, but sadly thats about it.

[KKC]

[size=1]I don't see too many british comedys... I have seen (and own) Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which i find to be very funny. There are some parts that are "supposably" funny, that are actually really boring and it lasts for like, 5 frikin' minuets, but some parts really are good, I think the part when they are running from the giant monster thing in the cave is my favorite part... poor animator...

I'v heard of Mr. Bean, but I have never seen it.

I don't know that much about british stuff, but i heard that there is a Romantic Comedy called "On love" that will start filming in a month or so. [/size]

[Dragonstar]

:D I seem to have neglected 'The Office' Ricky Gervais is so funny in this. The really disturbing thing is that I know people like David Brent, y'know, think they're great and that everyone likes them, but laughs at them as soon as they leave the room.

And yes Absoloubtely Fabulous is is great, *is suddenly very glad her mum is sane*

oo I also forgot 'The Vicar of Dibley' and 'Father Ted' both of which were incredibly funny, although Mrs Doyle was kinda scary, in retrospect...

French and Saunders are great, especially thier spoofs of Harry Potter... lol "You're a woman Harry..."

[The Mac Attack]

I have watched Black Adder most recently, and while it may not always be laugh-out-loud funny, it's still a rather entertaining show. My favourites were the 2nd and 3rd. The first wasn't so appealing to me as I didn't like Edmund's wimpy character. A friend of mine has the entire scripts for all the seasons, which I had a browse over recently.

Another comedy not mentioned is "Whose Line is it Anyway?". I much prefer this over Drew Carey's American version, even though the majority of the cast is the same. The American version was just so "dumbed down" in my opinion. An "Improvisation show" became "The show where everything's made up". And the joke with the points in the British version was that you worked out yourself that they had no meaning, instead of being reminded that at the end of every game.

I much admire Clive Anderson as well. His jokes were always a nice touch at the end of the games and during the introduction. He, unlike Drew, was not the one laughing hardest as his own jokes (jokes which I've heard Drew repeat).

Also, there is one man who deserves mention and that is Tony Slattery. He made this show what it is! His wacky touch to every game and his constant teasing of Clive made him a joy to watch every time.

I'm sorry to bag out the American version so much, but I just hate it (similarly to how many anime fans will complain about a bad dub).

-The Mac Attack

PS: The Kumar's at No. 42 is good for a laugh every now then, especially when they pick on Sanjeev.

[Guest ScirosDarkblade]

I like Bean and I like Coupling. Those are really good. Travel Sick is pretty hilarious, too.

[DeadSeraphim]

I love British comedies, especially things with John Cleese. Monty bPython films will always be at the top of my list, my favourite being Life of Brian, but Fawlty Towers is just hilarious. John Cleese had the sense to make just a few classic series and stop it before it stagnated.

[Manic Webb]

I just got the BBCAmerica last week, so I've been watching quite a few shows that they don't show on PBS. Like Coupling and The Office. Two very good shows, by the way. On PBS, I get to watch The Vicar of Dibley, Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Father Ted, and Mr. Bean (live and animated).

The difference between American and British humor is surprisingly broad. The reactions are different, the sight gags are on two entirely different levels, and British dialogue is somewhat more complicated. You miss the first half of an American joke, you're still gonna get the punchline. You miss the first half of a British joke, you'll forget it was a joke altogether and think it was normal dialogue.

[James]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Hells Fire [/i]
[B]I just can't find these funny at all. The comedy is so dry and plain and in desperate need for some actuallt funny jokes. I've tried to get into them; honestly I have but they just suck to me. I half way like Chef and Bean and at times I even laugh at then, but sadly thats about it. [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=#707875]It's called "intelligent humor". ~_^

Anyway, I'm a fan of certain British comedy shows.

My favourite would have to be Vicar of Dibley...simply because it's so heart warming, if that makes sense. Sometimes it has me laughing out loud, but usually it's just a kind of "nice" comedy. I guess it's mostly because I like the characters quite a lot. It's very easy to like them.

Other than that, I'd say that I also enjoy Keeping Up Appearances. Again, it's not really even as laugh-out-loud funny as Vicar of Dibley, but it has great characters and some pretty humorous situations.

I guess the most obvious comedies are Absolutely Fabulous or Mr. Bean...I like Mr. Bean, but I've seen it so many times. It's been showing in Australia for years and years. Same goes for Absolutely Fabulous -- although the main reason I don't watch it often is because Edina annoys the hell out of me. Seriously, someone needs to punch that woman with a truck. Ahem. ^_^;;

Actually, I tend to like Rowan Atkinson's other comedy stuff. Black Adder (particularly the later series) are really quite clever. He has the most awesome one-liners...it reminds me of Frasier. The one-liners are always biting and witty. It's really fantastic.

I also really love Rowan Atkinson's live performances. I've never seen a live comedy act that I've enjoyed as much as Atkinson's work. It's all very clever; he has a great deal of variety in his performances.

