Which country produces the best comedy?

[Back One Out]

How come nobody ever mentions Extras, underrated.

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as loudly as when Andy Millman sat in the “VIP section” while Bowie played piano and everyone sang “He’s just a pug-nosed git”. (I loved that character who was Andy’s nemesis)

Andy putting his foot in it with the sister with cerebral palsy was another classic scene.

Best of all though is the bloopers outtake reel of that scene where Andy is trying to pitch his script to Patrick Stewart in the caravan and Gervais totally loses it

 

[Kram]

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as loudly as when Andy Millman sat in the “VIP section” while Bowie played piano and everyone sang “He’s just a pug-nosed git”

Andy putting his foot in it with the sister with cerebral palsy was another classic scene.

Best of all though is the bloopers outtake reel of that scene where Andy is trying to pitch his script to Patrick Stewart in the caravan and Gervais totally loses it

The show is worth it even just for Darren Lamb. Like him talking to the dwarf "Looking the window like I'm King Kong!", the time difference between LA and the UK argument, saying he's rather smash his new TV instead of selling it to Andy at a discount and him having a toss over the nuddie pen.

 

[Back One Out]

The show is worth it even just for Darren Lamb. Like him talking to the dwarf "Looking the window like I'm King Kong!", the time difference between LA and the UK argument, saying he's rather smash his new TV instead of selling it to Andy at a discount and him having a toss over the nuddie pen.

Yeah, Lamb is great. So is Maggie.

How about the BAFTAs scene when some old legend has been honoured with the lifetime achievement award and while he’s giving the speech, Darren rocks up to Andy’s table with the Ray Stokes doll?

There’s a lot of that cringe humour which Gervais is so good at, but more slapstick than The Office. I think they’re less precious about it and just havin’ a larf.

 

[R Chee Manning]

Kath and Kim is funnier than Friends.
.

Definitely.

Well written, well acted.

Self-deprecation when done well by Australians - works well. I think that's why Norman Gunstan had such appeal. Sadly, most Australians don't share this style of humor.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Kath and Kim is funnier than Friends.

A dog pooping on the side-walk is funnier & more entertaining than Friends.

 

[R Chee Manning]

Well it was Stewart Copeland's skip... and he called Sting...

UK comedy... delivered so deadpan... yet so funny...

 

[William Wonka]

A dog pooping on the side-walk is funnier & more entertaining than Friends.

Disagree.
With the sound muted and the focus solely on Jennifer Anistons nipples then some entertainment can be found.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Disagree.
With the sound muted and the focus solely on Jennifer Anistons nipples then some entertainment can be found.

I believe you are describing titillation there....

 

[William Wonka]

I believe you are describing titillation there....

I find titillation very entertaining

 

[Hoos]

Not this country that's for sure.

I'll say England (or the UK if you'd prefer).

 

[perthblue]

Has anyone ever Bread? 80s sitcom from Liverpool. Never hear about it when British sitcoms are brought up, did it suck or something? From my brief viewings it seems like a fun show.

 

[Hoos]

Heard of these side splittingly hilarious people who frequent TV?

Dave Hughes
Peter Helliar

Unfortunately, yes I have. Everyone to their own and all that, but these two are the last people that should be mentioned in the same breath as 'side splittingly hilarious'.

 

[Hoos]

Disagree.
With the sound muted and the focus solely on Jennifer Anistons nipples then some entertainment can be found.

In fairness though, despite me not liking the show at all when it was aired, I had the misfortune to be in the room when it was on a few days ago. It had aged incredibly badly. It has to be one of the 10 worst comedies I've ever seen. Not a single redeeming feature. Despite Jennifer Aniston's nipples.

 

[Gough]

Has anyone ever Bread? 80s sitcom from Liverpool. Never hear about it when British sitcoms are brought up, did it suck or something? From my brief viewings it seems like a fun show.

I remember it. I think it was one of those English shows that like Only Fools and Horses that were wildly popular over there but in the pre Internet, pre ease of travel era was just too English for Australian tastes. It would have been hard trying to explain to someone the Australian equivalent of a spiv like Del Boy or Scousers like the Boswells.

 

[William Wonka]

In fairness though, despite me not liking the show at all when it was aired, I had the misfortune to be in the room when it was on a few days ago. It had aged incredibly badly. It has to be one of the 10 worst comedies I've ever seen. Not a single redeeming feature. Despite Jennifer Aniston's nipples.

Ive seen infomercials for floor cleaners that are 100x funnier than Friends.
But I maintain Jens nipples are two redeeming features.

 

[Hoos]

Ive seen infomercials for floor cleaners that are 100x funnier than Friends.
But I maintain Jens nipples are two redeeming features.

I can see the logic of both of your points.

 

[Run n Spread]

UK or US. I'll say UK because I prefer the subtlety US is too in your face or lose the humour making the joke too obvious.

 

[Chief]

Fawlty Towers
Some Mothers Do Ave Em
Keeping Up Appearances
Vicar of Dibley
Are You Being Served?

Re-watching Vicar of Dibley these last few weeks.

“You’re a teat short of an udder, you are!”

 

[Hawk Dork]

UK

 

[Wallaby]

Generally, I prefer British comedy to Amnerican - that's not to say there aren't some excellent US productions, and some pretty dire UK ones.

For some reason, despite having two of my favourite comedians - Lee Mack, and David Mitchell - I find Would I lie To You unwatchable - to the extent I have to leave the room, while my wife is dissolving on the couch. I think it's because the UK are so celebrity-fixated that they like to include some onto the panel shows, where they show their ignorance of timing, comedic teamwork, and basic knowledge of how joke structures work. It also means the comedy is often directed at a celebrity-focussed audience, where the 'humour' is often at the level of 'celeb gets a metaphorical pie in the face'. QI can also often go that way (particularly with Alan Davies - he is known on QI for being the idiot, so all he has to do is gurn or flail his arms a bit and the audience cheers, because 'Alan Davies is an idiot, and so this must be the point that we laugh'). It's the Brit equivalent of the US laugh track. ('You will laugh now!').

However, I will say that the greatest sit-com I have ever seen WAS an Australian production - The Games (I suppose we have to give the Kiwis some credit, there).

 

[William Wonka]

However, I will say that the greatest sit-com I have ever seen WAS an Australian production - The Games (I suppose we have to give the Kiwis some credit, there).

Words cant describe how good it is.

 

[JW Frogen]

Saudi Arabia.

You cannot make this s**t up.

 

[Plugger35]

Stephen Merchant is an underrated British comedian, he stole the show as Darren Lamb in Extras.

He did the same thing in this film where he played the best man.

 

[blueboy25]

Stephen Merchant is an underrated British comedian, he stole the show as Darren Lamb in Extras.

He did the same thing in this film where he played the best man.

I saw Stephen Merchant's stand up show in Perth a number of years ago and he was brilliant.

 

[Plugger35]

I saw Stephen Merchant's stand up show in Perth a number of years ago and he was brilliant.

I haven't seen his stand up show but I can imagine he'd be great, he's funnier than Ricky Gervais whose stand up shows I didn't find all that funny tbh.

Ricky's great in some of his tv roles but as a stand up for an hour or two where he's just being himself he starts to wear thin after a while.