A Look at UK TV Comedies from an American

[TheChowie]

these are just english shows man, Britain is 3 countries, england, scotland, wales. u should watch still game, or chewin the fat, their scottish and so funny, stopped airing now though

[thedylancoates]

the inbetweeners

[SuperYellow1989]

-Blackadder 2nd/3rd and 4th series

-Still game (socttish comedy)

-The league of gentlemen

-the mighty boosh

4 super and very different british comedies not mentions here. every american should watch, i swear!

[evenflow1981]

Try some comedies like 'Phoenix Nights' (before Peter Kays limitations were found out), 'The League of Gentlemen' (Mighty Boosh only funny), 'The Inbetweeners', 'Dads Army' (from back in the day) and a little uknowwn gem called '15 Storeys High' Plus the very recent Ricky Gervais driven show 'Karl Pilkington: An Idiot Abroad'.

[DAIlike]

what was the last show you mentioned with a brother and sister?

[DoctorOhh]

@DAIlike initially I was responding to another Youtube video created by a brother and sister. Put "theA&Bshow UK comedies" in the search bar and you'll see the 2 part video I responded to about 4 years ago.

[DAIlike]

@DoctorOhh thanks for that 

[DAIlike]

there's a lot better show than the ones you picked

[davidhellard]

Don't worry about two pints of lager, it's terrible. Father ted is incredible, need to watch a few to get the feel, same writter as the IT crowd, which takes a series to find its feet. black books is also by the same writer and has a similar style. Brass eye is the darkest show ever written, don't know how it will translate though. If you like that The day today was by the same writter and Alan partridge spun out of that.

[DBZGUY100]

ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES!!!!!!! I can't belive u didn't watch it best British comedy EVA watch it!!!!!!!

[wilko2603]

you have to check out the inbetweeners.

[mosty85]

ive got to say the office uk is definately NOT stuck in the 80's, THAT is exactly what an up to date office is like in the UK, unfortunately. it rings very true to life

[DoctorOhh]

In the States the Courts clarified sexual harassment laws in the 80s, by the early 90s most of the offices in the US had moved toward a more neutral environment. I recall a lot of the jokes in The Office being of a sexual nature. The office environment depicted in the UK version hasn't existed like that here in the States since the 80s.

I must admit though the show does grow on you.

[VermilionUK]

Surely the fact that the US copies many UK comedy shows tells us that the UK has better comedy TV...

[welshygems]

theres too many awesome British shows that you need to watch!! Kinda worried about the US version of Gavin and Stacey. It's just not gonna work is it!

[fcballer102]

The Office is my favorite show im 13 and i understand it. Its not tht the U.K. version isnt funny it actually is quite funny i prefer the U.S. version only because i dont understand British sayings tht they use. But still the U.K. version is really funny!

[vampirexchild]

Check out Black Books, it's genius!

Spaced and Coupling rock ♥

[Dewface]

The accent thats used in 2 Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is a Runcorn one

Northen england has a much stronger accent than southern

[BaddaBigBoom]

Ah yes!! Watch a few British news shows eg. Newsnight. (Very important to do this first) then watch Brasseye!

[BaddaBigBoom]

Big respect to you for being so open minded. For an aspiring connoisseur of "Britcom" -I'd thoroughly recommend Black Adder and Dad's Army (though it's a bit dated now) The Vicar Of Dibley and Porridge. Spaced -which you mentioned at the beginning- is quite fast paced, if you've seen and liked "Shawn Of The Dead" and "Hot Fuzz" -it's a 'must'. Finally, watch some of the "Top Gear" challenges....very dry humour from this regular motoring series.

[cancertoof]

Americans simply aren't as aware of UK culture as you are of ours.

British comedy deals more with subtlety, and most of the subtle cultural references, we Americans simply don't understand.

Some subtlety is missing from a lot of American comedy, but it isn't the case always. U.S. = much larger, much more diverse target audience.

I'm sure there are awful UK shows a plenty. We just aren't aware of them.

[Carfer22]

if only we had a pool of x hundred million from which to pick the talent to make out tv shows maybe then we would produce even better quality! Oh wait....

Some are good a lot are bad and some are great. The success rate/quality is incredible given the size of the country!

[WKaliber1]

u ugly

[BaddaBigBoom]

Are you any prettier? Kurwa!

[nahvokne34]

ive seen british comedy and they suck....my face wont even flinch its so retarded!

