Don't think so, but both seasons are on DVD (region 2 PAL) in the U.K. I have them both and they are great DVDs, chock full of special features. Great comedy with lots of pop-culture references (especially Star Wars and other sci-fi).

Another funny one now playing on BBC America is Gimme, Gimme, Gimme.

My all-time favorite Britcom is Bottom with Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson (from The Young Ones). You can see the first episode on the new The Young Ones: Every Stoopid Episode DVD set. I've literally worn out my videos, you can watch an episode of that show 100 times and still laugh.

I have to agree that So Graham Norton has got to be the best late night show. It is hysterical!

British comedy begins and ends with Benny Hill (well ok I like monty python also :) )

Gosh, there are so many good shows. I'm really glad I get BBC-America.

My favorites, in no particular order:

So Graham Norton
Blackadder
Red Dwarf
Ground Force
Changing Rooms
Robot Wars (the one and only original with Craig Charles, not the horrible thing with the toothless wrestler on TNN)
Butterflies
Dave Allen at Large
Monty Python (duh)
Young Ones
Brittas Empire
Father Ted (I especially love Father Jack)
Fawlty Towers
The Prisoner
AbFab
French and Saunders
Bottom
Waiting for God
Are You Being Served
Whose Line is it Anyway?

I never got into Blakes Seven or Doctor Who

When I was in england in the early 80's I loved these two shows

Tiswas - it was a british Saturday Morning TV show.
Monkey (Magic) - a british dubbed japanese karate adventure show

Monty Python (any)
Benny Hill.

Red Dwarf. Bunch of smegging geniuses!

Monty Python's Flying Circus
Blackadder
Mr. Bean
Are you Being Served?

New Brittish Comedy
 

The Office is the funniest thing on tv just now. Series 1 was brillliant and series 2 has just upped the cringe factor to the point its almost unwatchable. Its brilliantly written.

The League of Gentlemen is excellent - very dark but very funny. The earlier series were v.good.

Peter Kays Pheonix Nights is genius.

The Dave Gorman Experieence was very different but very funny.

Red Dwarf
Black Adder
Dr. Who

Monty Python is great.

I used to watch one called The Piglet Files on PBS. Anybody remember that one?

I hear The Sweeney is great.

Re: New Brittish Comedy
 

What's it like? Dark, or just funny? I've been thinking of getting this on DVD, but have no idea what it's like.

Re: New Brittish Comedy

quote:
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Originally posted by martin007
The Office is the funniest thing on tv just now. Series 1 was brillliant and series 2 has just upped the cringe factor to the point its almost unwatchable. Its brilliantly written.
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What's it like? Dark, or just funny? I've been thinking of getting this on DVD, but have no idea what it's like.
___________________________________

Anyone, anyone?

BARGAIN HUNT!

The Royle Family

One of the best comedy series I've seen it years.
You can pick it up from amazon.co.uk

I had a chance to watch Goodnight Sweetheart as it's available on DVD from the UK (With season two coming out in September!) and I have to say that this is the most original and intelligently funny show I've seen in a while! In any genre!

Nicholas Lyndhurst (who you may best know him from Piglet Files but he's been in so much more) stars in this series called "Goodnight Sweetheart." I assumed it was about a time travelling detective based on how he looked on the cover of the DVD, but bought it blind based on the review blurb that stated the show is about a guy who travels in time between the 90's and the 40's. (I am sure I could have read the posted reviews to learn what role he actually played in the series, but I was hooked just based on that concept alone) But he's not a detective, he's a TV repair man who stumbles into a hole in the time/space continuum and goes back to war torn London in the 40's and falls in love with a married woman, which adds to his problems with his girlfriend (or wife...I was confused on that point) back in the 90's. This is perhaps the most original and wonderfully done series I've seen in my entire life. Strongly recommended! While time travel isn't the newest concept of all time, the way it's handled in this series, a comedy series no less, is something I can't recall ever seeing before.

The top reviewer who reviews it on amazon.co.uk (the guy from Ohio) really reflects how I think of this series. I am ending my search for the best British comedy/sci fi series, this is it!!

AbFAb
Are you being served?
Father Ted
Young Ones
So Graham Norton
Black Books- (Very funny and smart)
Fawlty Towers-( The classic of all classics :)
Keeping up appearences
French and Saunders
One foot in the grave
Only fools and horses

The Prisoner
The Avengers

I was wondering why no one mentioned The Office in the first few posts, and then I realized that this thread was from '02! Gotta love the search feature.

Fawlty Towers: One of the, if not, the greatest, sitcom of all time, regardless of British or American. Absolutely hilarious. The best 12 episodes of all time. 3D Complete Series is well worth the $34

Are you Being Served?: Three words: Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries. Watch the show and you will see why this guy turns this cheesy low budget show into a wonderful silly sitcom full of tried and true British humor. The complete series will run you just over $100, but it is worth it, as it is a large muti disc set.

The Office: Not much needs to be said about this one. Modern Classic. Avalable rather cheaply at Costco, and worth picking up.

Cover Arts:

http://www.dvdplanet.com/productimages/front/18218.jpg

http://www.dvdplanet.com/productimages/front/44139.jpg

http://www.dvdplanet.com/productimages/front/48036.jpg

I think we should no longer allow the term "Best" in thread titles. Why? Because there is no "best" on "My favorite". So why bother even asking for "the best"?


My -FAVORITE- British show:

At this time it's AbFab with The Benny Hill Show a close second. The Benny Hill Show is some 30 years old but I still laugh out loud to jokes and gags I saw when I was a kid watching the show back in the late 70's and early 80's.

Honorable mentions:

Thin Blue Line
The Kumars ar No. 42/Goodness Gracious Me...both featuring great Indian humor and wit.

Coupling is the only one I've ever seen. That's my favorite, though. :up:

Second vote for Second Sight. Good twist on the usual police/crime/mystery drama.

I'd also love to see the original Who's Line on DVD sometime.

Regarding the main question, and some that haven't been mentioned, I would also vote for Spooks, Ultimate Force and Chef.

A short list for me of comedies would include Spaced, Fawlty Towers, The League of Gentlemen, Monty Python and Father Ted.
Dramas off the top of my head include The Prisoner, Prime Suspect, The Sweeney, Cracker, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Ultraviolet and House of Cards

coupling was some of the funniest stuff i've ever seen on tv...until jeff left the show.

ultraviolet was cool.

and of course the classics...

fawlty towers
mr. bean
benny hill

I just saw that Chef is out for pre-order at Amazon (August 30th). Great show. Hilarious rants :)

Oh yeah, I bought the Full Bottom R1 set during the last DDD sale, and have laughing my ass off ever since. Sure, the abject violence pulls you in, but there actually is something funny going on! The ep where Richie thinks he's Jesus (which is just about every episode, but you'll know what I'm talking about if you've seen it) is a riot.

:lol::up: Gold, Frankenstein and Grrrr!