British comedy v American comedy

British and American comedies are generally very different, historically British comedy is about tragedy and the loser such as Basil Faulty, Rupert Rigsby, David Brent etc even a character like Delboy is loved because he is poor, struggles in life and we have some kind of connection because of that.

American comedy on the other hand is historically about winners and people who are positive and doing well like the cast of Friends, Seinfeld, the Cosby's etc. Of course there are exceptions with both.

Both at their best make brilliant comedy although I would say apart from Peep Show English comedy has been pretty terrible for a few years. There are loads of great comedies in America over the past few years, especially Curb, Louie, Eastbound, South Park.

IMO the greatest of them all, Only Fools and Horses, was so good because the characters developed in front of us and they kept using real life situations and finding the humour in that.

John Sullivan has to take the credit for that and I believe that Only Fools would have worked as a drama as the writing made you actually care about the characters.

My favourite American one is Cheers but I think that is because it is set in a very British environment of a bar and usually centred around believeable storylines.

In general though we only get the best of the American ones here and I am sure for each British turkey there is an American one too that we do not get to see.

British comedies all day long for me.

I think England do a pretty bad job of bringing over the best comedies from America. BBC had the rights to Simpsons for years but never bothered showing it and it wasn't broadcasted on one of the main channels until the late 90s. The BBC were also useless with their handling of both Seinfeld and The Larry Sanders Show, 2 of the biggest American comedies of the 90s. Even now with Curb, Louie and Eastbound, none of which are broadcasted on one of the major channels, yet at the same time are happy to fill them with krap American comedies.

Faulty Towers and Only Fools and Horses are my favourite British comedies. I don't find US comedies as funny overall but personally i find Friends to be the best. Everyone has seen every episode a million times but i still laugh whenever i watch it. Brilliant writing.

The Simpsons is great, though havent watched it for years and i've never found Family Guy funny, nor do i find the 'newer' ones funny - if only rarely - such as Big Bang Theory or How I Met Your Mother.

British ones i like......Alan partridge, the office, comic strip presents, bottom, reginald perrin (the original with leonard rossiter, not the awful remake) and absolutely (anyone remember that)

US ones i like....Curb your enthusiasm

cant beat only fools and horses

comment by Ad-nan bread (U11386)
posted 4 minutes ago
cant beat only fools and horses

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Fawlty Towers & Blackadder 2, 3 and 4 beat it for me.

I meant to put blackadder in mine too, stephen fry as general melchett in blackadder 4 is comedy genius.

Rising Damp and Love Thy Neighbour got away with murder back in the day. British comedy at it's worst!!!

does anyone remember a late night sit-com with robert lindsay called.....NIGHTINGALES.....!?

funny as fack...but no one i ask has ever heard of it......