British Comedy In America

[Artemis]

I live in the US at the moment, for my sins. I do so almost exclusively because my very fabulous new (ish) partner lives here in California. Having been out of the UK for the last year here and the year before that in Australia for another year, I decided a while back that I missed good British comedy, so over the last couple of months I've splashed out on a shitload of DVDs and it's become a fascinating experiment showing them to her and seeing which ones she enjoys. To get an idea, the American shows she likes include Malcolm in the Middle, The Simpsons, The Simple Life (do you get that over there yet - you're missing nothing if you don't). Here's the list of stuff I've showed her under categories of varying preference. If you have shown an American any British stuff, maybe you could post what they thought of it here too, so we can build something of a picture of what generally tends to work...

She Loved...
The Office Series 2
The Office Christmas Specials
IAP2
Jam
Human Remains
Dress to Kill (Izzard)
The Man Who Thinks He's It (Coogan)
Teachers Series 2
Billy Conolly's World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales

She Liked...
TDT
Marion & Geoff Series 1
The Royale Family Series 2
Ali G In the USA aiiight
Circle (Izzard)
Billy Connolly's Greatest Hits
Urban Trauma (Alan Davies)

She didn't like or didn't get...
The Office Series 1
IAP1
KMKYWAP
Brass Eye
This Life


What do you think she'd like based on this list? I have 'Animals' by Gervais in the post to arrive shortly.


No, this wasn't an excuse to write about my DVD collection

[The Region Legion]

Do NOT, repeat do NOT get "Sexie" by Izzard. It proves that he's lost the incredible talent he used to have for stand-up comedy. He spends about the first half an hour constantly going on about how he's wearing a corset that makes it look like he has breasts... yes well done Eddie. You're a transvestite. Great. Move on. But he never does. Very sad.

Frankly I'm stunned that you haven't got Spaced or Father Ted on the way, what with them being possibly the best sitcoms that the UK has ever produced.

And how strange that your girlfriend loved Series 2 & the Xmas episodes of The Office but not Series 1. Did she say what it was about the latter that she didn't like compared to the former?

[5 Knuckle Shuffle]

I

She didn't like or didn't get...
The Office Series 1
IAP1
KMKYWAP
Brass Eye
This Life


What do you think she'd like based on this list? I have 'Animals' by Gervais in the post to arrive shortly.

I think that those, besides The Office and IAP1, are based more on British culture and not just about funny jokes. In particular, This Life is pretty much dated now anyway, but I still enjoy watching it. because I can reminisce about when I lived in a shared house and the internal politics that occured. Do students/ workers in the US share houses?
I'm sure somebody will be along shortly to blow my theory away, or indeed back it up more consistent and eloquently.

[Artemis]

Frankly I'm stunned that you haven't got Spaced or Father Ted on the way, what with them being possibly the best sitcoms that the UK has ever produced.

Always had a thing about Father Ted - never liked it (won't mention this again since last time I did I got shouted at). As for Spaced, I just never got round to watching it. I know Simon Pegg's very good, but isn't it slightly surreal or something? Or is that League of Gentlemen? I can't remember. Could you 'sell me' Spaced a little, if you would be so kind? I'm prepared to get it but I know next to nothing about it and wouldn't mind a primer.

I have heard what you say about Sexie from so many sources now, it's not funny. And nor is the show, by all accounts. (ba-dum).

[The Region Legion]

As for Spaced, I just never got round to watching it. I know Simon Pegg's very good, but isn't it slightly surreal or something? Or is that League of Gentlemen? I can't remember. Could you 'sell me' Spaced a little, if you would be so kind? I'm prepared to get it but I know next to nothing about it and wouldn't mind a primer.

Spaced is slightly surreal, but not so much that it would put you off (the way you say it suggests you don't like surreal comedy). It's difficult to really sum it up to be honest.. it really is one of the most unique television programs I've ever seen, packed full of movie/TV references but never in a smarmy "LOOK WHAT MOVIE WE'RE REFERENCING" way. Intelligently written, brilliantly performed (I've actually had tears in my eyes in one of the scenes, unbelievably)....

Look, just trust me.

http://playcom.at/cookdandbombd?DURL=http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=182576&p=57&c=&g=72

Wait until September and get that, or alternatively get Series 1 for £6.99 from the same website just to see if you like it or not. And there's probably episodes on the internet somewhere.

[Rats]

And how strange that your girlfriend loved Series 2 & the Xmas episodes of The Office but not Series 1. Did she say what it was about the latter that she didn't like compared to the former?

