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John McIntyre 
Forum Groupie 
Joined: February 03 2009 Location: Edinburgh Status: Offline Points: 91 |
 Topic: Which American tv-comedy ?Posted: July 07 2009 at 15:58 |
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In the 50-odd years I've been watching British TV (largely because I've lived my entire life in Britain!), I have been subjected to a variety of comedic TV from the U.S. and I have to say it's been largely disappointing. I voted for M*A*S*H, which has been head and shoulders above anything else Uncle Sam has had to offer. It takes a direct kick in the genitals of authority and the military establishment and makes aerosols of our so-called political masters. In the futility and the bloodshed (literally) of war, a group of humans retain their sanity by going nuts. The scripts were manically and excruciatingly funny, with smart-arse.....sorry.....smart ass Groucho Marx-like one-liners. I often wonder how much ad-libbing was done in the TV series - I do know that Robert Altman actively encouraged it in the M*A*S*H film. As far as I'm concerned, M*A*S*H has been the finest export from the U S of A, with Miller beer coming second.
"Taxi" was OK, but it got a bit desperate after the 3rd or 4th series. They also toiled for plot-lines.
"Friends" was aimed at a too-narrow viewing audience.
If I had a higher IQ, I would probably appreciate the humour in "Frasier", but a lot of it flew over my head.
I've no idea if a thread exists for British comedy, but you can put me down for "Have I Got News For You", "Drop The Dead Donkey" (they should NEVER had taken that off the air) and "They Think It's All Over".
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I am one of only about 1,800 people in the world with an original M400 Mellotron!
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Garion81
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2004 Location: So Cal, USA Status: Offline Points: 4338 |
Posted: July 07 2009 at 14:54 |
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From your list I was inclined to go with Married with Children but instead went with Taxi. It is amazing how many people in that series went on to great success in other ventures. On the bottom side I have never been able to like Seinfeld and after two or three shows avoided it like the plague.
Off the list Get Smart, The Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle and Two and Half Men all deserve nods. Drew Carry also had some really good moments as well but really suffered the last couple of years.
Edited by Garion81 - July 07 2009 at 14:56 |
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
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SaltyJon
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 08 2008 Location: Location Status: Offline Points: 28772 |
Posted: July 07 2009 at 00:34 |
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From the list, Married...With Children. From everything, Futurama by a loooooong shot.
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SgtPepper67
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: October 17 2007 Location: Argentina Status: Offline Points: 530 |
Posted: July 06 2009 at 20:00 |
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I watch Seinfield sometimes and it's somewhat entertaining but I never understood why people in the US like it so much, it's ok but it's not really that funny to me. I take Friends anytime.
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In the end the love you take is equal to the love you made... |
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Badabing666
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 30 2008 Location: Devon, UK Status: Offline Points: 248 |
Posted: July 06 2009 at 09:09 |
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I voted for Frasier but here would have plumped for Earl & Randy Hickey if they had been an option
1 My Name Is Earl 2 Frasier/Cheers 3 Arrested Development 4 M*A*S*H 5 Curb Your Enthusiasm |
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progrules
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: September 14 2007 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 958 |
Posted: June 30 2009 at 01:51 |
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Damn you Ivan ! Why do you always make spot on posts ?
 Other very good examples of this phenomenon are Friends (last two seasons and especially the very last one which were extremely disappointing compared the brilliant first 8) and Some mothers do 'ave 'em (first 10 episodes just about the best comedy I ever saw in my life but second series insipid and a waste).
The only one that knew when to stop was Fawlty Towers with just 12 episodes but all hilarious. (sorry to switch to the british comedies all over sudden but they are perfect examples for my opinion)
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A day without prog is a wasted day
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progrules
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 14 2007 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 958 |
Posted: June 30 2009 at 01:40 |
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Did you have to do this ?
 It takes so much space !!  |
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A day without prog is a wasted day
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Evolutionary Sleeper
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 30 2008 Location: Berkeley, CA Status: Offline Points: 7037 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 20:57 |
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From the list...Married with Children.
The Office is my fav though. |
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Ivan_Melgar_M
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 27 2004 Location: Peru Status: Offline Points: 19535 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 20:53 |
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Mork and Mindy on the list but not ALF?
