British comedy is no longer funny

I think it's time we all came to admit, that British television comedy isn't funny anymore.

As a viewing audience we have been force fed and completely subdued by dull, saccarhin, unchallenging, uncontroversial but most of all, unfunny sitcoms, stand up performers and panel shows.

Nothing is cutting edge or outrageous or subversive anymore. Sure, there are lots of comedy programmes on, but none of them actually make you laugh out loud. Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, Outnumbered, Russell Howard's Good News, Rev - all fine programmes, lovingly crafted and brought to you by credible production companies - they make you smile, but they don't actually make you laugh.

Hey, I like being filled with safe, middle class, nice-nice feelings as much as the next guy, but it's got to the point where I can't sit through these programmes anymore.

Bizarrely, it's American comedy shows such as South Park, Family Guy and Curb Your Enthusiasm that are really pushing the boundries. They regularly make jokes about sex, incest, child abuse, murder, kidnapping, politics, race, etc., but most of all, they are subversive of both modern culture and the television genre itself.

This used to be a British preserve and now we've lost out to the Yanks. And yes, you can cite the odd programme, like Peep Show, but it is so buried under a mass of bland, corporate, on message, offend no one, family audience, prozac inspired, lifeless crap, that you can barely see it.

I'm hoping things will change soon, but as the audience becomes less and less demanding and the programme makers more and more afraid, I'm not sure if it ever will.

Well, obviously just having 'boundary pushing' gags about incest and child abuse isn't the difference between a comedy being good or bad. Parcs And Rec is as nice as pie and it's one of the funniest shows around. Have you seen 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia'? I imagine that would be right up your street. (Yes, it's American)

I understand what you're saying Matthew and it's not so much the subject matter I was getting at, but the ability to confidently approach a 'bad taste' gag without fear of upsetting the audience or completely subverting a genre. Shooting Stars and The Mighty Boosh were two great shows that did just that.

Though, for this humour to work, there has to be some talent behind it. Tramadol Nights and Campus are two perfect examples of shows that tried to be controversial for controversy's sake, but neither was particularly funny - unless people saying 'Aids' and 'vagina' over and over again is considered funny.

I want the Aids riddled vagina jokes to be funny and thought provoking dammit!

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 25 2012, 11:40 AM GMT

Nothing is cutting edge or outrageous or subversive anymore.

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The Thick Of It is back later this year. Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy is pretty cutting edge (visually, maybe not in terms of gags, but the ideas)... etc

Depends where you look. There's all sorts of interesting things on the radio if you look in the right places for example. And The Winner Is..., repeated Saturday, had a discussion about masturbating over fictional cartoons for example.

But, yes, there is a lot of bland in modern TV too. I'd suggest That Hidden Camera Family probably isn't going to be your thing.

It's always been this way though - we forget the bland shows from years gone by. Anyway, my favourite shows of all time are not cutting edge, outrageous or subversive.

Quote: Mark @ January 25 2012, 12:34 PM GMT

The Thick Of It is back later this year. Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy is pretty cutting edge (visually, maybe not in terms of gags, but the ideas)... etc

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Good choices, but too few and far between.

Quote: Mark @ January 25 2012, 12:34 PM GMT

It's always been this way though - we forget the bland shows from years gone by.

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I would disagree with this based purely on the annual BCG Awards. I'm sure if I went back even a few years (especially pre-Sachsgate), then there would be a wealth of brilliant and memorable television shows to choose from.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 25 2012, 11:40 AM GMT

I think it's time we all came to admit, that British television comedy isn't funny anymore.

As a viewing audience we have been force fed and completely subdued by dull, saccarhin, unchallenging, uncontroversial but most of all, unfunny sitcoms, stand up performers and panel shows.

Nothing is cutting edge or outrageous or subversive anymore. Sure, there are lots of comedy programmes on, but none of them actually make you laugh out loud. Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, Outnumbered, Russell Howard's Good News, Rev - all fine programmes, lovingly crafted and brought to you by credible production companies - they make you smile, but they don't actually make you laugh.

Hey, I like being filled with safe, middle class, nice-nice feelings as much as the next guy, but it's got to the point where I can't sit through these programmes anymore.

Bizarrely, it's American comedy shows such as South Park, Family Guy and Curb Your Enthusiasm that are really pushing the boundries. They regularly make jokes about sex, incest, child abuse, murder, kidnapping, politics, race, etc., but most of all, they are subversive of both modern culture and the television genre itself.

This used to be a British preserve and now we've lost out to the Yanks. And yes, you can cite the odd programme, like Peep Show, but it is so buried under a mass of bland, corporate, on message, offend no one, family audience, prozac inspired, lifeless crap, that you can barely see it.

I'm hoping things will change soon, but as the audience becomes less and less demanding and the programme makers more and more afraid, I'm not sure if it ever will.

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Rarely has anyone been so wrong.

However, it is true to say that channels now appear to be scared to do anything that the Daily Mail might piss its pants about. And that paints a very dangerous picture for the outlook of British comedy.

