Im a Last of the Summer Wine fan, watch it most days, never fails to get a giggle, even the post-Bill Owen period.
Two and Half Men and Scrubs bring up the american offerings, both funny in their own ways.
What tickles your funny bone?
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Dads Army still entertains me even though the last of them are over 35 years old now.
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faulty titters and reggie perrin for me
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The Vicar of Dibley and The Good Life.
Pat
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I think my favourite from the last decade as to be the Inbweteeners.
My favourite over all is probably Only Fools and Horses.
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The majority of the modern TV situation comedy shows never seem to come close to those of the past, such as those already mentioned.
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The Simpsons.
tho the best part is in Dads Army.
"your name vill alzo go on ze list, vot is it?"
"dont tell him Pike"
"ach zo PIKE - (scribbles)"
so obvious, so funny.,
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...don't tell him, Pike!...
I agree, that exchange can rarely have been bettered.
Porridge would be near the top of my list.
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Have I got News for you.
Q.I.
Never mind the Buzzcocks
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>> Q.I.
Wife went to watch one of the recent series being recorded, said it was hilarious - they just go on and on (I think she said about 3 hours) with the funny stuff, no obvious script. Lots of toilet humour that didn't make it into the TV show :(
>> Never mind the Buzzcocks
It was good with Mark Lamarr, but I thought Simon Anstell was brilliant.
Also, relatively recently:
- Pulling
- Most of the various Alan Partridge series
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I like the older stuff too, the most recent enjoyable was Far ther Ted (gap in case the swear filter has a wobbly), my cousin being an Irish Priest gives it a certain irony.
I enjoy black comedy drama's i suppose best, one of my favourites of all time being the wonderful 'Blott on the Landscape', which really boosted the careers of David Suchet and Geraldine James....i leant the whole thing to a friend i thought who failed to return it, such is life.
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My all time favourite has to be Fawlty Towers. And having been a child in 1950's Ireland I can relate to Father Ted, the influence of the church on every aspect of life had to be experienced to be believed.
Last edited by: Robin Regal on Thu 18 Mar 10 at 19:33
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Only Fools has some classic situations and scripts. The one that sticks in my mind is when Rodney was explaining to Mickey Pearce about Uncle Albert being a jinx on any ship he sailed on. "One crew heard he was coming to join them and went out and shot an albatross for good luck!" - Priceless!
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Dunno.
Probably something old ancient and transatlantic - like Get Smart or the Andy Griffith Show. I also like the Phil Silvers Show (aka Bilko)
From this side of the pond I liked the Goodies. I also liked Dad's Army as a kid, though it really doesn't do much for me these days.
There. Now you know. I'm a bit odd.
:-)
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I'm with belle buoy re: forty towels & reggie ... + porridge of course.
I can get orf on the marx bros as well, funnily enough.
I also quite enjoyed some of the fonejacker series
~ www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjH9cEoEup8&NR=1
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Only Fools and Horses
Have I got News before it became too rehearsed and set up
Royle Family (Jim is my role model)
Cheers
Still Game
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farty Towels:-
"Vill you please stop going on about ze var!?"
"ME? You started it!"
"No ve didn't!"
"Yes you did, you invaded Poland!"
Dad's Army
Father Ted
Red Dwarf.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 18 Mar 10 at 21:29
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Fawlty Towers and Yes Prime Minister for me. Both had me laughing so much that I was crying tears.
Don't laugh much at what's on TV nowadays.
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Ronnie Barker. At the drinks reception or whatever when he said to a Lady, "Tickle your Ar se with a feather", she responded in the negative and he said, "Particularly nasty weather".
It makes some of today's stuff seem so poor. Suggestion was all. Absolutely no need to be rude. Always leave the last line to the punters mind. Works every time.
MD
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Tickle yor a***........stolen from John Betjeman's ' Summoned by Bells. '
QI
HIGNFY
Father Ted
Fawlty Trowels
Python.
Ted
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There are so very many that I realyl enjoy.
QI - when it is good it is very very good. I particularly love the quote by Phill Jupitus: "Stephen (Fry) doesn't have beer googles, he has madeira pince-nez!"
Would I Lie To You?
Not Going Out
Psychoville
League of Gentlemen
Father Ted
Hi-De-Hi
Ever Decreasing Circles
The Good Life
Porridge
Morecambe & Wise
The Two Ronnies
Have I Got News For You?
Red Dwarf (Series 1-4 only)
Watery Fowls
There are lots more I could list but I won't, for fear of inducing boredom.
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>>There. Now you know. I'm a bit odd.>>
Don't you mean old?
