# Best comedy?



## Rhisiart (Jul 28, 2006)

Apologies to Anzac/Euro comedies etc. (yes, this has a Brit-American bias).


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## nixgeek (Jul 28, 2006)

Python does it for me....


_"This is an EX....PARROT!!!"_  ::ha::

(No offense CQ if you're lurking about... )


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## fryke (Jul 28, 2006)

Cheers. I've just rewatched most seasons - in its original language, before I've only seen all of the series in German a couple of times - and I'd claim its been with me almost all my life since I've been 16 or so (which is 16 years ago...). I don't mean to say that the Pythons or Fawlty Towers is less amusing, nono... But I also don't think that you really _can_ compare sitcoms with comedy shows. Guess I'd choose the Pythons as well, then. Oh, that makes two. We have _two_ favourite comedy shows then. Cheers, the Pythons and Friends. Darn. That makes four.


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## adambyte (Jul 29, 2006)

Wow. What an odd mix of comedies. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to pick "other": Seinfeld. I suppose it's my New Yorker side, but the show was so cleverly written, sometimes it boggles my mind. The plot, and sub-plot (and sometimes even a third plot) always come together at the very end of the show. Hilarity ensues.

Of your choices, I like Monty Python the best. SPAM SPAM SPAM!

Thus, the famous name of internet junk mail: Spam.

EDIT: Oh yay. Someone added Seinfeld! Thank you.


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## Viro (Jul 29, 2006)

Bean is great, because it is one of those comedies that transcends cultural and national borders. Such can't be said for many of the more sophisticated types of comedy, where you need to be aware of the cultural background, in which it is expressed. Not that they aren't funny, but you need to understand where it's coming from before you get the jokes.

That's why, I'm voting for Mr. Bean.


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## Rhisiart (Jul 29, 2006)

adambyte said:


> Wow. What an odd mix of comedies. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to pick "other": Seinfeld.


Oops! Fancy leaving out Seinfeld. I'd swop it for 'Friends' but I don't know how to edit the poll.


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## mw84 (Jul 29, 2006)

From those I'd pick Fawlty Towers, my favourite classic comedy series is Only Fools And Horses though.


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## talin (Jul 29, 2006)

for me this was a hard choice between fawlty towers and seinfeld. had to go with fawlty towers tho - i just love that show. awhile ago i broke down and bought the dvds and i typically do_ not _ spend money on stuff like that


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## Boomy (Jul 30, 2006)

Where is Sanford and Son and All in the Family? I voted Seinfeld, it's one of the best shows ever. Friends is probably the worst, it makes me want to vomit.


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## Esquilinho (Jul 30, 2006)

I think Seinfeld is hugely overrated&#8230;

OK, it's funnier than most American comedies, but even so&#8230; American comedies are usually so crappy that it's no big deal being better than that 

BritCom rulez!


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## powermac (Jul 30, 2006)

Monty will never die.


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## chemistry_geek (Jul 30, 2006)

For me Fraser was one of the funniest sitcoms, and then I would say Benny Hill.  The single most comical episode of Frasure I can recall is when Frasure was talking/arguing with his father about something that the dog Eddie did.  Soon the argument escalates, and Niles enters the room, Frasure and Niles start arguing with one another about psychological technicalities, shouting scientific terms at one another that are unintelligible to the lay person.  The camera then switches to the perspective of the father, looking back and forth at his arguing sons, hearing 'blah blah blah Eddie [a few normal Engish words] blah blah Eddie [more English words]', then the camera switches to the perspective of Eddie, the dog, and the scenery is black and white, and all you see is Eddie looking back and forth at Frasure, Niles, and the father, hearing 'blah blah, blah Eddie, blah blah Eddie, Eddie... blah blah Eddie...'


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## Satcomer (Jul 31, 2006)

Am I so old that I was the only answer to Benny Hill?


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## nixgeek (Jul 31, 2006)

Actually, I used to love watching Benny Hill.  But I especially love Python more.


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## Rhisiart (Jul 31, 2006)

Fraser and Seinfeld indeed have their moments, but I just feel nostalgic for M*A*S*H. When it was aired in the UK, the canned laughter was left off and I think it added something to it.

I didn't add one Britcom: Dad's Army (about a hapless British Home Guard unit during WWII), as I am not sure it were exported out of the UK.

There was a scene in Dad's Army where the unit had captured the entire crew of a German U-Boat under arduous conditions (bearing in mind the average age of the Home Guards was 75). 

The Captain ordered one of his men, Walker, to go out and buy some fish & chips for the Germans, as they were hungry. So Walker starts taking orders: "OK that's fifteen cod & chips, three without vinegar, two without salt; four plaice, two with salt and one without vinegar". "I like haddock" shouts one German". "Ya, me too" says another. "OK, does anyone else want haddock?" 

At which point the Captain interrupts him and says, "What on earth are you doing? Just get them fish and chips!!"

OK, so it's not falling off your seat humour, but I loved the subtlety of the scene. It says a great deal about British humour, which I accept not everyone gets.


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## reed (Aug 18, 2006)

Some good classics here...Fawlty "don't mention the war" being a biggy. But this is Brit/Yank choices. That's okay. Like classic Monty Pythons "two sheds." Only a New Yorker and not on the list could appreciate a great classic comedy series (for me) like "The Honeymooner" for example.Then again....?
 If it makes both sides of the Atlantic laugh though then there is something   that is very good. Yes? And if you can see it again after many years and still get a laugh? All the better. 
   Like drama (The Six Wives of Henry VIII, staring Keith Mitchell, BBC), when it is good it is good. Sounds like a corney line from some silly show what I just said. Sorry. Back to Benny Hill with his hose, bad gags and upskirts.


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## sinclair_tm (Aug 19, 2006)

where's the cosby show?  thats what has my vote.  but of the ones listed, it would have to be mash.  really can't stand any of the others.


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## Rhisiart (Aug 20, 2006)

sinclair_tm said:


> where's the cosby show?  thats what has my vote.  but of the ones listed, it would have to be mash.  really can't stand any of the others.


I'm glad someone voted for M*A*S*H*.


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## reed (Aug 21, 2006)

I think CNN and Fox News are pretty funny, but they're not on the list. Darn. "Sorry about that chief."


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