While We Are On Britian, What Are Your Favorite Comedies?

[nctarheel]

Astraea,

I hope you don't mind that I created this separate thread for British comedies. Your post about British mysteries got me to thinking about British shows. I am not much for the British mysteries but I remember watching British comedies.

Most British comedy, I have a hard time understanding...... except for the physical humor.

Thus, in second place, my favorite is Benny Hill. A little too slapsticky; but, funny none the less.

My all time favorite is Mr. Bean with Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean. It is about a sad sack that always gets himself in situations and then makes the situations worse. His performances in this program are almost a mime as there is little, if any dialogue.... but you don't need any. If you get a chance to see a re-run; you'll be rolling in the floor with laughter.

Anybody else have a favorite British comedy?

[lizziekay41]

don't know that Spy, Moone Boy -what decade?

[nyadrn]

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@lizziekay41 wrote:

don't know that Spy, Moone Boy -what decade?

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Hi  lizziekay41 and thanks for your posts!   If you want to reply directly to someone else's post, it is helpful if you use the Quote button  to print the post you are responding to. Thanks for your interest!

[bob825827]

The one and only Mr. Bean.

[lizziekay41]

yes, he was Something else!

[nyadrn]

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@bob825827 wrote:
The one and only Mr. Bean.

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Yes   Teddy!

[lovesongforuniverse]

I have enjoyed the pleasent recollections triggered by the responses. Gavin and Stacey has been an offbeat delightful comedy. I came to love all the characters. It is one that I could watch again and find more material that went below the radar. Keeping Up Appearances has also been one that I watched several times when it came on the local PBS station. I started to notice more of the physical comedy, the body manerisms, and facial expressions from Hyacinth.

[krambo48]

My all time favorite was "Absolutely Fabulous".  Patsy and Edwina never failed to induce great belly laughs.  "Keeping up Appearances", "The Vicar of Darby" (almost anything by Dawn and French) and "Fawlty Towers" and "Blackadder".  Actually, there are so many good ones, it seems a shame to catagorize them into good, better, best.  But I will put Ab Fab at the top.

[nyadrn]

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@krambo48 wrote:

My all time favorite was "Absolutely Fabulous".  Patsy and Edwina never failed to induce great belly laughs.  "Keeping up Appearances", "The Vicar of Darby" (almost anything by Dawn and French) and "Fawlty Towers" and "Blackadder".  Actually, there are so many good ones, it seems a shame to catagorize them into good, better, best.  But I will put Ab Fab at the top.

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Loved Ab Fab!!!!!   what a show!   also liked Rumpole of the Baily  : )

[lizziekay41]

how could I forget rumpole and his She who must be obeyed!  Absolutely Fabulous was not on KCTS for long-then was on cable, which I never had.but anything by Dawn French was not to be missed! she also wrote and played in every episode a series on Death-different ways to die! she was so versatile and so absolutely hysterical!

[clarktj]

Benny Hill & Butterflies Are Free

[LaDolceVita]

I used to watch "Waiting for God" but I have not seen an episode in several years. I thought it was hilarious even before I got older.  I confess I love Hyacinth, her whole family,  neighbors and the vicar.  I used to watch "Are You Being Served" too but it is not as memorable as he other two. 

[lizziekay41]

had forgotten about Waiting for God.. that grew on one..didn't like it at 1st...

[nyadrn]

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@nctarheel wrote:

Astraea,

I hope you don't mind that I created this separate thread for British comedies. Your post about British mysteries got me to thinking about British shows. I am not much for the British mysteries but I remember watching British comedies.

Most British comedy, I have a hard time understanding...... except for the physical humor.

Thus, in second place, my favorite is Benny Hill. A little too slapsticky; but, funny none the less.

My all time favorite is Mr. Bean with Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean. It is about a sad sack that always gets himself in situations and then makes the situations worse. His performances in this program are almost a mime as there is little, if any dialogue.... but you don't need any. If you get a chance to see a re-run; you'll be rolling in the floor with laughter.

Anybody else have a favorite British comedy?

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OMG  love Mr. Bean  but hate Benny Hill.  Also Ab Fab  terrific show!!

[loveabull]

Benny Hill was one of my all time favorites, slapstick, silly, and completely beyond political correctness. It's a pity that I've read Benny felt somewhat a failure when he died. He made such a big contribution to UK comedy, wish he had known that.

But my all time favorite...IT'S Monty Python's Flying CIRcus!

[gatorgorilla]

For several years I was nuts about "Keeping Up Appearances", but eventually I suffered from overload on that series.  I also enjoyed watching "As Time Goes By" for several years - it focused on characters who were more believable & likeable than Hyacinth Bucket.  It was more of a situation comedy, with mild comedic aspects.

[suesig]

Loved "As Time Goes By" ! Also Benny Hill and Mr. Bean.