[WKaliber1]

thats cause youre a dumb fat american

[michiel20]

Haha, its a fact that you have to have some intelligence to understand the british(quality) humor. Instead of the dumb american humor.

[Carfer22]

interesting generalisation. I'd give you Seinfeld, Arrested, Curb, Frasier, Cheers but thats about it.

[koolploppy]

thx for this video, thx for highlighting the gr8 british comedy shows cheers mate :)

[chincer2007]

Spaced, Peep Show and the Office (UK) make me proud to be british. the american office is ok but i do prefer the british version

[misfit1978]

What the fuck is Time Trumpet??!!!

The Office isn't necessarily supposed to make you laugh, it's supposed to make you cringe!!

Coupling rocks!

[dannyboythepiper]

Do not watch My Family it's horrible, not funny in the slightest. They go for really obvious and easy comedy which is horrible.

Watch Bottom.

[BaddaBigBoom]

Yes, Bottom is far more sophisticated ;-)

[ProEvoRules]

These are the things that make me proud to be English/British: 1. Only Fools and Horses 2. Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps 3. 8 out of 10 Cats 4. Blackadder Goes Forth 5. Fawlty Towers 7. Da Ali G Show 8. Friday Night with Jonathan Ross 9. Lee Evans 10. Jimmy Carr 11. British Army RAF-Gurkhas-Royal Marines-SAS 12. Bottom and many more!!!!

[BaddaBigBoom]

Jimmy Car is a c**t -sorry, it's those eyebrows mainly.

[rogeedodge]

"the UK version of the office was like watching a trainwreck"

yeah that was the point of it ;)

it's a strange thing to watch if you're waiting for it to make sense.

from a lot of the stuff we see, american humor seems to have to be WAY over the top so people understand it's a joke or they pull out so they don't offend anyone.

so glad that you liked coupling - one of my favorite shows ever!

interesting vid mate - well done

[b4rrington]

Why dont you check out Green Wing, Harry Enfield (the sexist but very funny 'Women Know Your Limits' sketch), Dead Ringers and Balls of Steel. Some of these shows are old but they are still very funny.

[imkingkendall]

Two pints of larger and a packet of crisps, my family, The inbetweeners, Gavin and stacey, the worst week of my life is funny as fuck, just a few of my Fav british shows that i can think of check them out....the two pints of larger accent is more northan england so its nothing like how they speak in south, i think its scunthorpe i duno though

[cathal100]

coupling the UK version was pure rubbish. Haven't seen the US version.

DoctorOhh try the Catherine tate show.

Father Ted was written by two Irish writers, Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, . RTÉ initially did not buy the rights to broadcast the show in Ireland. So channel 4 bought it.

[Tyscyth]

I have to disagree to an American, at least, the UK Coupling was awesome. Maybe the UK version just translates better for Americans.

[hiiiii1]

Mock The Week

thats all i wanna say

[Sandafluffoid]

I have two words for you: The mighty Boosh.

[BaddaBigBoom]

I have six words for you: That was three words!

[mike869169]

You should watch : My Family, Only Fools and horses and fawlty towers

The Office UK is way better than US!!! :O

[01hdav]

I'm British and there is absolutely NO WAY! the British version of the office is better. it's boring, The Steve Carrel version is sooo much funnier!

[BaddaBigBoom]

:-O May the holy blood of our lord Queen Elizabeth of Gallillee pour down upon your heathen genitals!

[01hdav]

Ok I take back that it's boring, it's not boring. Ricky Gervais is my favorite comedian of all time and nothing he does is boring. But I mean really how could the US version of Office not be better? They have a much better cast, they took something that was already good and tweaked it to perfection, people act like it's unpatriotic or something. But if you get patriotic about stuff like that you most likely have a problem.

[2QBUFF]

Straining my memory here >>> The Fast Show ...Keeping up appearances ..One Foot In The Grave ..Drop the dead Donkey ..Never Mind the Buzzcocks ...Have I Got News For You..Reeves and Mortimor ..some of these are comedy game shows but more political satire but funny .. 8 )

[2QBUFF]

Rab C Nesbit ..The Young Ones ..Father Ted Worth a look ..Theres a few to be going on with ..do you know we never got Wings over here about the guys working in a hanger .. do you remember Taxi with Dani deveto Excellent 8 )

[rabidsiberianhamster]

is father Ted Irish or British? I never Knew... but it's still SOOOOOO funny!

