British Comedy Guide

I'm ashamed to say I don't get Page 5

Quote: Chappers @ 19th August 2015, 10:57 PM BST

Can this include other things apart from comedies?

I really don't get Les Miserables.

The f**king miserables? Who wants to watch that? The stage show never appealed. Then we tried watching the film. Who wants to see people pulling a bloody great chain? It was just total bollocks.

Reviving a thread that died 7 years ago. Nice work Chappers.

If it's 'don't get' as in 'don't understand the joke' I genuinely can't think of any British shows. If it's 'don't get' as in 'don't understand why other people find it so funny' there are plenty:

Blackadder
Ab Fab
Vicar of Dibley
Mrs Brown's Boys
Monty Python (except for the films which I quite like)
League of Gentlemen
Nathan Barley

I'm sure there are some more

Monty Python (except the films - same as Doug) is my main one

And if we're not just talking about comedy - I read the Great Gatsby recently and thought it was wank

The Office.

If I was forced to watch Mrs Brown I'd scweam and scweam until I was sick.

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 20th August 2015, 12:33 AM BST

If it's 'don't get' as in 'don't understand why other people find it so funny' there are plenty:

Blackadder
Ab Fab
Vicar of Dibley
League of Gentlemen
Nathan Barley

:O :O

Mrs Brown's Boys
Monty Python (except for the films which I quite like)

Agree with those two though.
I shall let you live.

Quote: NickTheDon @ 21st August 2008, 11:54 PM BST

Ooo I'll add Flight of The Conchords to my list. Why do people like it?!?!

Flight of the Conchords is one of my favourite comedies of the last decade. The radio show was great too. And how people can't find these funny I just don't know!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-jVAHAuiS4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBp5lF43E4k

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 20th August 2015, 12:33 AM BST

Blackadder
Ab Fab
Vicar of Dibley
Monty Python (except for the films which I quite like)

All of the above have a "silly" side to them. Sort of thing that teenage boys loved talking to their mates at school about. Also a manic side (except Dibley). Could that be what binds them ? The only reason I omit the other on you list is I'm not familiar enough with them to comment, but Mrs Brown looks silly.

Keith Lemon
Seinfeld

But with no sense of shame over either.

.........no satisfaction.

It isn't that I can't but I don't. Cool

Gavin And Stacy. Very run of the mill and boring. No idea how it got as big as it did. It has a great cast though.

Ali-G. I like all his other characters but this one stuck around for way too long and I just don't understand why.

Quote: Stan Doubt @ 21st August 2008, 3:21 PM BST

Have to say I didn't get Saxondale...

Same here, and that is really a mystery because as a classic rock fan I should constantly be wanking over the several 70s rock references. I just don't think it's very funny, apart from a few chuckles I didn't move a muscle. Also Coogan's performance seems very odd and wooden to me...normally I do like him a lot, AP is one of my faves and I also like The Trip.

It's a shame, because I like the idea of a cynical ex-roadie unable to cope with the modern world and modern music. Also it has a classy opening sequence/theme tune. A missed opportunity. But maybe it's just me and I just don't get it.

While you are on the subject - Tony Ferrino. The one character that is lost on me.

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 21st August 2015, 7:10 AM BST

Same here, and that is really a mystery because as a classic rock fan I should constantly be wanking over the several 70s rock references. I just don't think it's very funny, apart from a few chuckles I didn't move a muscle. Also Coogan's performance seems very odd and wooden to me...normally I do like him a lot, AP is one of my faves and I also like The Trip.

It's a shame, because I like the idea of a cynical ex-roadie unable to cope with the modern world and modern music. Also it has a classy opening sequence/theme tune. A missed opportunity. But maybe it's just me and I just don't get it.

Maybe it needed more of a run? Alan Partridge had years of radio and live appearances to develop, whereas Saxondale, as far as I'm aware had 1 or 2 series?

Quote: DougWonnacott @ 20th August 2015, 12:33 AM BST

Reviving a thread that died 7 years ago. Nice work Chappers.

If it's 'don't get' as in 'don't understand the joke' I genuinely can't think of any British shows. If it's 'don't get' as in 'don't understand why other people find it so funny' there are plenty:

Blackadder - Oh, I love it. I have all of the DVDs and scripts and that. Used to bore people silly quoting it.

Ab Fab - It's ok, hugely over-rated IMHO.

Vicar of Dibley - A bit too twee for my tastes, although I did like the strange eccentric characters and Alice's confusion over Geraldine's 'rude' joke at the end.

Mrs Brown's Boys - agree, I can't stand it, but it's hugely popular, so what do I know?

Monty Python (except for the films which I quite like) - very patchy to say the least. Some moments of genius mixed in with quite a lot of filler.

League of Gentlemen - Oh, I love this show (qv with Blackadder)

Nathan Barley - I agree with you, tried watching it twice but gave up.

I'm sure there are some more

Oh, no, no, no Doug and I thought that you and I were chips off of the same comedy block!? My comments are inline.

Quote: Lee @ 21st August 2015, 9:01 AM BST

Maybe it needed more of a run? Alan Partridge had years of radio and live appearances to develop, whereas Saxondale, as far as I'm aware had 1 or 2 series?

I quite enjoyed Saxondale and found it well-written. I especially used to like the sarcastic receptionist played by Morwenna Banks.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 21st August 2015, 7:22 AM BST

While you are on the subject - Tony Ferrino. The one character that is lost on me.

Some funny songs in there, one lyric comes to mind in regard to his duet with Kim Wilde

"I didn't know quite what would follow."
"I'm so glad that she could swallow."

Ahem. A very limited genre though, I agree. I suppose it showcased the vocal talents of Mr Coogan?

Quote: playfull @ 20th August 2015, 9:36 AM BST

Keith Lemon
Seinfeld

But with no sense of shame over either.

Keith Lemon - I agree, but Aaron loves his body of work Errr Errr Errr

Seinfeld - I love 'Curb' but find the New York-set sitcom far too dated.

Quote: Woozie @ 21st August 2015, 2:21 AM BST

Gavin And Stacy. Very run of the mill and boring. No idea how it got as big as it did. It has a great cast though.

Ali-G. I like all his other characters but this one stuck around for way too long and I just don't understand why.

G&S - a good comedy/drama with some real laugh out loud moments and a bucketload of quality acting. I'll say it again though - Alison Steadman - STOP OVER-ACTING!

Quote: Jack F @ 20th August 2015, 9:30 AM BST

Flight of the Conchords is one of my favourite comedies of the last decade. The radio show was great too. And how people can't find these funny I just don't know!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-jVAHAuiS4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBp5lF43E4k

A colleague thought I'd like it, but I don't 'get' it either.

Quote: TheBlueNun @ 21st August 2015, 10:59 PM BST

G&S - a good comedy/drama with some real laugh out loud moments and a bucketload of quality acting. I'll say it again though - Alison Steadman - STOP OVER-ACTING!

She nibbled the scenery in You'll Have Had Your Tea? and Abigail's Party. Probably because of her character actress status?

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