[ASTRAEA]

@gatorgorilla wrote:

For several years I was nuts about "Keeping Up Appearances", but eventually I suffered from overload on that series.  I also enjoyed watching "As Time Goes By" for several years - it focused on characters who were more believable & likeable than Hyacinth Bucket.  It was more of a situation comedy, with mild comedic aspects.

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I've watched the episodes of "Keeping up Appearances" so randomly, that I got the 2 Roses confused! I must have started watching when Mary Millar played the part, and thought she was great. Then I saw other episodes where Shirley Stelfox played Rose, and she looked older & not quite as attractive .. so I thought she was "the replacement". But Stelfox was the original, and couldn't stay on due to another acting commitment .. apparently they didn't expect "Keeping Up Appearances" to run for 5 series! Sadly, Mary Millar died of cancer at age 62, only a few years after the show ended production.

[gatorgorilla]

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@ASTRAEA wrote:

@gatorgorilla wrote:

For several years I was nuts about "Keeping Up Appearances", but eventually I suffered from overload on that series.  I also enjoyed watching "As Time Goes By" for several years - it focused on characters who were more believable & likeable than Hyacinth Bucket.  It was more of a situation comedy, with mild comedic aspects.

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I've watched the episodes of "Keeping up Appearances" so randomly, that I got the 2 Roses confused! I must have started watching when Mary Millar played the part, and thought she was great. Then I saw other episodes where Shirley Stelfox played Rose, and she looked older & not quite as attractive .. so I thought she was "the replacement". But Stelfox was the original, and couldn't stay on due to another acting commitment .. apparently they didn't expect "Keeping Up Appearances" to run for 5 series! Sadly, Mary Millar died of cancer at age 62, only a few years after the show ended production.

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All those episodes of "Keeping Up Appearances" that I watched over and over again, and I somehow managed to miss that the character, Rose, was not the same actress throughout!  Thanks for enlightening us, Astraea.

[loveabull]

An Aussie import, but "The Paul Hogan Show" was pretty good.

[retiredtraveler]

DW and I watch all the Brit mysteries via Netflix that we can find. Have probably watched almost 50 of their series. As far as comedy, I agree, do not care for their understated humor. The one comedy that we used to watch is one of their earliest: "Are you being served?".  I believe the show is from the early 70's, but has been shown, on and off over the years, on our PBS station.

   I just got back from my annual U.K. trip and tried watching some of their TV comedy. Still a no-go for me.

[Roxanna35]

Gosh, I am so glad I found this thread.!!!!
We have been seeing British shows for over 20 years. from the Creatures big and Small, to One foot on the Grave, to Are you being Served. to practically anything British. 
I am now very lucky that I subscribe to Britbox,  and are able to see again many of the shows that PB S doesn't offer any longer.
Perot, Frost, Morse, Inspector Lewis,  Miss Marple. and so many others.
I am very biased regarding these show, I frankly see them as much superior than our own and many TV series. 
One thing that I have always enjoyed, is the fact that they are not afraid to put old people in their characters, They are not afraid of age as we seem to be
So Between Father Brown, Downtonw Abby  and so  m any amazing series, I enjoy watching Tv. and laughing at British humor which is so much on the mark.

[ccjnc1]

Blackadder is the greatest. I also love Vicious which maybe seen on PBS.

[rm85183331]

Yes,I also looked forward to the Grace Bros antics

[ASTRAEA]

I'm not that big into comedies, but I think that "Blackadder" was hilarious, in an offbeat sort of way! I liked Rowan Atkinson in that, a lot better than in "Mr. Bean". I also think "Keeping Up Appearances" is funny .. but I can only take it in very small doses; until I'll ready to strangle Hyacinth!

[retiredtraveler]

"...I'm not that big into comedies, but I think that "Blackadder" was hilarious, in an offbeat sort of way!....".

   Ever try Fawlty Towers?

[ASTRAEA]

@retiredtraveler wrote:

"...I'm not that big into comedies, but I think that "Blackadder" was hilarious, in an offbeat sort of way!....".

   Ever try Fawlty Towers?

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Ugh .. I found Basil Fawlty/John Cleese even more annoying that Hyacinth Bucket!

I did watch "Are You Being Served?" periodically .. not bad!

Oh, I forgot, "The Vicar of Dibley" .. that was another I'd watch once in a while.

[lizziekay41]

when I 1st came to Seattel in '67(married a Boeing man I'd met in toronto) Americans didn't appreciate/understand British Humour.As an Aussie I was brought up on the radio shows of tony Hancock, Peter Sellers, and Bob Newhart!  but eventually Monty Python arrived(introduced by my young son(he loved all my old British LPs) and with it, Fawlty TowersAll Creatures great and small(Benny Hill was too off colour with a child around) but To the Manor Born, Darling Buds of May, Vicar of Dibley, Hiacynth(poor richard!) I just love to bits! Doc Martin isn't to everyone's taste, but love the bits with the cups of tea, and the wonderful local scenery!