..:-)
Seriously, offerings such as Hi Di Hi! Are You Being Served? The Likely Lads, The Liver Birds, Morecambe and Wise Show, On The Buses, Dick Emery, Norman Evans etc had an innocence about them that cleverly concealed the underpinned humour on offer. Round the Horne was another classic example (on the wireless for those too young to appreciate such things) whilst, of course, Humphrey Lyttleton's musings were legendary with regards to Samantha on I Haven't A Clue.
In fact I still listen to Radio 7 when such delights are broadcast.
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>>Round the Horne was another classic example (on the wireless for those too young to >>appreciate such things)
Now you're talking! I think that Round The Horne is far superior to the likes of The Goon Show or The Navy Lark.
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Although much derided these days the likes of 'Bless this House' or 'Never the Twain' do have a place in these analls. You may mock, but the writer of these (and many others) was a genuinely good bloke - and he bought me lunch, a couple of years ago.
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...and he bought me lunch a couple of years ago...
And you've been dining out on the story ever since. :)
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>>There. Now you know. I'm a bit odd.>>
Don't you mean old?
The same age as Jeremy Clarkson. But definitely old before my time. Back in the 1980s I was the epitome of a young fogey.
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South Park, The Simpsons, and Two and a half men.
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...South Park...
I'll admit I was attracted to the following linked story because it features Ms Kirsty Gallagher, but there is also mention of a brutal Tiger Woods satire by the South Park team.
It includes their take on the incident involving Woods' wife, the golf club and his car.
tinyurl.com/ylmkva2
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No one's mentioned On The Buses with Reg Varney ...
I tuned old Blakey's car once upon a time (twice actually)
He had an old Austin Mini automatic (hehe!)
I went into his house (flat) in sowf east lunden for a cuppa and he was exactly like his TV character :)
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>>No one's mentioned On The Buses with Reg Varney ...>>
Er, yes they have....:-)
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>>> Er, yes they have....:-) <<<
I hate you Butler :)
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No mentions for Blackadder yet?
Easily the funniest thing ever written for TV. IMHO.
And the final scene of the final series never fails to bring tears to the eye. Astonishingly good television. Greatest TV moment of all time for me.
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Reminded recently on some obscure Sky channel of the excellent Comic Strip series from the 80s - in particular "A Fistful of Travellers Cheques" - "I'm Billy Balfour the man with no name"
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>> No mentions for Blackadder yet?
D'oh! How could I have forgotten old Bladders? That deserves to be at the top of any 'fave tv comedy show' list. I wasn't too convinced about the first series but two, three and four are an absolute joy to watch and, like you say, the ending of series four was simply astounding. Had me in tears when I first saw that, and I was a hormonal, insenstive 15 year old at the time!
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>> D'oh! How could I have forgotten old Bladders?
There was a very good documentary about the making of Blackadder last year IIRC, including interviews with pretty much everyone involved. Regarding the final scene of them going over the top in slo-mo, apparently they did it at the end of a long day and when they showed it at normal speed it looked almost comical. But somebody had the bright idea of slowing it down, and suddenly it became dramatic.
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I could go on for hours..this is my specialist subject.
Dear departed Father in Law worked for the BBC in the 70's and eighties and I used to visit him in the rehearsal rooms and at TV Centre and get to see the stars of the day ( After seeing Pans People in sweaty leotards and no make up Top of the Pops was never quite the same for me).
I have happy memories of going to recordings of the Goodies , Hi de Hi etc ( It was stange queing for lunch next to Kate O'Mara , Paul Daniels and Mr Barrowclough from Porridge.
Somewhere I have in the attic a Grace Brothers carrier bag from 'Are you being served' , and a personally signed to me by Eric and Ernie copy of Morecambe and Wise Show scripts.
Eric and Ernie have to be my Number 1
Only Fools and Horses No 2
Blackadder at No 3 - slightly spoiled for me by Alnwick Castle being used as a backdrop as I went to school there .
Round the Horne's Julian and Sandy have always creased me along with Dame Celia Molestrangler and Binky Huckaback ( the aging juvenile) - they brought the art of comedy timing and innuendo to a fine art - I have the complete collection.
Happy Days....
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I guess most people here are too old to get the Inbetweeners. A lot will find it very offensive but its so true. It is about the school life I wish I had.
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Blackadder was inconsistent.
Series 1 was, on the whole weak. (with the exception of the "old crone"sequence)
Series 2 was, on the whole, completely without exception probably the best comedic writing and acting ever from all parties.
Series 3 fell a bit flat
Series 4 was like series 2, with the addition of humility, social commentary and pathos.