[2QBUFF]

Heres a few.. League of Gentlemen ...Little Britain ..Doc Martin ..Hamish Macbeth (Drama/Comedy)..Men behaving badly ... Thin Blue Line (Rowan Atkinson) ..Black Adder all the series's (Last Episode Poignant) ..Old 80,s shows >> Not the Nine O Clock News show and spitting Image >> also.. Last of the summer wine ..

[masterofdespise]

and no mention of Mr bean and monty python ... tut tut!

[treckie182]

two pints of lager is set in manchester =]

[rporter75]

Red Dwarf is probably the best ritish sitcom, either that or blackadder, nd anything by monty python is worth watching

[chazamuffin]

haha that should have said OUR small island

[chazamuffin]

nice that you care about the comedy from out small island (we're different, i suppose!)

My fav are

QI, IT Crowd, Peep show -is genius, Blackadder, Harry Enfield and chums, One foot in the grave, Bottom, 2 Pints, French & saunders, Vicar of Dibley - a must!, Brass eye,Teachers, oh yeah teachers series 1-3 are excellant, Green Wing -is nearly as good

REd dwarf,.... and so on

i think people have mentioned most of these. enjoy

[xholyheadx]

Anythin to do with Harry Enfield!

[mindlessautomaton]

the office: you might enjoy it a little more if you checked out season 2-4 rather than season 1 (us version). You get a better feel for the show. It comes alive when the writers come up with their own story instead of following the UK storyline. The first season is basically where the show dips its feet in the water, bad idea to judge based on season 1 (that goes for the UK version too)

[Oli3TB76]

the armando iannucci show and teachers i recommend =)

[Mikel4321]

Two pints of lager's characters have a cheshire accent, it's a hillarious show but you really need to understand british slang to understand it.

[TheGreatGar]

Two pints is really good, I can understand it all eventho I'm Dutch... The show got worse after Johhny died tho... :S

[Mikel4321]

Yeah, another series may be being made in November, hopefully they'll do a JR in Dallas and bring back Johnny and Donna lol.

[smashingdeano]

alan partridge...nuff said

[rillz07]

ye pheonix nights fukin funny man

[jammydoging]

try watchin only fools and horses

[emz5003]

You should also watch

Friday night with johnathen ross if you like british sense of humour i watch it every friday i know its not a comedy show like the ones your reviewing but its a great talk show and he is really funny

[emz5003]

You should try watching some UK comedy game shows / chat shows / panal shows im not sure exactly how to describe them..

Never mind the Buzzcocks

Qi

Mock the Week

8 out of 10 cats

Have i got news for you

[johnbk80]

The accent from 'Two Pints...' is from the city of Runcorn. Don't worry though, Im from England and I struggle with that accent too. LOL

[Bex111]

you should deffinately try and get hold of Only Fools and Horses. CLASSIC!

[johnbk80]

Absolutely agree. It is a bit old now. Its hayday was in the late 80's/early 90's but it is still fantastic. There is an entire series + chrsitmas specials box set out on DVD now for £99.99

[EnglandRugby]

You missed quite a few funny comedies man. Apart from that, nice impartial criticism.

Red Dwarf

Men Behaving Badly

Blackadder

My Family

The Young Ones

Dads Army

Are You Being Served?

Must see!

[UKSFSG]

Pheonix nights is a must see

[jzer21]

Also, I agree that the UK version of The Office looks a bit 80s-ish, but I think it's supposed to. I mean, realistically, that's how a lot of run-of-the-mill offices still look and operate today. I know those that I've worked at have never been current. They always seem to be a decade or more behind the times and I think that realism is what they were wanting to capture. Just a thought.

[jzer21]

Yeah, you were off with Ab Fab. It kept Comedy Central alive during the mid 90s until South Park came along. It aired in America on various cable networks from like 94 to present (I think Oxygen shows it still). Roseanne Arnold (or whatever she is now) bought the rights to the series and tried to create an American version of the series, but no American networks would pick it up because the content was too much.

[Maxxie753]

CORRECTION! ABFAB was BIG in the US on cable TV. I loved it! At it's height, there were even Patsy and Edina dress up contests at bars in the Village here in NYC. It's still being rerun now and again on Comedy Channel and Bravo(?)

I love Coupling and Keeping Up Appearances. Chef! and The Vicar of Darby(?)weren't bad either.

The American "The Office," gets better after the first season.

