Father Ted or Mrs Brown's Boys?

whomitconcerns · 25-01-2013 12:44PM

paths to freedom........erm.....sure why not "Leave it to Mrs O'Brien"

lots of

2ndcoming · 25-01-2013 12:52PM

Important to remember that your average Boardsie isn't the target audience for Mrs. Brown's Boys. I think calling it tripe would be an insult to tripe and when they break the fourth wall it makes me get sick in my mouth a little, but my parents in their late 60's love it.

That said I'm pretty sure even my Dad would readily agree it's no Father Ted. My mother is old school in the extreme and still believes Dermot Morgan was struck down for slighting the church so to people like her it's the type of inoffensive light humour that's right up her street.

I think it's so terrible because while you can't compare it to Ted, you can compare it to Only Fools or The Royle Family. And it fails miserably on both counts.

Hidalgo · 25-01-2013 12:55PM

syklops wrote: »

Well if it was Scarlet Johansen doing the shi|e...

Yeah anyway,

Interesting, but the topic is Fr Ted vs MBB. Wagons den is not in the contest. You need to read the rules.

I was simply replying to quotes which said Mrs. Brown's Boys was the worst thing ever on RTE and that posters would prefer to watch Wagons Den over Mrs. Brown's Boys

Ed Winchester · 25-01-2013 01:15PM

syklops wrote: »

Well if it was Scarlet Johansen doing the shi|e...

Yeah anyway,

Interesting, but the topic is Fr Ted vs MBB. Wagons den is not in the contest. You need to read the rules.

How does one gather viewer-ship figures on a fifteen year old programme at anything similar to a current programme. You can't.

You take the viewership figures when it was first aired and compare them to the current figures for MMB. Not that hard really.

25-01-2013 01:27PM

Basq wrote: »

C'mon now.. the 15 people who voted "Mr's Browns Boys", reveal yourself, so you can be stoned with lumps of your own shite..

I'd wager they already are, to find this tripe funny.

MaxSteele · 25-01-2013 02:09PM

And the award for most bullied OP goes to ........

Chemical Burn · 25-01-2013 02:17PM

aca101 wrote: »

Two A great Irish comedies in their its own right, Father Ted was completely original and groundbreaking at the time but looking at back at it now it feels like the gags became repetitive as the series went on.

Mrs Brown's Boys is seems to be underrated here (and rightly so) in Ireland, I'll no doubt get dog's abuse from the Father Ted fanatics but given the recent phenomenal success of MBB I think it's a touch and go as to which of these two is the greatest Irish comedy series. What say ye?

FYP

This poll shouldn't be anonymous so we can hunt down and properly punish those who voted for MBB.

Chemical Burn · 25-01-2013 02:21PM

Nonoperational wrote: »

Oh God. Please tell me your 15 or something. Father Ted or Mrs Brown's boys. I'm in shock that question even exists!

You're

rossie1977 · 25-01-2013 02:39PM

father ted is one of the greatest shows ever so it wins easily

but those saying that MBB is worst show in history of rte are taking the piss, i only watch an odd time but some of the skits are fine, its a show aimed at women over 50 and caters to its audience well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U430rpfjIIQ

Frank Bullitt · 25-01-2013 02:40PM

How the hell can you compare these 2???

Korvanica · 25-01-2013 02:45PM

This should have been a public poll...

saiint · 25-01-2013 02:57PM

Nonoperational wrote: »

Oh God. Please tell me your 15 or something. Father Ted or Mrs Brown's boys. I'm in shock that question even exists!

cause his age matters ?:rolleyes:

i voted father ted , obviously much more funny and original
although mbb is funny , dont get why people are saying its not because it is , its just not as funny as father ted
to many kids butt hurt on here because hes comparing the too :pac: id happily watch both one after another

Arpa · 25-01-2013 02:57PM

There is no contest in terms of quality of humour and ingenuity, however I feel Ms. Browns Boys has a place outside of Irish humour.

Over Christmas it was on and I was sitting in with a few international mates, Brazilian, Spanish, French and a Latvian. They all found it hilarious. Maybe we Irish see this type of character and situation in our everyday lives and therfore are accustomed to it which may mean that we don't think it worthy of a TV show. So international audiences find it funny enough, because as I'm sure you've noticed, other people don't get comedy like the Irish, British and to an extent the Ozzies and Canadians.

I laugh mildly at some of the jokes, but they seem to be re-hashes of other jokes over the years. Every joke I see is predictable and I always find myself thinking, "I've seen that somewhere else before."

Why people dismiss it so vehemently is what I don't understand though. It's better than a lot of shiet but it doesn't compare to comedy classics like Father Ted. I for one know I'd prefer to watch Ms. Browns Boys than that shiet they produce like Give My Head a rest or whatever it was called. Also better than Killinaskully and basically loads of other so called comedies in the Irish vein.

passremarkable · 25-01-2013 03:20PM

close the thread?? the OP is an idiot boyyy

Sir Gallagher · 25-01-2013 03:42PM

CTYIgirl wrote: »

While Father Ted is the runaway winner here, if we did this poll in another fifteen years would it be the same?

I hope so. I mean, that's the thing about MBB, it's all very vague and nobody really knows what it's about.

