Here we go. This might help us wander away from the UK topic.

I don't watch too many comedy shows. I love the Drew Carey show, that's about the only new comedy here in America I can think of that I watch. I've always loved the Munsters show. What I like about it is it's clean humor and its funny. Lately I've been getting into Sanford and Son. I've noticed alot of the older comedy shows had much more originality than alot of todays new age comedy you see on tv. I swear the networks seem to roll out some new "sitcom" each month over here.

I haven't seen too many British comedys. I have seen Montey Pythons Search for the Holey Grail and die laughing every time. NE!

"Tiss only a flesh wound."
"Your a loney..."

Ahh... almost didn't notice this thread.

I guess I'll move my reply here that was made to Shorty's comment about America making the best TV comedy. I guess I'll pluck it off from there.

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There is an unfortunate and undeniable fact about American T.V., comedy and otherwise. Each and every show is made to obtain as large an audience as possible, scoop the largest possible cross-section of all viewers to watch it. Now, that's not accomplished by leaving most viewers at the door by making it too attractive to any certain group, so American T.V. is more base and homogenized and bland. This is not the case with British shows. They don't even attempt to make shows like that for a couple reasons. Number one, since America is already belching out those kinds of shows by the ton, so it's already a saturated target. Secondly, because they see neglected audiences minority in tastes that American producers volunteerily ignore as being too exclusive. So, when looking at Brit-Coms, you see shows that zero in on more specific kinds of people. Red Dwarf pegs the sci-fi crowd. As Time goes By, older viewers. Black Adder, history buffs. American producers don't have the guts to abandon any larger/less complicated crowd in preference of pleasing any smaller one extra well. So, with American shows, yes I agree they might make more people laugh 'some', but Brit-coms will make a slightly smaller more-well-targeted crowd bust a gut laughing. Not to mention the fact that Brits humor is more daring, less afraid of political correctness taboos, and just plain more intelligent. Everyone is different, and if you care to look hard enough, you'll not only find a Brit-com that suits your personal taste, but you'll then realize it's the funniest show you've ever seen and wondered why you settled for American's bland idea of "laughter for the masses".

So basicly, I guess my point is that NO joke can make EVERYONE laugh, but for some reason most American comedies still can't help but give it their best shot instead of the Brit-com's strategy of aiming jokes more at those who'll really like 'em best.

I'm as proud to be an American as the next guy, but I'm not going to let pride delude me into believing we're better at something that we're just not. And with comedies, we're just not better than the Brits, and I don't feel any less American to admit it.

Yea, you're right that there is some cruddy brit-coms and fantastic American comedy too, and I didn't mean to suggest that they didn't exist. I'm just pointing out the rule, not the exception. And you're also right. The worst thing that ever happend to Brit-coms is the point in which they were made KNOWING they'd be shown in America. That's what we all mean by they were better back then, because the prospect of coming to America was bleak, but now Brit-com creators are already falling into the same trap as American producers. But, I suppose even British producers are still better at playing to that unfortunate goal than American ones.

Oh, and just because shows run a long time in America does NOT mean they're good. Are you saying "Saved by the Bell" and "Family Matters" was good too?

Hm?

But anyway, sometimes being an American viewer can make one feel like nothing more than cattle.

I don't get the cartoon network, so I'm out of sync with the newer stuff. I think Futurama is pretty good, but not quite up with the Simpsons yet. It definately has the formula to be a Simpsons someday though. Mind you, even the Simpsons wasn't really as good as Futurama at it's same age. I loved that one when Bender turned fat human then died. "That wasn't him hooting... it was just gas escaping his flab, see?" *Phoooo.. Weeeeee pooooooooo* That was hilarious. You know, I loved Family Guy, but I don't think it's on anymore. I like Dexter's Laboratory too.