Of course you can blame the USA for making awful comedies. Much as the US like to instruct us, and much as some of the younger people like to swallow it wholeheartedly, American humour isn't the same as British humour. From what material that comes from across the pond, it doesn't have anything like the depth or diversity, although that is declining fast on the British side. The issue is, is that British humour tries to immitate US humour, and it doesn't work. It only works when we get thoroughly British genius stuff like The Office [I squirmed, but realised its brilliance], or much better [in my book] The League of Gentlemen, something which the USA comedy departments couldn't possibly, on pain of death, produce in any spark of originality. Oh, they'll copy certain sitcoms, and they may accidentally improve upon themj, but I doubt it.
america does have a lot of poor comedies, but is also has some very funny ones. Arrested development is probably the funniest show i have seen, then you have other examples like modern family and community, which are still pretty good.
My television watching probably adds up to about four hours a week but judging by comments on here some of you are right couch potataoes!
Which just shows that there is stuff for everyone. Wouldn't watch most of the comedy mentioned on here, but Miranda is a favourite of mine.
The first season of 'It's Always Sunny in Philedelphia' is a bit of a slow starter, but everything from there on in is, in my opinion, so far above anything else (non-animated) that the USA has ever produced, it seriously deserves recognition. Plus, what I especially like, each season only has half a dozen (or so) episodes, and not half a trillion like most US shows. A part from that, I only really like My Name Is Earl and Roseanne. The US's comedy strengths, for me, lie in it's animation and stand-up.
The delivery of the line "We didn't burn him!!" gave me a snotty the first time I saw it and is etched in my brain as one of the funniest things I have ever seen.
I also forgot to say, the amazing Glee. Even if half the time it's the Rachel Berry show, it's done some great covers and had some great story lines. Although it is to blame for this stupid trend of refering to couples in a relationship by one name, Finchel (Finn and Rachel) which has even started being used in other media like Harry Potter e.g. Dramione (Draco and Hermione).
I had a similar experience in the same episode, but at a different point; the very first gag where he is reading the letter on the train with the 'voice-over' of his grandma, which actually turns out to be some nosey old dear next to him. Classic. I seriously love this show, so many unique characters. The sweaty Greek dad singing "Bright Eyes"... too good.
That voice over was fabulous. Let's mention some of the best slapstick with the vet, Chinnery, the utterly disturbing Pauline and Ross sex scene and the Babs Cabs sex change description...... I'm going to have to watch them again tonight!
I was amazed at how no one else had mentioned Friday Night Lights yet. Would have thought it figured a bit, on a sports-related forum discussion, but understand that it is the schedulers' fault, as don't even know if it was ever screened in the UK until very recently. Simply put, it is the finest of the fine, run to a photo finish only by Breaking Bad. For me the six that hit every single button (entertainment through quality across writing, performance, characterisation, and production) and put themselves head and shoulders above the rest of the drama field consist of FNL (very possibly the best of them all), Breaking Bad, Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men, Game of Thrones (appreciate that it's a little bit hokey, and a big element of male fantasy, but that's what makes it great). Walking Dead has got to be up there too, though have yet to watch the second season, hence my reticence at putting it in my personal pantheon. The Judd Apatow pair of Freaks and Geeks and, more recently, Girls, are awesome too, earning their place alongside My So-Called Life in this (high school and post-high school) category. Comedies are hardest to get right, but Peep Show, South Park, Simpsons, Community, The Sarah Silverman Program, early-30 Rock, early-Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld are all greats. I do like Boardwalk Empire too, and watched Michael Mann's Luck - great for the horse-racing and trackside action, but got axed due to the number of horse deaths. It went for the same sound design as The Wire it seems, as you can't understand what on earth they're saying until your ears tune in properly to their world. Am keen to watch Battlestar Galactica too. The Wire in space, as I'm sure I've heard it described... And I am one of (I'm sure a few) who also loves 2 Broke Girls. It's so bad it actually became good - the eye candy is what gets you in, and despite all the messages your brain tells you to get out, you can't. The cheap production, quasi-racial stereotyping, poor inuendos, and badly delivered lines you can see coming a mile off just really lull me into a comfort zone of US sitcoms of the 1980s, and I can't get enough. Well, I can - usually half an hour is enough for the week, but Kat Dennings and her waitress outfit is extremely addictive.
I think it's mainly just sitcoms that they're bad at. They have done other forms of comedy well, such as cartoons (obvious examples being The Simpsons and Seth MacFarlane's various creations), and a lot of great comedy movies. I also really like their version of The Office, but I suppose Gervais and Merchant take a lot of credit for that. But yeah, I agree that we've got nothing on their HBO dramas. That's where the best television is.
Boooo! Here's my favourite Glee songs, aren't they amazing?!: [video=youtube;GaV1hhZkUE4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaV1hhZkUE4[/video] [video=youtube;urTFedZVZNw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urTFedZVZNw[/video]
People citing "The Office" as Mr Gervais knows...it's roots are from over the pond in M*A*S*H, This is Spinal Tap and Seinfeld. I'll give UK comedy it dues in the surreal vein of The League of Gentlemen, Python, The Mighty Boosh But recent US comedy such as Community, Bored to Death, Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, Curb etc - is a cut above most British stuff, bar maybe Peep Show.
Yeah, me too. It's actually been a while since i watched any of it. I guess it's not the kind of show you can watch too often without actually going a bit mental. Oh, by the way, you may give a toad a wart, but a toad will never give a wart to you!
Regards US comedy, yes, Curb your enthusiasm is good, sometimes very funny, and Seinfeld can be really quite funny, Kramer is a good creation. Not seen arrested development, have to give that a go.
