British Comedy Guide

Message to BCG users.

I would just like to say I love the British Comedy Guide and British comedy it self and some comedy shows this year I've Loved, some I've hated others I've just liked a bit and some have bored me or I just have a tepid indifference of. I write this not to be in any way viewed as a Coogan/Webb style "open letter", but just to explain my view of this forum. Sometimes when I want to look into a comedy program I read the forum, but every time I forget how much rubbish is written on it and occasionally return but it's in there now - I've remembered - It's in my brain and it will not go away.

This is hardly about everyone but it's a shame that every forum post on any show ends up as a dumping ground of context-less contempt. I'm not saying that people are not entitled to their opinions, but alot comments tend to bare a resemblance to the comments section of the Daily Mail online or ukmsn.co.uk. (Although the comments on BCG never tend to accumulate to the complete denouncement of immigrants and jobseekers) The point I'm making it that most of the time the comments are not evaluative or constructed, but instead just needlessly bitter and loathsome.

I am not saying that comments should ever be deleted for this reason, but what I am saying is that it's a shame that any like-minded comedy fans comments are completely off set by the awe-inspiring ignorance by the angry ranty users. There have been shows I have hated, which everyone else seems to have undying love and affection for, but at no point did I think I'm going to go and write "This is utter shite" or "Awful, awful, awful" or "I can't believe (insert channel) would broadcast this terrible crap. It should be axed immediately", which is a comment that always annoys me - for example I am not in any way a fan of Mrs Browns Boys but it's evident that millions of people do, but suggesting it should be axed entirely on the grounds that I don't really like it is just completely absurd. Another irritating comment is when people demand there licence fee back because they didn't like one particular BBC program.

Don't you have any idea how much TV shows actually cost to make? Your licence fee is probably completely blown on 1/2 of a second of a filming of Doctor Who or even 1/10 of the cost of that guy from The Scripts hair on one advert for the voice - the one where they literally just turn around on their chair and press a button or whatever, that's it - gone - cast to the flames for some hairspray. I am not saying that people should not have access to write disagreeable comments on TV shows they found somewhat unfavourable, but it seems a shame that on the most prolific website dedicated to British comedy that it's seemingly impossible to have a reasonable discussion with anyone about British comedy as stupid and angry comments tarnish everything and immediately create a viperous and bad natured atmosphere.

People should be allowed to express their views, but it would be nice if people could actually express their distaste properly and in a well constructed critical manor (which quite a few users actually do) instead of just writing "Utter shit it should die" or something along those lines. Another common opinion is that all current British comedy is bad. The thing is it's easy to look on the other side and say the grass is greener or to put it in a way which doesn't employ the use of a futile phrase. That everything else is better than anything made in Britain today whether it's a matter of time or of course country. It's easy to look at Community, Parks and Recreations, Arrested Development, Girls, 30 Rock and say all our comedy is "crap" in comparison to America, but then watch Dads, Whitney, 2 Broke Girls, Rules of Engagement, New Girl, King of Queens, Inbetweeners USA or in fact just about any of the American adaptations of British sitcoms (Okay except the Office) and tell me that American comedy is prosperous and brilliant.

I get just depressed reading these comments on the forums; I don't know how depressed you must be to actually write them (only the angry commenters), but ultimately all I'm saying is it would be nice if the BCG forum was different to other forums such as the ones where a load of clueless American teenagers and deluded forty somethings babble over some wrestling results and accuse each other of being homosexuals. I know fully well I won't change anything, but I thought I would just say it anyway. Leave a comment and criticize if you wish, but please do so constructively. If there is anything you want me to reiterate - by all means just ask.

Have you read Chortle? Compared to their forum this one is all sweetness and light. ;)

I deleted 5 of my 6 replies to this.

It is nearly impossible to read on a computer screen a solid block of text such as you have posted here.

