What do Americans think of British Comedy?

[Richdog]

Originally posted by: CanOWorms

Originally posted by: Richdog

Originally posted by: y2kc
The Office is great. The only american comedies I enjoy are Arrested Development and RENO 911. I also enjoy MXC (Most Extreme Elimination Challenge) but i'm not too sure how to classify it (American? Japanese?).

lol sounds Japanese to me... is it full of crazy stunts by lunatic people?

It's a Japanese gameshow type thing that's dubbed over in English, but they make up the dialogue

Hah I love Japanese gameshows! I once saw one where there were three contestants who had to stick their headds in a river... The Thing was the river was populated by hungry 200lb Catfish and the winner was the last one to cry out for mercy as his forehead was chewed to death by their toothless mouth. I mean.. where else would you EVER get to see that? Classic.:beer:

 

[agnitrate]

I think sometimes it's funny, but many times it just sucks.

That being said, I love :

Mr. Bean
The Young Ones
Fawlty Towers

-silver

 

[Richdog]

Originally posted by: agnitrate
I think sometimes it's funny, but many times it just sucks.

That being said, I love :

Mr. Bean
The Young Ones
Fawlty Towers

-silver

You've never seen Blackadder?:Q

 

[brigden]

As a Brit living in Canada, I think I can legitimately offer my opinion on this. Obviously, some of the humour is lost in translation due to subtle cultural differences. However, with that said, I think British comedy appeals mainly to those with a sophisticated sense of humour; for instance, those with a post-secondary education.

Monty Python can be enjoyed on a very superficial level, but is usually several layers deep.

American stuff is usually in your face, or physical in nature. British comedy is often wordy and based on subtle witticisms.

 

[waggy]

I enjoy british comedy. after a feww beers i think its great! just hate abs fab.

 

[Richdog]

Originally posted by: brigden
As a Brit living in Canada, I think I can legitimately offer my opinion on this. Obviously, some of the humour is lost in translation due to subtle cultural differences. However, with that said, I think British comedy appeals mainly to those with a sophisticated sense of humour; for instance, those with a post-secondary education.

Monty Python can be enjoyed on a very superficial level, but is usually several layers deep.

American stuff is usually in your face, or physical in nature. British comedy is often wordy and based on subtle witticisms.

Never a truer word said! Have you seen the scent in Tne Monty Python's Life Of Brian where the roman senator is talking about his firiend... Biggus Dickus and the two guards (legionnaires) are trying not to laugh? Oh God that has me in hysterics.:beer:

 

[EvilYoda]

I think that British comedy goes over far better with a crowd like the AT crowd, since it's usually drier and wittier...I personally love British comedy, and watch it whenever I can. For instance, even though it's not the best, I love Coupling, and got teh DVDs...but despised it when NBC tried to reproduce it.

 

[NightCrawler]

Been watching Coupling on PBS and it's really funny.

Use to watch Benny Hill and Monty Python when they were still on.

 

[Richdog]

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
I think that British comedy goes over far better with a crowd like the AT crowd, since it's usually drier and wittier...I personally love British comedy, and watch it whenever I can. For instance, even though it's not the best, I love Coupling, and got teh DVDs...but despised it when NBC tried to reproduce it.

They tried to reproduce it? Never! What was it like?

 

[Fausto]

I'm definitely a fan although it seems the majority of americans don't "get" british comedy.

Current fave: So Graham Norton. I though I was going to piss my pants on the special ep where he visits Dollywood.

 

[Richdog]

Originally posted by: Fausto
I'm definitely a fan although it seems the majority of americans don't "get" british comedy.

Current fave: So Graham Norton. I though I was going to piss my pants on the special ep where he visits Dollywood.

Yeh I knewhis camp comedy would go down a treat over there... he's outrageous where no-one else will be in the USA. Funny but flawed.,:beer:

 

[Grakatt]

In Sweden, the media image of Rowan Atkinson seems to be a synonym for Mr.Bean, which just goes to show how clever most of Swedish press is. Anyway, Blackadder was seriously one of the funniest series I ever saw.

Fawlty Towers is also absolutely hilarious, as well as much Monty Python stuff. I saw 'The Office' once, and woke up drooling in the middle of the night. No but seriously, it was as fun as watching a copying-machine at work...at least I think it was the office..

 

[Richdog]

Originally posted by: Grakatt
In Sweden, the media image of Rowan Atkinson seems to be a synonym for Mr.Bean, which just goes to show how clever most of Swedish press is. Anyway, Blackadder was seriously one of the funniest series I ever saw.

Fawlty Towers is also absolutely hilarious, as well as much Monty Python stuff. I saw 'The Office' once, and woke up drooling in the middle of the night. No but seriously, it was as fun as watching a copying-machine at work...at least I think it was the office..

LMAO

 

[TheVrolok]

I always enjoy Ab Fab/Mr. Bean/Whose Line Is It Anyway?(original)/Benny Hill stuff/Monty Python stuff.. etc.

 

[Rob9874]

Originally posted by: CanOWorms
The Office isn't VERY big... it's been critically accepted and has a sort of cult following, but if you ask the average person they wouldn't know what it is.

I know of only one person who knows what it is, and told me about it. I haven't seen it yet, but have an episode waiting for me in my digital TV recorder at home.

 

[arod]

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Mr. Bean > *

Yep, thats about the only thing that Ive found funny coming from UK... not that most of the US comedy is any better.

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: arod

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Mr. Bean > *

Yep, thats about the only thing that Ive found funny coming from UK... not that most of the US comedy is any better.

You've just proved my point perfectly.

Anyway, I think Black Adder The Third, or Goes Forth are my favourite series.

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: Richdog

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
I think that British comedy goes over far better with a crowd like the AT crowd, since it's usually drier and wittier...I personally love British comedy, and watch it whenever I can. For instance, even though it's not the best, I love Coupling, and got teh DVDs...but despised it when NBC tried to reproduce it.

They tried to reproduce it? Never! What was it like?

Yeah, they remade it with an American cast, but it was despised by everyone - critics & normal people. It was cancelled pretty quickly.

 

[chibchakan]

Originally posted by: arod

Originally posted by: tweakmm
Mr. Bean > *

Yep, thats about the only thing that Ive found funny coming from UK... not that most of the US comedy is any better.

 

[Ranger X]

I don't like it. The sense of humor doesn't appeal to me.

 

[Talon]

Open All Hours
The Two Ronnies
Porridge
On The Buses
Last Of The Summer Wine

 

[Allio]

In New Zealand we get a fairly equal mix of British and American comedy. Both can be great.

Favourite UK comedy:

Blackadder
Red Dwarf
Men Behaving Badly
The Young Ones
The Office

Favourite US comedy:

Scrubs
The Simpsons
Family Guy
Malcom in the Middle
Seinfeld

British humour is all about the delivery, whereas American humour tends to focus more on the joke. It's a subtle difference on paper, but it can be difficult to see the joke in British comedy if you haven't grown up with it.

 

[NewSc2]

I enjoy British and American comedy. A lot of times I think British humor is more ironic and satirical, but American humor does it for me as well (Richard Pryor, South Park, SNL, Simpsons)

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Amused
I love Ab Fab

i never liked it, dont remember why

fawlty towers is good, gotta love john cleese

 

[Siddhartha]

Poll?