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Father Ted or Mrs Brown's Boys?

aca101

Two great Irish comedies in their 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 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?

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[Deleted User]

This poll seems to be undecided one way or another :P

Living in the UK I cannot fathom why it's so popular.

I can only assume it's because a lot of people think Mrs Brown is played by a woman? Surprisingly, Brendan O'Carroll's stand up comedy never really took off for him over in the UK

old hippy

Deleted User wrote: »

This poll seems to be undecided one way or another :P

Living in the UK I cannot fathom why it's so popular.

I can only assume it's because a lot of people think Mrs Brown is played by a woman? Surprisingly, Brendan O'Carroll's stand up comedy never really took off for him over in the UK

Mrs Brown seems to be his take on his mother, who by all accounts, was an extraordinary woman.

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-12-25/mrs-browns-boys-who-is-the-real-mrs-brown

starlit

I heard that alright.

Aglomerado

krudler wrote: »

Bishop Brennan running across the field towards the house with this gigantic cape still makes me burst out laughing. Some of his lines are fantastic as well. "They've even coming from Gidansk to see the film!" never fails to make me laugh, Jim Norton's comic timing is brilliant in the role.

Crilly, I hate you. So all of that means nothing to me.

I hated MBB the first time I saw it, but it's grown on me. I notice the older generation really like it and it was the only thing I could watch with my parents on Christmas Day that we all got some amusement out of. It'll never top Ted for me though.

DB83

Is that even a serious question?? Mrs brown not fit to be mentioned in the same breath as ted!

Hammar

Anyone who prefers that show to Father Ted should be sterilised.

Neeson

Mrs brown got a contract to be shown every Christmas and new year up until 2018

:0

Conmaicne Mara

This poll is a close run thing, will we ever find an answer

Daqster

Poll results too close too call.

Capt'n Midnight

DeanAustin wrote: »

The only thing about Father Ted which helps me understand why some people don't like it is how one-dimensional and gimmicky the main characters were.

Dougal was stupid.
“He'd never believe you're brave enough to kick him . . . he'll think he just imagined it."

Jack was a perverted piss head.
They lie in wait like wolves, the smell of blood in their nostrils. Waiting, interminably waiting, and then... "

Mrs Doyle was an exaggerated version of a sterotypical Irish woman of a certain vintage.
Ride me sideways

Those three characters were all one trick ponies although Ted had some complexity in fairness.

We've all met eccentrics like some of those priests.

Please tell us how Mrs Brown is multi dimensional

Capt'n Midnight

compare
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/FatherTed?from=Main.FatherTed
with
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Series/MrsBrownsBoys

Even look at how many films / cultural references Fr Ted throws in instead of just copying the joke.

old hippy

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Please tell us how Mrs Brown is multi dimensional

It's **** on so many levels.

fryup

Neeson wrote: »

Mrs brown got a contract to be shown every Christmas and new year up until 2018

a good reason to cancel christmas

IvySlayer

Father Ted is original and well written

Mrs Brown is a load of old jokes with the word fcuk after it

BuilderPlumber

IvySlayer wrote: »

Father Ted is original and well written

Mrs Brown is a load of old jokes with the word fcuk after it

That is very true. Fr Ted is a classic. One of the best Irish comedies ever.

Mrs Brown is indeed full of old jokes and only noticed tonight with the goosey goosey Gandhi. I had noted the French Connection UK part since the start of course!! She must always wear their perfume as she cannot stop mentioning FCUK!!!

Roder51

A sitcom with old worn out jokes and a cast of a real family. Stupid and not funny.

Sunnyisland

Rather Fr ted, but get a few laughs from mbb,Can be a bit crude and vulgar for me though.

Capt'n Midnight

I think there is a clear consensus that MBB is like this post, both original and funny.

The funny bits aren't original and the original bits aren't funny.

Neeson

Id say it'll be getting at award at the NTA awards on ITV on 22nd January.

Up against Miranda, Big Bang theory and something with fervid in it called Derek.

So, another win for Brendan I'd say.