If you want an online audience to take in your message, it is HIGHLY desirable that you:
(1) break it into sensible paragraphs
(2) insert a blank line between paragraphs.

~~~
I'm not really going to try to read your message, it hurts my eyes to try.

:)

I never understand the sort of mentality that is behind statements like 'if you've nothing positive to say, say nothing' - especially on fora like this. Whinging about the state of things might not change anything but it's our bread and butter.

I'm all for people ranting! even when it's not 'constructive'. You get enough of the articulate, reasoned stuff here too, if you want balance.

Now - go and take some lessons on expressing yourself in writing.

Quote: K Almond @ 10th November 2013, 1:14 AM GMT

I would just like to say I love the British Comedy Guide and British comedy it self and some comedy shows this year I've Loved, some I've hated others I've just liked a bit and some have bored me or I just have a tepid indifference of. I write this not to be in any way viewed as a Coogan/Webb style "open letter", but just to explain my view of this forum. Sometimes when I want to look into a comedy program I read the forum, but every time I forget how much rubbish is written on it and occasionally return but it's in there now - I've remembered - It's in my brain and it will not go away.

This is hardly about everyone but it's a shame that every forum post on any show ends up as a dumping ground of context-less contempt. I'm not saying that people are not entitled to their opinions, but alot comments tend to bare a resemblance to the comments section of the Daily Mail online or ukmsn.co.uk. (Although the comments on BCG never tend to accumulate to the complete denouncement of immigrants and jobseekers) The point I'm making it that most of the time the comments are not evaluative or constructed, but instead just needlessly bitter and loathsome.

I am not saying that comments should ever be deleted for this reason, but what I am saying is that it's a shame that any like-minded comedy fans comments are completely off set by the awe-inspiring ignorance by the angry ranty users. There have been shows I have hated, which everyone else seems to have undying love and affection for, but at no point did I think I'm going to go and write "This is utter shite" or "Awful, awful, awful" or "I can't believe (insert channel) would broadcast this terrible crap. It should be axed immediately", which is a comment that always annoys me - for example I am not in any way a fan of Mrs Browns Boys but it's evident that millions of people do, but suggesting it should be axed entirely on the grounds that I don't really like it is just completely absurd. Another irritating comment is when people demand there licence fee back because they didn't like one particular BBC program.

Don't you have any idea how much TV shows actually cost to make? Your licence fee is probably completely blown on 1/2 of a second of a filming of Doctor Who or even 1/10 of the cost of that guy from The Scripts hair on one advert for the voice - the one where they literally just turn around on their chair and press a button or whatever, that's it - gone - cast to the flames for some hairspray. I am not saying that people should not have access to write disagreeable comments on TV shows they found somewhat unfavourable, but it seems a shame that on the most prolific website dedicated to British comedy that it's seemingly impossible to have a reasonable discussion with anyone about British comedy as stupid and angry comments tarnish everything and immediately create a viperous and bad natured atmosphere.

People should be allowed to express their views, but it would be nice if people could actually express their distaste probably and in a well constructed critical manor (which quite a few users actually do) instead of just writing "Utter shit it should die" or something along those lines. Another common opinion is that all current British comedy is bad. The thing is it's easy to look on the other side and say the grass is greener or to put it in a way which doesn't employ the use of a futile phrase. That everything else is better than anything made in Britain today whether it's a matter of time or of course country. It's easy to look at Community, Parks and Recreations, Arrested Development, Girls, 30 Rock and say all our comedy is "crap" in comparison to America, but then watch Dads, Whitney, 2 Broke Girls, Rules of Engagement, New Girl, King of Queens, Inbetweeners USA or in fact just about any of the American adaptations of British sitcoms (Okay except the Office) and tell me that American comedy is prosperous and brilliant.

I get just depressed reading these comments on the forums; I don't know how depressed you must be to actually write them (only the angry commenters), but ultimately all I'm saying is it would be nice if the BCG forum was different to other forums such as the ones where a load of clueless American teenagers and deluded forty somethings babble over some wrestling results and accuse each other of being homosexuals. I know fully well I won't change anything, but I thought I would just say it anyway. Leave a comment and criticize if you wish, but please do so constructively. If there is anything you want me to reiterate - by all means just ask.

Is that better, Bill? Look's like one of my answers to a quiz question.

Quote: K Almond @ 10th November 2013, 1:14 AM GMT

