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What's happened to the Great British comedy of the noughties?

13»

Comments

  • #62
    Chain Smoker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭Chain Smoker


    Ah yes, the glory days of Bo Selecta...

    [serious answer: The BBC became a bit of a bureaucratic nightmare to work for as far as comedy goes, there are interviews with guys like Armando Iannucci talking fairly in depth about how they were effectively given no choice but to look elsewhere]


  • #63
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    Dots1982 wrote: »
    Whether it was sitcoms such as Extras, the Office or Peep Show, sketch shows like Bo Selecta or Little Britain or panel shows like Big Brother's Big mouth (when Russell Brand was presenting), Britain produced some very very funny TV in the noughties.

    I don't see it anymore to be honest. Where did it go?

    Is the talent not there like it was then or is money put towards producing junk TV like Love Island/Geordie Shore?

    They realised that Russell Brand (nearly say Howard) was rubbish - anymore remember that tw*t when he was coked up presenting the club scene on MTV in the 1990's?

    Bo Selecta was okay for a few seconds of cheap laughs , but otherwise rubbish

    Little Britain did have it's moments of genius alright, but some of it was drivel (not all)

    Is Peep Show still on?

    Ali G show? Anyone?

    1990's was a tad bit better


  • #64
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    Chain Smoker wrote: »
    Ah yes, the glory days of Bo Selecta...

    [serious answer: The BBC became a bit of a bureaucratic nightmare to work for as far as comedy goes, there are interviews with guys like Armando Iannucci talking fairly in depth about how they were effectively given no choice but to look elsewhere]

    Wow, a bit like RTÉ so

    Surprised Iannucci and Coogan got away with those BBC jokes on Alan Partridge.


  • #65
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    Mec27 wrote: »
    UK television can never compare to America despite their copes. Only Fools and Horses is a terrible show that has aged horribly, oh ha delboy hilarious antics yet again:rolleyes:

    Inbetweeners is the only funny show.

    Might have aged, but Only Fools and Horses had heart and is still funny and , even a bit clever. Nearly anyone can watch that. Suppose you think Fawlty Towers is lame too?

    While I enjoyed Inbetweeners , that had some filth in it though:D. Will's mum:cool:

    Funny no one mentioned the Royal Family (not my cup of tea)

    Nothing beats the 1990's Fast Show!Well, bar maybe Chris Morris stuff


  • #66
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    Conall Cernach wrote: »
    Peep Show only ended a few months ago.

    A sad day indeed


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  • #67
    Billy86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,495 ✭✭✭✭Billy86


    Lt Dan wrote: »
    They realised that Russell Brand (nearly say Howard) was rubbish - anymore remember that tw*t when he was coked up presenting the club scene on MTV in the 1990's?
    Dee Eff CEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

    Kill me now. :rolleyes:


  • #68
    padd b1975
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭padd b1975


    El Chapo wrote: »

    Craig Cash is an absolute genius.

    I wouldn't go that far, I used to cringe when everyone would burst into song.


  • #69
    Chain Smoker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭Chain Smoker


    Lt Dan wrote: »
    Wow, a bit like RTÉ so

    Surprised Iannucci and Coogan got away with those BBC jokes on Alan Partridge.
    Nah, RTE is so small scale it sounds like a family bickering than a real media outlet; BBC jokes are fair game, it's everything else that's an issue. You've to consult with various departments all over the shop.
    I mean, it's fairly telling the Coogan wound up taking Alan Partridge to Sky at pretty much the same time as he was tearing into Murdoch all over the place.


    They've definitely gotten worse at developing talent too, the fact Limmy was never given any kind of chance at all outside of BBC Scotland despite there being very clear signs he could appeal on a bigger scale (what other sketch shows from the UK do you ever see anyone linking to anywhere?) is fairly confusing.


  • #70
    El Chapo
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 267 ✭✭El Chapo


    Anyone remember The Smoking Room?

    It was so bad it was good. :pac:


  • #71
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,059 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    The BBC probably never quite recovered from WIA which was so accurate no one could quite bare to turn in for work and face their collegues never mind have any ideas!


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  • #72
    Chain Smoker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,484 ✭✭✭Chain Smoker


    At least they had the sense to not give Ricky Gervais any money for Derek though


  • #73
    padd b1975
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭padd b1975


    Marion and Geoff deserve a mention.

    That guy has to be one of life's greatest ever losers.


