Why is 'Mrs Brown' so popular?

political analyst · 16-11-2021 11:51PM #1

Why do so many people watch 'Mrs Brown's Boys'? It is quite clear that the show is unadulterated crap. Brendan O'Carroll in his 'Mrs Brown' persona is not in the least bit funny.

16-11-2021 11:57PM

Fairly unchallenging stuff and toilet humour. Audience can look at it and not feel small or underachieving. Non threatening

rob316 · 16-11-2021 11:59PM

I saw a question once

What is the greatest Irish comedy Mrs browns boys or father Ted?

It was at that moment I lost all faith in society.

16-11-2021 11:59PM

They've a different sense of humour to you. You don't find it funny, they do.

I think it's mostly crap too (have still got the odd chuckle out of it) but if people find it funny, not something to be annoyed by. Old people get a great kick out of it which is nice.

What I don't get is the unhinged hatred of The Big Bang Theory. It's fairly poor all right but I like Sheldon, and it's like numerous mediocre sitcoms so why is it singled out.

The revisionist Friends hate seems like a bandwagon too.

Apiarist · 17-11-2021 12:00AM

I cannot understand its popularity either, but what I know is that some shows or films that are extremely funny to one person can be dull or crass to another person. Humour is very subjective.

17-11-2021 12:00AM

I blame the English. He only managed a 5 min afternoon obscure radio slot here.

It is embarrassingly bad

FintanMcluskey · 17-11-2021 12:02AM

Could never understand it

The remedial stereotypes are prehistoric, ie the gay son

The fake "bloopers"

The nepotism is the funniest part of the show

Have no idea what changed for him either, he was doing drag for years and nobody was interested. If I remember correctly the Brits were annoyed to find out he was actually a man after about 6 seasons

rob316 · 17-11-2021 12:03AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118178391#Comment_118178391

It's lowbrow stuff though and not very smart. Obviously people like it as it wouldn't be running so long if they didn't but I don't see what they see.

oceanman · 17-11-2021 12:08AM

its toilet humour at its best but plenty seem to like it....says a lot about us at a society i guess.

17-11-2021 12:10AM

My late cousin, a very intelligent person, daughter of two professors etc, suffered from anxiety disorder and used to find total aside of worries simply by watching it. It was as good as anti-anxiety pills, way better than alcohol etc in her case. She always said (died of MND some years ago) that her straight/laced and highly intellectual mother would have had a real chuckle at it and having known the lady I can figure that out well!

political analyst · 17-11-2021 12:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118178387#Comment_118178387

I've never watched 'The Big Bang Theory' - I've nothing against it; I just haven't had the inclination to watch it.

Strumms · 17-11-2021 12:24AM

it has the capability to amuse, be funny, but I dunno you can sort of see the decline....

the UK ratings have been plummeting consistently..

the 2016 Christmas special : 9.1 million viewers

the 2020 Christmas special : 5.24 million viewers

you can see the jokes coming a mile off, it all went a bit hammy, a bit story driven, a bit emotive, a bit inoffensive, a bit panto... but it’s not a hanging offense sure it happens.. should have just kept trying to be hilarious and outrageous.

A few of the cast socialize in our local and have done for a number of years and always come across as very down to earth, friendly and unaffected...which is nice to see... Amanda Woods is absolutely stunning in real life.

17-11-2021 12:28AM

Older folk love a bit of nostalgia and some sexual innuendo jokes. It's harmless, and it makes its audience happy.

The majority of the posters on this site are either middle-aged, or fast reaching it, and you can see them not understanding the humour, perspectives, and opinions of young people. It's all part of a process.

pgj2015 · 17-11-2021 09:22AM

I remember one time being on a lads holiday in Spain, I was absolutely dying one morning after 2 or 3 days on the session. We went into a pub to get an orange juice and have a rest. Then what nearly topped me off, they had mr browns boys on the tv, I had to run to the toilets to throw up, I was coming around until I saw that embarrassment of a tv show.

ancapailldorcha · 17-11-2021 03:54PM

In fairness, it does seem to be targeted at older people and there sees to be a paucity of programming catering to that specific demographic. Personally, I like it but I'm well aware that it's utter muck. O'Carroll himself seems like a decent enough bloke.