So for consistency, it missed the mark, unlike Flowery t w a t s, which was consistently brilliant. (and as some of you know, my work can be seen in that show)
EDIT The swear filter edited out something that was broadcast on prime time TV!
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 19 Mar 10 at 14:06
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>>(and as some of you know my work can be seen in that show)
Ooh, do tell!
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Only if there is sufficient clamour
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You played Basil, the Siberian hamster, right?
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No my work was in every episode, Baseel the rat Siberian Hamster was only on one.
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>>.....unlike Flowery t w a t s, which was consistently brilliant.
So you provided the anagrams :-)
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>> I wish
I'm clamouring as loud as I can... c'mon :)
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"I guess most people here are too old to get the Inbetweeners."
Some of us are too old to have heard of it. Or them.
Now, back to motoring. What is the car featured between 3:11 and 3:17 on this clip?
tinyurl.com/ygfot7f
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I think the comedy was written for the age 18-30 age group all my mates think its the funniest thing ever but my mum would hate it. Far too many swear words and rude references in it! Its nothing like as bad as Shameless though but then my parents couldn't watch that either.
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well he used a Sunbeam Tiger in most of the episodes, but thats not it. It looks like a Karman Ghia.
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"It looks like a Karman Ghia."
According to Wikipedia, you're right. How do you know all this stuff? (And no, I don't believe you looked it up on Wikipedia!)
BTW, include me in the clamour.
Last edited by: tyro on Fri 19 Mar 10 at 16:17
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I didnt actually lookup wikipedia for that. I remember as a early teen watching Get Smart, and I knew he had a Sunbeam Tiger. Then it changed after a few series, and I asked my old man what the new one was. He told me it was a Karman Ghia,
It just stuck.
A car I never liked or hankered over BTW, unlike the Tiger.
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Got to mention The Fast Show too. That used to have me in stitches every time. Currently Bellamy's People is the funniest thing on t'box.
M*A*S*H was probably the best the Yanks have ever produced I reckon.
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Ok to Answer the clamour.
The opening titles for Faulty Towers were produced on an IBM Executive Typewriter (the old type with type bars) because it did Proportional spacing.
I was called in to the BBC at Portland Place to resolder some loose type slugs (the things that actually hit the paper) They were very picky about alignment and I wondered why and it took a fair few goes and adjustment.
I found out later, because the letters ( About 5mm on the paper ) get blown up to about 30mm on the screen. Any type alignment issues really show up then.
If you watch the titles, its all a little bit out of line, Not by much, but enough to show.
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Don't forget Game On. Along with the Hoover....:-)
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>> Don't forget Game On. Along with the Hoover....:-)
Ah, Samantha Janus when she was young and Neil Stuke as a "double hard b*****d"...
Wot, no mention of The IT Crowd and Peep Show? Come on people, this is the 21st century... :)
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The original Batman TV series in the sixties can be quite funny when viewed as an adult. Very cleverly written to appear as an adventure series for kids but with a lot of subtle humour written in that would go over the little one's heads.
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As perfectly shown in the simpsons today. Funny cartoon to the kids, but a deeply incisive look at modern life.
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Being a nerd - The Big Bang Theory
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Being controversial - any of these doomwatch programmes on global warming will be future comedy classics when we realise it was all a huge con.
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Quite right RR i think most of know already mind, though i wonder if history will be rewritten again and those very programs cease to exist officially.
Talking of humour that went over the kids heads, i've got every Terrahawks episode on DVD...sad i know, and some of the humour is brilliant.
Could do with a Zelda fix come to that.
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What was that one that started with Robert Bathhurst stating 'my wife left me'?
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Found it, you comedy pariahs. ;>)
Joking apart. Did no-one else enjoy it?
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>> Joking apart. Did no-one else enjoy it?
Sorry bt - can you remind us what it was? Might have enjoyed it but forgotten the opening line...
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>> www.jokingapart.co.uk/main.htm
doh! :)
(I mean, I didn't realise you had told us what it was called - probably answers your question)
Last edited by: Focus on Wed 24 Mar 10 at 10:28
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The original Batman TV series in the sixties
Yes, it was very good. (So was the 1966 film.) Great tongue-in-cheek stuff.
Glad I'm not the only one here who likes old American comedy.
