Favorite British comedies
RogueAgent
Speeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Mine are:
Rising Damp- I pray that BBC America will finally hear my pleas and air this show. It's classic.
Are You Being Served- I hope to God that this is never made into a movie. It's fine the way it is.
Blackadder- Rowan Atkinson...nuff said...
Brittas Empire- Rimmer strikes gold. Plus Julia St. John is sort of hot IMO...
Keeping Up Appearances- You'd have to be insane not to love this show. Onslow is my favorite character.
Chef- Although this program weaves injections of drama into the subtext, Henry is quite humorous.
The Thin Blue Line- Again Atkinson...plus I have a crush on Mina Anwar.
The Young Ones- Where can I buy a Vyvyan t-shirt?
"Do we have a video?"
The Comic Strip Presents- Please, if you haven't already, see "The Bad News Tour". It's hilarious. Why Peter Richardson isn't as well known here is beyond me.
I realize that Brit humour isn't quite as "catchy" for some Americans as I'm sure vice versa for the English to catch on to ours sometimes but I love it nonetheless...probably more than the shows that air here. Anyone have any shows they like?
Rising Damp- I pray that BBC America will finally hear my pleas and air this show. It's classic.
Are You Being Served- I hope to God that this is never made into a movie. It's fine the way it is.
Blackadder- Rowan Atkinson...nuff said...
Brittas Empire- Rimmer strikes gold. Plus Julia St. John is sort of hot IMO...
Keeping Up Appearances- You'd have to be insane not to love this show. Onslow is my favorite character.
Chef- Although this program weaves injections of drama into the subtext, Henry is quite humorous.
The Thin Blue Line- Again Atkinson...plus I have a crush on Mina Anwar.
The Young Ones- Where can I buy a Vyvyan t-shirt?
"Do we have a video?"
The Comic Strip Presents- Please, if you haven't already, see "The Bad News Tour". It's hilarious. Why Peter Richardson isn't as well known here is beyond me.
I realize that Brit humour isn't quite as "catchy" for some Americans as I'm sure vice versa for the English to catch on to ours sometimes but I love it nonetheless...probably more than the shows that air here. Anyone have any shows they like?
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Comments
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
The Two Ronnies
Only Fools and Horses (please say that counts!)
Little Britain!
I know some people totally loathe LB and I'd like to ask them not to comment and start a row, but I do enjoy it and think it's great. It's the only reason my parents let me swear.
dinnerladies - Not a huge fan of Victoria Wood, but this very British and down to earth comedy just has brilliant laughs.
The League Of Gentlemen - Hilarious, if slightly macarbe - absolutely perfect plots, more like a mini-film series than straight sketch sitcom.
Men Behaving Badly - The Bible for all young men - still hilarious and sheer classic of its time.
Little Britian - this is a sketch show really, as opposed to sitcom, but still brilliant - best show in a long time for the BBC.
Trigger Happy TV - the best hidden camera show EVER!
Father Ted - one of the finest sitcoms to mix reality and exceptional obscurity.
I'm Alan Partridge - this has to be an all time classic - superb characters - just hilarious.
Bottom - the slapstick violence is the jewel of this hilarious comedy detailing the superb doomed-to-failure pair (perhaps the Men Behaving Badly of the 70/80's?)
Fawlty Towers - The God of all British comedy classics - still laugh out loud hilarious now - like a fine wine, this just gets better with age
Mr Bean - this is probably the one programme that will live with me forever - absolute classic, absolutely hilarious - so much of an iconic character I've based myself on the man.
Hounerable Mentions:
George And Mildred
Man About The House
Spaced
Just a few from memory.
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Mr. Bean
Absolutely Fabulous
Blackadder
And Benny Hill. (no smart comments)
I am gaga over Absolutely Fabulous. None of my friends watched it sadly. Recently my best friend spent a week at my house (since she was working away from home), so I introduced her to AF. She nearly died laughing and now wants to buy the series to turn her daughter on to it. She is a great fit for Edi and her daughter is like Saf. I am Pats (how I wish I had her figure) and frequently have to remind her how wondeful it is that I don't have kids...LOL Anyway, we refer to each other as Pats and Edi now. :-)
I also love Faulty Towers (John Cleese is absolutely brilliant).
