Vote for the best British comedy

[Craig Tucker]

(What about Father Ted?)

Its on the list, but not in the poll.

[pixel]

(What about Father Ted?)

Its on the list, but not in the poll.

Sorry, my bad

[Gazorgan]

For being a Yank, I have quite a few of those series.

What about:
Dr. Who
Two Ronnies
Dave Allen (My god is that man funny)
Junkyard Wars (its brittish!)
Two Fat Ladies ( I know it's a cooking show, but old Dykes cooking with 8 pounds of butter is still funny )
And of course here in the states, anything showing the Brittihs Parliment bludgeoning each other like some post soccer match brawl between 2 rivals!

[flaninacupboard]

Had to go for Red Dwarf, i've a lot of happy memories and warm feelings about that program
EXCEPT FOR SERIES 8 WHICH WAS UTTER PANTS!

Seems Rob Grant was the funnier of the two. oh well.....
Nearly went for the office, but Red Dwarf had to win simply because i get 7 series of it, and only 2 of the office.

Craig, did you not like the first series?
after coming out of stasis
"Lister, are you smoking??"
"yeah, i stopped for quite a while but i'm back on them now"

Or
"where is everyone?"
"they're dead"
"what, who's dead?"
"Everybody's dead dave"
"What?"
"everybody's dead."
"not chen?"
"yes chen, every bodys dead dave."
"no, not peterson!"
"yes dave, peterson, chen everybody. everybody is dead dave"
"even kochanski?"
"gordon bennet, yes. they are dead, thay're all dead, everybody. is. dead. dave."
"wait a minute, are you trying to tell me everybody's dead?!"
"wish i hadn't let him out in the first place now....."

or
"fish!"
"today's special is trout ala creme. enjoy your meal."
"fish!"
"today's special is trout ala creme. enjoy your meal."
"fish!"
"today's special is trout ala creme. enjoy your meal."
"fish!"
"today's special is trout ala creme. enjoy your meal."
"fish!"
"today's special is trout ala creme. enjoy your meal."
"fish!"
"today's special is trout ala creme. enjoy your meal."
"I will!"

although krytens character adds a lot.
i think my favourite scene is when they're trapped on rimmer world.
"ok" says lister "we'll tie the bed sheets together, while you work the mortar out from around that brick. we'll tie it up with a pulley and hoist it up, then one of us will pretend to be sick and call the guards, when he comes in we drop the brick and knock him out. we'll dress rimmer up in his uniform and say we're being taken to be executed, and get as far as we can, then steal some swords and fight all the way back to the Bug!!"
"Yes" says kryten "or we could just use this teleporter."

all good stuff. looking forward to wathcing series 3 again soon

Gazorgan,
Dr. Who isn't supposed to be comedy! it's serious cutting edge sci-fi! or at least it was....
2 fat ladies is no more, think the one in the side car popped her clogs.
"junkyard wars" ? what is that? oh..... do you mean Scrapheap Challenge? yes, that's very good, but not really supposed to be a comedy either. well, i suppose i can let you off because of robert lwellyn. actually, he's in a program called "Hollywood Science" and that's quite amusing.

[Craig Tucker]

Gazorgan

Comedy series ?

I agree with you about Dave Allen, very funny, but his show is more standup/sketch rather than a comedy series/sitcom (has not been on uk tv for a while unfortunately). As is python I suppose, but all the others I would class as sitcoms.

[VCDHunter]

Ripping yarns starred Micheal Palin from Monty Python and had that same crazy theme. Try and look at an episode. BTW, I'm British too.

I have heard of it, just never seen it. Can't be that popular over here otherwise it would be shown ad-infinitum on UK Gold

How long you been in Oz then ?

I remember Ripping Yarns - mad Michael Palin show. I used to watch it with my father when I was alot younger.

Blackadder wins by a nose for me closely followed by Python and then Towers. I would have loved to have said Bo' Selecta - but its only on series 2.

[phinsman]

Where is Benny Hill?!?

Dale

[Craig Tucker]

Flaninacupboard

Seems to me that there is something missing without kryton in the show, and it took a while before they got his character right and sorted his head out .

This is an extract from one of my favourite bits of the show.

RED DWARF Series VI Episode 2, "Legion"

RIMMER: Go to blue alert.
LISTER: What for? There's no-one to alert - we're all here.
RIMMER: I would just feel more comfortable if I know that we're all on
our toes 'cos everyone's aware it's a blue-alert situation.
LISTER: We all are on our toes.
RIMMER: May I remind you all of Space Core Directive 34124?
KRYTEN: 34124. "No officer with false teeth should attempt oral sex in
zero gravity".
RIMMER: Damn you both, all the way to Hades! I want to go to Blue Alert!
LISTER: Ok, ok.

LISTER presses a button. The "Alert" box on the wall starts to flash
blue.

RIMMER: Thank you. A bit of professionalism.
KRYTEN: Wait! I've got something - I'm punching it up.

5 Model Shot.

We see a view of an orange, comet-like thing speeding through space

6 Int. Cockpit.

LISTER: Too small for a vessel... maybe some kind of missile.
KRYTEN: It's impossible to tell at this range. Whatever it is, they
clearly have a technology way in advance of our own!
LISTER: So do the Albanian State Washing Machine Company.
RIMMER: Step up to red alert!
KRYTEN: Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb.

[Craig Tucker]

Where is Benny Hill?!?