Well, the office was never that subtle but I remember while watching series 2, thinking it had turned into a pantomime. I was dissapointed with that at first but what else could they do really? I suppose I'm saying his lass is thick which isn't very nice but there you go. That's my guess.
and I agree about sexie, that was just embarassing, I've only watched 20 minutes of it, him looking down on the audience, talking about his phoney melons, I had to turn it off and throw it across the room (I downloaded it really, so I just sort of clicked in disgust).

[Mildly Diverting]

She Loved...

Dress to Kill (Izzard)

She Liked...

Circle (Izzard)

My memory may be playing tricks with me, but isn't 'Circle' just 'Dressed to Kill'  with an extra couple of shite jokes?

Do NOT, repeat do NOT get "Sexie"

The wisest of words.

[neveragain]

Frankly I'm stunned that you haven't got Spaced or Father Ted on the way, what with them being possibly the best sitcoms that the UK has ever produced.

Always had a thing about Father Ted - never liked it (won't mention this again since last time I did I got shouted at). As for Spaced, I just never got round to watching it.

Ooh, don't like Father Ted, tut, tut... poor misguided tw- fool. Your girl might like it so buy them all anyway. That's a bloody order. HOW can you... no, I'll forget it. Forget it! Incidentally, I've just got the complete Spaced set and I'm in fucking Heaven. It's brilliant. And, DevlinC, was it the last scene in Series One Ep6 that reduced you to tears? If so, it had a slightly similar effect on me.

[The Region Legion]

And, DevlinC, was it the last scene in Series One Ep6 that reduced you to tears? If so, it had a slightly similar effect on me.

Nope... the scene between Tim and Mike near the end of that Paintball episode in Series 1. It's Pegg's performance that does it, superb actor, even though he's just taking the piss.

[El Unicornio, mang]

My ball and chain loves:

IAP1
IAP2
KMKY
The Office (both series')
Brass Eye

Her friends like them too

I'm going to get One Foot In The Grave series one when it's out next month, see if she likes it. If she doesn't, I may have to file for divorce.

It's a shame the US stations don't show more Brit comedy. The only things they seem to show here are shows like Last of the Summer Wine, Keeping Up Appearances, Waiting For God and Ab Fab, none of which I particularly like.

[Dark Sky]

http://playcom.at/cookdandbombd?DURL=http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=182576&p=57&c=&g=72

*coughs splutters and generally gets very angry*

Oi!  Why d'they have to do that?!  How can I justify getting two DVDs I already have just for a third disc of extras?!  

Oh well, I'll just wait until I'm really depressed one day and buy it to cheer myself up.

The great thing about Spaced is that it works on SO many levels.  At its heart it's basically a simple sitcom about a guy and a girl living in a flat and their misadventures with the people upstairs and downstairs and at work and stuff.  And the characters are really good and interesting and there's all that "will they won't they" romantic stuff which makes you have to pretend to have something in your eye at certain strategic moments.

And then layered on top of that you have a thick helping of pop culture references...films, computer games, comics...  So many in jokes, so many references and homages, and yet they're not necessary to the humour.  (Well, so saying, in the second series they got a bit lazy and had a couple of episodes which were larger film spoofs and required knowledge of the actual films in question otherwise they'd be a bit meaningless)

And then the whole thing is ultra-stylised and zippy, with Sam Raimi style directing from Edgar Wright, and many flash cut dream and fantasy sequences delving into the realms of action and horror.

Oh, and it's really funny, too.

Which is more than I can say for some other things...

I really don't want to have to ask it, but it's beginning to annoy me now...  What's so great about Father Ted?  I've only seen the first series, so maybe it gets better, but ...  I dunno?  I mean, it's vaguely enjoyable, but I honest to God don't see why it's frequently touted as "the best British sitcom in recent years", etc, etc?  You get the odd laugh every episode, but I was disappointed with the number of one-joke clichéd characters.  Maybe it's just not my cup of tea.  No disrespect to the programme at all, it just obviously doesn't tickle me funny bits...

-Nick

[Artemis]

Nick, don't go there with Father Ted - I agree with you it's crap but you'll be hunted down and put in front of a firing squad for just the merest hint there's anything wrong with it. There are seom worryingly big fans lurking here...

The old lady likes Keeping Up Appearences too, infact that was the only Biritish show she knew properly until I showed up. I like to think I've lowered her sense of taste now.

