Underrated comedy shows

Napster · Jul 31, 2008

swanseashrimper said:
Both absolutely brilliant!

I'll also add

Black Books
Jeeves & Wooster

J&W is not a sitcom!

DTS · Jul 31, 2008

As Napster mentioned Garth Maranges Dark place was hilarious but never seemed to take off.

Brass Eye was only on a short time and had limited appeal but I always LOVED it...

Monkey Dust - Animated fun.

Also anyone remember KYTV - A spoof of Sky TV where Alan Partridge started out.....

Used to love "The Management" or something like that as a kid which was about a nightclub I think.

My current favourite comedian is simply called Steve. He oftens turns up at Roots Hall and whilst he is as white as snow he dreeses like a black man Ali G style. Classic stuff.

Crabby Shrimper · Jul 31, 2008

Napster said:
J&W is not a sitcom!

Errrm, the title of the thread is comedy shows, and the first one mentioned was Big Train (not a sitcom either)

also:

A sitcom ("sit-com", "sit com") or, to give it it's full name, situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance in which recurring characters take part in humorous story lines centred on a common environment, such as a family home or workplace. Sitcoms were originally devised for the radio but today are typically found on television.

So I'd argue that possibly it could be

Beefy · Jul 31, 2008

seany t said:
...So as my 6th season 'South Park' boxset is only 4 episodes from the end now...

Ahhh so you're coming up to the introduction of Lemmiwinks?! Lucky you.

seany t · Jul 31, 2008

Dave the Shrimper said:
As Napster mentioned Garth Maranges Dark place was hilarious but never seemed to take off.

Brass Eye was only on a short time and had limited appeal but I always LOVED it...

Monkey Dust - Animated fun.

Also anyone remember KYTV - A spoof of Sky TV where Alan Partridge started out.....

Used to love "The Management" or something like that as a kid which was about a nightclub I think.

My current favourite comedian is simply called Steve. He oftens turns up at Roots Hall and whilst he is as white as snow he dreeses like a black man Ali G style. Classic stuff.

I'm just going to mention this one more time too, even though it's got a bit more profile in recent years; "The Day Today" - arguably my favourite DVD in the collection...

Davros · Jul 31, 2008

2DTV and Star Stories were big favourites of mine

seany t · Jul 31, 2008

Beefy said:
Ahhh so you're coming up to the introduction of Lemmiwinks?! Lucky you.

I opted purely for Season 6 next because the name sounded like it might be the start of something truly monumental.

By the way, is Kenny always dead now, or does he come back?

Beefy · Jul 31, 2008

He comes back at the end of the last episode of the season. Stan asks him where he's been and he just says "over there", although in typical muffled Kenny-English.

Napster · Jul 31, 2008

swanseashrimper said:
Errrm, the title of the thread is comedy shows, and the first one mentioned was Big Train (not a sitcom either)

also:

So I'd argue that possibly it could be

Ah, OK. Though I would argue as an adaptation of PG Wodehouse's stories, they are more comic dramas.

Mr. Benedict · Jul 31, 2008

Dave the Shrimper said:
As Napster mentioned Garth Maranges Dark place was hilarious but never seemed to take off.

Brass Eye was only on a short time and had limited appeal but I always LOVED it...

Monkey Dust - Animated fun.

Also anyone remember KYTV - A spoof of Sky TV where Alan Partridge started out.....

Used to love "The Management" or something like that as a kid which was about a nightclub I think.

My current favourite comedian is simply called Steve. He oftens turns up at Roots Hall and whilst he is as white as snow he dreeses like a black man Ali G style. Classic stuff.

I remember KYTV, I used to be abig fan when I was a nipper.
I quite liked the Mary Whitehouse experience as well...

DTS · Jul 31, 2008

seany t said:
I'm just going to mention this one more time too, even though it's got a bit more profile in recent years; "The Day Today" - arguably my favourite DVD in the collection...

Naps I think Comedy is the first thing I have ever agreed with you on...

Day today was top stuff too....

Crabby Shrimper · Jul 31, 2008

Napster said:
Ah, OK. Though I would argue as an adaptation of PG Wodehouse's stories, they are more comic dramas.

To be fair, I did think that myself, plus being an hour long makes them seem less sitcom like.