Dale

Does anyone actually still find Benny Hill funny ?

[pepegot1]

"Are You Being Served" was egregiously not mentioned. It is among the top Brit coms on TV.

[phinsman]

Where is Benny Hill?!?

Dale

Does anyone actually still find Benny Hill funny ?

Craig,

I haven't seen it in years but that was definitely a funny show.

Dale

[Craig Tucker]

"Are You Being Served" was egregiously not mentioned. It is among the top Brit coms on TV.

Again, never really found it very funny, but I understand it has a large following in the states, so I will add it to the list.

[tgpo]

Mr Bean is the only British Series I've ever actually seen.

[Craig Tucker]

Mr Bean is the only British Series I've ever actually seen.

Then you are really missing out

[Craig Tucker]

Can someone from the States tell me how many of the poll options have been shown on American TV.

At a guess I would say that Bo' selecta, Pheonix Nights and The Office Havn't because they are fairly recent

[vitualis]

Monty Python's flying circus is the epitome of British comedy (and comedy in general)!

My favourite skit is the "world's deadliest joke" (or whatever it's actually called). It makes me laugh just thinking about it...

Regards.

[tgpo]

Mr Bean is the only British Series I've ever actually seen.

Then you are really missing out

It's the only one I've had the opportunity to watch. Our PBS doesn't show many British series. And we don't get BBC America here.

[tgpo]

Black Adder: Never Shown Here
*
Bo' Selecta: Never Shown Here
*
Fawlty Towers: Never Shown Here
*
Monty Python: The Movies have been shown, but I've never seen the series played here.
*
Only Fools and Horses: Never Shown Here
*
Phoenix Nights: Never Shown Here
*
Porridge: Never Shown Here
*
Red Dwarf: Never Shown Here
*
The Office: Never Shown Here
*
The Royle Family: Never Shown Here

[MikeV]

The only ones I have seen here in the States have been: Monty Python, Benny Hill, and Mr. Bean. Our local PBS has started showing another one, but have not seen the name or watched much of it(2-3 minutes max)(channel surfing).

[MJPollard]

Where is Benny Hill?!?

Dale

Does anyone actually still find Benny Hill funny ?

I'm sure you could find lots of people that would say the same thing about Monty Python, Absolutely Fabulous, Are You Being Served?, and, presumably, every other show on your list. All comedy is subjective, after all, and Benny Hill is no less deserving of a place on the list than any of the others.

That said, given the shows available in the actual poll, it's Monty Python all the way for me, baby!

[Craig Tucker]

I can't believe that more of these shows have not been sold to the US. And I don't mean selling the rights to the show and remaking it.

[MJPollard]

Can someone from the States tell me how many of the poll options have been shown on American TV.

Going by my local PBS station, I know that Fawlty Towers, Monty Python's Flying Circus, and Red Dwarf have been shown here. In addition, the ones not in the poll include Absolutely Fabulous (on Comedy Central), Mr. Bean, Are You Being Served? (and Served Again?), Keeping Up Appearances, and The Benny Hill Show. There's also one about a chef in a restaurant, but I've forgotten the title.

[Craig Tucker]

There's also one about a chef in a restaurant, but I've forgotten the title.

Chef ?

http://valdefierro.com/chef.html

[tgpo]

@MJPollard

Wow dude, you get a lot more shows than we do. Are you being served is on every now and then, but not on a regualr basis. Absolutly Fabulous was on for less than a season. Mr Bean has had the longest run. He was on HBO, then PBS.

[flaninacupboard]

what about harry enfield and the fast show? surely they're worthy of a mention?
oh, you forgot Black Books and spaced. really looking forward to the new series of spaced next year!
oh, and does anyone remember the program small potatoes? vague memories of it being funny, but think there was just one series.
oh, and people like us is funny too. again, a bit dry, but rewarding if you sit through it.

So, hands up, who thinks the new red dwarf movie will be good? anyone?

[Craig Tucker]

what about harry enfield and the fast show? surely they're worthy of a mention?

I was trying to keep it to sitcom type shows rather than sketch shows or the list could go on forever, I realise though a couple of the choices are very marginal in fitting this category. If fact they probrably just don't fit

[tlegion]

Hitchhiker's Guide
French and Saunders
Farscape *
Lexx*
Vicar of Dibley
Chef
Keeping Up Appearances
One Foot in the Grave
Space: 1999***
Reboot**

* Yes, I find this funny
*** Made-up science is funny.
** Canadian = British (Same as Australia, Scotland, Ireland, Whales, Bermuda, BVI, Faulklands)

[MJPollard]

There's also one about a chef in a restaurant, but I've forgotten the title.

Chef ?

http://valdefierro.com/chef.html

D'oh!!!

[NightWing]

Glad some one remember Are You Being Served!

Also one that is missing and just as anoying as Mr Been is Keeping up Appercnces.

It basical funny in what she does to look like upper crust but is is not. And her poor husband and neighbor next door! And pitty if you are a service worker or esp a driver with the royal seal { only on one side } on your delevery van!

And have not seen in years is The Good Neighbor. The one where a couple get away from the ratrace and go farming in the subburbs { not the country but in their large back yard! } and interact with their next door Neighbor's. The last epsode was the funnest about the green....

[Craig Tucker]

And have not seen in years is The Good Neighbor.

They must of renamed that for American TV. It was called the Good Life here.