What makes British humor more unique (or not) than other English speaking humor (1 Viewer)

What do you think makes British (cinema and tv humor) better and / or more unique than other English speaking cinema and tv humor

It isn't better. British comedy sucks. Maybe 20-30 years ago, the writing of SOME British sitcoms was sharper than that of their American counter-parts, but nowadays I think American comedy is MUCH funnier. Give me Seinfeld and Larry Sanders over Mr. Bean and Birds of a Feather any day of the week. And twice on Sundays!
P.S. British film comedy is universally garbage. Haven't laughed at a British comedy in years and years and years......

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It isn't better. British comedy sucks. Maybe 20-30 years ago, the writing of SOME British sitcoms was sharper than that of their American counter-parts, but nowadays I think American comedy is MUCH funnier. Give me Seinfeld and Larry Sanders over Mr. Bean and Birds of a Feather any day of the week. And twice on Sundays

Yup, I'd rather watch those two too.

But you're not comparing like to like, Paul. British TV only picks up the good American comedies - you're 'missing out' on the dross American sitcoms that pad out the schedules. Believe me, there's a *ton* of vapid TV that even Channel 5 wouldn't dream of picking up.

There's nothing over here to rival League of Gentleman, Father Ted or Red Dwarf for example. There's /nothing/ like Men Behaving Badly - the American version completely & utterly missed the point.

But wasn't the original question about British humour? It's simple - it's self-depreciating with a strong sense of sarcasm & irony, as well as a good sense of stupidity.

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But wasn't the original question about British humour? It's simple - it's self-depreciating with a strong sense of sarcasm & irony, as well as a good sense of stupidity.

I would find it difficult to discuss the basis for British humour without considering British TV and film comedy. In my book, they're at the core of how it is defined today. Stuff like Carry On is the strongest definition of British humor to me. Otherwise, I wouldn't really know where to begin.

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There are far too many exceptions for it to be generally applicable.

I dont't know why but, this brings Benny Hill to mind The last time I mentioned Benny Hill to a Brit he told me Benny was the only Brit with an American sense of humor.

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You know how some Americans puzzle over Jerry Lewis' popularity in France? That's how I feel about Benny Hill in the US

Amen!

I personally can't stand most (but not all) british comedy.

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but I read something somewhere saying Americans have an irony deficiency.

The biggest problem Americans have with irony is identifying it. We've got Alanis Morisette singing "Isn't It Ironic" in which the only irony is that NONE of the things she mentions is ironic. Isn't it ironic? No, Alanis, it isn't. Rain on your wedding day is unfortunate, it isn't ironic. Rain on the weatherman's wedding day is ironic.

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Isn't it ironic? No, Alanis, it isn't. Rain on your wedding day is unfortunate, it isn't ironic. Rain on the weatherman's wedding day is ironic.

I think the more important question is: What makes British women less attractive (or not) than other caucasian women? Extremely limited gene pool? Tenuous grasp on the concept of oral hygiene?

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more unique

Humorous and ironic - man you're halfway there!
And it's British humour - humor isn't a word over her - it's a typo.
Paul, the last Blackadder series was only, hell 13 years ago and that's bloody funny, and poignant.
The 'official' final Only Fools and Horses a few years back were still very funny and the whole series sits inside your 20-30 year area.
Have you watched Spaced any time recently. I don't know that British humour has got bad but we just don't bother making sitcoms anymore as they've got kind of dull.
Did you ever see The Fast Show? Perhaps you're just strange, Paul!
As far as the U.S. stuff we have on import goes, it's all very old - Friends, Frasier and The Simpsons are the only U.S. stuff I can think of that's popular. And beyond that, I can't actually think of anything particularly hilarious from the U.S. that I saw aside from the legendary Dream On or Mash. It can be funny, yes, but I rarely get the kind of belly laughs the early Red Dwarf series or Spaced now gives me.

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As far as the U.S. stuff we have on import goes, it's all very old - Friends, Frasier and The Simpsons are the only U.S. stuff I can think of that's popular. And beyond that, I can't actually think of anything particularly hilarious from the U.S. that I saw aside from the legendary Dream On or Mash. It can be funny, yes, but I rarely get the kind of belly laughs the early Red Dwarf series or Spaced now gives me.

Do you get South Park, Sex and the City, Mr. Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Sopranos (dark humour), and The Daily Show over there? (Very HBO heavy, but it's better than commercial TV, and can be smarter)

They show Red Dwarf on PBS, and I don't know what season it is, but it's just not funny. It seems very broad, and no better than a lot of the junk we have on.

(What does 'series' mean to the Brits? Here it means a full run of a show. So, all 11 years of The Simpsons would be called a series. It seems you are using it like we would 'season'. Is that it?)

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