I was thinking of getting 'One Foot In The Grave' next month too, Unicorn, but can't remember if the first series was any good or not, and the BBC have a history of shafting OFITG fans with terminally shite DVDs.

Rats, I'll pass on the 'bit thick' comment to me bird. Sure she'll appreciate that ;) I actually enjoyed series two a lot more then series one of the office - guess I'm a bit thick two. (did you see what I did, there?)

As for Spaced, it does sound good, but incredibly pretentious. I really don't know enough about films or video games to 'get' the references, and she definately won't, being the thick bint she is. Would it still work as 'just a programme'?

[El Unicornio, mang]

I was thinking of getting 'One Foot In The Grave' next month too, Unicorn, but can't remember if the first series was any good or not, and the BBC have a history of shafting OFITG fans with terminally shite DVDs.

the first series is great, OFITG is one of the few shows that seemed to maintain the same degree of quality throughout all the different series'. The only real difference is the house they live in, which is a bit more squalid than subsequent series'.

[Darrell]

OFITG is one of the few shows that seemed to maintain the same degree of quality throughout all the different series

Nah, there was a slight dip after the fourth series. Everything from the first Christmas special to the end of the fourth series is where the bulk of the gold is. Everything else is pretty damn great too, but the peak is undoudtedly.

The first series is good, but is really just a warmup. The second isn't considerably better, though as both were made and broadcast within about 10 months they're bound to be similar.

[El Unicornio, mang]

Speaking of OFITG, does anyone remember one of the episodes in the later series when Owen Brenman (who plays Victor's weird neighbour Nick) appeared and he was about 20 stone? To this day I couldn't figure out whether it was make-up done as part of the show or whether he really had turned into a big fat bloke. I recall Victor saying to his wife afterwards something along the lines of  "We'll need a trolley to push him around now" or something. Anyway, I found it quite disturbing at the time. No idea why.

[theantileague]

Speaking of OFITG, does anyone remember one of the episodes in the later series when Owen Brenman (who plays Victor's weird neighbour Nick) appeared and he was about 20 stone? To this day I couldn't figure out whether it was make-up done as part of the show or whether he really had turned into a big fat bloke. I recall Victor saying to his wife afterwards something along the lines of  "We'll need a trolley to push him around now" or something. Anyway, I found it quite disturbing at the time. No idea why.

And I thought it was just me...

[Darrell]

Speaking of OFITG, does anyone remember one of the episodes in the later series when Owen Brenman (who plays Victor's weird neighbour Nick) appeared and he was about 20 stone? To this day I couldn't figure out whether it was make-up done as part of the show or whether he really had turned into a big fat bloke. I recall Victor saying to his wife afterwards something along the lines of  "We'll need a trolley to push him around now" or something. Anyway, I found it quite disturbing at the time. No idea why.

It was for the 1997 Christmas special 'Endgame' only, and it was all prosthetics (courtesy of the excellent Neil Gorton, who's just been assigned to the new Doctor Who series).

[Dark Sky]

As for Spaced, it does sound good, but incredibly pretentious. I really don't know enough about films or video games to 'get' the references, and she definately won't, being the thick bint she is. Would it still work as 'just a programme'?

Oh yeah, yeah, that's what I was trying to say...  The characters are great, and the stories wonderful and it's just fast and flashy and yet not pretentious in any way, it's very down to earth whilst simultaneously being "out there" and cool.

So what if you don't notice that that camera angle is a homage to Evil Dead 2, or that that idea is taken from the Shining, or that that montage was taken from Evil Dead 2, or that that event was taken from the Shining, or that that dialogue was from Evil Dead 2, or that...

Perhaps you should see Evil Dead 2 and the Shining first?  *laugh*

But nah, only joshing.  There is so much in Spaced and it works on so many levels.  

Then again you do get the odd person who doesn't like it...  One of my housemates violently disliked "Shaun of the Dead" (essentially the Spaced movie, only not so) and thought that it was completely unfunny.  And this was a guy who thought that "Johnny English" was hilarious.  Urrrrrrghhhh.

"Join us.  Join us now!"

-Nick

[neveragain]

It's supposed to be due to his grief-eating after the death of his mother, isn't it?

Edit: I'm talking about OFITG.

[mikeyg27]

As for Spaced, it does sound good, but incredibly pretentious.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO  !

Just get it and watch it.

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

It is pretentious, yes. 'Media-literate' and all that.

[Lt Plonker]

She Liked...

Marion & Geoff Series 1

Ooh, what were her comments on this? For some reaosn I'm fascinated to hear opinions from non-British peeps on Brit comedy.  I especially look forward to hearing her thoughts on OFITG.  Just to see 'what works' and makes them universally appealing.

