Differences Between American and British Humour

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
The problem with Yes (Prime) Minister as a comedy series is that it wasn't. No, bear with me.

It wasn't a comedy series, it was a documentary series. The most hilarious documentary series ever made, but still, documentary, not comedy fiction.

Richard

Yes, the plots use stories based on real-life events.

Yes, it is how many Government Ministers feel the civil service is like at times.

But it is not what the civil service is like.

It is as much a documentary as Fawlty Towers is a documentary on running a small hotel in Torquay, or Blackadder is a history programme.

The fact that we are having this debate, however, is a sign of where it's genius lies.

Originally posted by Kewpie
But I've managed a couple of Americans too - Hogans Heroes and MASH. Nothing in the last 20 years though.

I thought Cheers [1982-1993] was well written and had good characters.

Originally posted by FMF
I thought Cheers [1982-1993] was well written and had good characters.

the simpsons + family guy are brilliant.

there are a few of decent american comedies.

scrubs, southpark, malcom in the middle, frasier, friends.

and ones i liked as a kid-

mork and mindy, happy days, taxi, roseanne, the wonder years, married with children, blossom.

and the secrets ones we dont admit to liking -

the golden girls.

I can admit that I crack up at things like Arnie saying things like "I'll be back" in his pathetic movies. I prolly laugh for the wrong reasons than the writers intended but I dont think they will care why I'm laughing ...

"It's not a tumor!! " ... no Arnie, it's not a tumor, then again they are just kids. Lol

Differences Between American and British Humour.

The American like cute happy endings with a morality message in there somewhere.

The Brits:
Hancock, Basil Fawlty, Del Boy, characters the American could just not
understand or take to.

The dark humour in Black Adder (the last series) would be beyond them.
They came close with M*A*S*H though.

The Odd Couple and Bilko - the best thing American TV ever did.

UK. The Goon Show, Fawlty Towers, Fools and Horses, Black Adder (last series)
and Tony Hancock - brilliant.
(never a bg fan of Python. but 'Life of Brian' was superb.)

But the best is a British and an Amercian duo:
Laurel & Hardy.
Those short films are hilarious, their top one being the The Music Box.
I watch it at least 6 or 7 times a year.

My Opinion.

Dennis Pennis ... ?

Originally posted by stellspalfie
the simpsons + family guy are brilliant.

there are a few of decent american comedies.

scrubs, southpark, malcom in the middle, frasier, friends.

and ones i liked as a kid-

mork and mindy, happy days, taxi, roseanne, the wonder years, married with children, blossom.

and the secrets ones we dont admit to liking -

the golden girls.

I loved The Golden Girls - it's being sent again now on Swedish Television but only late at night unfortunately - all characters are great.

U.S. stuff: I liked Monk. And 30 Rock. And - probably less justifiably, though I liked it nonetheless - Radio News. A rather [as far as I am aware] overlooked gem was The Larry Sanders Show with Garry Shandling [the U.K. remake of it was called Bob Martin]. I am currently binging on series 1-6 of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Originally posted by FMF
The U.K. has plenty of overlooked or underestimated gems. A few that come to mind are A Fairly Secret Army, Bob Martin (with Michael Barrymore), Red Dwarf. Did the two Alan Partridge series (when he was in the motel and then in the caravan) make any impact outside the U.K.?

I enjoyed The New Statesman [with Rik Mayall] when it came out in the late 80s but it ...[text shortened]... com of The IT Crowd, the oddness of Peepshow, and the acquired taste of The League Of Gentlemen.

ahhhhh, Red Dwarf... Loved that show, shown on PBS here many years back. It was hilariously funny, and amazing how it really didn't require much of a budget and that itself played into the funny nature of the show. Case in point; the guy that was a hologram, you knew he was a hologram because he had a big "H" on his forehead. And the creature that evolved from a cat...

Like most of the good shows, you had to watch it for weeks before you got it.

Originally posted by CLL53
ahhhhh, Red Dwarf... Loved that show, shown on PBS here many years back. It was hilariously funny, and amazing how it really didn't require much of a budget and that itself played into the funny nature of the show. Case in point; the guy that was a hologram, you knew he was a hologram because he had a big "H" on his forehead. And the creature that evolved from a cat...

a new series has just started in the u.k. not seen it yet, so dont know if its as good as before.

Originally posted by stellspalfie
a new series has just started in the u.k. not seen it yet, so dont know if its as good as before.

A new Red Dwarf series? Great! That was a hilarious show. What was it, ten million years elapsed since they were lost in deep space when they were awakened? I remember something about some group wearing donuts on their heads.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/oct/04/red-dwarf-x-smegging-goods

Apparently screened October 4 - any of you Brits seen it yet?

Originally posted by Kewpie
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/oct/04/red-dwarf-x-smegging-goods

Apparently screened October 4 - any of you Brits seen it yet?

Yes, saw first episode. Very much in keeping with earlier series and some good moments. But it did make me feel old.

Not a patch on series IV, of course.

Originally posted by stellspalfie
the simpsons + family guy are brilliant.

there are a few of decent american comedies.

scrubs, southpark, malcom in the middle, frasier, friends.

and ones i liked as a kid-

mork and mindy, happy days, taxi, roseanne, the wonder years, married with children, blossom.

and the secrets ones we dont admit to liking -

the golden girls.

yes i love Malcolm in the middle, The big bang theory has its moments also, personal favourite, everybody hates Chris and married with children.