  • #74
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 745 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Has "Balls of Steel" been mentioned yet? That used to be a big favourite of mine.


  • #75
    Irish Guitarist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,736 ✭✭✭Irish Guitarist


    I think most British comedies of any decade are terrible rubbish. Noughties comedies are some of the worst. They were far too reliant on catchphrases. In every episode of Little Britain you would know exactly what was coming. "Computer says no". "I'm the only gay in the village". "Yeah but no but yeah but no".

    That's the same reason I would never watch Father Ted again. "Would you have a cup of tea? Ah go on. You will you will you will". "Drink. Feck. Arse. Girls". "The money was just resting in my account". The same rubbish in every episode.


  • #76
    Rjd2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,351 ✭✭✭✭Rjd2


    Also just remembered Bellamys People, a magnificent sketch show which got binned after one season to poor ratings. :(

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1581696/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_8

    What a cast.

    For what its worth Rhys Thomas with that and Brian Pern has been an another underrated star of British comedy over the last few years. :)


  • #77
    sligojoek
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,420 ✭✭✭✭sligojoek


    Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »
    Early Doors was genius and doesn't get anywhere near enough attention it's up there with the Royle Family.
    Agreed. It's a pity they didn't do a third series after Ken and Tanya got together.


  • #78
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    Irish Guitarist wrote: »
    I think most British comedies of any decade are terrible rubbish. Noughties comedies are some of the worst. They were far too reliant on catchphrases. In every episode of Little Britain you would know exactly what was coming. "Computer says no". "I'm the only gay in the village". "Yeah but no but yeah but no".

    That's the same reason I would never watch Father Ted again. "Would you have a cup of tea? Ah go on. You will you will you will". "Drink. Feck. Arse. Girls". "The money was just resting in my account". The same rubbish in every episode.

    The catchphrases were kind of a dressing . The content of the joke was more the situation that our "hero" were involved in

    Fr Ted - taking the pee out of Terry Wogan, Sinead O'Connor, Bishop Casey, Eurovision, Rose of Tralee, Daniel O'Donnell, etc

    Little Britain had its moments but was mostly catchphrases alright and humor for weirdos

    Funny no one mentioned that rubbish, Phoenix Nights with that moron , Peter Kay

    Never got Mighty Bosh - more catchphrase stuff.


  • #79
    Dirty Dingus McGee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,631 ✭✭✭Dirty Dingus McGee


    Irish Guitarist wrote: »
    I think most British comedies of any decade are terrible rubbish. Noughties comedies are some of the worst. They were far too reliant on catchphrases. In every episode of Little Britain you would know exactly what was coming. "Computer says no". "I'm the only gay in the village". "Yeah but no but yeah but no".

    That's the same reason I would never watch Father Ted again. "Would you have a cup of tea? Ah go on. You will you will you will". "Drink. Feck. Arse. Girls". "The money was just resting in my account". The same rubbish in every episode.


    I saw about 3 episodes of Little Britain and it was terrible ****e the same jokes being repeated over and over again.

    Father Ted on the other hand was genius sure there were catchphrases but they were only a small part of the show.I was always surprised by how popular it was in the UK as it always seemed to me to be a very Irish show and if you weren't Irish I don't think you would get a lot of the jokes.


  • #80
    maudgonner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »
    I saw about 3 episodes of Little Britain and it was terrible ****e the same jokes being repeated over and over again.

    Father Ted on the other hand was genius sure there were catchphrases but they were only a small part of the show.I was always surprised by how popular it was in the UK as it always seemed to me to be a very Irish show and if you weren't Irish I don't think you would get a lot of the jokes.

    Yeah, Father Ted had layers of comedy of lots of different types, and that's why it worked so well.

    There were the catchphrases, the one-liners, the physical comedy. There was also social satire, sometimes quite cutting stuff. And there was dark humour & pathos.


  • #81
    Potential Underachiever
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,007 ✭✭✭Potential Underachiever


    Lt Dan wrote: »
    Funny no one mentioned that rubbish, Phoenix Nights with that moron , Peter Kay

    I've taken faux outrage to the above comments, absolute blasphemy. Phoenix nights is brilliant and I thought everybody loved Peter Kay so I don't know about the moron talk either, go wash your mouth out or as you typed it go wash your hands and repent.


