TV comedy - Any Good Ones?

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I hate stuff like Friends, they are not funny, they have to put canned laughter in so you know when to laugh. I prefer mental stimulation when it comes to comedy, God, The Devil and Bob (taken off the Air in America after 4 shows) is one of the best things on TV at the moment, The Royle Family is one of the best comedys I have seen in years, the fact that it doesnt tell you when to laugh, and the way it makes things funny, is taking the stereotypes of everyday life and magnify it 100 times. It works well.

 

I hate tv now as well. I always used to love it but now it is getting crap. I used to watch it constantly but now i don't think anyone does.
Don't the BBC realise that they are losing audience????!!!!

 

Does anyone remember Fry&laurie? that was the one BBC comedy I've seen that almost equaled Monty Python.

We tend to get your shows once they've gone off the air. Didn't realize it had gotten so bad.

ummm what exactly is a TV liscense? I keep hearing about renewing them and stuff...is that for cable?

 

jester1137, if you live outside the UK I guess you haven't had the pleasure of a TV Licence. Over here we have to have one to legally watch any kind of broadcasted TV signal. The money from the Licence (£108/year) goes to the BBC. The idea being that the BBC is a government funded body that will not allow advertising (although they still advertise their own stuff and show programs like The 'Embassy' (cigerettes) Snooker). In practice this seems like an OK idea, you pay a licence to help fund and allow you to watch the BBC's two televison channels.

What is annoying is that, if you don't want to watch the BBC (because it has almost nothing worth watching anymore) you still have to buy the licence to be allowed to watch the other independant channels. These independant channels get no money from your licence fee and have to rely on advertising revenue. The situation is even more annoying in that if you wanted to just watch satelite or cable TV channels, you still have to pay the licence plus, endure adverts and pay an extra rental fee to the satelite/cable provider. Grrr

Anyway, I have decided not to bother paying for another licence (it's just run out). I'm going to rely on watching old videos, playing on the PC and using the interenet for news. Videos used to require a licence as well (according to the wording), but I have spoken to them and they asure me it is OK if I disconnect my aerial from the TV and video. To be honest though, I'll probably get a licence when I get a job and some money again even if the telly is 95% full of rubbish nowadays.

Rant over

 

good lord!! that ummm somewhere between 150-200$ a year? for normal broad cast tv?

we have PBS here, but they are almost fully funded by voluntary contributions now.

I would imagine the BBC gets some reasonable amount of income from liscensing shows like Mr. Bean internationaly.

How do they actualy enforce that tho? do you need some kind of de-scrambler?

 

No, they have people who visit houses if they suspect you are using a TV without a licence. They also have TV detector vans that can apperently work out if you are watching a TV (though don't know how these work and have often wondered if it is a scam). Reading through this again, it sounds more sinister that it really is. There are people who don't bother to get a licence and take the risk. I guess it is like having to have a licence for a gun or a dog or whatever - it's that level of enforcement. Still the fines can be pretty steep.

 

Hmmm, there are some shows that I watch if I happen to turn on the TV at the right time.
These are the comedy programs that I like:

Friends (getting rather old, but I still chuckle once in awhile)
Third Rock From the Sun (As above, but still has funny moments - Lithgow is quite funny)
Everyone Loves Raymond (I laugh because much of the show is applicable to my own life )

Hmmm... I think that's it for comedies although I still watch Frasier reruns as well.

For the less comedic stuff I like:

Law & Order
ER
Wild On (n'uff said)

 

Now I have ehard that Seinfeld is good, one of the best comedies to come out of America. So what does Aunty Beeb do when she gets a hold of the rights? Put it on at two in the morning or some similar time! Gaaaaaaaahhh

 

the only comedies i watch are:

red dwarf (gotta love lister)
simpsons (DOH!)
futurama (i just think its funny as hell)
king of the hill (only because its before the simpsons and theres nothing better on)
malcolm in the middle (simpsons with real actors)
are you being served? (just a funny british comedy)
seinfeld (i dont know why i like it but i just do)
southpark (how can you not love this show?)
celebrity deathmatch (its both funny and violent an excellent mix)
jackass (have no fucking idea why i like it maybe because its people lose all their dignity and i can watch from my own home)

 

TV is over rated as far as I'm concerned. I do watch sometimes though. If I have nothing better to do which isn't that often. I enjoy learning more about computers and helping my sister with her site. Curling up on my couch with a good book(and a blanket when it's cold) is better then anything. I do a lot of writing and TV takes away much more then it gives. It's a waste of time.
I have a few favorite shows I do watch. Mostly drama's like ER and CSI. I was fed up with TV when they started putting crap like Senfield and those reality based shows on. I hate most game shows, but I'm finding I am tuning into the Weakest Link sometimes. That woman is scary but in a way very funny with her smartass comments and sour sense of humor.

~Essence~

 

There is a good, but very low-brow show that I like. Grounded for Life on Fox. Yeah, its been done (Simpsons, Married w/ Children, Malcom in the Middle), but there are a few original twists. Good for a laugh!

 

I've caught Grounded for Life a few times, it's pretty good. I also like Titus, and his over the top portrayal of his ultra-dysfunctional family. I don't even know if it's on anymore, though, since I don't watch much tv. Oh, and not a comedy, but funny as hell: Sex and the City! I know people like them!!

 

I found Grounded for Life kind of stupid. Titus on the other hand is funny as hell!
Never seen Sex in the City. I never really watch HBO. Another good comedy I think is The Fighting Fitzgerlds(I don't think I spelled that right). An old fashoined Irish father and his three sons, daughter in-law, grandkid and a obese Hispanic neighbor. Very funny.

~Essence~

 

Titus IS my best friend...right down to the freaky goth girlfriend sacraficing chickens on the dinner table.

 

Well thats interesting. Freaky goths and sacrificed chickens. Not something you see or here about everyday.

~Essence~