I too loved Spaced, but you need not worry about not getting references because they'll mention them in the commentaries. A lot of them are quite overt.  I don't feel it's pretencious. They even go for a self-dig in one commentary and starting making up film referenced. "That 4 there is a reference to Thunderbird 4." *cue laughing*

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

No, not pretentious...what's that word? Ah! Overrated.

[Happyman]

In what way is Spaced pretentious?  What do you feel it has pretentions to be?  Media-literate?  No, it is media-literate.  A sitcom?  No, it works perfectly well as a conventional sitcom.  Funny?  No, it's stuffed with jokes.  There's nothing pretentious about it.  What you mean is you don't like it.  So what?

[chand]

I too loved Spaced, but you need not worry about not getting references because they'll mention them in the commentaries. A lot of them are quite overt.  I don't feel it's pretencious. They even go for a self-dig in one commentary and starting making up film referenced. "That 4 there is a reference to Thunderbird 4." *cue laughing*

I love Spaced. Not being a nerd, I got some of the references but most of them passed me by and my life is no worse for it. And even my brother who loves the film Leon didn't get that Daisy does a punch which is supposed to be an homage to a punch from Leon.

But yeah, the jokes work on their own and the references are there for people who get them. If you don't know what Mark Morriss from the Bluetones looks like it won't bother you that he's in the background in one scene, if you do you'll go 'Hey! It's him from The Bluetones!'. And so on.

[Dark Sky]

In what way is Spaced pretentious?  What do you feel it has pretentions to be?  Media-literate?  No, it is media-literate.  A sitcom?  No, it works perfectly well as a conventional sitcom.  Funny?  No, it's stuffed with jokes.  There's nothing pretentious about it.  What you mean is you don't like it.  So what?

Actually, he's never seen it.

Apparently I didn't sell it very well at first to him, and he said it SOUNDED pretentious.

When of course it's not, it's absolutely snuggly wuggly lovely.

-Nick

[Rats]

Rats, I'll pass on the 'bit thick' comment to me bird. Sure she'll appreciate that ;) I actually enjoyed series two a lot more then series one of the office - guess I'm a bit thick two. (did you see what I did, there?)

I enjoyed the first one more because it was new but I think you're right, the second one was probably funnier. Spaced is over rated, it's clever and really enjoyable but not that funny. Don't expect anything more than smiles.

[Artemis]

She Liked...
Marion & Geoff Series 1

Ooh, what were her comments on this?

Well she only really started to like it about 2/3 of the way through. Took a bit of 'getting into' and I helped her out a fair bit, interjecting with annoying statements like "do you know why that's funny?", whether she was laughing or not. Also, I got frustrated after about episode three, and started explaining the subtleties of each show after it had finished.

Come to think of it, she probably only said she liked it to get me to stop.

Her actual comments were "eh, our'lad, it had the kind of script that could have gone either way and might have ended up being right shite, but cor blimey, Brydon's acting is fucking excellent; he did a bang up job and thanks to him it's the dog's bollocks."

Except she said it in American.

........................................................................

The pretentious rebuttal was aimed at Beloved Aunt, I think - he said it was, I said it sounded like it. I'll get the 'complete set' in September and let you know what I think. There were only two series, then? Has it been cancelled now?

[Gooseboy]

I'm confused by her loathing IAP1 and Office1 but loving IAP2 and Office2.  This will be the first and last time I use this acronym: WTF?

[Dark Sky]

There were only two series, then? Has it been cancelled now?

Nah, Spaced wasn't cancelled, everyone wants a third series...  But Simon Pegg is off making movies, and Jessica Stevenson is doing...goodness knows what...so they've said that they probably couldn't put in the work to make a complete new series.  But they will be making one (or some) special one off episodes sometime.  Or so they claim.

I'm confused by her loathing IAP1 and Office1 but loving IAP2 and Office2

I'm more confused with the fact that despite hating the first series of IAP and the Office, she still agreed to watch the second series.

Took a bit of 'getting into' and I helped her out a fair bit, interjecting with annoying statements like "do you know why that's funny?", whether she was laughing or not. Also, I got frustrated after about episode three, and started explaining the subtleties of each show after it had finished.

God, if you were explaining the subtleties of a programme we were just watching to ME I'd have punched you one, thus ruining the romantic evening we would have been having together.  We need to have more of those romantic evenings, Artemis.  We need to have more of them.

-Nick