I agree that British TV comedy is on its arse right now. In fact, if it weren't for imports I think I'd have given up looking to television for laughs some time ago.

There's some great stuff going on in live British comedy though, so all is not lost.

I think the process of voting for the BCG awards brought home to all of us that British TV is indeed on its arse. It is down to programme makers not taking risks, but not down to them not taking risks on material. I have no difficulty in finding TV comedy that is offensive; sometimes I can even find TV comedy which is offensive and funny. Mongrels cheerfully covered subjects such as infanticide, incest, disability, cannibalism, rape, castration etc etc. The real problem is down to programme makers not taking risks on talent. I am assuming that there must be talent out there, but that the TV companies do not have the resources to sort the wheat from the chaff, or the faith in their own judgement to take commercial risks. So they play safe - this writer has credits on his CV, this performer was in something popular, this format gets good ratings; and the result is diminishing returns. Part of it is down to the tail wagging the dog - channel controllers and schedulers call the shots and producers have to fit in with their demands.

Is this deja vu? I'm sure people were saying this 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago etc etc etc...............

Quote: Chappers @ January 25 2012, 3:17 PM GMT

Is this deja vu? I'm sure people were saying this 5 years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago etc etc etc...............

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Best Comedy Series 1996: The Fast Show
Best Comedy Series 2001: One Foot In The Grave
Best Comedy Series 2006: Peep Show

Source: The British Comedy Awards wiki -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Comedy_Awards

If Aaron or Mark wants to put up the BCG winners from the same years, then that would be a good comparison.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 25 2012, 11:40 AM GMT

They regularly make jokes about sex, incest, child abuse, murder, kidnapping, politics, race, etc.,

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But doing so is no guarantee of actually being funny. Otherwise Frankie Boyle and Ricky Gervais shouting "look at the mong" at a child with Down's Syndrome would be the funniest thing imaginable, instead of being two pathetic has-beens demonstrating their lack of talent. If "race" were sufficient Jim Davidson would be the greatest comedian alive, and "sex and incest" would propel every incoherent "blue" comedian from your local working man's club to the Perrier awards.

The idea that adding some swearing and bullying a few vulnerable minorities transforms weak material into comedy gold is the curse of comedy writers the world over. Sneering at people with Down's Syndrome isn't edgy and interesting, it's just how people who aren't funny attempt to make themselves dangerous and interesting. If Boyle and Gervais could produce television people wanted to watch, they'd do so; because they can't, bullying people with genetic conditions is the best they can manage.

Look at something close to comedy perfection from the past ages (your choice: a good episode of Bilko, Blackadder at its peak, the stronger episodes of Fawlty Towers, Woody Allen with a moose on his car). Now, add the word "f**k", a reference to the Queen's genitalia and the words "nigger",. "coon" and "mong". Replace all women's names with "c**t" or "bitch". Did it just become funnier?

Quote: Tokyo Nambu @ January 25 2012, 3:47 PM GMT

Look at something close to comedy perfection from the past ages (your choice: a good episode of Bilko, Blackadder at its peak, the stronger episodes of Fawlty Towers, Woody Allen with a moose on his car). Now, add the word "f**k", a reference to the Queen's genitalia and the words "nigger",. "coon" and "mong". Replace all women's names with "c**t" or "bitch". Did it just become funnier?

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I don't know, but thanks to Final Cut Pro I'm going to have a lot of fun finding out!

Nevermind whether it's funny, where is it? February's nearly here and virtually bugger all new.

Quote: Tokyo Nambu @ January 25 2012, 3:47 PM GMT

The idea that adding some swearing and bullying a few vulnerable minorities transforms weak material into comedy gold is the curse of comedy writers the world over.

Now, add the word "f**k", a reference to the Queen's genitalia and the words "nigger",. "coon" and "mong". Replace all women's names with "c**t" or "bitch". Did it just become funnier?

View original

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 25 2012, 12:11 PM GMT

Though, for this humour to work, there has to be some talent behind it. Tramadol Nights and Campus are two perfect examples of shows that tried to be controversial for controversy's sake, but neither was particularly funny - unless people saying 'Aids' and 'vagina' over and over again is considered funny.

I want the Aids riddled vagina jokes to be funny and thought provoking dammit!

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Next time you are in rant mode, try and read other posts first and then understand the concept behind the original post.

Thank you.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 25 2012, 3:31 PM GMT

Best Comedy Series 1996: The Fast Show
Best Comedy Series 2001: One Foot In The Grave
Best Comedy Series 2006: Peep Show

Source: The British Comedy Awards wiki -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Comedy_Awards

If Aaron or Mark wants to put up the BCG winners from the same years, then that would be a good comparison.

View original

The Comedy.co.uk Awards weren't around until 2006 so we can't compare with 1996 or 2001, but the 2006 winner of the "Comedy of the Year" award was Green Wing.