British Comedy

fisgon

Why is British comedy so bad? Just checked out Hebburn, a new comedy on BBC2, basically because Kimberly Nixon is in it. And it is terrible. Not just bad, but terrible, awful, cliched characters, artificial situations, dialogue that is actually painful to listen to. Vic Reeves is in it, hope he is suitably embarrassed.

Outnumbered is a good show, but I think it has been cancelled. Are there any even watchable British comedies out there? I haven't found any. Compared to their American counterparts - BBT, Modern Family, Parks and Rec - the British attempts are simply shameful.

LiamKK1982

I find Miranda really funny. She has the best comedy series on the BBC for a number of years

maximoose

There aren't many ongoing shows that I pay much attention to, but to write it all off as shameful when there are some absolutely cracking British Comedies that have been made recently is just silly.

(Especially while throwing BBT out there as something to aspire to - awful, AWFUL show :pac:)

fisgon

maximoose wrote: »

there are some absolutely cracking British Comedies that have been made recently .

(

So what are they? This was my question. I am open to being proved wrong.

Basq

fisgon wrote: »

Why is British comedy so bad?

Do you mean currently airing or just British comedy in general?

Good British comedy that's currently airing include Friday Night Dinner, Grandma's House, The Thick Of It, Outnumbered (is in between series, but definitely not cancelled.. and not nearly as good as it once was), Twenty Twelve (meant to be good - haven't seen it), Peep Show, Fresh Meat... oh, and Cuckoo.

There's a lot of good British comedy.. you're just watching the wrong ones!

maximoose

fisgon wrote: »

So what are they? This was my question. I am open to being proved wrong.

Off the top of my head...

The Office
Peep Show
I'm Alan Partridge
Extras
Inbetweeners
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Phoenix Nights
The Thick of It
Monkey Dust

Here Come The Pretzels

Alan Partrige is bouncing back...

somuj

Keeping up apperances

fisgon

maximoose wrote: »

Off the top of my head...

The Office
Peep Show
I'm Alan Partridge
Extras
Inbetweeners
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Phoenix Nights
The Thick of It
Monkey Dust

I meant current British comedy. Are any of these being made at the moment? Blackadder is at least 20 years old. And Fawlty Towers? You're making my point for me, , apart from Fresh Meat (also taking a downturn in series 2), my impression is that there is very little quality British comedy being produced at the moment.

Niles

It has some good examples, some of which are listed above. All round they've done better than we have...

fisgon

somuj wrote: »

Keeping up apperances

Seriously?

Basq

fisgon wrote: »

apart from Fresh Meat (also taking a downturn in series 2), my impression is that there is very little quality British comedy being produced at the moment.

IMO, the latest 2 episodes of 'Fresh Meat' at the strongest it's ever been.

Try Friday Night Dinner (written by Robert Popper).. takes a few episodes to get going, but absolutely hilarious!

mike65

It really depends what you want to watch - as it happens I don't think things are too great at this precise moment.

The Yanks churn out comedies like Heinz produce canned food and Irish TV buys an awful lot of it, some of it is bound to be quite good. UK comedy production is almost artisan by comparison which is why the best of it is so damned good.

Colmo52

'Not Going Out' with Lee Mack & Tim Vine is very funny also.

lertsnim

fisgon wrote: »

Seriously?

A lot of people did like it. Seriously could be said for The Big Bang Theory too.

Niles

lertsnim wrote: »

A lot of people did like it. Seriously could be said for The Big Bang Theory too.

I like both...

lertsnim

Niles wrote: »

I like both...

I do too but there are many who have a real hang up about The Big Bang Theory for some reason

Technocentral

Peep Show, of which Season 8 should be starting soon, is one of the best comedies of the last 20 years from any country. Like the best comedies ever (Blackadder, Father Ted, Cheers, Seinfeld, Frasier, 30 Rock) its a mixture of highbrow and lowbrow stuff. Red Dwarf on Dave now (as opposed to the Beeb) is quite good too, not as good as in its 90s heyday but still worth a look.

lertsnim

Technocentral wrote: »

Peep Show, of which Season 8 should be starting soon

November 25th says David Mitchell

sheikhnguyen

Peep show is great stuff. I am surprised no one has mentioned the IT Crowd.

Father Damo

Peep Show is the greatest UK made comedy since Father Ted/ Partridge. Even above The Office.

And Super Hans is arguably even a slightly better comic creation than Alan......debateable though :pac: Its a close tie.

Technocentral

Father Damo wrote: »

Peep Show is the greatest UK made comedy since Father Ted/ Partridge. Even above The Office.

And Super Hans is arguably even a slightly better comic creation than Alan......debateable though :pac: Its a close tie.

Hierarchy spot on there boss, almost up there with Mrs. Brown's Boys.

