FTA-TV British Comedies

[Plugger35]

You find this entertaining?

The act that he's so tone deaf for long about his own behaviour isn't clever, it's grating as hell

At least Michael in the American version shows some sort of character development

There's no character development or happy ending for David Brent, he's a s**t boss that gets sacked and then ends up being a s**t travelling salesman.

I haven't watched much of the US version of The Office but from what I've heard they had to make Steve Carell's character less of a loser to appeal to Americans.

That doesn't make him a better or funnier character though unless you prefer more simplified and less nuanced US comedies like Big Bang Theory or 30 Rock.

 

[Plugger35]

The real king of British comedy is this guy.




Paul Hogan owes Benny Hill some royalties for stealing his seventies smutty shtick.

 

[2006_Eagles]

There's no character development or happy ending for David Brent, he's a s**t boss that gets sacked and then ends up being a s**t travelling salesman.

I haven't watched much of the US version of The Office but from what I've heard they had to make Steve Carell's character less of a loser to appeal to Americans.

That doesn't make him a better or funnier character though unless you prefer more simplified and less nuanced US comedies like Big Bang Theory or 30 Rock.

Not sure why you're bringing up nuances when David Brent is as one note as they come. Cringe personified

I could watch David Mitchell forever. Nuance personified

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

For me loved both versions of the Office. Last couple of seasons of US not so good. I’d have UK ahead but US was better than I expected

 

[Plugger35]

Not sure why you're bringing up nuances when David Brent is as one note as they come. Cringe personified

I could watch David Mitchell forever. Nuance personified

Who is David Mitchell?

David Brent has more than one note, he's funny as well as tragic.

Sometimes at the same time.




The Office is a brilliant groundbreaking British comedy from the noughties up there with The Mighty Boosh,, they play many original very funny notes.

If you're talking one note comedies how about the US Office, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, let's get a zany bunch of characters in to bring the laughs.

I've watched all three of those shows and I would be lucky to laugh once at any of them but everyone with no sense of humour tells me their funny.

I think the only person that finds Tracy Morgan funny is Tina Fey because there is no other explanation for him getting a gig on SNL and 30 Rock.

He is the US version of Lenny Henry.

The only US comedies that can match the best British comedies are Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, that's it.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

If you're talking one note comedies how about the US Office, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, let's get a zany bunch of characters in to the bring the laughs.

I've watched all three of those shows and I would be lucky to laugh once at any of them but everyone with no sense of humour tells me their funny.

The only US comedies that can match the best British comedies are Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, that's it.

I think you need to remind yourself that it’s just your opinion.

I think I’ve got a pretty good sense of humour and both Parks & Rec and US Office were more than one note and quite funny.

And yes Curb(still is) and Seinfeld were two of great comedies of all time.

 

[Plugger35]

I also forgot to mention Cheers, one of the greatest US comedies especially when Woody and Frasier came along, now that was a great ensemble cast.




We should probably take this discussion to the US comedies thread though.

 

[year of the roo]

Not sure why you're bringing up nuances when David Brent is as one note as they come. Cringe personified

I could watch David Mitchell forever. Nuance personified

The cringe was very much intended. In fact, it is the whole point.

 

[Buckleys Jocks]

I've only recently seen a few episodes of the US Office and it was a lot better than I was expecting. I found it very entertaining as a sitcom but the hard to watch cringe factor of the UK Office is much, much funnier.

I agree with the poster above who mentioned that a lot of US sitcoms suffer from throwing too many 'zany characters' together. Whereas I found the UK Office was a lot more relatable in how it portrayed the mundane nature of office work.

Whatever Ricky Gervais was trying to achieve with his character in The Office was one of the most grating things I've had to witness

But as a human being, he gets my utmost respect

I'm the complete opposite. I think Gervais seems like a w***er but the way he completely becomes David Brent is one of the best comedic acting performances I've ever seen.

The strength of that performance is what actually got the show green lit. It just started as a joke when Stephen Merchant needed some folio footage for a production job he was applying for with the BBC, but Gervais was so convincing that they ended up building a whole show around the character.

 

[Papa G]

The British Office went for 2 seasons and 12 episodes.

The US Office went for 9 seasons and 201 episodes.

Apart from the first season of the US one which pretty much copied the script of the UK one, the are almost incomparable.

The US one is good. It has some brilliant scenes and episodes. American comedies became far more nuanced in the 2000s. I quite like 30 Rock.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

If you haven't seen "Ghosts," I highly recommend you do. Hilarious take on the supernatural series you see

 

[Mazza1234678]

Never got a chance to watch the Inbetweeners and finally have after all this lockdown stuff

It really is as good as some have said. Have pissed myself a few times throughout