[Closed] Mrs Brown's Boys voted best sitcom of century

seriously??? I don't relly get it but it appears lots of people do.

The OH loves it, I don't.

The notoriously reliable online poll. Though I'm kind of surprised because I wouldn't have thought fans of MBB would know how to operate a computer.

I never really got The Office, but can at least understand why people liked that as it wasn't shit.

stewartc - Member

the IT Crowd

Pisses all over anything else mentioned.

This result says an awful lot about the people who visit the radio times website and fill in online polls!

Does Spaced count as 21st century? First series was 1999...

But seriously, Mrs Browns Boys? WTAF?

But seriously, Mrs Browns Boys? WTAF?

in the poll, conducted by the Radio Times.

This result says an awful lot about the people who visit the radio times website and fill in online polls!

see also Brexit... It says more about the people who read/view etc. mass opinion is no measure of quality 😉

When the public thinks Only Fools And Horses the best comedy of all time, sadly this doesn't surprise me.

The IT Crowd is way better, there must be some other better ones too, Black Books?
I just don't get Mrs Browns Boys either, but then I'm an old git!

First brexit now this!
Perfect examples why the public can not be trusted.

Man Down and Green Wing
That is all I have to say on the matter.

At least they did not vote Miranda as number 1.

Peter Kays car share voted better than Phoenix Nights? what morons voted.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-23/top-100-films-of-the-21st-century-according-to-bbc/7776730
In other news better results in the film list by not asking people who could be bothered to read the radio times

[i][s]what[/s] morons voted.[/i]

FTFY 🙂

I love Mrs Browns Boys. Struggling to think of a 21st century sit com I've laughed at more.

I think The Office was dire shite.

Depends which group of morons you survey, I guess. 😉

[i]better results in the film list [/i]

Good list that.. but NO INCREDIBLES?? That is incredible. Especially with Ratatouille in there.

my mum loves Mrs Brown's Boys.

She is a) Irish and b) 61 years old.

There's my demographic insight for you

Surely Bluestone42 should be in that top 20. Thick of it would be my pick

"Still game" beats anything else I have seen hands down

I was subjected to Mrs Brown's Boys for the first time last night and guessed pretty much every joke in the show. There wasn't a single original laugh in there.

I love Mrs Browns Boys. Struggling to think of a 21st century sit com I've laughed at more.
I think The Office was dire shite.

+1, The office was just cringe, not funny.

The IT crowd is good, but as noted by others not much on TV at the moment gets me laughing out loud to the point of almost pissing myself as Mrs Brown. The last legs usualy a safe bet, but it's not sitcom.

Another fan here - and proud! It's not meant to be intellectually taxing, and so what if you can guess the jokes - the delivery, and the fact that the cast are obviously having a laugh too is great. Just mindlessly funny.... Nowt wrong with that

My mum loves it, at Christmas I have to leave the room when it's on otherwise It's murder. It has to be the most un funny 'comedy' program broadcast this century.

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace.

That is all.

MBB was good for about two episodes but then got a bit samey for me.

Who a I to judge comedy though as I live the Harry Hill Movie.

Bit presumptuous to say best of the century when there's another 84 years to go.

I really, really don't get it at all. Not going to argue with those that do but it's not for me at all.

Off the top of my head, and only thinking recent stuff, things I think are better:
The IT Crowd
The Inbetweeners
Peep Show
Flight of the Concords
Gavin and Stacey

Where MBB really stands out is the number of people who think it's completely rubbish. Is there any other sitcom which can claim that sort of reaction?

Tjagain is absolutely correct.

Still Game is the best comedy on TV and it's comin' back....

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Meh. The novelty of including the cock ups wore thin after an episode and now it seems deliberate. If it didn't have that it wouldn't be interesting anyway.

IT Crowd, infinitely better. Along with Father Ted (okay, last century). Hmm, oh look, same writer 😉 (though I never got into Black Books).

Rest of that list, can't say anything there has had me interested.

not much on TV at the moment gets me laughing out loud to the point of almost pissing myself as Mrs Brown.

Exact opposite for me. I've sat through a couple of episodes to see what the fuss was about and barely managed half a wry smile.

Felt like a bad panto or variety show where most of the jokes have been taken from other shows where they were done better.

I like MBB, yeah its a bit formulaic, but so is lots of other stuff.
But comedy of the century? Im afraid not, at the very least as allan23 notes, theres 84 years to go before we can start to judge that one.
I actually prefer the simpsons.
Ive only seen a couple of episodes of the office, definitely not my cup of tea.
EDIT: Are the people who love MBB scottish/irish?
Im Scottish.

Don't geddit. Whenever I've watched it's been as funny as toothache.

[i] I live the Harry Hill Movie.[/i]

Extreme, but a nice life that must be! 🙂

What was that other comedy about an Irish family recently? ("the.. somethings" I can't remember the name). That was much funnier. Bit of weirdness about it which is a mark of any decent comedy. And of course, because it was actually decent, it disappeared after a couple of series.

I live the Harry Hill Movie.

Extreme, but a nice life that must be!

Bollocks, damn the autocorrect. Although if I could take something that made me see giant radioactive hamsters I'me sure the day would pass quicker.

Edit: ...and + many 1s for Still Game. Best thing on telly for years.

my mum loves Mrs Brown's Boys.

She is a) Irish and b) 61 years old.

