I still think its a good idea, and in channel we're chatting to some of the American guys with good taste about shows they might not have seen which are easily found and accessible to non-UKers, and during the summer its not as if you've got a lot to watch anyway (besides, most our shows are 6 episodes long so you can watch a whole series in a night without a problem...)

Anyway, these are going to be really brief and we'll put them into the proper forum at some point. Add your own!

* Blackadder
4 series of 6 episodes set across different time periods in the UK (except the fourth which was set in WWI), comedy of the highest calibre. Everyone in the UK has seen this show and a good chunk of Americans have too as I believe its aired on BBC US quite a bit. If you haven't, watch it NOW. As well as Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean) it has Hugh Laurie in most of the eps (House MD) and thats all you really need to know.


* Black Books
Mentioned in the other forum already, but worth mentioning again. 2 guys and a gal running a bookshop (the gal doesn't but she's in there all the time), one of the few times a standup comedian (actually 2) in a role that works fantastically. Bill Bailey and Dylan Moran star.


* Bottom
The 90s successor to 'The Young Ones', stupid violent fun about two losers who live in a flat. Adrian Edmonson and Rik Mayall (Drop Dead Fred), they did some live shows as well you can get on DVD and the first three are definitely worth grabbing. Very funny.

* Brass Eye / The Day Today
I'll lump these two together as they're sister shows.. BE is a current affairs spoof and TDT is a news spoof. Yes, some of it is very UK based but I don't think you need to always understand what they're attacking to find it funny. Extremely controversial and not for your right wing christian conservatives. Therefore you'll probably love it.

* Coupling
We remade Friends and called it Coupling. You remade Coupling and called it Coupling and somehow managed to ruin it. But nevermind! Coupling is surprisingly funny, has a Welsh guy in it for the first 3 series' (before it went downhill) that will make you piss yourself with laughter. 3 guys, 3 girls, you know the score.

* Extras
You should know this as it was picked up by HBO, Ricky Gervais and a whole host of generally pretty famous people (some US/some UK) in another excruciating comedy show following The Office. Some of the people involved are very 'UK only recognised' so its a weird one for HBO to pick up unless they recut it, but there's enough funny jokes to make it worth watching anyway.

* Father Ted
One of the most highly loved UK comedies by everyone in the family, but that doesn't make it squeaky clean.. irish priests and drinking, and absolutely hilarious. Everybody loves this show. Everybody.

* The Mighty Boosh
Surrealist comedy and absolutely insane. Only 2 seasons old and a massive cult hit, its hard to know what to compare it to or how to describe it, but get this show. Its monster.

* Nathan Barley
Chris Morris sitcom, attacking UK idiot trends.. some people thought it came a bit late but the attention to detail is amazing and its just downright laugh out loud funny. I hate these people, you should too. Watch.

* Peep Show
Again, they tried to remake this but failed dismally. 2 losers (a familiar theme) but for entirely different reasons, have their daily lives told out from a first person POV. Rude and funny, it would never be aired on US network TV and its fantastic.

* Red Dwarf
A classic, the first season or two are a bit shaky as are the later ones, but in the middle there's some top notch sci fi comedy, and one of my fondest shows of a child (despite the fact most of the humor is pretty adult). Again, I believe this has been aired on US TV quite a bit.

* Spaced
Team behind Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. A zillion and one TV/Movie/Game references thrown at you so fast you'll never notice with probably the best editing in a sitcom (US or UK) that I've ever seen. Its brilliant and if you don't like it you're wrong. Ok?

There's loads more of course, but I either don't need to tell you about them (Fawlty Towers, The Office, Only Fools and Horses), I don't like them, or I just can't think of anything specific to write about em. Grab these and tell us what you think!

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Everyone says how great Peep Show is, i've yet to discover it's apparent brilliance. That said i've yet to discover much of any sort of British TV gold when the DVD's over here are absurd prices.

CA$84.99 for Only Fools And Horses S3? GET FUCKED.

