British Comedy Guide

Those big comedy 'moments'

A lot of shows - thanks to clip shows - have been boiled down to 'moments'. those big set-pieces and classic quotable scenes that outlive the show itself.

Some are great and some not so great.

So what moments do you still love, despite their ubiquity and which ones do you just hate seeing?

Del Boy falls through the bar - Still great in my view. A wonderfully clever idea, and amazingly executed.

Victor Meldrew buried up to his neck with a pot over his head - Still works well. And it's one of many OFITG moments like this. Renwick had a real knack for writing this kind of memorable stuff.

Lord Flasheart enters in Blackadder Goes Forth - In a world where big studio stuff is only just making it's comeback, Mayall's performance looks HUGE. And it is. But I think it's still really funny and there's loads of great lines.

However . . .

Lou and Andy in the swimming pool - A good idea stretched to more than breaking point. If I never see this again, it'll be too soon.

Four candles - It always annoys me they don't bother showing the rest of the sketch. Show the bloody whole of it!!

Parrot sketch - I just don't find it at all funny. And it's so often quoted (by idiots) that I find it quite distressing.

Sooooo, over to you!

Quote: Seefacts @ March 29 2009, 12:30 PM BST

Four candles - It always annoys me they don't bother showing the rest of the sketch. Show the bloody whole of it!!

This is what instantly came to mind. I like the sketch. It's clever. But The Two Ronnies had far more to them, and it seems to be the only one ever repeated.

Similarly, I absolutely adoreeeee Andre Previn's original turn in The Morecambe & Wise Show, but I do wish that they'd show a few others from time to time. Other classics which I always love to see are breakfast, singin' in the rain, and Cleopatra.

What do you think of it so far?
Rubbish!

Quote: Seefacts @ March 29 2009, 12:30 PM BST

Victor Meldrew buried up to his neck with a pot over his head - Still works well. And it's one of many OFITG moments like this. Renwick had a real knack for writing this kind of memorable stuff.

I always think of the moment when he picks the little dog up instead of the phone. Which is still funny.

Hmm. Whenever they show a clip of Spaced it's always the slo-mo gun fight, which I don't find particularly funny, or that is represents Spaced well at all.

Quote: Seefacts @ March 29 2009, 12:30 PM BST

Victor Meldrew buried up to his neck with a pot over his head - Still works well. And it's one of many OFITG moments like this. Renwick had a real knack for writing this kind of memorable stuff.

I seem to recall him saying that he starts out by thinking of a ridiculous situation for his protagonist to be in (e.g. buried up to his neck with a pot over his head), then works out how to get him there.

My favourite One Foot In The Grave moment that I can think of offhand is when Victor's on the phone after finding that the planted has been "actually planted in the lavatory pan!"

Yeah, that is a memorable one!

What do think are the ones most shown of Fawlty Towers?
The hitting the car with a branch one?

Yep, almost certainly. I don't object to that though. The whole of Fawlty Towers is equally brilliant IMO.

Except the stuff with Polly pretending to be Cybill, sick in bed. Never quite warmed to that.

Quote: Seefacts @ March 29 2009, 12:30 PM BST

Parrot sketch - I just don't find it at all funny. And it's so often quoted (by idiots) that I find it quite distressing.

Aw, love that sketch!

I would put forward the classic Not Only But Also sketch, the first Pete and Dud chat, about 'Bloody Greta Garbo'. Plus the one in the Art Gallery, with Dud trying to cover his laughter by stuffing a sandwich in his mouth.

Both often shown on those clip shows, both brilliantly funny.

Quote: Aaron @ March 29 2009, 1:16 PM BST

But The Two Ronnies had far more to them, and it seems to be the only one ever repeated.

The 'Crossed Lines' sketch is my favourite of theirs - classic Barker (or Wiley)

Quote: shaggy292 @ March 29 2009, 1:52 PM BST

The 'Crossed Lines' sketch is my favourite of theirs - classic Barker (or Wiley)

He didn't write it though.

Both that and the genius Mastermind sketch came from David Renwick.

Quote: Seefacts @ March 29 2009, 2:09 PM BST

He didn't write it though.

Both that and the genius Mastermind sketch came from David Renwick.

I knew that.

That's what I said - classic Renwick

:$

Quote: Seefacts @ March 29 2009, 12:30 PM BST

Lou and Andy in the swimming pool - A good idea stretched to more than breaking point. If I never see this again, it'll be too soon.

I hate this sketch, and all the other sketches that appeared on Little Britain.

Quote: Seefacts @ March 29 2009, 12:30 PM BST

Lou and Andy in the swimming pool - A good idea stretched to more than breaking point.

I like that sketch. I thought it was well executed. Unfortunately it's the same bleeding joke as all the other Lou and Andy sketches, and repetition of something so repetitive isn't a lot of fun.

I have a just come up with a theory - let's call it Badge's Law - that the clips we can stand more repetition of come from sitcoms rather than sketch shows. Maybe because we remember the context as well, and we know the characters better?

I vote for Fawlty attacking his car.

Quote: Aaron @ March 29 2009, 1:26 PM BST

My favourite One Foot In The Grave moment that I can think of offhand is when Victor's on the phone after finding that the planted has been "actually planted in the lavatory pan!"

That's one of my favourite episodes. Also, it has the leaky pen, Mrs Warboys on the phone, and the best bit at the end - the toupee pulled out of a loaf of bread.

Quote: Aaron @ March 29 2009, 1:29 PM BST

Except the stuff with Polly pretending to be Cybill, sick in bed. Never quite warmed to that.

* Sybil

I think you are my evil twin Aaron. That's one of my favourite episodes. The party guests are fantastic characters; "one of Basil's dos". :D

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