Vote for the best British comedy

[mmmbeer]

And Dr. Who has sat in mothballs since 89. I don't count the Fox movie as it was a 1 off deal and really wasn't that good anyways outside the brief appearance of Slyvester McCoy.

[i-on-s]

Well from being from the states i have very limited access to british humor only on PBS and BBC America and DVD/VHS i think i would have to choose Monty Python as my fav i have all the movies and the 14 disc eps boxset best money i ever spent and the rest would be

the Young Ones (use to show it on MTV back in the day)
Bottom (DVD)
Ab Fab (shown on Comedy Central)
Red Dwarf (PBS)
Father Ted (DVD)
Are you Being Served (PBS)
Mr Bean (HBO,PBS)
Black Adder (DVD)
Fawlty Towers (PBS,DVD)

And Eddie Izzard is pretty funny also just thought i would say that speaking of british humor (i picked up his DVD 2 months ago and just got tickets to see him in DC in october) and So Graham Norton is pretty funny also they show that on BBC A.

[yongkuk]

Python in the lead. Most of the votes cast are by Americans, I have never met an American who does't like Monty Python

[flaninacupboard]

it really bugs me that americans call it monte pie-thon. THERE IS NO PIE INVOLVED!

incidentally, i-on-s thanks for alerting me to the existance of the boxset! we don't have it in the UK! how stupid is that!! could you tell me, is the video in PAL format or has it been converted to NTSC? i suppose i could always convert it back, but that's a bit like effort

[tgpo]

it really bugs me that americans call it monte pie-thon. THERE IS NO PIE INVOLVED!

How should it be said??

MON-TEE PIE-THON

[flaninacupboard]

no old chap, it's MON-TEE PIE-THON

[i-on-s]

flaninacupboard : mine is region 1 NTSC and yes it is absolute poppycock that it hasnt been rls in the UK of all places i mean come on! i bought mine on ebay.com and i know you can buy the dvds by the volume (but it is alot cheaper to buy the dvd box set than by them by themself)

here is a link (a bit too much tho i got it for 120$)
http://montypythondirect.com/product_information.asp?PRODUCT=AEV70174&TYPE=FlyingCircu...dex=2&total=23

[tgpo]

I'm guessing ya'll are refering to the Monty Python Flying Circus box set??? It's all over the place over here, but it's not in the UK. That is odd.

[kazzer]

Ahem, Craig...Father Ted....British?? Tut Tut.

Speaking of Ted, I heard they are making a version for American TV. Is this true? Has anyone seen Father Ted in the US?

[Craig Tucker]

Norman Stanley Fletcher gets my vote! I even have the pilot "Prisoner & Escort" on tape. I think that Ronnie Barker had the right idea to get out of showbiz when he was on top, rather than go the way of David Jason and flog a dead horse (litterally!!) with OFAH, now 6 years past its sell by date.

I love Porridge, the writing and acting are pure genius. I am surprised at how few votes it has recieved.

[Craig Tucker]

Ahem, Craig...Father Ted....British?? Tut Tut.

Speaking of Ted, I heard they are making a version for American TV. Is this true? Has anyone seen Father Ted in the US?

I did think of that, but it was made for Channel 4, so wouldn't that classify it as a British production.

[Craig Tucker]

This is a bit off topic, because this British show was not a comedy. But I liked it anyway. Do any of you remember Cell Block H?

Prisoner cell block H was an Australian soap/drama series. Can't you tell the difference between an Australian and British accent

[Gazorgan]

35 glorious digitized eps of Monty Python!!! I made a Highlite DVD of my favorite bits :P

[kazzer]

I did think of that, but it was made for Channel 4, so wouldn't that classify it as a British production.

Sure does! However, Lets not forget the writers and cast are/were Irish! 8)

[WishMaker]

I've lost the Red Dwarf episodes I taped, so I can't do quotes, but
one of the many episodes I enjoyed was the one where Dave thought he found some alien life form in a "pod?" Lister did try to warn him, but Dave found out in the end it was just one of Red Dwarf's garbage "pods?"

I also like the one where they ended up on some planet where everything was backwards.

Also, the one where Lister found out he was the source of Cat's God.

So many more...

[leebo]

Prisoner cell block H was an Australian soap/drama series. Can't you tell the difference between an Australian and British accent

The difference is in the teeth, right?