[DoctorOhh]

I stand corrected. I didn't see Abfab around much after the initial run and made an assumption. Even though The Office is not my cup of tea I did see in the American version the potential to surpass the British version because they tried to keep some of the office situations more current.

I do have Abfab and plan on watching it if I get the chance. Thanks for the input. :)

[Blacknarcissa]

Blackadder Red dwarf Some mothers do av 'em Dinnerladies Pheonix nights (Discover Peter Kay over in America) Extras (Ricky Gervais) The League of Gentlemen Ross Noble (A Comedian check out his dvd's such as Sonic Waffle, Unrealtime and Randomist) Black books A bit of Fry and Laurie Jeeves & Wooster The Royle family Keeping up appearances.

[Blacknarcissa]

Hmm. I'm British and i'd reccommend;; The Might Boosh Alan Partridge - Knowing me knowing you The Fast Show All Monty Python films and programs That Mitchel and Webb Look Peep Show The Green Wing Fawlty Towers Da Ali G Show Only Fool and Horses

[DayBergs]

Why hasn't anyone mentioned The Fast Show? That show made me laugh very much. I also liked Big Train, Alan Partridge (Knowing Me Knowing You) and Jam. Jam is just... I would say crazy but that doesn't really capture it. There's no way to describe that show. And ofcourse Arrested Developement, you gotta love that show.

Oh boy, this was supposed to be just one sentence about The Fast Show. Now I feel like I have to go on and on... just one more: Bill Hicks.

[Jabbaawa]

PEEP SHOW AND GREEN WING! they are bopth must see comedy and you must give them a real chance and watch the whole first series of each before you judge. Some of the last episodes of green wing actually had me crying with laughter. Dr Alan Statham rules!

[azelsyklone]

I have a show recommendation for ya, but it is not British. Arrested Development. A show that was on Fox for 3 seasons (currently on DVD).  If you watch it, watch the first episode first because it has a running storyline. Really funny in my opinion.

[olimcfc]

The Mighty Boosh is brilliant. I hope you check out Extras too. Made by Ricky Gervais, same guy who did/wrote The Office UK. First series isn't that good but the second series is brilliant. There are loads of clips floating round youtube of it so you can get a taster of it.

[SupaUgly]

CHECK OUT THE MIGHTY BOOSH

[DoctorOhh]

I'll do that, thanks for the tip.

[Jabbaawa]

you MUST watch 'peep show' too. Absolutely HYSTERICAL!

[bernardtheballcock]

Oh, and 'a bit of fry and laurie' is great too.

[bernardtheballcock]

I love getting other countries perspectives on UK comedies. A well thought out, articulate video, very good for a first effort. Do check out Alan Partridge, as it is probably the funniest Brit comedy ever. And if you can, check out Brass Eye, Porridge, Peep Show, and the Armando Iannucci shows. And for classic British slapstick, look no further than Bottom.

[DoctorOhh]

I guess the Tube ate my reply from last week. Thanks for taking the time to make these suggestions.  You have listed some shows I've not heard of before and I will investigate them further.

C-ya on the Tube!

[mosquitofeed]

Respect your honesty fella, some of these shows really should have stopped after 1 or 2 series, The Office, dark, certainly, a very good slice of how backward some attitudes are in England, try out some Alan Partridge by Steve Coogan (BBC) last two series are outstanding.

[DoctorOhh]

I will check him out. 12 episodes should make for an interesting view. Thanks for the recommendation.

C-ya on the Tube!

[jamiewindsor]

From what you said about the others, I think you'll like "Peep Show". The "2 pints" accents are northern. Northern accents are often difficult to understand for Americans. I've never thought of "Cold Feet" as a comedy. It's a brilliant show though. A big cult hit at the moment is "The Mighty Boosh". It's quite surreal.

[DoctorOhh]

I've been so caught up with YouTube I haven't been watching as much TV. I do have both Peep Show and the Mighty Boosch. Cold Feet started out 50/50 comedy/drama thend ended up 25/75 comedy/drama but the situational humor in this show was to die for. Absolutely fantastic.

Thanks for sharing your insight.

[jamiewindsor]

I was just watching some of the 1st series of Cold Feet and I see what you mean. This bit made me laugh lots:

Kris: "Hi. I'm Kris. Rachael's husband."

Adam: (stunned) "Sorry ... I just didn't expect you to be..."

Kris "Black?"

Adam: "No, here."