Oh yes, and...'Allo 'Allo is awesome. WWII comedy all the way. ^_^;

[/color]

[Semjaza]

I absolutely love Keeping Up Appearances. In fact, I'd say it's my favorite out of all of these. I suppose it's not for everyone. The humor in it is even more dry than the other British comedies I've seen. The characters are so ridiculous that I can't help but enjoy them. Hyacinth is so neurotic and I really feel for her husband.

Strangely, the woman who plays Hyacinth is apparently a rather respected actress around those parts. I've seen her in several movies and she's always done an excellent job.

[Andrew]

[I]Speaking as a Britain, can I point out that you missed out 'The Young Ones' and 'Bottom' (which is still going, released a live show last year). Some personal favourites are the Black Adder series', The Monty Python Gang, Red Dwarf and Coupling. I never seize to be amazed by how many different characters that Rowan can play. Admitidly, Black Adder is cleverer than Mr. Bean but Mr. Bean was just generally funny to see with all his wacky situations.

I'll end my pointless rant here...[/I]

[Dragonstar]

I didn't mention The Young Ones and Bottom as I haven't seen them, which is also why I only mentioned the Monty Python films

Which reminds me, Carry On... now they are hilarious, I've seen Carry On Coloumbus, Carry On Follow that Camel and bits of Carry On Nurse and Carry On Dick (I think it was alled that, the one with Dick Turpin) ^_^

I am unwilling to belive that I'm the only League Of Gentlemen fan here though. :(

[Doukeshi]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i]
[B]Strangely, the woman who plays Hyacinth is apparently a rather respected actress around those parts. I've seen her in several movies and she's always done an excellent job. [/B][/QUOTE]

Yes indeed, she was also in an older TV detective series called 'Hetty Wainthrop Investigates' which also starred one of the hobbits...billy boyd I think it was, though I could be wrong. I was never particularly fond of 'Keeping up Appearances'

I really love our comedy, though I enjoy US comedies too, such as MASH and Frasier. Blackadder II remains my favourite Blackadder and the Vicar of Dibley is great primarily because I love Dawn French.

[Gavin]

[size=1]I was actually having a conversation with my brother about this going into town today. As an Irish person I have access to both British and American comedies thanks to BBC, Channel 4 and Sky. I have to say with complete honesty that older British ones are far, far better with much more varied forms of humour to them. Oh and although made by the BBC, Father Ted is actually an Irish comedy set on the west coast of Galway or Mayo [the Irish county not the dressing] and I have to say that it is one of the funniest ever written.

I really did enjoy Father Ted for a number of reasons, firstly it's because of Father Jack Hackett, I mean never before has a comedy made a priest who's an alcoholic sex-crazed lunatic so funny. Secondly there's father Dougal McGuire, he's so stupid and innocent that you've just got to love him, I mean Father Ted tells him under no circumstances to mention Bishop Brenan's son and what does he say the second the Bishop enters the room "So, how's the son ?". My final reason for liking the show lies in the comedy that the stories used to come up with were thoroughly well thought and entertaining. I think that comedy lost one of it's most entertaining men when Dermot Morgan [Father Ted] died.

Then there's Black Adder, I liked the first series of it somewhat but my favourite has always been the series where he serves the stupid Prince [I'm not sure which series that is]. I mean the stuff that used to happen to him then would have me in fits of laughter. One of the best was where he has to rewrite the fellow's dictionary but then when the person arrives Baldric just produces it for him to see and then burns it as the leave he and Blackadder leave the room.

Fault Towers was another great British comedy, I mean the fits of anger that Basil would enter would just leave my lungs in agony from laughing when he had to get the duck from town and his car broke down and he beat it with the branch in anger. Allo, allo was also brilliant especially the two German Gestapo, the man and the woman. She'd always try and impress him so that he might return a gesture of affection and he would simply do the exact opposite like the line "I will go to my house and you will go to your house".

I think that older comedy from Britain is some of the finest in the world and can't be ripped off by the Simpson's for a one-off episode.[/size]

[Zidargh]

[color=darkblue]We're all forgetting [i]Dad's Army[/i], I really still find that funny. My grandfather loves it and to be honest, I welcome old, British comedies as they make me appreciate what my country has.

[i]Black Adder[/i] is funny occasionally, it can get a bit repetitive but I found it hilarious when [spoiler]he runs off as a coward in battle and the thinks he finds the enemy King of which it is his own and he beheads him with the line, "Right, gotcha!"[/spoiler]

Alot of the comedies mentioned above are good examples, Absolutely Fabulous is indeed amusing, but to be honest, I am not a great fan of [i]The Vicar of Dibley[/i]. It just doesn't appeal to me, she was much better with Jennifer Saunders in, surprisingly enough, [i]French and Saunders[/i].

