Comedy on the BBC Options

[Simon Kirby]

I posted previously about what I felt to be the high quality of science programmes currently being shown by the BBC. I find that contrasts strongly with the poor quality of comedy programmes. Maybe that's age. Maybe I'm just more interested in science and engineering and maths, but I'd like to think I've still got a sense of humour - it's just there isn't much on the Beeb that makes me laugh.

I'll titter at Radio4's The News Quiz, but it's not entirely side-splitting, and nor is I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue since Humph moved on. Radio4 comedy was leading-edge in the eighties with Cabaret Upstairs, In One Ear, Radio Active, but some of what passes for comedy now completely leaves me cold.

TV's no better. I enjoyed series one of Mongrels, but series two has lost its edge I feel, and there's nothing else for me. OK, so I probably wouldn't laugh at the Young Ones now and I found that painfully funny when I was a teen, but I hope to goodness I wouldn't laugh at Terry and June either. Point is the Beeb did some excellent comedy in the eighties and nineties, but have all the jokes been written? Where's the new Blackadder, Not the Nine O'clock News, Men Behaving Badly, Red Dwarf, Harry Enfield, Only Fools and Horses, Game On?

[spartacus]

Several years ago there were numerous 'alternative comedy' shows, which supposedly gathered reasonably large audiences. I didn't get it... They seemed like they were trying too hard to be funny and decided to leave the funny bits out... I blame that follow on series from The Young Ones - 'Bottom'.... HOW did anyone (over 12) find that funny....?

The start of a slide towards 'Anything Will Do' television...

btw, Bottom!! < tee hee >

There really is nothing on the telly in the way of a comedy series that makes me want to sit on front of the box*.

( * - For 'box' read modern day equivalent 'TV Panel' )






EDIT: Another series of 'The League of Gentlemen' might however persuade me to change my mind....)

[On the edge]

Agree - but things seem to go in fashions. There was some dreadful 'comedy' when I was young (yes steam TV) - Mike and Bernie Winters, On the Busses, etc. etc. Made the really good stuff stand out.

What about Outnumbered or Little Britain - they have the making of classics?

[Andy Capp]

There's still good comedy, but growing old does tend to temper the sense of humour.

From the BBC in the last 5 to 10 years:

The Armstrong and Miller Show
The Catherine Tate Show
Dead Ringers
Extras
Gavin & Stacey
Mock the Week
QI
The Rob Brydon Show
Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle
The Thick of It


Others:

The Inbetweeners
Modern Family
Scrubs
Shameless
Dom Joly's happy Hour
8 Out of 10 cats
Peep Show
Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights
Channel 4's Star Stories
Better Off Ted

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

Anything with Russell Howard in it is great. Saw the recording of Good News last Tuesday and promptly wee wee'd myself with laughter. The Live at The Apollo stuff is quite good as well.

QI used to be really good but I find it a little..well..it's been the same for basically 10 years. Mock the Week used to be a very good show as well but as soon as Frankie Boyle left then, I felt it went a bit downhill. Basically without him it wasn't worth watching.

[NORTHENDER]

One of the others for me is "Mrs Brown's Boys" the episode were s/he gave herself a Brazilian in the cupboard under the stairs still has me smiling. Fecking great.

[Richard Garvie]

Wilfred.
Family Guy.
The Simpsons.
Fresh Meat.

Some of thos that haven't been mentioned on here.

[Blake]

I agree. I find almost all contemporary BBC "comedy" rubbish. I fail to see why anyone would laugh at Gavin & Stacey. The Grumpy series is about the only half decent humour on.

Would love to see a new series of Blackadder, Dads Army remade or, most of all, I would love to see Alf Garnett back on TV. Lets face it, he must have plenty of talking points about modern Britain. Come on Warren, get back to the BBC and entertain us again.

[Andy Capp]

Talking of remakes (which I think is a bad idea), anyone see the Reggie Perrin remake? Utterly unfunny.

[Simon Kirby]

Talking of remakes (which I think is a bad idea), anyone see the Reggie Perrin remake? Utterly unfunny.

The original Perrin was clever and satyrical, and it broke new ground as we watched an average middle-manager failing to cope with the world of work. The remake was a witless immitation that recreated nothing of the original's dark comedy and tragedy.

I'd say that The Office took on from where Perrin left off with it's grotesque caricatures, though there was nothing redeeming about Brent, and Perrin's pathos was replaced with simple mockery.

[Simon Kirby]

The Simpsons.

Is this on the Beeb still? I don't have a TV and only watch what's on iPlayer.

I mean yes, absolutely, The Simpsons is a work of comedic genius to a degree that is mostly lost on Children and totally lost on Americans. It's just funny on so many levels with its jokes, allusions and social comment. And ultimately Homer's family is a loving family, for all their faults, and I like that.

But it's not exactly home-grown Beeb and I think that's what I was thinking of. ITV's had some success with Rising Damp, Man About the House, and maybe even George and Mildred but it's not exactly renowned for its comedy so I'm not that fussed that it doesn't manage any now. Channel4's done a little better with Father Ted, and maybe Black Books, but the Beeb did home-grown comedy really well in the eighties and nineties, and as Blake says in the seventies too, and that's why I find its current output disappointing now - because I have to say that I didn't find any of the list Andy Capp posted funny at all.

