British Comedy

[Reply #280 on:]

Agreed.  It's lowest common denominator comedy, full of base jokes and stereotype characters.  James Dreyfuss playing the same character ("the amusing poof" - oh, hilarious!  ) as he's done in everything he's ever done.

[Reply #281 on:]

I saw someone campaigning for that show and how it should've been higher on Britain's best sitcom. Bah!

How's everyone feel about that, the BBC forums are full of people moaning how show "Random generic comedy #57" should be number one! It's so pathetic reading all their moaning. I voted for "Yes Minister".

[Reply #282 on:]

Which one won?  Fawlty Towers?  Blackadder?

There are some great recent sitcoms, but they don't come near "the classics".  How could Gimme Gimme Gimme come anywhere near that.

That's the thing with public polls, they don't account for quality.

[Reply #283 on:]

They're stretching this for all it's worth...

Top 100-11 are chosen, with the top 10 un-ordered. You can vote for your favourite of the 10 now. They are then showing one hour long show for each of the top ten every week. After each show you're allowed another vote (Don't ask me how they check, they probably don't). Then they reveal the top 10. So you have 11 weeks of voting.

[Reply #284 on:]

I think with trashy Britcoms like Gimme Gimme Gimme and Two Pints Of Lager, had I still have been sixteen right now I would still enjoy them. Going to College and doing Media and Communications has really changed the way I watch TV: now I don't and have little desire to.   

 That comment about James Dreyfus is spot on, btw. I remember Constable Goodie.   

 

[Reply #285 on:]

I'm 15 and hate that "comedy" with a vengence.

[Reply #286 on:]

Well, good for you. I, however, took a little while figuring out where the hell I was coming from.

[Reply #287 on:]

Well I voted in the top 100, thingy.  I went for Fawlty Towers, it was a close thing between that and Blackadder.

[Reply #288 on:]

I just had a gander. Once I get over the disappointment of Red Dwarf not being in there I might vote.
 
 Only Fools hasn't done itself much good with its last three Christmas episodes.

[Reply #289 on:]

Red Dwarf was in the top 20 i think, just not the top 10, shame that.

I didn't mind the most recent X-Mas special(s).

[Reply #290 on:]

It's not that they were terrible, but the hype and the 364 day gap between each episode perhaps made them out as better than they actually were. The Office did both its final Christmas episodes within one day of each other and worked far better if you ask me. Although it's a little unfair to compare the shows in terms of content.

[Reply #291 on:]

I'm voting for Blackadder, I caught the last episode of Goes Forth. I never found a character death so upsetting.

[Reply #292 on:]

The ending of Blackadder Goes Forth was truly remarkable. It's British programming at its best.

And watching the original filming of the ending, it's thousands of times better then before!

[Reply #293 on:]

Blackadder is truly genius.

Except for that awful Millenium Dome promo [shudder]...

[Reply #294 on:]

I'm voting for Blackadder. Superb, timeless comedy.

[Reply #295 on:]

There was a one off Blackadder called Blackadder Goes Back And Forth, which wasn't very good. It had Edmund and Baldrick going to various times in the past with a time machine. The biggest problem was that it was too short. The second biggest problem was that it was never going to be up to the standards of the previous body of work, but perhaps if it had been longer it would've been memorable at least.

[Reply #296 on:]

That was the Millenium Dome one Sheep was talking about. It was ok when i saw it. Ok, nothing great but it wasn't too bad.

It had to be quick so they could get in many showings to the people at the Dome as possible.

[Reply #297 on:]

Oh, that was made for the Dome? Wow, I learn something new every year.

[Reply #298 on:]

The dome one had a modern feeling, which feels wrong with Blackadder.

[Reply #299 on:]

It was Ok I was about 13 or 14 when I saw it
So I wished he really did go and punch Shakespeare.

I'm actually doing my first year of A level medianow and we've started studying sitcoms as part of the exam. hopefully we wont look at too many trashy shitty ones. 

[Reply #300 on:]

MR BEAN !!!! With a turky on his head, oh yeah 

[Reply #301 on:]

Hey, I just realised Friends copied that!!

Stupid show.

[Reply #302 on:]

You know what else friends copied, that girl in 'This is spinal tap' who tells them the album cover is sexist and offensive, I could be mistaken and not see that its the same actress
but her voice is exactly the same as janice's

[Reply #303 on:]

"It's not like we're telling her to smell the glove. Well, we are really." 


 

Originally posted by aslate:
It had to be quick so they could get in many showings to the people at the Dome as possible.

That problem didn't become reality though 

[Reply #304 on:]

 

Originally posted by User_names_suck:
You know what else friends copied, that girl in 'This is spinal tap' who tells them the album cover is sexist and offensive, I could be mistaken and not see that its the same actress
but her voice is exactly the same as janice's

The difference is that Fran Drescher's voice (who plays "hostess with the mostest" Bobbi Fleckman in This Is Spinal Tap) is her own, where as Janice's is a put-on.