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A bit dated but "Drop the Dead Donkey" and "The New Statesmen" were always favourites of mine. Both available on DVD.

Newer shows

Have I got news for you
'Been running for years but has to be the best topical comedy show on T.V'


Game On (few years ago but excellent)
'3 Series of 6 shows each I beleive, was great with Ben Chaplin and Matthew Cottle. Neil Stuke was good but the first series was by far the best. Plus, this is from when Samantha Janus used to be fit. Dunno what happened to her but she is humming now.'

Jekyll
'Described as a Thriller on IMDB but I would say its more of a dark comedy. Glossy and overacted but that shouldn't put American viewers off, very entertaining.


Brass Eye and The Day Today, I know you mentioned those 2 already but they are well worth repeating, best show(s) ever.


:Edit, Slippers, Peep Show is hilarious. Give it more of a chance, it gets MUCH better as it progresses.

Last edited by David Cameron on 08-30-2007 at 06:55 PM

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quote:

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Originally posted by cupidstunt
:Edit, Slippers, Peep Show is hilarious. Give it more of a chance, it gets MUCH better as it progresses.

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quote:

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Originally posted by cupidstunt
Game On (few years ago but excellent)
'3 Series of 6 shows each I beleive, was great with Ben Chaplin and Matthew Cottle although the first 2 series were the best.'

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Just about to add this but i took to long and lost everything i typed somehow , so im just going to add the links

Imdb

The dvds are available through Play.com For just over a fiver only region 2 though.

I loved this show when it first aired ,i catch it now and then on uk gold and still love it.

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Last edited by bartleby on 08-27-2007 at 03:35 AM

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Fawlty Towers deserves more than a brief nod... It's comedy gold! Oh, and shove Some Mothers Do Have 'Em up your quivering rosebuds too.

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Porridge
A sitcom that tells the story of Fletcher (Ronnie Barker), a convinct who is serving a 5 year sentence (not his first) for burglary. Whilst inside, he befriends his cellmate, a first time convict called Godber (Richard Beckinsale), and ends up taking him under his wing to guide him through the ups and downs of prison life trying (often unsuccessfully) to keep themselves off the "screws" radar.

Open All Hours
Another sitcom starring Ronnie Barker as Arkwright, a tight-fisted local grocery store owner with a sp-speech impediment. It details the antics of him and his skinflint ways as he tries to raise profits, reduce costs, abuse his nephew Granville (David Jason) and chase the love of his life, Nurse Gladys.

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Rising Damp

Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants

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Wow, everyone is naming old shows yet no one has mentioned Monty Pythons flying circus.

Surely there must be some more recent shows that are worth watching. Yanks are gonna find it different enough watching a modern english show, don't confuse em anymore with shit from 30 years ago. I think my ancestors were watching Porridge before Americans even had televisions and Rising Damp was around well before Britain even invented America.

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Yeah its why I kept my list to the 90s and onwards, I think the 90s were the UK hayday, sure the 'classics' are classic, but its more my kind of humour. I didn't feel the need to mention the obvious ones because I'm sure they get a lot of exposure over the US anyway whereas Father Ted has probably never been shown, and deserves it just as much.

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i feel this guy need a mention for his work on dennis pennis and strutter. two absolutely hillarious shows

imdb links:
dennis pennis

strutter

youtubers

strutter direct


dennis and steve martin

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The Royle Family is another sitcom worthy of a mention, but might be too British for US tastes.

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Ideal

Johnny Vegas plays Moz, a small-time hash dealer who lives in a run-down flat with his long-term girlfriend Nicki.



Moz is a low achiever, and quite happy with it, but Nicki has aspirations for a better life…



The series takes place entirely in Moz’s flat and his chosen 'profession' serves as the backdrop for a very colourful array of customers and misfits who pass through his life on a daily basis.



Ideal mixes pathos with a very dark humour, depicting a world of sex and drugs and the dole.

i fucking loves ideal

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Should add "Life on Mars" . Strictly speaking its not a comedy but it did have some funny moments and was just so damn cuntaculor.

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