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Some British TV comedies of last 20 years

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Poll Question: Choose any favourites...
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
8 [5.76%]
0 [0.00%]
4 [2.88%]
1 [0.72%]
5 [3.60%]
1 [0.72%]
2 [1.44%]
0 [0.00%]
1 [0.72%]
1 [0.72%]
0 [0.00%]
28 [20.14%]
4 [2.88%]
8 [5.76%]
3 [2.16%]
4 [2.88%]
1 [0.72%]
3 [2.16%]
17 [12.23%]
10 [7.19%]
12 [8.63%]
12 [8.63%]
12 [8.63%]
1 [0.72%]
1 [0.72%]
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LAM-SGC View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LAM-SGC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 11 2020 at 12:00
Sorry.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 12 2020 at 12:08
Oh don't worry about it, it was rather cheeky to include Black Mirror when I don't consider it to be a comedy. As ever, I'm far more interested in the discussion surrounding the choices, and discovering related ones, than the poll itself. I'm grateful when people take the time and effort to comment on my topics and respond to me. I wish that I were better at brevity. It's hard to get the right balance in communication, I find; one doesn't wish to seem too terse/abrupt, but not long-winded either. I think I'm a terrible communicator, but maybe because my ideas/ thinking are/is not that good to begin with. "To use many words to communicate few thoughts is everywhere the unmistakable sign of mediocrity. To gather much thought into few words stamps the man of genius" (Arthur Schopenhauer).

Edited by Logan - February 12 2020 at 12:18
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cosmiclawnmower Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 12 2020 at 14:53
Was lucky enough to catch 'The League of Gentlemen' live (last summer? no summer 2018) it was fantastic, the best live comedy since Python.. really well paced, non-stop engagement and a great atmosphere.

I noticed 'Still Game' not mentioned on your original list; a great Scottish situation comedy which built from an original sketch on the 'Absolutely' TV show (Stonybridge, with its stony bridge!); talking of regional comedy, 'Barry Welsh is coming' a spoof of a Welsh news and chat show with John Sparkes (who also featured in Absolutely)- Although its Radio not TV, BBC radio 4 comedy 'Fags, Mags and Bags' is something I love; Sanjeev Kohli who plays Ramesh in F,B&M played Navid, the shop keeper in Still Game.


Edited by Cosmiclawnmower - February 12 2020 at 14:55

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squonk19 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 12 2020 at 16:57
Great choice - many favourites! Has to be BIG TRAIN though! Wonderful stuff from Simon Pegg, Mark Heap, Kevin Eldon and co. "...You do realise that I'm an evil hypnotist?" 'Jockeys..... something spooked them" "Do you speak English?" "...These warmed up cakes are really flying off the shelves" etc... etc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 12 2020 at 17:29
Truly, when teaching one of my children how to ride a bike, I started with this primer with her. It actually seemed to help with her trepidation.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 12 2020 at 18:01
Originally posted by Cosmiclawnmower Cosmiclawnmower wrote:

Was lucky enough to catch 'The League of Gentlemen' live (last summer? no summer 2018) it was fantastic, the best live comedy since Python.. really well paced, non-stop engagement and a great atmosphere.

I noticed 'Still Game' not mentioned on your original list; a great Scottish situation comedy which built from an original sketch on the 'Absolutely' TV show (Stonybridge, with its stony bridge!); talking of regional comedy, 'Barry Welsh is coming' a spoof of a Welsh news and chat show with John Sparkes (who also featured in Absolutely)- Although its Radio not TV, BBC radio 4 comedy 'Fags, Mags and Bags' is something I love; Sanjeev Kohli who plays Ramesh in F,B&M played Navid, the shop keeper in Still Game.



I have so wanted to see League of Gentlemen live. I did catch Still Game some time after making the poll. I was really enjoying it. I have yet to see most of the series/ seasons. Glad you mentioned it cause somehow I forgot about it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cosmiclawnmower Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 13 2020 at 11:53
Have I mentioned i'm a HUGE HUGE Father Ted fan?.... Any thoughts on this omission from your list? ;)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 13 2020 at 12:16
^ I actually addressed Father Ted specifically near the end of my opening post. I only included ones I know well, and I do know Father Ted well. Had it been a more recent discovery of mine, then I probably would have included it, but I hadn't watched it in considerable years at the time of this poll's creation.