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I like funny stuff, and there's been plenty of it over the years. These days the Simpsons and Harry Hill. Used to like quite a lot of Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse too. But some modern comedy is more nasty than funny. Little Britain is like that eight times out of ten. I like good-natured comedy that also cuts a bit - a difficult combination to pull off every time. Stand-ups are very variable. I absolutely detest rudeness about public figures who can't answer back, completely phoney iconoclasm and cruel to boot. A lot of the political comment by stand-ups is lazy, good-for-nothing cheek that says nothing new. Waste of breath even in front of a studio audience of hee-hawing morons.
Jonathan Ross, that medallion fellow and that camp Irish fellow: three clever men who have sold their souls to the devil and become worthless.
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I've been meaning to post to this thread for the last few days ;-)
Fawlty Towers - there were only 13 episodes filmed, which means the entire thing can be viewed in 6 1/2 hours - I get my sense of humour from my dad, and he absolutely loves watching Basil Fawlty's antics. "You put Basil in the ratatouille?!?!?!?"
Blackadder, all of them.
Little Britain was brilliant if you were "into" the humour, like almost everything else mentioned here it was very much of its time.
QI, HIGNFY, Buzzcocks, pretty much everything shown on Dave.
And as a choice for a standup comic / musician, I think you'd be hard-pressed to surpass Tim Minchin.
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If it was radio - the list would be rather longer....
ISIHAC would be top, Milton Jones, Little Britain, Dad's Army etc etc/
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I've just read Milton Jones's book. Very very good. Totally different to his act, but an excellent read. I've only ever seen him on Mock the Week but I do like his surreal one-liners. He's the funniest 'turn' on that programme, in my humble opinion.
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Best of the recent lot for me was 'cabin pressure'.
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Currently best comedy - Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament; closely followed by any interview with a politician!!
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thats a tragedy
for us all.
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>>>Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament<<<
Brilliant :-O
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Which reminds me, I don't think I have seen Yes Minister mentioned yet. One of the all time greats, with not a single duff episode.
Last edited by: Robin Regal on Sun 21 Mar 10 at 12:00
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>> No-one seen Miranda??
Yes - thought the first episode was very good, and it remained funnier than most throughout the series. Just didn't think it was up there among the greats.
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>> ... and it remained funnier than most ...
eg. that Amanda Holden circus-based 'comedy' - did you see that? Dire.
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>> No-one seen Miranda??
I thought it was better on the radio. Scripts were very similar.
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Not much American comedy in people's lists - I absolutely love Seinfeld, and "video" (what's the modern word for taping on a Humax) the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. An episode last week lambasting Glenn Beck was fantasticly well done. Lie bert arian. They're liars - who the Arians...
Lots of uk stuff, including much of the above
Thick of it
IT Crowd and Father Ted
Manstrokewoman (hardly shown anywhere but very good sketch show)
Peep Show - took a while to get into but very good
Oh and flight of the conchords. Took a wee while to get my head around it but genius and much underrated...
I'm sorry to say that typical some recent brit sitcoms didn't work for me - the one with Zoe Wannamaker where her husband is a dentist left me cold, but I did love the Judi Dench/Geoffrey Palmer one.
I'm complicated.
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Mash (the only US humour-pathos I can handle), also anything with Ronnie Barker, so Porridge and Open All Hours, plus the brilliant Yes Minister and the evergreen As Time Goes By - all graced by superb writing, acting and directing
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Dunno if anyone has given this a mench but I've got Citizen Smith (Wolfie) series 1,2,3 & 4 on DVD starring Robert Lindsey, Mike Grady & Cheryl Hall.
I luved that series in the 70's, being a fellow urban 'worrier'.
"Power to The People" ~ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Smith
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Freedom for Tooting and Fulham for the Cup.
Never have finer words been spoken.
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Anyone else watching Rev, on BBC2 Mondays 10pm and repeated tonight also 10pm? Quite different to Vicar of Dibley which I wasn't a great fan of, with a great performance from Tom Hollander in the title role (also co-producer I think).
Line from last week's, in which Rev was tryiing to prevent a pole dancing club from opening opposite the church school. Rev to school headmistress - 'Do you want drunks with erections outside the school?' Headmistress - 'Not if they're supposed to be inside teaching Geography'.
Last edited by: Focus on Wed 14 Jul 10 at 21:20
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Enjoyed it - a modern take to All Gas and Gaters ! Enjoyed his response to the mickey taking builders in episode 1. I also like Mongrels - very, very close to being distasteful....
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>> I also like Mongrels
Haven't seen it - when's it on?
Last edited by: Focus on Wed 14 Jul 10 at 21:56
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>> www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00swyx1
Ta - saw trailers, but have managed to completely miss the actual programme. Will give it a go.