MBB is actually more dated than Fr. Ted at this moment in time, the jokes are cliche and throwaway so i dont think there'll be any question of which is more popular years down the line.

Oblig. Ted quote:

Father Fitzpatrick: And this is the last known photo of Herr Hitler; he's signing a few death warrants there.

Ted: Funny how you get more right-wing as you get older.

AnonoBoy · 25-01-2013 03:49PM

The vast majority of gags in Mrs. Brown's Boys are recycled old gags that people have heard loads of times before. The sort of 'hilarious' jokes that some stupid uncle will tell you down the pub or when he corners you at the bar at a family wedding.

The writers of Father Ted actually wrote their own material instead of just robbing wholesale from all around them.

So if you don't care that the comedy is really really unoriginal and you think a man in a dress is HIGHLARIOUS!!!!! then Mrs Brown's Boys is for you.

If however you prefer comedy that's original then it's not.

TLDR; Mrs Brown's Boys is utter sh*te.

Sir Gallagher · 25-01-2013 04:02PM

There seems to be a huge appetite for piss poor, wink-wink nudge-nudge humour these days. Blokes like Peter Kaye and John Bishop filling huge arenas and MBB enjoying huge success on both sides of the water. Its not far off the likes of Roy Chubby Brown imo. I expect Brendan Grace to make a highly successful come back any day now.

WumBuster · 25-01-2013 04:04PM

I rarely hate stuff on TV even shyte reality TV shows, Im indifferent, I mean if it has an audience it's got a right to be be there. But MBB, I tell you I truly hate and detest it. I just find it stupid, offensive and makes me feel embarrassed to be Irish.. Fr Ted..clever lines, great writing and acting,and funny characters. Cannot compare

Sinfonia · 25-01-2013 04:06PM

I gave MBB a chance thinking maaaybe it was a clever postmodern satire of the sitcom, a la That's My Bush!, but no. It's not.

Arpa wrote: »

Over Christmas it was on and I was sitting in with a few international mates, Brazilian, Spanish, French and a Latvian. They all found it hilarious. Maybe we Irish see this type of character and situation in our everyday lives and therfore are accustomed to it which may mean that we don't think it worthy of a TV show.

I think it's more that Father Ted (along with great comic writing and comic acting) absolutely hit the nail on the head with respect to the idiosyncracies of everyday Irish culture and people (especially in smaller communities). There's a big difference between those idiosyncracies and the lazy stereotyping that MBB is (IMO) guilty of. Of course it's much easier to distinguish the difference if you are a part of - and have grown up amid - that culture, with those people.

A line like "They've taken the roads in" is sublimely true and accurate in that respect, and it shines so much more than the kind of "Ah Jayyyisis Mammy" dialogue in MBB - it's only a step down from a show about drunk leprechauns making bombs out of potatoes.
But I admit, I feel that if I weren't Irish, I might not see all of the brilliance in the "roads" line, so perhaps the sterotype-driven shtick would be funnier to me as I would understand it more easily.
As others have said, it seems as though people are laughing at us, rather than with, even if they are doing so unwittingly.

kraggy wrote: »

This isn't exactly a Sophie's Choice kind of situation.

Even Sophie's Choice vs. Mrs. Brown's Boys wouldn't be a Sophie's Choice kind of situation.

Cienciano · 25-01-2013 04:11PM

Graham Linehan went went on to write great comedies like Black Books and The IT Crowd.
I'd be very surprised if Brendan O'Carroll went on to do anything other than dressing like a woman and saying stuff like "how's your hairy bits".

It's very hard to watch MBB and not think of When The Whistle Blows from Extras. Fair play to Brendan, he's doing well.

Sir Gallagher · 25-01-2013 04:16PM

Cienciano wrote: »

Graham Linehan went went on to write great comedies like Black Books and The IT Crowd.
I'd be very surprised if Brendan O'Carroll went on to do anything other than dressing like a woman and saying stuff like "how's your hairy bits".

It's very hard to watch MBB and not think of When The Whistle Blows from Extras. Fair play to Brendan, he's doing well.

Are ya havin a laugh?

ShaneScouse · 25-01-2013 04:22PM

MBB is cringe worthy, it embarrasses me that its Irish. Stupid thread.

blade1 · 25-01-2013 04:22PM

gags in MBB are from donkey's years ago!
they weren't funny then and they are not funny now!

fangee · 25-01-2013 04:26PM

I'm new on here and struggling with the layout so I can't seem to start a new thread.

Any chance a more seasoned user starting a thread asking people to list top 5 comedy series's of all time ? or top ten ?

whomitconcerns · 25-01-2013 04:29PM

fangee wrote: »

I'm new on here and struggling with the layout so I can't seem to start a new thread.

Any chance a more seasoned user starting a thread asking people to list top 5 comedy series's of all time ? or top ten ?

click the "new thread" button at the top of any forum would be a start methinks. And AH may not be the best place maybe check tv/film section..

fangee · 25-01-2013 04:39PM

whomitconcerns wrote: »

click the "new thread" button at the top of any forum would be a start methinks. And AH may not be the best place maybe check tv/film section..

Think I'll go and look for my money back from the laser eye surgery. Can't see yon "new thread" button.