Whilst sense of humour is highly subjective, I find it hard to comprehend that there are people out there that actually find certain British shows even mildly amusing.
The worst offender for producing overrated British “comedy” is, without doubt, the BBC.
The role call of shite includes:
My family - such a turgid old donkey of a show I barely dare to turn to BBC1 for fear of catching a re-run. Speaking of re-runs, enough already of Allo Allo, Beeb! Yes, it's funny in a very mild, "just crashing out after a huge sunday dinner" kind of way, but we've all seen it around 300 times (If I ever hear “Madonna with the big boobies” again I will scream).
Harry Enfield & Chums - so woefully embarrassing I doubt even the BBC with it's open purse policy will re-commission this lacklustre show. It was funny in, like, 1996, but not even mildy amusing now.
Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps – whilst this unfathomably long-running series has a gentle charm and a generally good cast – the script is terrible (I know, lets call the baby Corinthean! But why? Because I’m mental, me!) The characters are one dimensional and unbelievable. The lack of character development since the start of the show is actually quite an achievement. The musical episode sank to new depths of awfulness.
Also shows that simply rely on catch phrases (Fast Show-esque) irritate the living crap out of me.
For example, Little Britain - who is still laughing after the twentieth time a catchphrase has been repeated? Seriously. I wasn't the least surprised Little Britain in America absolutely bombed. The American audiences are accustomed to a much higher standard of writing.
Compare “That Mitchell and Webb Look” on BBC to “Peep Show” on C4. I can just envisage the unsuccessful meeting with the BBC to discuss the Peep Show format, “But what’s the catchphrase? Can’t have comedy without catchphrases!”
Fortunately for the BBC - That Mitchell and Webb Look, with the awesome talents of Robert Webb and David Mitchell, could hardly fail, and managed to strike some laugh out loud moments. My personal favourite is the "naming a dry cleaners sketch"
Turning to ITV, if Katy Brand’s Big Assed Show is the best it can come up with in terms of comedy, it really should continue to avoid the genre. Her celebrity mimics are beyond pathetic, like this one, which is apparently Kate Winslet -- I'm normal! Yes, you are very normal, extremely average, and that catchphrase becomes very irritating after the first 4 sketches.
(On a side issue - Its 7 years since Kate's "normal" bangers and mash wedding breakfast and she doesn't exactly pretend to be down to earth these days does she?!)
However, if you cut through the catchphrase comedy drivel, Britain is capable of producing some decent comedy, throughout the whole comedy spectrum - from extremely family friendly, non-offensive comedy such as The Vicar of Dibley right through to the dark and subversive comedy of Jam and Brass-Eye.
It is a shame such little subversive comedy gets commissioned, as this is the ground breaking area of the genre. The best British comedy, in my humble opinion, is Father Ted. The brilliant writer/director Graham Lineham has obviously gone on to produce Black Books and the IT Crowd, which have rare moments of genius, but sadly lack the pure originality of Father Ted.
Some of the most consistently funny and popular comedy falls in the centre of the comedy spectrum: Phoenix Nights, The Royle Family and Gavin & Stacey – all with solid writing and excellent casts.
Relatively undiscovered gems of comedy include “The Inbetweeners” (E4) and “Pulling” (BBC3, watch out for Sharon Horgan, an excellent writer and comedienne). I quite liked an episode of the superbly dark "Nighty Night", but I blinked, and missed it. (No chance of that going on the BBC Iplayer, it would affect the DVD sales).
Finally, my biggest gripe about British comedy is how little we actually get of it. The Americans manage marathon seasons of over 20 episodes, whilst we have to contend with just 6! I know the argument is that it would take too long to write, but can’t we just employ more writers?!
The worst offender for producing overrated British “comedy” is, without doubt, the BBC.
The role call of shite includes:
My family - such a turgid old donkey of a show I barely dare to turn to BBC1 for fear of catching a re-run. Speaking of re-runs, enough already of Allo Allo, Beeb! Yes, it's funny in a very mild, "just crashing out after a huge sunday dinner" kind of way, but we've all seen it around 300 times (If I ever hear “Madonna with the big boobies” again I will scream).
Harry Enfield & Chums - so woefully embarrassing I doubt even the BBC with it's open purse policy will re-commission this lacklustre show. It was funny in, like, 1996, but not even mildy amusing now.
Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps – whilst this unfathomably long-running series has a gentle charm and a generally good cast – the script is terrible (I know, lets call the baby Corinthean! But why? Because I’m mental, me!) The characters are one dimensional and unbelievable. The lack of character development since the start of the show is actually quite an achievement. The musical episode sank to new depths of awfulness.
Also shows that simply rely on catch phrases (Fast Show-esque) irritate the living crap out of me.
For example, Little Britain - who is still laughing after the twentieth time a catchphrase has been repeated? Seriously. I wasn't the least surprised Little Britain in America absolutely bombed. The American audiences are accustomed to a much higher standard of writing.
Compare “That Mitchell and Webb Look” on BBC to “Peep Show” on C4. I can just envisage the unsuccessful meeting with the BBC to discuss the Peep Show format, “But what’s the catchphrase? Can’t have comedy without catchphrases!”
Fortunately for the BBC - That Mitchell and Webb Look, with the awesome talents of Robert Webb and David Mitchell, could hardly fail, and managed to strike some laugh out loud moments. My personal favourite is the "naming a dry cleaners sketch"
Turning to ITV, if Katy Brand’s Big Assed Show is the best it can come up with in terms of comedy, it really should continue to avoid the genre. Her celebrity mimics are beyond pathetic, like this one, which is apparently Kate Winslet -- I'm normal! Yes, you are very normal, extremely average, and that catchphrase becomes very irritating after the first 4 sketches.
(On a side issue - Its 7 years since Kate's "normal" bangers and mash wedding breakfast and she doesn't exactly pretend to be down to earth these days does she?!)
However, if you cut through the catchphrase comedy drivel, Britain is capable of producing some decent comedy, throughout the whole comedy spectrum - from extremely family friendly, non-offensive comedy such as The Vicar of Dibley right through to the dark and subversive comedy of Jam and Brass-Eye.
It is a shame such little subversive comedy gets commissioned, as this is the ground breaking area of the genre. The best British comedy, in my humble opinion, is Father Ted. The brilliant writer/director Graham Lineham has obviously gone on to produce Black Books and the IT Crowd, which have rare moments of genius, but sadly lack the pure originality of Father Ted.
Some of the most consistently funny and popular comedy falls in the centre of the comedy spectrum: Phoenix Nights, The Royle Family and Gavin & Stacey – all with solid writing and excellent casts.
Relatively undiscovered gems of comedy include “The Inbetweeners” (E4) and “Pulling” (BBC3, watch out for Sharon Horgan, an excellent writer and comedienne). I quite liked an episode of the superbly dark "Nighty Night", but I blinked, and missed it. (No chance of that going on the BBC Iplayer, it would affect the DVD sales).
Finally, my biggest gripe about British comedy is how little we actually get of it. The Americans manage marathon seasons of over 20 episodes, whilst we have to contend with just 6! I know the argument is that it would take too long to write, but can’t we just employ more writers?!