[DoctorOhh]

Thanks for the feedback. I have Black Books, Peep Show and Black Adder so they are next on my list. I look into the others and see if I can obtain them.

Appreciate the input.

It's all good! :)

[goobertheelf]

oh and i dont know if this will tickle the american funny bone, maybe just confise it, check out THE MIGHTY BOOSH. its a bit weird, very quirky and low budget, but produced by the bbc, very good!

[DoctorOhh]

Well I have all of the shows you mentioned. If I can find the time I'll let you know what I think.

Cheers!

[goobertheelf]

TWO PINTS KICKS ASS.

i always wondered if it would be viewed in america, shattering the illusion that all brits talk posh, that is how proper brits speak, i come from manchester mysel which is near to where two pints is filmed.

but yes check out black books, or green wing if you want summink a little more abstract. the creators of them and spaced are very chummy with each other and work together alot, you can tell from the writing style.

[joesama]

Father teds fantastic, should check out the vicar of dibley too. couple of others that spring to mind are my family(the most conventionally american styled british sitcom i can think of), porridge and greenwing. i liked goodnight sweetheart, give that a viewing. surprised myself with how many sitcoms i actually watch there! well check them out i you've got the time, would be interesting to see an americans take on them. Joe

[DoctorOhh]

Thanks, I have copies of Blackadder, Father Ted, and Greenwing in hand so I will be checking them out as I can. I also have Black Books, Peep Show, Absolutely Fabulous, Monty Python, The Strangers and The Mighty Boosch set aside to check out when the time arises.

Thanks for the input, I'll post another video as I conclude some of the series.

Cheers!

[joesama]

some valid points, but i think you should look into blackadder, red dwarf, only fools and horses, game on, im alan partridge is very funny, not sure how it would translate over there though. Also a good comedy drama from a while ago was 'Auf weirdersehn pet' but half the people in it are northern if you have trouble understanding the lingo. Definately reccommend men behaving badly.

[Brocair]

It was interesting to get an American perspective on UK comedy. However, I think you may have missed possibly the greatest British comedy. Blackadder is very funny, and very cleverly written. The comedy is very dry, and typically British. The fourth series, 'Blackadder goes fourth', is well worth a watch.

[DoctorOhh]

I have a copy of this series and will be checking it out. Thanks for letting me know about it.

Cheers!

[raoulduke160879]

Two Pints of Lager is an appalling series (coming from a british born resident)..extras is terrible...check out Peep Show (3 series so far...series get better with each episode)

[dwanthny]

Thanks for the info. I have peep show and will put it on my list to check out. Two Pints of Lager will go on the back burner for now.

[thematalanifesto]

The accents in Two Pints of Lager are various northern ones. Also its kind of really weak compared to the other comedies you looked at, I'd go for father ted before watching Two Pints.

[DoctorOhh]

Thanks, I have 2 comments saying to pass on Two Pints of Lager so I think I will check out Father Ted as you suggest.

[TheWolfAbides]

AbFab!! I've got the screensaver and the wallpapers and...*sigh* Long live Patsy and Edina!

[DoctorOhh]

You helped to convince me to give AbFab a fair viewing. I have the series and will check it out when I get the chance.

Cheers!

[wizardneedsfoodbadly]

i would also have to agree black books its one of the funniest shows around!...you should also check out the movie jabberwokey (made by one of the monty python guys)

[DoctorOhh]

I now have Black Books and I will let you know what I think. But having it come so highly praised by three good souls I have little doubt that I will find it funny as well.

[stuboy23]

Hey DoctorOhh!

I'm glad you liked Coupling, it's a great show.

communitychannel is right you have to see Black Books it's awesome, another show I just saw recently is Green Wing. It's totally random and bizarre, but it's hilarious.

[DoctorOhh]

Thanks,

I'll search for Green Wing.

C-ya  Walt

[Jabbaawa]

Yes, Green wing is also brilliant... that and 'peep show' are probably the best two british comedies at the moemnt.

[communitychannel]

hey Doctor Ohh I like that you're now making your own videos

Firstly, Absolutely Fabulous is EXCELLENT. I can't believe that they didn't like it over there!!! You should check out an English show called Black Books. Black Books is one of my favourites. English comedies are the best. Good on you for trying out all those shows though!

[DoctorOhh]

Thanks Natalie,

I'll see if I can't get hold of Black Books and maybe I'll see if I can get hold of at least the first season of Absolutely fabulous and give it a fair viewing.

Walt