Originally posted by Logan Logan wrote:

So, yeah, we had a modern British sitcoms poll made a few years ago, and I've mentioned various of these in a poll or two I did, but these are some of my favourite comedies of the last twenty odd years -- some, like Misfits, are more other genres mixed with comedy, but still can be very funny, so I include it. Inside No. 9 is listed as a comedy show, or comedy drama, and can be funny or very sad. Haven't thought of Black Mirror as comedy really (one of my favourite shows), but I see it listed as a comedy drama, and the PM got bacon thing was pretty funny, so I can't resist including it.

Ran out of space for Big Babies -- a weird BBC kids show that I love. I would have sooner kicked out another, but figured I'd keep another that I don't like as much but is more likely to get votes.

Really doing this cause I finished watching two great ones fairly recently, Snuff Box (not that recently), and most recently the venerable League of Gentlemen -- better late than never. I had caught some of both before, but never finished with them until late. The League of Gentlemen series is amazing, but I didn't manage to make it all the way through the Apocalypse film -- would have loved to see them live. I had been put off a bit by the laugh tracks, and yes, they do use canned laughter in the first two series and none in the third, but as it is so genuinely funny I accept the laugh tracks.

Multiple choice enabled... Please mention any other ones you like especially of the darker variety of comedy -- if I wanted to feel good I'd have married bloody James Brown. Guess I should have included Father Ted, though some claim it's more Irish (British production company for a British channel though). Still feel weird including some of these so-called comedy dramas, but whatever.... I'm sure I've missed some of my favourites and may edit the poll later.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 13 2020 at 12:44
Sorry for the double-post:

Much as I really liked father Ted, though, I can't say that it was one of those ones that I was really passionate about at the time, most eager to discuss, or wanted to bring to people's attention at the time. Still, I could say the same of various others in the list. The ones that I still was most passionate about at the time were The League of Gentlemen, Psychoville, Inside No. 9, Misfits, Snuffbox, Nathan Barley, Brass Eye , Garth Merenghi's Darkplace, the sometimes darkly comedic Black Mirror, Man to Man With Dean Learner, Toast of London, and The Thick of It. The other British comedy I was really into then came too early for the poll, but I discovered it late: The New Statesman with Rik Mayall. I do tend to favour black comedy, or dramedies with a dark age, and dark dramas with some comedy. I posted this in another topic, but this is one example of comedy that I consider dark (as a parent it hurts to watch):



I then listed various ones that I got into after this poll started in my posts here, such as The Peter Serafinowicz Show. So it's been something of a blog as well as a poll and discussion topic. Subsequently I spent more time on radio comedies, such as Good Omens, Old Harry's Game and Blue Jam, partially because my eyes get sore with work (and typing here).

Edited by Logan - February 13 2020 at 12:51
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cosmiclawnmower Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 13 2020 at 13:09
You're right; I didn't go back through and read any older messages- actually I found I had posted on this thread sometime ago which was a surprise... ive been away from the forum (and just about everything else in life) due to health/ depression reasons for about a year and a half so I cant remember what ive posted on and cant be bothered to read through pages and pages of old threads (though actually that's not entirely true, I have been when ive got time..) Yes, FT is Irish in spirit if not in finance but Arthur Matthews and Graham Linehan went on to be involved in SO many influential comedy programs in the UK.

At the moment, No.9 is my particular favourite and there just seems to be no end to Shearsmith & Pembertons twisted sparling genius!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 13 2020 at 13:51
I also left for similar reasons for about a year and half before, and then again for a while. Probably it's not healthy for a depressive like me to be looking at some of this dark stuff. My memory has become very poor. Shame cause it used to be extremely good, and it makes work so hard (can't do as much as I used to),

And right now Inside No. 9 is also my favourite and actually my reason for bumping this topic as, of course, it's on again. I love Shearsmith & Pemberton (I've online chatted with Reece Shearmith before, he makes himself available, but he's not someone I would want to piss off). I will listen to any podcast or radio show they have appeared on and watch everything by them that I can. Sparkling geniuses.   They are my modern comedic faves.

