British TV program question

[Negative Creep]

I honestly can't think of a single (live action) American sitcom I like. My housemates often watch the likes of Friends or Two and a Half Men, but I just find them painfully unfunny. Everyone always says that the Americans jest don't 'get' our humour and don't have much of a grasp on the concept of irony. Quite how much truth there is in this I don't know, although pretty much everyone likes Monty Python! (great comedy never ages)

Little Britain is massive here as well, although I loved it at first, it got very samey after the second series. Same jokes over and over

 

[mkloby]

I honestly can't think of a single (live action) American sitcom I like. My housemates often watch the likes of Friends or Two and a Half Men, but I just find them painfully unfunny. Everyone always says that the Americans jest don't 'get' our humour and don't have much of a grasp on the concept of irony. Quite how much truth there is in this I don't know, although pretty much everyone likes Monty Python! (great comedy never ages)

Little Britain is massive here as well, although I loved it at first, it got very samey after the second series. Same jokes over and over

I'm going to have to give monty python another try. Last time I saw it was years ago when I was 19 or so...

 

[Hunter368]

Funnily enough, mkloby, it's normally only women that don't get Monty Python...

LMFAO

 

[Clave]

I think Brit comedy IS struggling right now... and totally agree about Little Britain - funny at first, then less and less so.. The Office comes to mind as pretty funny in a 'non-funny' way, and also Extras...

I think we should talk funny films now...

The best from both sides of the pond:

Blazing Saddles
Life of Brian
Shaun of the Dead
Dr Strangelove
The Jerk
Airplane
This is Spinal Tap
Beetlejuice
Groundhog Day
Shrek
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Blues Brothers

 

[Njaco]

I would not kick out any one of those movies..each one funnier than the one before BUT....

How about American TV comedies? (just keeping with the thread )

I think the current version of "The Office" on US TV is as good as the English original.

"Seinfeld" was brilliant at times.
"Cheers" wasn't too bad.
"MASH" also had its moments.

But what the h*ll made "Gilligan's Island, Munsters, Will and Grace, Rosanne" so damn popular?

I thought those shows were too stupid to give an opinion.

 

[Clave]

Definitely loved MASH and Cheers - the difference is in the writing

If you have a well thought-out script, it does not matter where the humour is based, you are already more than half-way to a good show..

 

[trackend]

Beverly Hill Billys, Rowan Martins Laugh in and Home improvements come high on my US list

 

[Joe2]

Also theres 'Dad's Army' and anything with Ronny Corbett and Ronny Barker in it. Them two make me laugh alot. 'The phantom rasberry blower, of old London town!'

 

[amrit]

Apart from "live" comedies, the Americans have produced some of the best animated ones. Apart from the obvious Simpsons, I love "Family Guy" and "American Dad". And the British "Bob and Margaret" is just sooooo dry.

And don't forget the radio shows (some that went on to be made into TV progs):

Mary Whitehouse Experience
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
The Goons
Goodness Gracious Me
The Mighty Boosh

 

[Clave]

I like 2DTV, don't know if it's still around - But they do everyone so well, esp. GWB and his Chief of Staff with the sock puppet.. and Celebrity Sperm..

http://www.2dtv.co.uk/movie/2dtv_cb1.mpg

Edit: It's long gone it seems - the site's not been updated for a couple of years...

 

[Lucky13]

Don't forget Dads Army...

 

[Waynos]

Just to revive this ancient thread, some of you who missed it might like to try out Phoenix Nights, The Peter Kay sitcom based in a Northern WMC, I have both series on DVD and it makes me laugh out loud every single time I watch it.

 

[Colin1]

Ja - Oberleutnant Gruber und seine kleine panzer. He vas so much nicer than all zose nasty rough SS boys!

I liked
Herr Flick and his blonde sidekick, though I can't remember her name. The flamboyant Italian with all the feathers in his hat didn't get enough lines for me.

 

[Bucksnort101]

Beverly Hill Billys, Rowan Martins Laugh in and Home improvements come high on my US list

Beverly Hillbillies was a hoot. Simple, old fashioned humor at it's best. Granny made the show

 

[Airframes]

Colin,listen vaaree carefooly, I will say dis onlee wonce. As the Italian officer would say, the 'Bewtiful laaydee' sidekick to Herr Flick was Helga.
I loved that line - "Flick, the Gestapo!" "Nein, I said Flick!"

 

[vikingBerserker]

 

[Negative Creep]

I might just be too young, but I found Allo Allo painfully unfunny

 

[Airframes]

That might be the reason, but it was exceptionally funny, in a quiet sort of way, with its p**s take of archetypal RAF escapees, S.O.E. agents without a proper command of the French language, and the internal bickering of the different groups of the Resistance. Even some French people I know thought it hilarious.

 

[DBII]

Listen vaaree carefooly, I will say dis onlee wonce, They have had a direct hot on the pimps!"The pimps? The pimps! The pimps in the pimping station! No water is being pimped through the poops!"

DBII
owner of the orginal The Fallen Madonna (With The Big Boobies)

 

[Colin1]

Even some French people I know thought it hilarious.

As did most young Germans