It's easy to look at Community, Parks and Recreations, Arrested Development, Girls, 30 Rock and say all our comedy is "crap" in comparison to America, but then watch Dads, Whitney, 2 Broke Girls, Rules of Engagement, New Girl, King of Queens, Inbetweeners USA or in fact just about any of the American adaptations of British sitcoms (Okay except the Office) and tell me that American comedy is prosperous and brilliant.

Yes I always smile when Matthew and a few other die hard American comedy fans keep saying how superior their sitcoms are. They are only watching the very best ones in a huge output varying greatly in quality from worst to best. Personally even the best ones are not to my taste and seem highly contrived and overwritten, namely the ludicrously over rated P&R.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, Mr Walnut. If you don't like it, then search out another forum perhaps? George Roper has some that you may appreciate.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 10th November 2013, 7:44 AM GMT

Is that better, Bill? Look's like one of my answers to a quiz question.

Yes I always smile when Matthew and a few other die hard American comedy fans keep saying how superior their sitcoms are. They are only watching the very best ones in a huge output varying greatly in quality from worst to best. Personally even the best ones are not to my taste and seem highly contrived and overwritten, namely the ludicrously over rated P&R.

That's so nice of you kipper you old fascist

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 10th November 2013, 7:44 AM GMT

Yes I always smile when Matthew and a few other die hard American comedy fans keep saying how superior their sitcoms are. They are only watching the very best ones in a huge output varying greatly in quality from worst to best. Personally even the best ones are not to my taste and seem highly contrived and overwritten, namely the ludicrously over rated P&R.

I'm one of the people that usually says they're doing better right now, and I don't think that suggests everything America makes is better than what Britain does. They just happen to currently have a handful of shows on over there that are a lot better than any of the shows airing over here.

My favourite sitcoms of past times are still British, though...

Quote: the science eel @ 10th November 2013, 4:32 AM GMT

fora

Image

NEO OUT OF THE MATRIX HAS ENTERED A MYSTERIOUS ROOM FULL OF TV MONITORS SHOWING UK TV COMEDY, SOOTYJ SITS IN RONNY CORBETTS CHAIR, HIS TROUSERS ARE AROUND HIS ANKLES AND HE IS WEARING COMEDY POLKA DOTTED Y FRONTS AND STOCKINGS WITH SUSPENDERS

NEO
Who are you.

SOOTYJ
I am the fartitech, now your first thought is why has he introduced himself with a really shit pun. But that question is also the most irrelevant, if you'd asked why my dog has no nose, I could have given you a joke answer about it being a smelly dog. I created it all everything, I am the founder of....

NEO
No you're not Marc and Aaron founded the BCG you egotistical, unfunny, bum trumpet.

SOOTYJ
Oh alright I founded this skit and the word bumtrumpet and you for that matter.

NEO
No I am just a poor simulacrum of a 2 dimensional character and I'm pretty sure someone on CBBC came up with bumtrumpet. Now tell me fartitect why are you BCGers always hating on British comedy.

SOOTYJ
I dunno we all think it's a bit shit, UK TV is generally publicly funded, so doesn't have the intense pressures of US TV, whilst being essentially always written by committee. This wasn't such an issue in the 60s and 70s when there were less economic pressures from Digital providers......

NEO
You are the one.

SOOTYJ
Thank you.

NEO
The boring one.

SOOTYJ
Oh piss off. Look would you prefer to just take a red pill.

NEO
I will if it will explain why you are always hating on British comedy. Even if the redpill was from the first film, the one that was kinda good.

SOOTYJ HANDS NEO A PILL, NEO TAKES THE PILL AND BREAKS WIND EXPLOSIVELY HIS RIDICULOUS LEATHER COAT BLOWING OUT LIKE A BELL TENT

SOOTYJ
Ha, ha that's going to be in my new sitcom Mr Fartybum, with Sue Perkins as a lesbian proctologist, Miranda Hart as a posh person who falls over a lot or the Mir Space Station and......

NEO
I get it, British comedy isn't going through a particularly great patch, these things happen and if I bothered to look back, I'd find praise for Peep Show, The Office, Derek.
SOOTYJ
I hated that.

NE0
What....ever. Now pray we never meet again.

SOOTYJ
Why not.

NEO
Because I followed through when you gave me the red pill and you'll be getting the dry cleaning bill for this ridiculous coat.

What would be good K Almond would be if you could stick around and join in with the forum, you have a nice balanced tone about you and the best way to counter what you feel are the bad things is to give an opinion yourself...looking in from the outside is no good as it's like having your face pressed up to the window of a pub looking at the drunks talking gobshite, once inside you may find some of the gobshite is of a better quality than others..now put some money in the dukebox and get some Queen on will ya? ;)

Well, I for one am going to completely change the way I comment on comedy from this day forth.

Following on from my earlier analogy.. an Irish saying...'Stop standing outside looking in at the people inside sitting down, but come in and sit down and look out at the people outside standing up looking in at the people inside sitting down'...try saying that after 16 pints of Guinness.

Quote: K Almond @ 10th November 2013, 1:14 AM GMT

but it would be nice if people could actually express their distaste probably and in a well constructed critical manor

It's not fair so I won't. Oh ok :D

Share this page