redfarmer Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 I was curious if anyone else here enjoys British comedy? Many of them feature better quality writing and directing than their American counterparts and many of the stories are enjoyable to an Objectivist sense of life. In America, many of these series can be found on PBS. Some of my favorites: Keeping Up Appearances: The misadventures of Hayicinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge), who believes herself to be better than everybody else and yet tries to put on a persona of being humble. Meanwhile, her entire family is both poor and insane and she attempts to keep them away from those she believes will help her advance in society. Are You Being Served?: The men's and women's departments of a London department store are forced to share a floor. Meanwhile, they join forces against unreasonable demands from bosses and customers. Waiting For God: an elderly man and woman fight against sterotypes of the elderly and against a nursing home manager who only wishes them to die. Last of the Summer Wine: The longest running comedy series in the world. Three elderly men relive their childhood in Yorkshire with hilarious results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_speicher Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 I was curious if anyone else here enjoys British comedy? I thought that Michael Frayn's Noises Off was hysterically funny, and quite clever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prometheus Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 We used to get Are You Being Served? sometime back. It was really awesome dinesh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Areactor Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 After watching a Monty Python movie I vowed never to watch a British comedy again. I broke that vow a couple of years ago while watching Absolutely Fabulous. It's halarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinorityOfOne Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 I haven't seen either in quite a while, but I really enjoyed both Red Dwarf and Black Adder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felicity Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 My recommendations: Black Adder, Mr. Bean, Fawlty Towers, the "Jeeves" series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Concerto of Atlantis Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Is it true that some objectivists reject humour and comedy because they find it to be irrational? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Is it true that some objectivists reject humour and comedy because they find it to be irrational? I DON'T! In fact, I regard humor as a high conceptual art and one of life's rewards for actuve, independent thinking. See my discussion of humor at http://www.speicher.com/humor.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
source Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 I loved "Yes Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister." Because they laugh at english politicians. I like jokes that laugh at politicians in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y_feldblum Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 I really enjoyed both Red Dwarf and Black Adder. MinorityOfOne speaks for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
argive99 Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 After watching a Monty Python movie I vowed never to watch a British comedy again. I broke that vow a couple of years ago while watching Absolutely Fabulous. It's halarious. Are you kidding? Monty Python has produced some of the most intelligent, satirical humor yet. Just watch their Life of Brian to get a sense of how clever they are. And who can forget the greatest pro-choice song ever made; none other than "Every Sperm is Sacred." IMO Monty Python is some of the best comedy ever produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dondigitalia Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 QUOTE=stephen_speicher,May 10 2004, 05:01 PM] I thought that Michael Frayn's Noises Off was hysterically funny, and quite clever. That's one of my favorite plays ever! The American movie starring John Ritter and Carol Burnett is also fantastic. P.S. I also really love the series Coupling. It's kind of like Friends, except there's a lot more innuendo, it's not cheesy and everyone has a British accent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard_Halley Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 A Fish Called Wanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dondigitalia Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 A Fish Called Wanda I didn't know that was British. It's one of my favorite movies. Kevin Kline is always good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfarmer Posted May 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Are you kidding? Monty Python has produced some of the most intelligent, satirical humor yet. Just watch their Life of Brian to get a sense of how clever they are. And who can forget the greatest pro-choice song ever made; none other than "Every Sperm is Sacred." IMO Monty Python is some of the best comedy ever produced. MONTY PYTHON! YES! How could I have forgotten that one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_speicher Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 That's one of my favorite plays ever! The American movie starring John Ritter and Carol Burnett is also fantastic. Thanks for mentioning that. I did not know it was made into a movie. I will look for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RationalBiker Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 Now that's what I call a DEAD PARROT! VES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrentRolfe Posted June 9, 2004 Report Share Posted June 9, 2004 "Coupling" is funny. Fawlty Towers is unbeatable. Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister were written by James Callaghan's (ex-Brit PM) son-in-law, himself a respected political journalist who knew very well of what he spoke. British Crime, Court, Mystery shows are great too.......very rarely a car chase or gun shot in any of them. Brent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F*ckCommunism Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 i LOVE absolutely Fabulous... and are you being served, monty python... CHEF! i remember watching that one a few years back when i was working at a local restaurant... British TV also gave us Nigella Lawson (how to be a domestic goddess) and the original 'what not to wear' which is a guilty pleasure of mine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capitalism Forever Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 I've also enjoyed You Rang, My Lord? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invictus Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 I liked The Office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reidwriter Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Been a little while since I've followed them so I'm missing out on the current good ones. Loved Black Adder and Fawlty Towers. Think the Jeeves and Wooster series are among the best comic television ever as well as being among the true book to screen adaptations. Woodhouse's ability to turn a phrase is nothing short of genius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwakeAndFree Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Now that's what I call a DEAD PARROT! Hahaha! Monty Python RULES! I think I've watched The Life of Brian more than 10 times, and The Holy Grail more than 20. Oh, yeah and - NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshRyan Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Loved Black Adder and Fawlty Towers. I was recently introduced to Fawlty Towers, and the episode I saw was quite funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimble Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 "british comedies?" I didnt know the British were funny. Hmm...you learn something new everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.