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i love rev
its so up to date with lead being nicked off roofs as one issue
at least the culprit was caught and had his bin day
im still looking to fragralate someone seeing as my taxes have brought me no help
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I was minding my business
Lifting some lead off
The roof of the Holy Name church
It was worthwhile living a laughable life
To set my eyes on the blistering sight
Of a vicar in a tutu
He's not strange
He just wants to live his life this way
I couldn't resist. I always get that song in my head everytime I go past that church.
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Well I likes old Laurel and Hardys. especially the episode where Hardy inherits an old boat.
then I enjoyed the Muppets, Piggy. Kermit, but especially good ole Fozzie!
and dare i say it? ok then. The old Bob hope`s and Bing Crosby road films.
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I watched the first episode of Mongrels and I haven't bothered since - it didn't leave me thinking I'll have to watch it again -I thought it was entertaining but not to any great extent or am I missing something ?
Should I be asking advice from someone who thinks 'All Gas and Gaiters' is a standard to measure comedy by ?
'Oh, Noot....... '
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I've been quite enjoying Mongrels too. A little bit hit and miss in its humour, and the third episode was a bit flat, but usually has at least one moment of laugh-out-loud hilarity.
It's also available on i-player, in HD, if anyone wants to give it a try.
Favourite moments for me so far have probably been Harvey the Hamster rape alarm, and Marions plan to distract a guard with some wiggly string.
I'm ashamed to say that Vince's 'Did you just call me a *beep*' running joke makes me laugh every time.
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The Good Life
Red Dwarf
Brass Eye (never repeated anywhere these days!)
Blackadder (4 was the best IMO)
Man About the House
Two and a Half Men
Frasier
The IT Crowd
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If Vince got on here it would be like.......My ********* car's got the ********* ****. Your own mind would fill in the gaps - Destiny is a right b****.
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I’m goin’ down to South Park
Gonna have myself a time.
Friendly faces everywhere
Humble folks without temptation.
Goin’ down to South Park
Gonna leave my woes behind.
Ample parking day or night
People shouting Howdy Neighbor
Heading on up to South Park.
Gonna see if I can’t unwind
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I don't watch sit-coms anymore. They all seem so contrived. Erin Dors usually samples new ones that come up but if she doesn't like it, the series is binned.
Funny telly....I caught the last 10 minutes of Shooting Stars the other night and just had to keep watching to see what outragious stunts they came up with.
Sponge Bob Square Pants....still a viewing must !
Ted
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Talking of South Park - 25 years ago I was a school governor of my sons primary school and the name of that school was South Park.
When the cartoon series started and became popular the school name ended up having to be changed.......
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Sgt Bilko (The Phil Silvers Show)
Rex the Runt
Shaun the Sheep
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is still on Radio 4, if you TV addicts could switch on now and again...
One of my funniest recent experiences was being in a group of English people responding to someone's French girlfriend saying she couldn't understand Mornington Crescent. She just kept saying over and over 'but eet doz not make the sense'.
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The earlier Last of the Summer Wine (before it became predictable) was a hoot; Open All Hours, also by Roy Clarke of course, a close second. Clarke is an absolute master of his craft, I defy anyone to watch one of his creations without being able to recognise a character whose traits apply to someone they know in real life.
I also enjoyed Waiting for God, mainly because Stephanie Cole's character reminded me very much of my maiden aunt.
Mrs. H. likes American stuff like Frasier, good lines but I detest the canned laughter; she has got me into Mock the Week, funny but a bit strong at times, although good satire is hard to find in any medium these days. Roy Hudd's "News Huddlines" was brilliant.
On radio, another vote for ISIHAC, and also Andy Hamilton's "Old Harry's Game".
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Fork Handles - the ultimate sketch from the best.
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Always enjoyed Alan Partridge. The last of the run was weaker, but the early stuff still has me in stiches.
There were two series of a BBC 2 programme called People Like Us, I think in the late '90s. Chris Langham starred as the inept interviewer, Roy Mallard and it was a series of spoof interviews with people in normal, everydays jobs - estate agents, police officers, airplane pilots etc. Mallard was utterly useless in the role and the results were highly amusing. One of those series that rewards more than one viewing, as there's so much there in the background. One of my favourite bits is where he has to sign the visitors book at a school reception and can't remeber the registration number for his car. He ends up writing 'G reg Nissan' and for the rest of the programme, the school staff are convinved he's called Greg Nissan!
Also love The Simpsons and have been watching a few clips from The Mary Whitehouse expereince on Youtube of late. I think the latter reminds me of some of my misspent youth and the 'History Today' feature gives me a chuckle!
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Whats your fave tv comedy shows? - Skip