Viscount Aggro · 17-11-2021 04:06PM

Because most people want low-brow filth, thats why.

The Brits love this sort of stuff. Benny Hill was hugely popular.

thefallingman · 17-11-2021 04:11PM

Toilet humour for the uneducated

Loafing Oaf · 17-11-2021 04:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118181274#Comment_118181274

My late mother always watched it even though she generally cared little for comedy. Well I'm not sure how closely she was 'watching' it but she always seemed to be in a room with a tv switched to the relevant channel when it was on...I guess you're right it must have had something that appealed to the older folks...

thefallingman · 17-11-2021 04:19PM

Robbie Howya Keane loves it

whisky_galore · 17-11-2021 04:33PM

Some awful things are just popular; Mrs Brown, Country n Irish music, gonorrhea..

AllForIt · 17-11-2021 04:39PM

I really hate the hair-rollers thing and wearing them in public too, like in the pub. Uggh.

And another think, what's the point of it being so dated in style, as in it looks like it's set in the early 1980's.

Mad_maxx · 17-11-2021 08:36PM

ìf anything its more popular abroad than here

buried · 17-11-2021 08:51PM

O'Carroll is no fool, he's a master of giving his audience what that particular audience wants, and not what they need. And what they want is a grim mish mash of the British TV comedy formats of the past, the dysfunctional family with the half dead granny in the corner, the mammy falling off the wobbly chair trying to fix the half dead kitchen light, the wink wink sexual innuendo, the grotty tobacco/fry stained sitting rooms and its front doorway immediately hitting the piss soaked streets etc.

Hyperbollix · 17-11-2021 08:59PM

It's funny. My late father broke his ass laughing at Mrs. Brown but he also loved Fr. Ted. He could never understand why I loved one and hated the other. That tells me he was really only seeing Fr Ted on one level, the slapstick and toilet humour but the satire and very well observed swipes at old catholic parochial Ireland kind of flew over his head. He was of a generation that lived through that Ireland of course...

Similarly I know people in the UK who thought Fr Ted was desperately distasteful muck and would stick it in the same bin as Fr Ted for the same reason.

The real headbender is when you realize Billy Connolly made a career out of humour not a million miles away from Mrs Browns boys and yet he's a global treasure not many would say a bad word about.

Tomaldo · 17-11-2021 08:59PM

I absolutely love it, makes me laugh if it didn't I wouldn't watch it or the repeats. How is Last of the Summer Wine so popular? I just don't get that, but each to their own, I suppose.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 17-11-2021 09:23PM

It isn't my favourite show, but I can see why people enjoy it, it's an easy laugh. Also, it seems to have the canny ability to make some older people I know who would be quite reserved piss themselves laughing with filthy innuendos.

I was surprised to see it occupy a prime time slot on TV here in New Zealand, popular in Australia too, apparently.

Mad_maxx · 17-11-2021 09:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118182786#Comment_118182786

ive always found Billy Connolly extremely over rated , now hes a very good chat show guest but his onstage material i could take or leave

hes no richard pryor or even dave allen

Mad_maxx · 17-11-2021 09:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118182892#Comment_118182892

not that surprising , Kiwis have a pretty unsophisticated sense of humour to put it mildly , as do aussies

Hangdogroad · 18-11-2021 01:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118178392#Comment_118178392

Actually blame the Scots. They were the first to take to it in a big way when it toured there as a stage show. The wider popularity of the tv show with UK viewers is pretty baffling, but when you consider stuff like On The Busses was hugely popular it makes more sense.

ohnonotgmail · 18-11-2021 01:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118178504#Comment_118178504

older people probably like it because they have heard all of the jokes before. All of them. It is like a badly done 1970s sitcom minus the charm.

AllForIt · 26-12-2021 04:50PM

https://twitter.com/Independent/status/1475018755507990530

Nothing but criticism of MBB's all over Twitter today after it's xmas special, including this one. Oh someone please put it out of it's misery!

Why is 'Mrs Brown' so popular?

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