Some British TV comedies of last 20 years

Edited by Cosmiclawnmower - February 12 2020 at 14:55

Sorry.

Black Mirror is a sci-fi thriller.

LAM-SGC wrote: Black Mirror? Not even remotely a comedy.

It might help it you expatiate on your statement -- it helps in conversation to understand where we're both coming from. I tend to resist such absolutist statements, and am more interested in the grey areas than black-and-white, this not that, kinds of thinking, but that's my psychology.

While I have not claimed that is a comedy and I have addressed the inclusion in my opening post and in other posts, if one were to claim that it has no comedic aspect then that would seem very off to me. Is it comedy, I'd say no. Does it incorporate comedy (comedic aspects) in episodes, I'd say yes. I don't know if you've read through the thread, or even just the posts that mention Black Mirror, but I would argue that while Black Mirror is mostly a sort of dark drama, it does have dark comedy/ dramedy aspects, and to Charlie Brooker as I recall (some episodes come closer to dramedy for me than others). Charlie Brooker has said that he rather had wanted it to be a comedy, and of course he has that sort of background (Chris Morris was an influence, who he worked with on Nathan Barley). Would A Touch of Cloth, his Newswipe or Screenwipe be more relevant, yes. I would also argue that his Dead Set is a sort of dark comedy/ dramedy.

In case you missed my earlier posts on this:

From my original post:

Logan wrote: Although I added Black Mirror as a bit of a joke to the list despite its sometime dramedy (comedy drama) elements, I did like having it on the list as something of an accessory to Inside No. 9 (the two anthology series are often compared). Mentioned in another thread, but I love Black Mirror's USS Callister from the latest series (Trek fans should watch it) and the episode Hang the DJ was quite comedic....

Logan wrote: Blacksword wrote: I'll go for Peep Show. It's run for nine series without loss of quality (IMO) There's some great shows on your list. The Office and Extras were genius as was Brass Eye and Spaced. Black Mirror, althogh briliant isn't really comedy, even of the dark variety. It's more 'speculative drama' Have I just invented a genre..? As I think I said, I don't consider Black Mirror comedy either (lots of shows/ films/ novels have comedic elements without being comedy), but I couldn't resist adding it as I have seen it listed here: https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/list/ under Comedy Drama, "speculative drama" works well as a descriptor for its brand of speculative fiction. If Black Mirror is comedy then I think I could added Brooker's Dead Set (highly recommended, by the way, especially for those who like zombie stuff)....

Perhaps, there is some interesting discussion to be had here over whether Black Mirror is remotely a comedy (say if it has back comedy/ dramedy aspects), or if for you it ever crosses into comedy, and to find and take a deep dive into your disagreements in what I've written about it in this thread. Like with Inside No. 9, as an anthology series, it has the opportunity to be comedic. There are many episodes that I think have dark dramedy or tragicomedy aspects: The National Anthem, USS Callister, The Waldo Moment, Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too, Hang the DJ, Fifteen Million Merits and more. Heck, Crocodile was dark as hell, but the Guinea Pig aspect made me laugh like hell. Does it make it the anthology series a comedy, no, but I never claimed it was. Does it make it remotely a comedy when it comes to particular episodes, I would argue, yes. Maybe I would be more in-line with you if you spell out your argument, and your disagreement with what I have said in this thread. Disagreeing with me adding it, well, I debated doing that myself, and were I do do the poll today it would be rather different. I do think Charlie Brooker's sense of humour is clear across the series of Black Mirror (in some episodes more than others). If he does one that focuses on poo, then it will be clearer still.


By the way, since you were surprised that I didn't include Friday Night Dinner, is it something you think would fit my tastes really well? I especially like dark comedy/ dramedies and often a certain surrealism. I'm surprised in this years old multiple vote poll that Psychoville, Inside No. 9, Snuff Box, and Misfits (Misfits is more of a dramedy serial than comedy per se, and the anthology series Inside No. 9 is part comedy, but is not at all comedy).

Edited by Logan - February 11 2020 at 11:12

At first, I couldn't think of any British TV comedies I'd watched in the last 20 years because I don't have a TV license, but then I remembered how much I enjoyed watching Ricky Gervais recently in Extras on DVD.

How could you miss Friday Night Dinner? Everything with Tamsin Greig is amazing, Friday Night Dinner, Green Wing, Black Books.

Edited by LAM-SGC - February 10 2020 at 13:40

From the list, The IT Crowd.  But the best in the time frame was As Time Goes By. Dame Judith Dench rocks at comedy as well.  

Michelle Gomez is genius, pure gold in Green Wing. Flowers is the last thing I still watched in London, not too bad either.

I really enjoyed 'Upstart Crow' first time around on the BBC - but watching it again on Netflix - it is really gaining in stature and Ben Elton's wordplay along with the sublime David Mitchell, the wonderful Mark Heap and the strangely seductive Lisa Tarbuck (maybe it's the brummie accent and the bodice!).....let alone Harry Enfield and Paula Wilcox - is all actually making it much very close to Black Adder in style and quality than I first thought. The satire around Shakespeare's plays, teenage culture and modern life seen through the past (the continued moaning about the coach service delays...) all hit the mark. Even a piss-take of Ricky Gervais! Highly recommended if you've ever had a brush with the bard!

Or maybe I'm just talking a load of coddlingtons....

Edited by Squonk19 - February 11 2018 at 17:35