Iván
BTW: Yes, The Big Bang Theory is hilarious
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam Joined: April 29 2006 Location: Atlantais Status: Offline Points: 29630 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 19:27 |
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Psst. Psst. Python doesn't count because it's British.  Now for an American sketch comedy show that was more or less concurrent: Laugh In. I grew up on that one. It started the process of warping my sense of humor that Monty Python continued to do in re-runs and movies. Laugh In actually seems to have not aged well, where as Python is a different matter to me. Then there was Hee Haw...
Sorry I couldn't help myself.  [] []Actually I'm quite in agreement with all of that. Spring for a live audience or leave it out. Edited by Slartibartfast - June 29 2009 at 19:34 |
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Stooge
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 09 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Status: Offline Points: 1003 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 18:49 |
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I like your list, but I still haven't seen It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Edited by Stooge - June 29 2009 at 22:32 |
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 30 2006 Location: Pearland Status: Offline Points: 65249 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 16:14 |
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 this statement is so counterintuitive it makes me dizzy |
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007 Status: Offline Points: 4900 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 16:01 |
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Couldn't agree with you more. Canned laughter has driven me mad for years, now. One of the most ridiculous concepts television has ever seen. My opinion. Though, if we're including Brit shows in that argument, Fawlty Towers will always reign supreme, I don't care if it has a laugh track or not. |
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007 Status: Offline Points: 4900 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 15:59 |
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Still . . . no Family Guy or Simpsons as choices in this poll? Boo!
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stonebeard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 27 2005 Location: NE Indiana Status: Offline Points: 28057 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 13:48 |
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Arrested Development is the single best comedy show ever. Even better than Seinfeld or Monty Python, though the last one might not even count because it's a sketch comedy show.
Here's my top 5 comedies (not sketch shows): 1. Arrested Development 2. Seinfeld 3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia 4. Curb Your Enthusiasm 5. The Office (US) Typical laugh-track sitcoms are an affront to comedy. Some ones have moments of brilliance like Frasier, and of course Seinfeld managed to kick the ass out of everything at the time, but it's sad they still dominate. Edited by stonebeard - June 29 2009 at 13:49 |
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Noak
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 04 2009 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 544 |
Posted: June 29 2009 at 13:26 |
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Seinfeld of course. If Hogan's Heroes would've been on the list I might have picked that.
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mr.cub
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 06 2009 Location: Lexington, VA Status: Offline Points: 971 |
Posted: June 28 2009 at 00:46 |
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Seinfeld by a wide margin
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johnobvious
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 11 2006 Location: Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 1361 |
Posted: June 27 2009 at 21:35 |
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Always torn between MASH and Seinfeld but give Mash the slightest of edges. Seinfeld could make you laugh but MASH could make you laugh and cry. One of a kind.
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Biggles was in rehab last Saturday
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Stooge
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 09 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Status: Offline Points: 1003 |
Posted: June 27 2009 at 17:20 |
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Based on the Wikipedia list, here are the american comedies that I enjoy watching (I'll bold my favorites):
American Dad! The Andy Griffith Show Andy Richter Controls the Universe Arrested Development Batman (so over-the-top!!) Becker Cheers Coach Curb Your Enthusiasm (My current favorite) Everybody Loves Raymond Family Guy Family Matters (The later episodes were just ridiculous though) Family Ties The Flintstones Frasier The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Futurama Gilligan's Island Happy Days Home Improvement I Love Lucy The Jetsons Just Shoot Me The King of Queens King of The Hill Leave It to Beaver Malcolm In The Middle Married... with Children NewsRadio The Office (US) Seinfeld (bought Season 6 DVDs today!!) The Simpsons South Park Spin City Taxi Tom Goes to the Mayor Welcome Back, Kotter Who's the Boss? Some of these I haven't seen in a LONG time, but would watch a rerun if I come across it channel surfing. |
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Moogtron III
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 26 2005 Location: Belgium Status: Offline Points: 10616 |
Posted: June 27 2009 at 14:56 |
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I also enjoyed MASH a lot. I forgot about that. Especially the episodes with the first cast.
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Which American tv-comedy ?
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Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: