Aug 20, 2008

Funny Shows

I think it was at the Rally that I found another Little Britain fan. I love so many British comedies and variety comedies, but it's so rare to have someone even know what you're talking about. And I mentioned some other shows that were just as funny. Sometimes.

"Oh and that's a bad miss.."

I really like Mitchell and Webb lately, even more so than Peep Show. Peep Show was their show previously but it was a bit like Seinfeld.. populated only by multiple Newmans. But the perspective gimmick is fun. It's currently on BBCA. Mitchell and Webb on the other hand has some really wonderful recurring sketches. They seem to have their timing and chemistry down. I don't think there are any I want to skip through. Which is quite a feat on these shows. (Even Little Britain has "Bubbles")

"I want that one!"

Little Britain. It's just lovely funny. Too many ways these guys are awesome.

"This is a LOCAL shop for Locals only!"

League of Gentlemen is one of the most disturbing shows I've ever seen. It's that crusty familiar smell in an old relatives home. You can't stand it, and it horrifies you. But since you're likely to inherit that smell you cherish it for what it is. That's how I feel about the show. If that makes sense. Which it shouldn't. There are whole sections of the show in which you don't laugh because it's either poigniant or sad or disgusting. Which is why it's so completely awesome. I think of all of the shows I identify with this one the most.

"... which was nice"

The Fast Show, or as it's known here - "Brilliant!" is a typical sketch comedy much like Little Britain, but a little more tame. That said, their recurring sketches are truly inspired. I could watch the Scorchio show for hours, even if it's in a fake language! The guy who plays Harry Potter's dad is in this, which has tainted the Harry Potter

"Boosh, Boosh / Stronger than a moose / Don't lock your door or we'll come through your rooftop / Stop, look around, take your mind off the flow / Cause the Boosh is loose / And we're a little bit raaaaw! /Ice flow, nowhere to go / Ice flow, nowhere to go / Lost in the blinding whiteness of the tundraaaa!"

The Mighty Boosh tries to follow a strange storyline, but usually digresses into something that makes no sense, and all the sense in the world. It is a conundrum, but so so very much fun getting there. Howard is the straight man and Vince is the joker. Oh and did I mention Vince is king of the Mods? Well, he is.

Just regular shows?

We all know about the British version of The Office. But there's also the Alan Partridge shows -- two of them -- one where he's a bad variety show host, and another where he's a washed up bad variety show host with a morning radio show. Oh and it stars Steve Coogan. And then there's Black Books with Dylan Moran, who's always drunk. Don't forget Green Wing, which has the most surreal film speeds and inappropriate behavior in a hospital.

And one from over here..

The Whitest Kids You Know is a great sketch comedy. At first I thought it was on a kids channel, so I was expecting it to be a goofy kids version of these British shows, but then it all went horribly wrong. By the time I got to Abe Lincoln taunting the audience at Ford's theater with "Ohhhhh, now you ****** up!" I knew this would be a great show.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

What--no Top Gear? Even if you're not a fan of car TV shows, those guys are hilarious!
-K

Uriah said...

I'm throwing in on the retro front with an old school favorite: The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. Let me know if you want to borrow the DVD.

Uriah said...

Is Top Gear the one where they loaded the old 70s cars with water and tried to see how far they could get before the water leaked out below the steering wheel? those guys are a freakin hilarious.