Television American Comedy vs British Comedy

I'm not trying to start a big arguement here but, (heh famous last words)

I think most (but not all) british comedy wipes the floor with american shows. The main reason? I think that the producers of american shows underestimate the intelligence of the country, Look at friends, how long has it been till they finally decided they just couldn't sell that sh*t anymore.

I see in american shows, people claiming to not find british shows funny. Yet I see stand up comedians say how they love it. Why? british shows are better and the execs think that americans want more of the same (hence the unbelievably long life of friends)

I know i'm not really making a good case here but look at the lists (if you've got any to add feel free)

Good american shows:
Friends (the first few seasons were good)
Becker
Fraiser (little long running but it's still good)
M.A.S.H. (Brilliant)
Roseanne

Good british shows:
Only fools and horses (with the exception of the latest 5 episodes, i mean damn they already did the big finish and now they're trying to carry on making more :anger2: )
Coupling (a friends clone that americans tried to emulate (???) and failed)
Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps
Red dwarf (except the last two seasons, wait a minute, didnt americans fail to copy this one too?)
Fun at the funeral parlour (a little obscure, it was only shown in wales, its like six feet under meets the bizzarro universe)
My family (little boring but nick saves it)
Monty Pythons flying circus (show some respect)
Little britain
The fast show
Big train
Monkey dust
Dead ringers
The league of gentlemen (its getting it's own movie, yey)
Black books
The office

maybe its just because I know more british shows and so by probability i'll know more good british shows

there was funnyness to close but i have browser issues andd it got deleted, meh

 

You forgot Seinfeld

Depends on the show really. Tastes are different also.. go to Germany and you are likely to be told that the best comedy is ALF. Seriously. Different countries (generally speaking) can like different shows.

That said, there is hardly anything on TV in the states that I find funny anymore. With Friends and Frasier now gone, the funniest things left are Simpsons, South Park and SportsCenter.

I've not seen all the shows you listed so I really can't judge. Red Dwarf anyway is funny, but has far too many obvious jokes that scream for a laugh track. At least you didn't mention Are You Being Served LOL

One of my favourite british shows was The Day Today. Classic news parody. I understand Alan Partridge went on to better things after that show hehe

Oh yes, and I must mention Americans' cliched view of British humour: A man dressing up as a woman. hah

*edit: apostrophe horror

 

Well there's always the cultural differences to consider... for example, The Office, a British comedy, when attempted to be remade in American style, certainly fell flat in America. Even Canada's sense of humour is a bit different from the Yanks.

Other good yankee comedy shows include Family Guy and Futurama.

And Americans do consume crap like Friends with a spoon! They do enjoy the crap or else it would not pull in high ratings!

I think a friend at another board put it very well...

 

Well, I guess if Red Dwarf, AbFab (I mean Absolutely Fabulous) and Mr. Bean were the only British comedies I watched, well, even if they aren't that great they still outnumber the American stuff I watch by about... three shows at least.

 

For the most part, Brittish comedies are more thought out... if i thought for a second that i would be alowed to post the source that defines why american comedies arent up to much then i would but alas Foamy shall stay where he is (Iwillpress.com)

Also i have watched both Seinfeld & the office... supposed pinicles of comedy... & found neither funny :/ so taste as well as culture plays a part... not that it needed saying really

 

do comedy gameshows count? like never mind the buzzcocks, and have i got news for you? they're great

 

I've got to agree with Angel from hell. I've never really enjoyed either Seinfeld or The Office overly much.

 

Define "thought out".

 

Hmm...Two words to support the British side:

Monty Python

But I think it's a case of loving them or hating them. I just happen to love Monty Python, so I like their brand of humour.

However...It really is a case of different cultures finding different things amusing-- and different individuals too.

So I'll have to say that I'm in-between.

 

Let's not forget Benny Hill. That was some classic British comedy.....

Victor

 

Actually interestingly enough a large number of brits I know all despise Benny Hill...