However, are we saying that a sitcom is the above definition, plus written for the show, rather than an adaptation of an existing story?

I'm not trying to be clever, just trying to fathom where sitcom ends, and comedy drama begins. A bit like watching Poirot, are we watching a dramatic adaptation, or a crime series?

:unsure: I'm confused!

Napster · Jul 31, 2008

swanseashrimper said:
To be fair, I did think that myself, plus being an hour long makes them seem less sitcom like.

However, are we saying that a sitcom is the above definition, plus written for the show, rather than an adaptation of an existing story?

I'm not trying to be clever, just trying to fathom where sitcom ends, and comedy drama begins. A bit like watching Poirot, are we watching a dramatic adaptation, or a crime series?

:unsure: I'm confused!

Poirot is an adaptation, IMO. Morse and Frost are adaptations. Midsomer Murders is a crime series.

Napster · Jul 31, 2008

Dave the Shrimper said:
Naps I think Comedy is the first thing I have ever agreed with you on...

Day today was top stuff too....

That was seany t to be fair, but I think day today is cracking as well.

:clap:

ps I think we both agree that Steve is a bona fide comic hero.

Interpol Shrimper · Jul 31, 2008

Firestorm said:
Whilst we are on comedy, can anyone help me jog my memory. I am sure Doon Mackichan first appeared on TV as part of a female double act , but I can't recall who with or the mame of the show. It was long before Smack the Pony etc..

You're right, she was on Saturday Live! one week as part of this double-act if I seem to remember.

She lived a few doors down from a bar my mate used to manage in Clapham and used to come in giving it the full diva act on a regular basis (apparently one of her worst was after her cameo appearance in Series 1 of I'm Alan Partridge). All the staff thought she was one of the most odious horrible people they ever had to serve. I bet she was even worse at the height of Smack The Pony and probably felt "she" was the talent.

Makes her living from voiceover work these days & royalties from when they show The Day Today etc on Dave I should imagine!

Nobby Snide · Jul 31, 2008

black books and drop the dead donkey...superb!

Interpol Shrimper · Jul 31, 2008

Jonny O said:
The Book Group on Channel4 a few years back was good.

They filmed a load of that in the bar downstairs from my old flat, as well as another flat just around the corner.

The psychotic Weegie girl who's in this & The Green Wing always has me in stitches!

Napster · Jul 31, 2008

GlasgowSUFC said:
You're right, she was on Saturday Live! one week as part of this double-act if I seem to remember.

She lived a few doors down from a bar my mate used to manage in Clapham and used to come in giving it the full diva act on a regular basis (apparently one of her worst was after her cameo appearance in Series 1 of I'm Alan Partridge). All the staff thought she was one of the most odious horrible people they ever had to serve. I bet she was even worse at the height of Smack The Pony and probably felt "she" was the talent.

Makes her living from voiceover work these days & royalties from when they show The Day Today etc on Dave I should imagine!

Currently in http://www.comedy.org.uk/guide/tv/taking_the_flak/

Interpol Shrimper · Jul 31, 2008

Some absolute great comedies mentioned in this thread.
2 from me: -

Frank Skinner's Blue Heaven - a lot of it is semi-autobiographical before he got famous (substitute stand up comedy for wannabe musician). All 6 episodes are comedic genius and I have no idea why he's so embarrassed about having written/starred in it. Paula Wilcox was him mum in it too. The episode where he's about to get his dole cut off provides about 600 belly-laughs in 24 minutes of TV.

Sunnyside Farm - starring Phil Daniels & Mark Addy (fat bloke off of The Full Monty).
Again this was absolute comedy genius, the first ep where they're trying to impress some female backpackers and PD dresses up as Jarvis Cocker is surreal but unbelievably funny. Think as a lot of the humour was so close to the mark and probably only just passed the legal borderline in terms of slander/libel the BC have chosen to lose the master copies of the show. It's something I've never seen on DVD and when you consider some of the dross they market each Xmas, this is a real shame.

Also, don't think anyone has mentioned Jack Dee's Lead Balloon. I think again there must be a lot of his regular life scenarios written into the show.

Sussex Shrimper · Jul 31, 2008

As a kid I used to love TV Offal, quite a few clips of which are on YouTube. Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a rare gem amidst the drivel being served up at the moment.