[Turin Machine]

Simpsons
Family Guy
King of the Hill
Peter Kay (anything)
The Middle

[Andy Capp]

Channel4's done a little better with Father Ted, and maybe Black Books, but the Beeb did home-grown comedy really well in the eighties and nineties, and as Blake says in the seventies too, and that's why I find its current output disappointing now - because I have to say that I didn't find any of the list Andy Capp posted funny at all.

It is ultimately a matter of taste. It might also be a generation thing. A number of those in the list I put up are very popular (especially amongst the 20 somethings), and I often watch them when I know they are on, although I am older than 29!

Interestingly, I can find comedy amusing and not actually laugh out loud!

[Darren]

Would love to see a new series of Blackadder, Dads Army remade or, most of all, I would love to see Alf Garnett back on TV. Lets face it, he must have plenty of talking points about modern Britain. Come on Warren, get back to the BBC and entertain us again.

But would they be any better than the originals? History has always shown the answer to be no.

[Simon Kirby]

But would they be any better than the originals? History has always shown the answer to be no.

Dads Army and Till Death Us Do Part were of their time and they couldn't be re-made because society's moved on and the specific issues have changed, though of course in a sense they are being remade in any sitcom. The Royle Family of the nineties has a superficial similarity to TDUDP, and you might even say that Gary Tank Comander brings Dads Army up to date, but the basic sitcom formula really doesn't change much with the humour generated by the interrelationships of the disfunctional protagonists struggling with issues of the day.

Many comedies run for multiple series but Blackadder was a little unusual in that the characters evolved greatly with each incarnation and so essentially it was remade four time, each more successfully than the last IMHO, culminating in quite possibly the greatest piece of television ever.

The Likely Lads is the only series that leaps to mind where the characters were successfully reprised with more colour and depth than the original (not least because the original was in B&W!), and while there are a few series which reinvented themselves (George and Mildred, say), there's rather a long list of series which should have ended when they did.

[Simon Kirby]

Interestingly, I can find comedy amusing and not actually laugh out loud!

I don't mean it facetiously, but when I've found that happening it's turned out that I've just not found it very amusing. Not annoying enough to stop watching it, but just not very funny.

[Biker1]

Dads Army and Till Death Us Do Part were of their time and they couldn't be re-made because society's moved on and the specific issues have changed, though of course in a sense they are being remade in any sitcom. The Royle Family of the nineties has a superficial similarity to TDUDP, and you might even say that Gary Tank Comander brings Dads Army up to date, but the basic sitcom formula really doesn't change much with the humour generated by the interrelationships of the disfunctional protagonists struggling with issues of the day.

Many comedies run for multiple series but Blackadder was a little unusual in that the characters evolved greatly with each incarnation and so essentially it was remade four time, each more successfully than the last IMHO, culminating in quite possibly the greatest piece of television ever.

The Likely Lads is the only series that leaps to mind where the characters were successfully reprised with more colour and depth than the original (not least because the original was in B&W!), and while there are a few series which reinvented themselves (George and Mildred, say), there's rather a long list of series which should have ended when they did.

Very rare that any classic TV comedy ever repeated their success into film. Though many tried!
The only one to do it successfully in my opinion was Python, though some will differ I've no doubt.

How times change.
Some of the comedies that made me laugh out loud in their time now make me cringe with embarrassment.
On The Buses for example!! (Two middle aged men with questionable looks fancying their chances with teenage girls!!) (And sometimes succeeding!!!!)

[spartacus]

How times change.
Some of the comedies that made me laugh out loud in their time now make me cringe with embarrassment.
On The Buses for example!!

Sad to say, but I remember watching 'Love Thy Neighbour' back when I were a nipper.. I must have thought it was funny I'spose..... Dear oh dear.... < shakes head in shame >

"They don't make 'em like that anymore!"

[Andy Capp]

Comedy is by and large analogous to music: seen it all before, particularly these days; it is largely regurgitated.

I always thought that LTN was the start of the change. It was based around showing-up ignorance and bigotry, albeit in a rather unsophisticated way. If anything, I thought it was more of a slur on white working class northerners, as much as anything else.

For racist 'humour', don't forget 'Mind Your Language' (Françoise Pascal ) and 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum'.

[Andy Capp]

I don't mean it facetiously, but when I've found that happening it's turned out that I've just not found it very amusing. Not annoying enough to stop watching it, but just not very funny.

You say that, but I would say that for example, Blackadder II and III had more (camp) laugh out-loud moments than, Goes Forth, but like you, I think Goes Forth was better. Having said that, I do think they stopped at the right moment. You got to the point where you could see the jokes coming.

Have you noticed how comedy seems funnier with company than when watched on ones own? Perhaps this might explain the 70s/80s being looked on more fondly: TV was more of a family activity back then than it is now with our TV in every habitable room homes.

Another thing, women don't tend to like Python or Milligan either.