Skid

Panel Shows (Have I Got News For You, Mock The Week, 8 out of 10 Cats, Would I Lie to You? etc etc) and Stand Up Shows are taking up a lot of the comedy slots at the moment. With all Broadcasters facing Budget pressures, scripted comedy is seen as expensive. Also, the BBC gave never really recovered from the Brand/Sachs incident. Anything perceived as controversial or risky will struggle to get out of development.

But there are some good British Comedies on air, and Sky are investing heavily in new programmes at the moment.

ThisRegard

Moone Boy, set in Ireland, Irish writer and actors, but British funded and produced, does that count ?

connollys

Doesnt count as isnt even close to funny.

Mental Mickey

My faves:

Only Fools & Horses
Blackadder
Porridge
Fawlty Towers
The Young Ones

All absolute classics. The stuff they peddle out now is rubbish in comparison.

Technocentral

Mental Mickey wrote: »

My faves:

Only Fools & Horses
Blackadder
Porridge
Fawlty Towers
The Young Ones

All absolute classics. The stuff they peddle out now is rubbish in comparison.

All great and my favourites too, but Peep Show is also as good as most of them.

Niles

ThisRegard wrote: »

Moone Boy, set in Ireland, Irish writer and actors, but British funded and produced, does that count ?

And Father Ted is a British comedy too!

*runs* :pac:

ricero

Cuckoo is a good british comedy at the moment. My favorite of all time is probaly pheonix nights. A proper laugh out loud northern british comedy

fisgon

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. Seems like Cuckoo is one worth checking out at the moment.

In many of the replies, though, there is a heavy emphasis on the past, on series that have long ceased production. My question really was about current British comedies that are being produced now. Peep Show is indeed great, but can't have many series left in it. In general the situation at the moment seems to me to be pretty barren. (Not sure if anyone has seen Hebburn, on BBC2. Painful)

Technocentral

Niles wrote: »

And Father Ted is a British comedy too!

*runs* :pac:

Production wise (production company, interiors, sets, some crew etc) I agree. But the creative minds, writers, content and subject matter are 100% Irish. There is no way any one watching Ted would say its a remotely British comedy, unlike say, Mrs Browns Boys which, with 90% of its "humour" stolen from awful 70s British tv shows is very British, I watched a few episodes and kept thinking of 70s crap like The Dick Emery Show, On The Buses and Carry On films.

Technocentral

fisgon wrote: »

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. Seems like Cuckoo is one worth checking out at the moment.

In many of the replies, though, there is a heavy emphasis on the past, on series that have long ceased production. My question really was about current British comedies that are being produced now. Peep Show is indeed great, but can't have many series left in it. In general the situation at the moment seems to me to be pretty barren. (Not sure if anyone has seen Hebburn, on BBC2. Painful)

Personally I don't care if its a sitcom, Partridge and The Office type show or quiz show type format as long as its funny, thats why I'd add in QI, 8 of 10 Cats and especially Would I Lie To You, all frequently as hilarious a any American comedy.

cjmcork

have heard that 'the Thick of it' is good, I enjoyed Episodes but would rather have bamboo shoots shoved under my nails than endure Miranda - I just don't get it, why is she on everything, every chat show, etc - I imagine Children In Need tomorrow night will be a 7 hour Miranda-athon.......

goose2005

Skid wrote: »

Panel Shows (Have I Got News For You, Mock The Week, 8 out of 10 Cats, Would I Lie to You? etc etc) and Stand Up Shows are taking up a lot of the comedy slots at the moment. With all Broadcasters facing Budget pressures, scripted comedy is seen as expensive.

Panel shows are scripted comedy.

Havermeyer

The Thick Of It is a really good show. But apart from that, I've found most BBC comedies of recent years to be pretty appalling - barr the obvious one or two good ones.

Really cheap production, and writing that first year drama students would be ashamed of.

Father Damo

Technocentral wrote: »

Production wise (production company, interiors, sets, some crew etc) I agree. But the creative minds, writers, content and subject matter are 100% Irish. There is no way any one watching Ted would say its a remotely British comedy, unlike say, Mrs Browns Boys which, with 90% of its "humour" stolen from awful 70s British tv shows is very British, I watched a few episodes and kept thinking of 70s crap like The Dick Emery Show, On The Buses and Carry On films.

Indeed. Ted may have been popular in Britain, but hardly as, dare I say, culturally significant as here, where people drop lines from it into every day conversation, news headlines, banners at football matches etc etc.

maudgonner

The Thick of It was fantastic and will be missed. I also like Getting On and Rev, two BBC comedies that don't get massive publicity but are pretty great.

Ashbourne hoop

Colmo52 wrote: »

'Not Going Out' with Lee Mack & Tim Vine is very funny also.

Yeah I like that too. I thought Miranda was awful muck though.

ejmaztec

Ashbourne hoop wrote: »

Yeah I like that too. I thought Miranda was awful muck though.

That big biddy is vastly over-rated, can't stand her.:(