[flaninacupboard]

you mean arnold rimmer thought it was a alien craft and dave lister knew it was a garage pod?

i love during the credits the music suddenly stops
"It's a garbage pod!"
music carries on
"It's a smegging garage pod!!"

[SanderMan]

I couldn't vote, because my favourite British Comedy is Coupling.

[cplevel42]

Craig Tucker Wrote:

Prisoner cell block H was an Australian soap/drama series. Can't you tell the difference between an Australian and British accent

Oh, my bad. I forgot how bad the Brits hate being confused with the Downunders. Sorry.

@moviegeek - Yeah, the women were pretty hot, I think. I was going through puberty at the time and wanted to experiment on a few of the prisoners.

@energy80s - Actually, there was a heavy lesbian overtone to the show. The bulldykes were trying to have their way with the lipsticks Entertaining Stuff!

[cplevel42]

Hey, what about Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy? That was pretty good! It seemed like comedy to me.

[ironwood321]

Red Dwarf

I liked the episodes

Holoship "Lister to Red Dwarf"
Backwards
"The one with the vindaloo curry monster when Kryten turns human"
"The one with the Rivera kid and the dove program"
"The episode when they did there recreation of the Kennedy assassination"
"The back to reality one with Dwain Dibley"

and a lot of the others

[Craig Tucker]

Oh, my bad. I forgot how bad the Brits hate being confused with the Downunders. Sorry.

Does not bother me at all, just pointing out it was not British

@moviegeek - Yeah, the women were pretty hot, I think.

Hot Then it can't be the same show. I cannot remember a single "hot" inmate. You had the queen Bea who looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp, Lizzie who was about 80 and some very overweight bird called Doreen. And the female warders were even worse.

You can check out the lovely ladies here.

http://www.prisoner-cellblockh.co.uk/oti.html

[andydd]

Some comedies like Fawlty towers have lost nothing over the years but dross like Benny Hill is ssooo unfunny..n it wasnt that great at the time.

Is it just americans who voted for python..theit TV shows were very hit n miss..but like the Beatles..yanks just love em.

I think fawlty Towers would be my no.1 followed by Slackbladder. ..both consistanly funny ..i can watch em over n over again...Red Dwarf is good too..although did turn pants..anyone watched Red Dwarf USA..the pilot episode.??...very bizzare..ha

[cplevel42]

Craig Tucker Wrote:

Hot Then it can't be the same show. I cannot remember a single "hot" inmate. You had the queen Bea who looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp, Lizzie who was about 80 and some very overweight bird called Doreen. And the female warders were even worse.

WOW, you are right craig. Those women were not HOT. OK, this was a long time ago. I must be confusing that show with the porno flick version I was watching at the time. LOL.

[Craig Tucker]

I agree with everything you say there Andy. Fawlty Towers is great and has not aged at all, much like Porridge. I enjoyed Benny Hill 20 years ago but not any more. Although I find some parts of python funny it would be way down my list of my favourite British TV comedy series.

[Craig Tucker]

WOW, you are right craig. Those women were not HOT. OK, this was a long time ago. I must be confusing that show with the porno flick version I was watching at the time. LOL.

[oldfart13]

Dr. Who as a comedy? A bit of a stretch other than the comic bits that the various actors might have added to the show. Try rather:

Hancock's Half Hour
Shelley
Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy

Benny Hill was on in just about every Commonwealth country and many more besides. I see some of it out on DVD now. Some people seem to hate it but they must be the same bunch that hate Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Bob Hope and other great vaudeville stars. How about also "Are You Being Served" and "On The Buses" as shows still on over here in Canada?

[SVCDummy]

Oh let me think...

British Comedy or watching paint dry.

Such a tough choice. I guess I'll watch the paint. Much more entertaining.

This was started as a joke right?!?

[tweedledee]

British Comedy or watching paint dry.

Such a tough choice. I guess I'll watch the paint. Much more entertaining.

This was started as a joke right?!?

So......Don't keep us all in suspence, which country does all the GOOD comedy come from?

[Craig Tucker]

Oh let me think...

British Comedy or watching paint dry.

Such a tough choice. I guess I'll watch the paint. Much more entertaining.

This was started as a joke right?!?

How many of the shows listed have you actually watched ?

Seems to me you have either

a) Never watched any British comedy
b) Watched the odd show you did not like and have tarred all British comedy with the same brush. There are obviously poor shows as well as many excellent ones.
c) Had a sense of humour bypass
d) Posted just to get a rise out of someone