Having been stuck at home with a blasted chest infection for the last two weeks that has effected my asthma (which is a pain in the bronchial tract itself) I have come close to committing terrible, horrible and bloody murder! It is only my digging up every comedy DVD I could find that has kept my spirits up and me half sane!

Being a nosey creature, I wondered what fellow 'Other Siders' enjoyed watching!?

Are you the type to go for the comfy 'Terry And June' or 'On The Buses'? (Shudders)

Or are you drawn to quirkier/darker sights and sounds such as myself?

A list of my own favourites...

*Garth Marenghi's Dark Place.

* The League Of Gentlemen.

* The Mighty Boosh.

* Black Books.

* Spaced.

* Shirley Ghostman's Spirit Academy.

* Peep Show.

* Spaced.

* The Peter Serafinowicz Show.

* How Not To Live Your life.

* Monkey Dust.

* Look Around.

* The Armstrong And Miller Show.

* The Kevin Bishop Show.

* Red Dwarf.

* Hyper Drive.


Thanks!

Oh, 12 views and yet no replies. No one likes comedies???!

Adam and Joe

I also watch Dave tv, so things like Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I got news for you, etc. But I'm not sure if that counts.

Oh yes, they have a comedy theme/feel I think.

I am a fan of both Have I got and Never mind the...

Eight Out Of Ten Cats and QI are other panel based game/comedy shows I like to watch.

Mighty Boosh, Black Books, Green Wing, Armstong and Miller, Hyperdrive, QI, HIGNFY, Buzzcocks, Would I Lie To You?, Red Dwarf, Not Going Out, Mitchell and Webb... there's probably more that I can't think of at the moment.

Ah, I like a good laugh, me! I do enjoy many of the comedy shows mentioned here (Red Dwarf being one of my all-time faves) but I do find many of the current crop of comedy shows aren't as funny as they should be.

I enjoy "Friday/Sunday Night Project" for it's unscripted insanity, "Kevin Bishop" I thought was pretty funny (but sometimes more sweary than was necessary) and for some reason I like anything with Keith Lemon in it. Dunno what it is, perhaps it's the way Leigh Francis plays the part. Being an old git, I remember the older stuff as well, such as "Monty Python", "Fawlty Towers", "Rising Damp" (the ONLY funny sitcom that ITV ever made, no arguments), "Dad's Army" and "The Young Ones".

American comedies usually leave me cold, because they are either too US-centric or they try far too hard to be funny. However, when done properly they can be utterly brilliant - "Cheers" and it's spin-off "Frasier", "Spin City" and "Scrubs" are all classics, and "Reaper" really hits for me too.

But for me, nothing beats the loosely scripted, ad-libbing of the live stand-up performance. Personal faves are Bill Hicks, Lee Evans, Bill Bailey, Billy Connolly, Richard Pryor, and one of Eddie Murphy's, I can't remember which one, but it's the one that starts with Eddie dressing up as various comedy types like Steve Martin and the aforementioned Richard Pryor.

I really like Scrubs myself. There's a sort of quirkiness about it that is usually found with British comedies.

'The Young Ones', have very fond memories of that, watch the DVDs when I am bored alot of the time.

Leigh Francis is as mad as a hatter but really funny with it. His weird Marilyn Manson and Craig David, Kes hovering about his head ( what is that all about?!) is just hilarious.

Bill Bailey, yes I am liking him. I also like Dave Chapelle. Some of his sketches on youtube have me in fits of laughter. Especially the black white supremist sketch. Fantastic.

The Rise And Fall Of Reginald Perrin, such a well written comedy, I also have a soft spot for Rising Damp.

Ah! I had forgotten about the wonderfully bizzare 'Green Wing' and 'Not Going Out'! Yes both really very good, and much missed.

Howdy howdy aNCoT. Hmm... Ancot. Anyway, hello!

As you've all put in your lists of funnies, I have to echo the sentiments for The Mighty Boosh, Greenwing and Never Mind The Buzzcocks (and Scrubs!). I also love and adore Shooting Stars (not very contemporary, I know) and Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam. And Brasseye.


This paedophile is disguised as a school.

Brass Eye, fantastic choice. Yes that particular show (The 2001 'Paedogeddon' spoof) got some people's knickers in a twist, was very cleverly done I think.

Perverted crabs, Nonce sense et all, showed just how quickly celebs will jump on a bandwagon despite their talking a load of Cock-A-Doo-Dee!

Shooting Stars! love it. And srubs as people have said. and Brass Eye, and The Day Today.

I've not met many people who list that as a favourite. I love it. Chris Morris, he do no wrong. The Day Today, Brass Eye, My Wrongs, Nathan Barley, it all gives me a chuckle, often with a swift chaser of guilt or mild nausea.

Spaced is probably my all-time fave. I think I'm just the right age and mindset to the the perfect target audience for it. My only problem is that it sometimes feels too eerily familiar...

When I was living in Laahndaahn, my housemates and I watched the entire series of Spaced. All sat together, on the sofa, eating pizza, drinking and Paul (one of the 'mates) was complaining about lack of a job and being able to find a flat for when he moved out. It was really quite eerie, as you said.

One of my favourite episodes of 'Spaced' was the one where Daisy made an interesting stew, full of lovely herbs it was.


The mock gun fight she and Tim had with a gang of boys they'd given a bag of Oregano to by mistake, at the end was just brilliant!

A lot of my favourites have already been mentioned, so without going into movies, I really have nothing to add. I've aquired a liking for Mock the Week lately, mostly for Frankie Boyle and Hugh Dennis (anyone else remember Punt and Dennis?), but also some of the guests...mostly Michael McIntyre and Ed Byrne. Even though someone mentioned it, Black Books needs to be mentioned again, Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey are both very funny in their own right. Tim Minchin is definitely worth checking out too.