Are You Being Served is also a hoot.
(Never too much into Benny Hill though. I have heard of some of those others mentioned here and may have to give them a try. I love Rowan Atkins.)
FYI...I got every tongue-in-cheek Bond joke from the very start...not bad for a dim-witted Yank HUH? LOL
Sadly Rising Damp was made by ITV, not the BBC (it's famous for being the one good comedy show they ever made!) so the odds on it being shown are pretty slim - especially as it is no longer even shown by ITV in the UK.
Does this mean you've never seen the "classic" Are You Being Served - The Movie, in which the cast visit the Costa Plonka? It gives new meaning to the word "dire"...
@merseytart
Great...then someone should invent ITV America. It's a good thing that I recorded most of the RD episodes on VHS back in the 90s but the old wear and tear is slowly starting to show on them.
AYBS was a movie? Surely you jest...:))
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I couldn't get into Ab Fab for whatever reason but I remember laughing hard at the French & Saunders show from the 80s. It was the equivalant of Alas, Smith & Jones. BTW, what is Mel Smith doing lately?
Here's a Yank that not only appreciates Brit humour but understands it...most times...some of the venacular's a bit tricky.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
And yes, Are You Being Served was a movie (http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0075696/) - it was making films like this that were a death knell for British cinema until the 90s...
@merseytart
I've never heard of ITV America, but I am inclined to agree with you on the bonfire by radicals jetset.
Okay, you've got my attention. What's it about? They seem to only ration out so many Brit-sits here that there are a lot of shows we haven't had the pleasure to see yet.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Blackadder (ALL incarnations!)
Mr. Bean
Thin Blue Line
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Fawlty Towers
Are You Being Served
Keeping Up Appearances
Chef
Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em'
Allo! Allo!
Lately I have been getting a kick out of The Kumars at No. 42. Does anyone else like that?
1) Fawlty Towers: Basil and the Germans, it still has me crying with laughter EVERY time.
2) Only Fools and Horses: The scene from Yuppy Love where Del falls through the bar while chatting to Trigger.
3) Monty Pythons Flying Circus: The Cornish Fish dance.
4) Father Ted: Speed 3, Dougal on a milk float going round and round and round around the roundabout.
5) Little Britain: Basically any sketch with Lou and Andy, I love those two!!! PS, the LIVE show was AWSOME!!!!
Some other great shows, Porridge, Open all hours, Rising Damp, George and Mildred, Allo Allo. I also loved Auf Wiedersehen Pet, I know strictly it was a drama series, but it did have some great comic moments in all the series
Fawlty Towers - I think I was 3 when I first saw this on a replay, but I even got some of the things then.
The Two Ronnies - I've only seen the sketchbook versions of this and thought they were great - except for the Christmas one which wasn't as great.
Only Fools and Horses - I've only recently taken more of an interest in this since they changed the times round on UKTVGold for Christmas. But I saw what I think is surely the last one on BBC1 the other day; "This time next year we'll be billionaires!"
Little Britain - Not much to say really but it's either your thing or not.
Mr Bean - Not one of my utmost favourites but I do remember when he got dressed in the car.
Some Mother Do 'Ave 'Em - The Nativity Play! Oh that was just fantastic.
Porridge - I've been inspired by one of the episodes when Fletch and this other guy had been playing Monoploy for about 4 days. They won't ever finish cus they're both cheating so much.
Max & Paddy's road to nowhere: Well...what isn't there to like about Peter Kay and Patrick McGuinness in this hilarious spin-off to Phoenix Nights?
Fawlty Towers: An absolute classic, you haven't lived until you've watched at least one episode. \o/
Open All Hours: Yet another classic.