But yes I do not have much to say as alot of you have mentioned it already. Long live Dad's Army. ^_^[/color]

[Artemis]

Where do all of you Americans see these?! The only British TV show I've seen is "Are You Being Served?" simply because it was on PBS. I found it quite funny, but I only saw it once or twice. I'm a big fan of Monty Python's Holy Grail *glances at signature* Oh, I guess you can see that... But, anyway, I'd love to see the show, too. I've seen Mr. Bean before, in Rat Race (which, in my humble opinion, was not nearly as good as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.) In general I prefer dry, British humor to American bathroom jokes. duorocks17 is a big fan of Austin Powers and such movies, but I can't stand them! One of the funniest movies I've ever seen is The Importance of Being Earnest. (Rupert Evrett, Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon) It's mostly dry, tongue-in-cheek humor which really cracks me up. Now that I think about it, I really dislike most American humor. I don't watch much TV because it doesn't really attract me. (Our sitcoms are [i]so[/i] lame!) I do like Gilmore Girls, but I don't usually have time to watch it.
If anyone knows where I could get a hold of some of those British comedies, let me know! I'm dying for some [i]good[/i] humor! ;)

[OtakuSennen]

[color=midnightblue]I am sorry to say it, but I don't know that much British comedy, but from what I have seen I have absolutely loved.

I was first introduced to Monty Python by my father about two years ago. My mother finally gave in to our protests and let us watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Honestly, I had expected it to be pointless and un-funny, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Holy Grail turned out to be perhaps the funniest movie I have ever seen. The fact that it blended intelligent material, such as that one commoner's monologue regarding forms of government early on in the film and the fact that horses were so rare in England during that period with such moronic, mindlessly violent scenes such as the Death of the Black Knight and The Man-Eating Rabbit Battle so easily is what drew me to this film. I suppose, now that I look back, that intelligent humor mixed with such idiocy is the essence of a lot of British Humor.

We also have the first two volumes of Monty Python's Flying Circus on VHS.. It certainly met my expectations I established after I saw Holy Grail. "The Dead Parrot" and the aliens who turn people into Scotsmen are two particular sketches that stand out in my mind. I can't think of one sketch that I didn't like, in fact, so in a sense I may like Monty Python's Flying Circus over Saturday Night Live.

And, to my dismay, that's about all of the British Comedy I am well-acquainted with. We may be getting BBC America soon, however, so that may change.[/color]

[Dragonstar]

Yes 'The Kumars at no 42 rocks, as does 'Goodness Gracious Me.' My mum says it's racist, but scince it's written and produced by asians aith an asian cast, I fail to see how. It's just asians making fun of themselves.

I particularly think the two families who are trying to outdo each other at being English are brilliant, as is the man who thinks everyone famous is Indian.

Artemis- I am English.

Dad's Army is great, I can't remember the names of all the characters, but some of them just crack me up, particularly the young guy and the one who just says, 'we're DOOMED' oh and the guy who says 'Don't Panick Mr Manwaring!' I remember an episode I saw when I was about six, and they capture this German soldier, and he sings 'whistle while you work, Hitler is a twerp!' XD I laughed at that for years.

'Allo, Allo' was creat, I love that policeman who has a relly bad French accent, so instead of 'Bomb' he says 'Bum' and noone understands a word he's saying. Classic. :D

doukeshi03- It was Billy Boyd, I thought 'Hetty Wainthrop Investigates' was brilliant, my mum used to call it 'Wetty Hainthrop' *shrug* no idea why. :D

[Guest ocarinaboy520]

British comedies... I LOVE BRITISH COMEDIES!!! I watch them all the time! My favorites are [I]Father Ted[/I] [I]Mr. Bean[/I] and [I]Monty Python[/I]. :laugh: I have many of the box sets for the shpws mentioned above, too.

[PWNED]

I live on some british comedies such as Life of Brian, Red Dwarf and Black adder. These are all very funny and you have not known funny until you see Life of Brian.

I'm not very fond of Bean or Fawlty towers because they just arent that appealing to me but then again everyone are allowed to have different tastes.

[Guest rttocs77]

[QUOTE=James][color=#707875]It's called "intelligent humor". ~_^

Same goes for Absolutely Fabulous -- although the main reason I don't watch it often is because Edina annoys the hell out of me. Seriously, someone needs to punch that woman with a truck. Ahem. ^_^;;
[/color][/QUOTE]


Are you kidding!? Edina, Patsy, and Saffy make up the show! They are all hilarious. I laugh out loud many times each episode. I own seasons 1-4 on DVD and I still crack up during each episode.

I think it's the only truly funny British show.

[Genkai]

Hmm... While I lived in England I loved Fortysomething (any Brits know if it's still on? new season?), Teachers, and Adam and Joe Go Tokyo, even though the lattermost wasn't a sit com.