[Reply #305 on:]

 

I'm actually doing my first year of A level medianow and we've started studying sitcoms as part of the exam. hopefully we wont look at too many trashy shitty ones.

Don't worry, you will 

Because Media Studies courses must look at programmes which the students have experience of, you can be guranteed to be looking at one of these:

Absolutely Fabulous
Friends
The Simpsons
The Office
The Royle Family

You are certain to not be watching any of these:
Red Dwarf
Futurama
Family Guy
The Young Ones
Or anything over a decade old.

Enjoy...

[Reply #306 on:]

I watch The Young Ones, I find it quite surreal.

Also: Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie=    puke: is awful.

[Reply #307 on:]

You can never go wrong with 'Mr Bean' or 'Kevin and Perry'. Great comedies.

[Reply #308 on:]

You can go wrong when they make the transition to the big screen, however. 

[Reply #309 on:]

I'm watching Blackadder at this very moment. I never realised how funny it was. I hope it wins the sitcom thing.
I think its awful that only two of the great British comedies got into the top ten (Fawlty Towers and Blackadder) where are
The Young Ones?
The Office?
Monty Python?
Ab Fab?
The league of Gentlemen?
Phoenix Nights?
Father Ted?
All the other comedies I've forgotten temporarily?

That poll makes me angry.    I want to go and kick the TV, right now.           

[Reply #310 on:]

The Young Ones? - Not seen
The Office? - I've watched 3-4 episodes so far (I downloaded them) and i haven't found it rip-roaringly funny, am i meant to?
Monty Python? - From what [little] i've seen it was too random, but the films were good
Ab Fab? - Again, from what i saw of it, it was too random
The league of Gentlemen? - Just too freaky
Phoenix Nights? - I didn't see many of these, can't really say
Father Ted? - I found this funny, should be up there.

Ok, i hope i won't get ripped apart for that! Some of them i probably need(ed) to see more of them. Also note that Leauge of Gentlement and Phoenix Nights aren't sitcoms, are they? It's greatest sitcom, remember.

[Reply #311 on:]

 

Originally posted by aslate:
Monty Python? - From what [little] i've seen it was too random, but the films were good
Ab Fab? - Again, from what i saw of it, it was too random

HOW DARE YOU CHALLENGE THE FUNNINESS OF THESE SHOWS! NIH!, I SAY, NIH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That said, has anyone mentioned Mr. Bean yet? Or One Foot In The Grave?

Edit: And Fawlty Towers was sheer brilliance, too bad they could only do 12 episodes...
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[Reply #312 on:]

The Office is an odd one because it's not really a traditional sitcom. It's more of a spoof documentary.

 Also, I found The Office to be something of a grower, it's not all that on first viewing which could be why it didn't really catch on 'till the second series and the repeats.

[Reply #313 on:]

 

Originally posted by SlaytanicMaggot:
HOW DARE YOU CHALLENGE THE FUNNINESS OF THESE SHOWS! NIH!, I SAY, NIH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He said that he's seen little of Monty Python.

[Reply #314 on:]

I did say i've seen little of quite a few of them, mainly them not being repeated doesn't help. I have planned to see the entire two seasons of "The Office" all the way through to make sure i don't miss anything.

Also, they wanted to do just twelve. Infact they only planned to do the first 6, it was only on the re-runs that Fawlty Towers was picked-up on. There was a 4 or so year gap too. Aswell as them not wanting to do any more, there were marital problems between Connie Booth and John Cleese. As Cleese put it {re-writing from memory, not a quote), "People often remember the highlights of the series, and think that it was constantly at that level, it gets harder and harder to meet their expectations".

[Reply #315 on:]

While I was doing tech crew for my high school's musical back in march, it was not uncommon to walk into the green room and suddenly hear a dozen voices, at the same time, all going "Bring out the machine that goes....PING!"

[Reply #316 on:]

NIH?!
No, you're not doing it properly, it's "NI!" you electric donkey bottom biter!!
*slaps SlayMag into a canal with a large fish*

aslat0r: Pheonix Nights is a sit(uational) com(edy)
Situation: Club.

[Reply #317 on:]

[Welsh Miner]Yeh bloody fool![/Welsh Miner]

[Reply #318 on:]

Good point aslate, although the league of Gentlemen is SITuated in Royston Vasey, so I guess it COULD be called a sitcom, if you didn't pay attention to reality.
but all the others on my list RULE! 

[Reply #319 on:]

 

Originally posted by Melllvar:
Well I voted in the top 100, thingy.  I went for Fawlty Towers, it was a close thing between that and Blackadder.

I agree, Blackadder and Fawlty towers are excellent, and better than anything the Americans can come up with. But Fawlty Towers is slightly better, especially with John Cleese's totally convincing irrate hotel manager.