Mr. Bean: Rowan Atkinson FTW!
I'll probably think of more later.
*slaps himself*
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Steptoe and Son: The show where Albert has to dress up as his long dead wife so he can carry on claiming DSS money
Red Dwarf 3: Polymorph, The Clitoris scene (Fellow fans will understand), absolutely hysterical
Pheonix Nights 2: Episode 6, Stars in your Eyes scene with Jerry and Brian as Elton and George Michael.
Some Mothers Do Av Em: Where Frank learns to Fly, a real comic gem.
There's another episode of The Comic Strip Presents where Peter Richardson & Ade Edmonson are ex-cons and they take advantage of this band called Toy Dept.that's breaking up or something to that effect...
"The name's Keith...Keith Epstein..."
"Epstein? Any relation to Brian Epstein?"
"He was my brother."
"Well congratulations...You're the 47th brother of Brian Epstein I've met since I got this job...Now get out."
I don't know the title of that particular episode but it had me rolling. Those lines I remember distinctly.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
1) Only Fools and Horses:I can watch any eposoide over and over again
2) Some Mothers have them: This reminds me of a lad I went to school with everything he touched would brake
3) Open All Hours: This is a great classic about and old shop owner who is very tight with is money and will sell you anything.
4) Porridge: I was brought up watching this with my Late Father so I always like watching this because my Father loved it.
Hancock's Half Hour
Steptoe & Son
Till Death Do Us Part
Nearest And Dearest
Dad's Army
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Fawlty Towers
Ripping Yarns
Please Sir
On The Buses
Father Dear Father
Love Thy Neighbour
Bless This House
Never Mind The Quality Feel The Width
The Liver Birds
The Likely Lads
Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?
Are You Being Served?
Sykes
Last Of The Summer Wine
Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em
Man About The House
Robins Nest
George & Mildred
The Goodies
The Good Life
Rising Damp
The Fall & Rise Of Reginald Perrin
It 'Aint Half Hot Mum
Porridge
Going Straight
Open All Hours
Clarence
Butterflies
Not The Nine O' Clock News
Only Fools And Horses
Keeping Up Appearances
Yes Minister
Yes Prime Minister
Hi-De-Hi
Allo Allo
Ever Decreasing Circles
Sorry
Dear John
The Young Ones
The Comic Strip Presents
Bottom
Blackadder
Mister Bean
The Thin Blue Line
Red Dwarf
The Brittas Empire
The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy
Father Ted
Men Behaving Badly
Dinnerladies
Absolutely Fabulous
Waiting For God
Rab C Nesbitt
My Hero
The Vicar Of Dibley
As Time Goes By
The Office
Little Britain
Hmmm, not all that many. No doubt I will be kicking myself when I am reminded of those which I have currently forgotten.
Most of those are absolute classic comedies. I'd like to add one more for now - Still Game. It's a very strong series and set in Glasgow. A pity that only the 3rd series and the Christmas special has made it south of the border, I hope we get to see the previous 2 series.
That's just reminded me of a scene saw in OFAH.I just can't remember what exactly was said, but know I was almost howling. They were talking about some guy with a similar name and all of a sudden Trigger comes in with "Why are we talking about the Beatles manager?"
But I saw the last half hour of 'Time on Our Hands' the other day. The one where they finally become millionaires. It's on again tomorrow night so I'm gonna have to tape it.
We're gonna have a party with all our neibours. When they found out we were gonna have 1, the rest decided not to go down the pub for the evening.
Anyway, it's gonna be lovely jubbly... or even cushty, as Del would say.
This was the brilliant High Life, a one series wonder starring Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson, and based on their stage act. Astonishingly camp, it was none the less really funny. Amazon UK have it for sale:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008MJ0X/qid=1136030545/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/026-4716163-7342019
As a bonus, there is a contemporary interview with Cumming where he not only discusses the series but also his work on the then unreleased GoldenEye.
@merseytart