What’s Happened to British Comedy?
What’s Happened to British Comedy?
The Ealing Comedies, Carry On’s and Monty Python put a smile on the face of the world, more recently we’ve had Mr Bean and various alter-egos of Sacha Baron-Cohen. While Hollywood studios cracked on winning the Wild West, Cold War, even the boxing with Rocky, our James Bond was busy with his tongue in his – or some femme fatale’s – cheek. We’ve contrived to be more subtle and nuanced than Americans in deference to Oscar Wilde’s legacy, a man unlikely to have been caught chomping a Big Mac, had they been around at the time.
Our best sit coms top the ratings. When Del Boy leant against the bar, after the barman had lifted the flap, a mini-earthquake hit Middle England, viewers rolled with laughter, guffaws could be heard in the outer reaches of the solar system. They’d have made it further, but a celestial body closed the flap, lest a black hole of mirth should appear, swirling around the universe for eternity, eventually reaching the Tardis, turning it into Peckham Police Station.
We laughed because it was Del Boy, an unknown character doing the same, would not have raised a titter. Character is everything in comedy, sadly commercial channels and to a lesser extent the BBC, don’t give enough time for character development, lest audiences start flipping.
It’s not so much we have lost our sense of humour – rather, broadcasters don’t provide sufficient ammunition or amusement to keep us laughing. Sure, attitudes have changed and attention-span diminished. But even the You Tube generation know it takes a few minutes to turn an egg into an omelette, don’t worry, no running yokes here!
We need to show appropriate reverence to saints of British comedy such as Galton & Simpson, Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais, etc., geniuses who galvanised and inspired us. Few, if any, pilots are made, with the honourable exception of Channel 4’s excellent Comedy Lab. Even broken comedy – sketch shows – have problems getting aired. And woe betide a commissioner if a first show doesn’t become immediate Comedy Gold.
Despite vast number of channels, most great comedy is regurgitated from the archives. The undemocratic nature of the BBC with an unelected Trust and a relationship to contemporary culture and social mores such as that between a vegetarian and a kosher or halal butcher, needs to be transformed, its’ chair should be elected by viewers – at non-premium rates!
Students at Cambridge are still witty, farce can be farcical, we still have a funnybone; Peter Cook can Not Only to be admired, But Also needs to be succeeded by others in his footsteps or Footlights, as at Cambridge.
Let the revolution start here on the internet. Don’t man the barricades, person them, we live in a new age of digital equality. Let’s sweep aside the notion that we’ve lost our sense of humour. We’re fed up with self-serving panels of judges, underwhelming talent shows, wall to wall reality. Broadcasters need to give us something to laugh at.
And not themselves.
I love all the Ealing comedies – makes me feel nostalgic for Sunday afternoons when I was a kid!
There’s still good comedy around – think Peter Key – but also a lot of vulgarity disguised as “comedy”
simply the best in humour
Nothin compares to the old Monty Python!
There is some good quality out there. I think these days more people are worried about offending others and being un-PC. I have a daft sense of humour, I’ll pretty much laugh at anything!
I find it very sad that we are losing the ability to laugh at ourselves. Everyone is too scared of being found sexist, racist, fattist or anythingelsist.
In the Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant series Extras, the sitcom written by the character Andy Millman, When The Whistle Blows, is the perfect allegory of what has happened to British comedy. Lowest common denominator jokes and inane catchphrases. Ratings, ratings, ratings.
loved the old comedy shows, my favourite was open all hours
the old British comedies were the best, things they used to say could not be said nowadays
love old comedy most of it never ages
Prefer the old style British Humour Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horse etc. Do not like the most of current comedy it leaves me cold
British comedy is still the best. We have a unique sense of humour – American stuff doesn’t come near – and there is loads of up-coming talent.
British comedy is still great. Armstrong and Miller make me cry with laughter. The Two Ronnies will always be my favourite.
Love British comedy old and new… only mistakes Brits ever made with comedy was only making 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers!Fact!
Genius programme
I feel that we’re going through more of an experimental stage of British comedy. It’s not always a bad thing and has led to some hits, but more misses. I think TV channels aren’t prepared to make any traditional comedy anymore alongside the “cutting edge” stuff – but you need a good balance of both.
Nothing has ever beaten Only Fools & Horses for me… Love it! Mange Tout, Mange Tout!
There’s plenty of good quality new comedy about, ‘outnumbered’ being an amazing comedy which single-handedly saves the beebs poor attempts at comedy..
Although the anaemic period for british comedy can be compared by the status of English top-flight football, too much foreign imports and not enougb opportunity for home-grown talent!