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  • #82
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 22,384 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Irish Guitarist wrote: »
    I think most British comedies of any decade are terrible rubbish. Noughties comedies are some of the worst. They were far too reliant on catchphrases. In every episode of Little Britain you would know exactly what was coming. "Computer says no". "I'm the only gay in the village". "Yeah but no but yeah but no".

    That's the same reason I would never watch Father Ted again. "Would you have a cup of tea? Ah go on. You will you will you will". "Drink. Feck. Arse. Girls". "The money was just resting in my account". The same rubbish in every episode.

    Em.

    It was only rubbish if you were locked into the idea that the punchine is the joke. In comedies like the Fast Show they deconstructed that whole concept and did it the other way around, the comedy was the build up and how they would arrive at the punchline, which was known in advance.

    I disliked Little Britain because I just didn't find it funny. But not because of the concept they used...I just found far too much was based on Walliams doing his camp shtick or drag act, a lame joke spread too far.


  • #83
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    Potential Underachiever wrote: »
    I've taken faux outrage to the above comments, absolute blasphemy. Phoenix nights is brilliant and I thought everybody loved Peter Kay so I don't know about the moron talk either, go wash your mouth out or as you typed it go wash your hands and repent.

    Never!:cool:

    Awful wurking class northern shhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttteeeeeeeeeeee


  • #84
    heathledgerlove
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭heathledgerlove


    It's Sammy! Sammy Snake!

    It's inflatable filth, that!


    Potential Underachiever wrote: »
    I've taken faux outrage to the above comments, absolute blasphemy. Phoenix nights is brilliant and I thought everybody loved Peter Kay so I don't know about the moron talk either, go wash your mouth out or as you typed it go wash your hands and repent.


  • #85
    Potential Underachiever
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,007 ✭✭✭Potential Underachiever


    heathledgerlove wrote: »
    It's Sammy! Sammy Snake!

    It's inflatable filth, that!

    It's a love length!

    Some great characters in that show, Brian Potter, Jerry the berry, Rayvon, Kenny Dalglish Snr, Den Perry, all great!


  • #86
    KwackerJack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,123 ✭✭✭KwackerJack


    Only Fools & Horses

    Unfortunately due to the reality tv & soap ****e we have today we will never see such comedy genius again!!

    Shows like Only Fools & Horses will never again be given the chance to start up, gain viewers and become the sucsess it achieved!

    Were all to caught up watching tanned, steriod filled yobos cry over some fake tanned botox junkie tart and then cry about to the other awful acting yobos and tarts!

    If we gave our own lives and world the same attention it would be so much more of a friendly planet! And we'd have tv that would actually be worth watching


  • #87
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,135 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Several people commented, after Caroline Ahern's death, that The Royal family wouldn't even get a pilot today. Given the huge ongoing success of Dads Army & Father Ted I am surprised that Fools & Horses hasn't been given a full re run.
    Ab Fab may reappear if the movie is a success.


  • #88
    Strumms
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,205 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    Discodog wrote: »
    Several people commented, after Caroline Ahern's death, that The Royal family wouldn't even get a pilot today. Given the huge ongoing success of Dads Army & Father Ted I am surprised that Fools & Horses hasn't been given a full re run.
    Ab Fab may reappear if the movie is a success.

    Only Fools was pretty much going to make a comeback until the writer John Sullivan went into hospital for something non life threatening, ended up with Pneumonia and died unexpectedly. There have been murmurs that his son was subsequently writing scripts for a comeback but that was a few years ago and nothing became of it. The comeback before Sullivan died was confirmed by a couple of the actors in the aftermath of his death as they had all agreed to do it...


  • #89
    indioblack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,961 ✭✭✭indioblack


    Dots1982 wrote: »
    Whether it was sitcoms such as Extras, the Office or Peep Show, sketch shows like Bo Selecta or Little Britain or panel shows like Big Brother's Big mouth (when Russell Brand was presenting), Britain produced some very very funny TV in the noughties.

    I don't see it anymore to be honest. Where did it go?

    Is the talent not there like it was then or is money put towards producing junk TV like Love Island/Geordie Shore?
    Somewhere along the line the ability to make good, timeless comedy was lost.
    An example of how to get it right is Porridge in the 1970's.
    Written by people who knew their craft - with first class acting.
    Not overblown, minimalist - as befitted the subject.
    Nothing superfluous in the script writing - a treat to watch 40 years after it was first screened.


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