Charlie Brooker of Black Mirror/ Dead Set/ A Touch of Cloth/ Nathan Barley/ Screenwipe said he regrets that he couldn't write like them and that Inside No. 9 is one of his favourite shows. I was very surprised, and just a little saddened, in this multiple vote poll that it got zero votes. Perhaps its not a show that Neal Morse has endorsed (doubt it would be his cup of tea), or even Steven Wilson, or even Robert Fripp....

Edited by Logan - February 13 2020 at 13:57
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squonk19 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 13 2020 at 14:44
Thanks for the BIG TRAIN bike clip, Logan! Another classic!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cosmiclawnmower Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 14 2020 at 02:41
I'd forgotton to actually vote Confused so now Inside No.9 has 1 vote!!Smile 

Hmm.. I've been very lucky that my work (generally) helps with my depression as the work is mostly physical, in the open air and at times quite artistic and the pressures are usually seasonal, weather and hours of daylight rather than a company or institution breathing down your neck for results.. having reached a certain level of age and experience in my line of work i'm fairly much left to my own devices.. like yourself I used to have an excellent memory but it has got rather glitchy of late (but that's partly to do with other health issues..)

But I still get a huge amount of joy and stimulation out of quality comedy of all sorts and of course music (and reading!) which are better all than any medication!!SmileWink

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2020 at 18:10
Having now seen all of the latest series of Inside No. 9, I do have a favourite of this bunch with Misdirection. I thought that was brilliant, and will go down as one of the most classic episodes of Inside No. 9 with me.

I should avoid spoilers, but I was delighted to see a certain back of the head, which was instantly recognisable to me, in one episode. Perhaps a topic with spoiler warnings for Inside No. 9 would be better to talk about the show than here, but there aren't many fans of it at PA -- perhaps a few more at Reddit and on Twitter. ;) I actually had some great in-depth Inside No. 9 discussion here before.

Now I'm most looking forward to the new series/ season of Westworld, which is neither comedy (it has its moments) nor British despite having had some British actors.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Atavachron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2020 at 18:29
Originally posted by Logan Logan wrote:

Truly, when teaching one of my children how to ride a bike, I started with this primer with her. It actually seemed to help with her trepidation.


LOLLOLLOL

Gave me a good laugh, thanks.


"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."   -- John F. Kennedy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Atavachron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2020 at 18:31
This has been posted several times over the years but it's worth repeating --






Edited by Atavachron - March 12 2020 at 18:31
"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought."   -- John F. Kennedy
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 12 2020 at 18:39
^ My dad was a very big Cricketer and having watched a few of his matches, I can relate.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote essexboyinwales Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2020 at 09:54
Not familiar with many of these in enough detail, but right now I would recommend these if you want cheering up (although I understand that they're not to everyone's tastes):

Miranda
Gavin And Stacey
The Detectorists

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2020 at 10:37
^ I've seen some The Detectorists, it's quite delightful, and some clips of Gavin and Stacey. I expect many here would like it, and there is at least one other fan of The Detectorists at this site. Can be very good stuff for dark times.

A lot of that in my list is dark as I to tend to favour dark comedy (often dealing with mortality and quite taboo subjects, some having a horror element).

Rather off-topic, but a favourite of mine of recent years, and it can be seen as cruel, and certainly very crude, of recent times (think most would hate it) was the Australian Chris Lilley Netflix mockumentary show Lunatics. Unlike how various others felt, I thought the show had heart and Lilley not just mocking certain kinds of people, and I could relate his characters to so many I've met.

Strangely perhaps, dark comedy can cheer me up when times are really dark. I often like comedy best that have certain psychological components to it (often rather pessimistic views of human nature), and tend to reflect on the absurdities of life. Various Chris Morris stuff is a very good example of this, which can be forensic-like in its investigations of human nature and foibles. A lot would make people very uncomfortable

The more I can relate to the characters and situations, he bigger the effect on me. I do like that which has heart, or at least of a kind.

I love comedy and dramedy, which I had the skill to be making it (or making it well).

Edited by Logan - April 02 2020 at 10:42
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cosmiclawnmower Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2020 at 16:06
Been re-visiting 'Stellar Street' from the 1990's.. Phil Cornwall and John Sessions are just SOOO good in it, very basic, low budget.

Also running through 'This Country' which I love; first 2 series were best. Its very English and maybe wont translate across borders too well..

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