Agreed, have you watched any of the live shows they repeat on TV? Even more hilarious, especially when they fuck their lines.Breaker deGodot said:
British Comedy
- Thread starter Rararaz
- Start date
Recommended Videos
mmm QI is awesome one of my faves. Didn't mention it as I didn't know if it would be aired overseas.kampori said:Well, even though I'm half English, I grew up in the UAE, so I guess the difference in culture for most of my life allows me to answer.
I love British comedy. Many of us Brits say to those who don't understand it that, you've just gotta be British to get it. I guess its true to an extent. The synicism, subtlety, sarcasm, culture, wit. Love it.
As far as comedians go- Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, Billy Conolley, Stephen K Amos, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Alan Davies, Sean Lock, Omid Djalili, Dara O Briain,.. sooo many more.
As far as shows- Fawlty Towers, Black Books, QI (my personal favourite because of the tumultuously great casts on each episode), A Bit of Fry & Laurie, Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, Blackadder (all of them), Monty Python, Nevermind the Buzzcocks. There's a fair few more but on the spot I can't remember any of them.
Now on the other foot, I enjoy some American stuff. Some. I agree on House- mainly cus of our Hugh Laurie]) making it Britishly comedic- but just a damn good show. Family Guy/Simpsons/Futurama/American Dad I enjoy thoroughly.
From what I've seen of their stand-up stuff, of which is barely any, I only seem to like Rich Hall (thanks again to QI!)
Eddie Izzard is hilarious, but also incredibily talented. Speaks several languages, recently ran 44 marathons in 44? days for charity and has expressed an interest to go into politics. On a diferent note Phil Jupitus does a brilliant impression of him!DistinctlyBenign said:
Cannot beleive I forgot to put Monty Python in the OP. I apologise. Nothing makes me laugh without fail as the Black Knight in Holy Grail.
There's a few good ones about, but also a few really naff ones.Sjakie said:
On the good side: Lucy Porter, Meera Syral, Jan Ravens, Jo Brand (sometimes), Victoria Wood, Prunella Scales, Connie Booth, Arabella Weir, Jennifer Saunders, Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan, Sally Phillips, Pauline Mclynn, Kathy Burke, Hattie Jacques, Julia Salwaha, Joanna Lumley, June Whitfield, Miranda Richardson, Julie Walters.
None of them?
I've always been annoyed by people (look above for several examples) who go on about how British comedy is more sophisticated, or subtle. It's not, the only people that think it is are arrogant Brits and pretentious yanks. British comedy is great, but it's not any more sophisticated than anywhere else, and please nobody come on here and say that Americans don't get irony. /rant
It's still more sophisticated than German humour.flamingjimmy said:
One show I saw was nearly unintelligible, at one point a cardboard sword came down from the roof and landed next to the guy, then it started talking.
I think the problem here is that there is a general lack of female comedians compared to males. If you assume that talent is equally distributed and a woman is just as likely to be a great comedian as a man then I think the simple fact that there aren't as many comediennes as comedians means there are bound to be far fewer truly great female comedians than male ones. So yes there are a lot of average female acts with a few 'greats' but there are exponentially more average male acts with a correspondingly larger number of great male comedians.The_root_of_all_evil said:
It's not that women aren't inherently funny, it just seems that statistically fewer of them think of it as a career choice.
British comedy is and always will be the best. It makes sense, we're a miserable nation and so our comedy must be of the highest order to keep us all from topping ourselves. I completely dig all the shows listed in the OP, however some were omitted: Spoons, Peep Show, The Young Ones, The Inbetweeners, Mitchell and Webb and the classic Only Fools and Horses (yeah it's getting dated but it's classic). Britain has perfected the art of cringeworthy-yet-hilarious-at-the-same-time comedy. It's difficult to pull that off.
Did you watch his Gameswipe episode? That section on 50 Cent's crystal skull or whatever it's called? That was truly hilarious.TheHappo said:
British TV in general craps all over Australian TV.
In terms of comedy, Black Books, Blakcadder, Fawlty Towers, The Young Ones and Flying Circus are amazing.
I also find that cop shows from the UK are a lot better than their US counterparts (Rebus, Life on Mars (THE REAL (UK) ONE!), Wire in the Blood...)
The there's Spooks, Hustle, Jekyll... I could go on for ages...
In terms of comedy, Black Books, Blakcadder, Fawlty Towers, The Young Ones and Flying Circus are amazing.
I also find that cop shows from the UK are a lot better than their US counterparts (Rebus, Life on Mars (THE REAL (UK) ONE!), Wire in the Blood...)
The there's Spooks, Hustle, Jekyll... I could go on for ages...
Fawlty Towers.
Often rearranged in-show as "Farty Towels", "Fatty Owls", "Flowery Twats"... It's great.
Often rearranged in-show as "Farty Towels", "Fatty Owls", "Flowery Twats"... It's great.
Monty Python's Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers are the absolute funniest things I've ever had the pleasure to watch. Thanks England!
Also, Shaun of the Dead is also one of the best comedy films ever made, right up there with Holy Grail and The Meaning of Life.
Also, Shaun of the Dead is also one of the best comedy films ever made, right up there with Holy Grail and The Meaning of Life.