Comedies from the Colonies or Smiles from the Isles?

[Even Adam]

Do you prefer British comedy or American comedy or none of the above?

[Animavore]

British comedy usually. I've often looked shows like Seinfeld and wondered what in Christ's name the audience were laughing at.

Britain has classics like Fawlty Towers and Red Dwarf and I don't see what America has to compare. Ok. They had Police Squad I'll give them that.

Irish comedy, Father Ted rules them all, of course

[Rum]

I'm not sure its a comparison of like with like given how differently they are produced. In America if they look like they have a hit on their hands they hire a big team of writers and spend millions on just the writing because the programme will rake in millions. Here they tend to be written by individuals of partnerships.

I think for slick and funny gag a minute you can't beat some of the USA programmes like Two and a half Men or Everybody loves Raymond, but they can't come up with the original stuff like The Office for peanuts.

The current crop of UK comedies are pretty terrible mind you.

[klr]

Usually UK, but some great USA shows as well - Taxi, Cheers, Frazier, Scrubs, The Drew Carey Show ... and let's not forget the animated shows as well.

One thing that used to grate with me about US sitcoms is that they always tended to moralize in a big way, something which seems to have gone out of fashion, at least as far as I can see*. I could be wrong though, since I don't watch as much TV nowadays.

*Except in Scrubs, which might explain why I've stopped watching it, for all its zaniness.

...
The current crop of UK comedies are pretty terrible mind you.

I concur ...

[Callan]

Happy to watch anything that isn't sick, repetitive or burdened with a nonsensical laughter-track.

[FBM]

There hasn't been any serious comedy since Monty Python's Flying Circus. OK, George Carlin, but he's on the dark side of the dirt these days.

[Seabass]

British comedy usually. I've often looked shows like Seinfeld and wondered what in Christ's name the audience were laughing at.

Britain has classics like Fawlty Towers and Red Dwarf and I don't see what America has to compare. Ok. They had Police Squad I'll give them that.

Irish comedy, Father Ted rules them all, of course

I'm not sure its a comparison of like with like given how differently they are produced. In America if they look like they have a hit on their hands they hire a big team of writers and spend millions on just the writing because the programme will rake in millions. Here they tend to be written by individuals of partnerships.

I think for slick and funny gag a minute you can't beat some of the USA programmes like Two and a half Men or Everybody loves Raymond, but they can't come up with the original stuff like The Office for peanuts.

The current crop of UK comedies are pretty terrible mind you.

Interesting. Would you say that American comedy is "shite", like American beer and mustard?

What I'm wondering is, why are so many from the U.K. so quick to judge everything American based on the crap that happens to find its way overseas? Is it possible there might be more to American comedy than Seinfeld, Two and a half men, and Everybody loves Raymond?

[nellikin]

Australian.

[Robert_S]

Leslie Nielson is dead. Why should we even bother anymore.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

St. George of Carlin, best comedian ever.

[Bella Fortuna]

They both have some stellar things and some utter dross.

[Even Adam]

Is it possible there might be more to American comedy than Seinfeld, Two and a half men, and Everybody loves Raymond

Yep. It was in charge for 8 years.

[Pappa]

What I'm wondering is, why are so many from the U.K. so quick to judge everything American based on the crap that happens to find its way overseas?

Mostly it's just banter... but we do also get a lot of crap imported from the US too.

Is it possible there might be more to American comedy than Seinfeld, Two and a half men, and Everybody loves Raymond?

Yes, and the stuff we get to see can sometimes be really decent... though we miss a lot too. It just depends on which networks have distribution links over here. The same goes for good programmes here being exported to the US too.

[FBM]

St. George of Carlin, best comedian ever.

Amen.

[devogue]

Seinfeld bothers the shit out of me.

It's fucking piss poor beyond belief, but Curb Your Enthusiasm is towering genius. Larry David's career is the wrong way round.