I so wish they'd make another series of Black Books! I would be the happiest woman alive if they did.

Despite his being a Misanthrope, I had a soft spot for Bernard Black. No! I can't explain it!???

One of my mates is something of a clone of Dylan Moran, except he's not Irish. He smokes, shouts and generally lambasts the entire human race in a very amusing manner. Given that I resemble Bill Bailey when I'm rocking the long hair look, we were a good pairing.

Any fans of Look Around You? The first series killed me, especially the episode about water.

What are birds? We just don't know...

[EDIT] And here's the episode in all its glory

Blackadder never fails to have me in fits of laughter.

'Look Around You' is on my original list, fantastic! Featuring the lovely Peter Serafinowicz, an added bonus I think personally.

Bill Bailey, despite being himself in whatever he appears in, 'Spaced' 'Black Books''Wild West' he is so watchable and naturally funny. Always great to see him appearing on QI, Have I got News For You and Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Being repeated on UK Gold, which we don't have! Pants!

I need to get me the DVDs!

Yes! Look around you is amazing.

Also love spaced, black books, father ted, futurama...

Peep show I only just discovered but thats great too. Mighty Boosh I'm not sure about - some of it is hilarious and some I don't find funny at all... same for green wing.

I thought the first couple of seasons of scrubs were really good but I stopped watching it after season 6 (I think. The really awful one with a musical episode.)

Liking Futurama too!

I didn't think the third series of 'The Mighty Boosh' was as impressive as the first two series. Found the 'Crack Fox' episode really seriously strange but was brilliant.

Yeah, Boosh has gone off the boil a bit. First two series are unexpurgated genius, though.

As for Futurama, I have four words for you - better than the Simpsons.

Go on. Argue with me.

Futurama is great. I can't wait for the new ones.

Oh! Futurama is by far the superior cartoon out of the two!

Futurama's definitely better than The Simpsons

I just had a thought: Father Ted.

Wow. Makes a change for people to agree with me on that point. Evidently you are all people of superior taste. As if there was ever any doubt...

And yes, poops - Father Ted. A comedy of superior quality. Down with this sort of thing!

Ah yes, the madness of Craggy Island and dear old Father Ted! I always find it amusing that two grown men share a bedroom, Dougal snuggled under his He-Man duvet!

Such a shame Dermot Morgan passed away at a ridiculously young age.

Have been watching that on Dave most evenings.

'Careful now'

It's hard to argue with the pretty consistent level of quality and ideas in The Simpsons that they've kept going since the Stone Ages. Futurama is also very good, but better than The Simpsons? I'd say it's too close to call.

Father Ted will be one of those timeless classics. These cows are small, those are far away.

My friend and ex-boss runs an off-licence. He painted an enormous picture of Father Jack on a board and wrote 'DRINK' in foot-high letters underneath it. It was stolen on the first day that he put it outside. He did a second one and chained it to the front of the shop. Usually every couple of days he'll hear the distinctive jingle of someone trying to nick it.

He also made a sign with similarly large letters saying 'Mmm... BEER'. There was a local writer who cursed my friend for the sign: his window, where he would sit and write, overlooked the shopfront from a fair distance. He'd sit at his desk, thinking about his writing, then into his head would pop the thought 'mmm... Beer'. My friend's sales did very well. As far as I know, the writer isn't famous yet.

I agree that Futurama is superior to The Simpsons. The problem Futurama had was it couldn't pick on current events and such as easily as other shows and more unique writing had to be utilized. Simpsons has the advantage of being, from my perspective anyway, somewhat easier to write for. They're both excellent shows and Futurama deserved a longer run than what it did get.

Anyway! Comedies I've seen recently... Not sure really, been hectic so I have been slacking on the 'watching things' front. The usual Family Guy, American Dad, Robot Chicken...

Futurama, better than The Simpsons? Hell yes! Never did understand why they dropped it. The Simpsons is good, but I think it's suffering from going for too long now and the later episodes are nowhere near as good as they used to be around season 3 & 4. My personal fave character is Bender (who else would it be?) whose antics always have me in stitches. But I also like Zoidberg as well. It'd be good if it came back, in a way, but I can't help thinking it wouldn't be as good. You don't agree, you can bite my shiny metal ass

I'd forgotten about Blackadder and Father Ted. Classics both. I like The IT Crowd as well, it's kind of similar to Father Ted - but then given it's the same writing team, I guess it would be.

Family Guy: Sometimes this can be utterly hilarious, others I find the subversion a bit too much. Again, the new series isn't up to par with previous.

Jesse Jackson crying.

leo - have you been watching the feature-length 'ramas? Yeah, they're not as good as the original series, but it's still a lot better than the alternative - the prospect of a Bender-free life. My only hope is that they either pick up the series again after the fourth installment, or they tie it all up with a neat sense of closure. I expect to be disappointed...

Yeah...

Jesse Jackson crying 'bittersweet tears' is always a good one.

Sadly, not. I intend to get my hands on them at some point. Alas, I share your sense of impending disappointment at having no closure on the series. Aside from the obvious sexual tension between Leela and Fry, I want to know if all turns out well between Amy and Kif, whether Professor Farnsworth ends up living forever or not, or if Bender ever kills all humans. Or get his shiny metal ass bitten. Either would do.

You do know there's a new series running on Sky at the moment, right?

O_O

My response exactly. Given that I don't have Sky, I couldn't possibly comment, but if this is anything to do with it then it's just the feature-length toons that Inky has mentioned before, but chopped up into bite-sized televisual chunks.

But as I say, I don't have Sky so even if it's a new series altogether then it's no use to me.

-__-

That's what I get for being excited. Pfft...

Quite. Now you know how Zapp Brannigan felt at being dumped by Leela.