Ghost Buster

Neeson wrote: »

Id say it'll be getting at award at the NTA awards on ITV on 22nd January.

Up against Miranda, Big Bang theory and something with fervid in it called Derek.

So, another win for Brendan I'd say.

Still ****e though

PropJoe10

Well O'Carroll must be doing something right, cos he keeps winning awards for this show. I certainly dont get it though. Its all very strange indeed.

BuilderPlumber

PropJoe10 wrote: »

Well O'Carroll must be doing something right, cos he keeps winning awards for this show. I certainly dont get it though. Its all very strange indeed.

I enjoy MBB somewhat but cannot see why it is so popular with everyone. But I guess it took on because it was at the right place at the right time. Back when it first caught people's imagination in early 2011, Ireland was in a very bad place:

-Snow had ruined Christmas. And we were constantly being told it would come back (it never did that year or would not feature as a major weather issue at any time since December 2010).
-The Cowen government had collapsed.
-The IMF/troika had just arrived.
-Constant negative political programmes like The Frontline predominated our screens.

So, MBB was definitely the alternative people needed to get away from all the poor weather and politics. A saying in the local pub at the time was: we will watch MBB and it will cheer us up!

PropJoe10

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

I enjoy MBB somewhat but cannot see why it is so popular with everyone. But I guess it took on because it was at the right place at the right time. Back when it first caught people's imagination in early 2011, Ireland was in a very bad place:

-Snow had ruined Christmas. And we were constantly being told it would come back (it never did that year or would not feature as a major weather issue at any time since December 2010).
-The Cowen government had collapsed.
-The IMF/troika had just arrived.
-Constant negative political programmes like The Frontline predominated our screens.

So, MBB was definitely the alternative people needed to get away from all the poor weather and politics. A saying in the local pub at the time was: we will watch MBB and it will cheer us up!

I suppose. But its even more popular in Britain than it is over here. I really dont get it at all!

BuilderPlumber

PropJoe10 wrote: »

I suppose. But its even more popular in Britain than it is over here. I really dont get it at all!

From what some English and Scottish friends of mine have said, BOC's Mrs Brown live show was popular in all over the UK for years (moreso than in Ireland). So, with some good marketing and the help of the BBC, it took off there. Still and all, I don't get why it has become so popular here and there!!

old hippy

PropJoe10 wrote: »

I suppose. But its even more popular in Britain than it is over here. I really dont get it at all!

It's incredibly popular over here. And some tend to group it in with Fr. Ted. Which is ridiculous, as there are no similarities between the two shows!

PropJoe10

old hippy wrote: »

It's incredibly popular over here. And some tend to group it in with Fr. Ted. Which is ridiculous, as there are no similarities between the two shows!

Thats extremely disturbing, I have to say.

catallus

They are practically the same show!

Obliq

I have English friends who love MBB, but don't really get Fr. Ted in the same way we do here....

Let's not forget the English LOVE a Benny Hill type comic. MBB isn't far removed from him at all. Lot's of nudge, nudge/wink, wink one liners that Fr. Ted never relied on. You have to actually get Fr. Ted. MBB requires no such brain powers.....but fair play to Brendan O'Carroll for being so popular!

WilyCoyote

I know a few women out here that get the DVDs on Amazon. They find it hilarious. Personally, I think the whole show is corny, the jokes rehashed and the humour inane.

BuilderPlumber

old hippy wrote: »

It's incredibly popular over here. And some tend to group it in with Fr. Ted. Which is ridiculous, as there are no similarities between the two shows!

Mrs Brown and Fr Ted share little in common for sure. The only similarity is that there is a priest in Mrs Brown as well but in a minor role.

The legacy of Fr Ted can be seen much more in Pat Shortt's Killinaskully (not surprising as Shortt was in Ted), especially the rivalry and hatred between the Killinaskully trio (Dan Clancy and co) v the Bally Boys (a very similar outfit): this was an update on the Fr Ted v Fr Dick Craggy Island v Rugged Island storyline in Fr Ted. Plus Fr Philip was very like Fr Dougal in many ways.