 

I cant stand Benny Hill. very blacchhh.
I like Coupling, my hero, black adder, the office, fawlty towers, ab fab, french &saunder, the vicar of dubley, and monty python!

 

That most dont rely so much on cheap over done gags.

 

The british comedy side is charming, and I really prefer shows like Red Dwarf, Mr Bean, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Black Adder..than the american shows. Sure they are funny too, but they don't have the special charm that the british show have

 

My hero...bleargh

First seasons were cool, but that child makes me want to puke

Maybe it would help if you would tell me your nationality when you post (i'm welsh) It seems that most people agree with me on this.

I don't think it's got that much to do with culture. A lot of shows made in the U.S. are sold to british networks and vice versa, we ate up friends like the rest of the world

Take coupling, In the UK its funny as hell, the concept was sold to americans who tried to remake it, I personally think americans would like it better in its original state, (even british people don't like the american versions of our shows, so it's not the jokes its the delivery i.e. bad american actors)

Red dwarf - laugh track, yes i agree but its still funnier then a funny monkey doing a funny monkey dance with a funny hat on with the word funny as a monkey tatooed across its bare monkey a** (however I HATE with a passion whoever was responsible for the last two seasons)

seinfeld - you're right i should have remembered

 

I think that some of the old american comedies were good, like Cheers, Married with Children and i'm stating to get into MASH. The comedies were better back then for some reason and the characters were more likeable. Out of todays comodies from the US Malcom in the Middle, Becker and Frasior are the only one's that i'm really bothered to watch.
I to have got to side with British comedy cause there are so many shows and quiz shows that are just so funny. Things like Bottom, Red Dwarf, Only Fools and Horses, Black Adder, Time Gentlemen Please, The leauge of Gentlemen, The Young Ones, Monty Python, Black Books, Faulty Towers, My Family and They Think It's All Over are all far better then their american counter parts.

 

I also might point out that American Humor mostly runs along the lines of Perverted Humor. Rather than classic humor. Thats what really makes our humor so different.

When ever I think of British comedy I think of bobby guards chasing each other incoherently, in silent films. ;; Though i do get the BBC on the satilite and check out some of their programing. Us Americans steal alot of the british programing. And sometimes i think our versions are better but not always.

Great American Comedies tend to be from the 60's and 70's. The ones that are played none stop on TV Land and Nick At Night. Like the Munsters (a vampire gives birth to a Frankin Wife, Who Marries frankenstien who has a Werewolf son and a Human daughter. . . .i think they should check up on that. . . ), Bewitched, I dream of Jeany, The Brady Bunch, Giligan's Island, and more. (yes i know they are really corny but thats part of what makes them so funny)

Some better More recent American Comedies, in my opinion are, That 70's Show, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Malcome in the middle (the earlier epis). As for older Comedies, pretty much all the others listed previously.

 

I love my hero. Its so funny ^_^.
Oh yes, married with children is good too, I absolutly love M.A.S.H and I watch cheers alot too. Becker is great ^_^. Oh and that 70's show me and my dad like that. Theres so many american and british ones I like.

Dont get me started on family guy, that rocks, the baby Stewy is priceless.
Malcolm in the middle too ^_^. I used to watch Bewitched, it hasnt been on in a while now tho.

I prefer family guy to the simpsons tho. ^_^.
Little brittan is great. Monkey dust is a little strange. I think I have more american ones as my favourites. ^_^

But My Hero is great, I just love the Irish.

 

I'd have to agree with you on that. As an American, I can tell you that vulgar humor gets the most laughs here. Witty humor that we usually see in British stuff goes straight over the head of the average American. Not that there aren't some who do get it, or that there isn't some great Ameican stuff.

Have you ever listened to the Bob and Tom Show? Hilarious, and it's one of the best showcases of American comedians.

 

I think that show comes on in my area . . . on 101.1 WRIFF. I dont really listen to it though. I cetch a few every now and then and some are very humorous.