There's my demographic insight for you

I have to say that (before he passed away a couple of years ago) my dad loved this, I'd genuinely not seen him laugh so much in years. For me there's a real element of childhood visits to my nan's house about it, classic matriarchal Irish Catholic family structure, I can see the atmosphere in my nan's kitchen in it perfectly, even down to the kitchen cabinets and wallpaper in the early series, the housecoat, perfect - and with the pub scenes I can clearly remember my nan at the social with her friends, and picture the handbags, scarves and half pints of stout. So there's some really clever stuff in there that has to be deliberate for a demographic who grew up with this.

guessed pretty much every joke in the show.

Thats the comedy a lot of people like. If you look at stuff like Micheal Macintyre - his 'observational' comedy is making exactly the same remarks about revolving doors that everyone in the audience has already made to themselves - he's not entertaining them with new ideas he's congratulating them for their own ideas. Its very generous.

So for some people knowing what the punchline is going to be and waiting for it to come [i]is[/i] the entertainment.

I'm not sure what is so annoying about it. I think it might be that it is like the chuckle brothers combined with an annoying old uncle.

Same with most TV really. People don't like the unexpected. Give them the same old and they're happy. That's why UK Gold does so well showing Only Fools 24/7, or people can watch back to back Big Bang Theory which has no jokes in it at all and still chuckle when the audience chuckles without slitting their wrists. Same with dramas and sci-fi. Make it obvious, explain what's going on enough so you know what's coming up, resolve the story at the end of episode and same cast next week doing the same thing. Except Game of Throne, but then that's formulaic also. Kill one or more of the main cast each episode. People expect that 😉

Remembered it - "The Walshes"

Anyone see it?

[img] [/img]

Spaced (well 1999-2001)
Green Wing.

Remembered it - "The Walshes"

Anyone see it?

Never heard of it, but that there in the middle there is Graham Linehan, writer of Father Ted, The IT Crowd etc, so it's got a pedigree.

Is it only British shows allowed? Otherwise Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a clear winner for me, for so many reasons.

UK comedies...
Fresh Meat
IT Crowd
Still Game (cannae wait)
Phoenix Nights

I like Mrs Browns Boys,it reminds me of old school comedy like Morecambe & Wise or Tommy Cooper,it's formulaic in a pantomime way & as has been said, you can see the punchlines coming but I like it.
I found The Office tedious yet lots of people thought it was laugh out loud funny.
Best comedy this century? I.T Crowd,never understood why it wasn't more successful.

yeah Linehan wrote (or co-wrote) The Walshes. There were only 3 episodes, kind of a pilot half-series - I think they were waiting to see if it got enough traction before doing any more.

I liked it, but somehow it didn't quite spark for me....

I have to say that (before he passed away a couple of years ago) my dad loved this, I'd genuinely not seen him laugh so much in years. For me there's a real element of childhood visits to my nan's house about it, classic matriarchal Irish Catholic family structure, I can see the atmosphere in my nan's kitchen in it perfectly, even down to the kitchen cabinets and wallpaper in the early series, the housecoat, perfect - and with the pub scenes I can clearly remember my nan at the social with her friends, and picture the handbags, scarves and half pints of stout. So there's some really clever stuff in there that has to be deliberate for a demographic who grew up with this.

yeah totally. This kind of thing helped Father Ted be so successful too - so many gentle references to Irish life in it that don't really resonate with the English but helped it win over an Irish audience (that was pretty sceptical in the beginning, what with all the religion-bashing and all)

I would have gone for Coupling as my favourite so far, but seems to be largely forgotten about.

Just as an aside...
[img] ?oh=8e3da19985d25fb95979c51416a81be6&oe=58104979[/img]

Moist

hmmmm... where to start.

Not everything is for everyone. But I hate MBB. Almost anything I can think of is better.

American: Parks and rec, Community, 30 Rock, and Aziz ansari's recent Master of none has been brilliant. And Bojack...

UK; Office, IT crowd, Fresh Meat, Josh, Uncle, Green Wing etc etc

My current favourite is Fleabag.

But MBB... 😯

Interesting we have so many Still Game fans, as it does have a few similarities to MBB - including appeal across the age range.

It might be the humour of the familiar and thus why many miss it. I remember when I thought No Problem was the funniest thing on TV bit no one else seemed to get it. Sam with Desmond's. For many *it's funny because it's true*. Only problem is that it might not be your reality. Maybe.

My current favourite is Fleabag.

Watched that the other night, expected it to be awful and ended up really enjoying it.

would have gone for Coupling as my favourite so far, but seems to be largely forgotten about.

I did like that and watched some of it in again last year, the Welsh guy made it really and he left before the end. Green Wing and IT Crowd stand out for me - Still Game too, The Office I suppose but ended up liking the US version best really - after the 1st series that is.

Rather like Man Down at the moment.

Channel Four have been responsible for some cracking comedies. We've had Friday Night Dinner, Green Wing, Fresh Meat, The IT Crowd...and The Inbetweeners.

Another here who things MBB is sh**e. Got bored after about 2 episodes although Mrs Mainwaring likes it. Faves for me:

1) The Thick of It (I still re-watch it on Netflix)
2) Still Game
3) Gavin and Stacey
4) Bluestone 42

For some reason I never watched the IT Crowd. Need to have a look judging by the popularity on here

For some reason I never watched the IT Crowd. Need to have a look judging by the popularity on here

Yes do check it out. I almost envy you.

For some reason I never watched the IT Crowd. Need to have a look judging by the popularity on here

Popularity on here may directly correlate with the number of IT professionals on here 😀

Peep show
Him & Her

I am not a comedy snob, I have quite wide ranging tastes but MBB just didn't make me laugh at all. Neither did Still Game - they both seemed painfully unoriginal. The Royle Family was a far better version of a kitchen sink comedy than MBB - clever, funny and touching.

I can appreciate that this might be because I have more Northern blood than Irish, and hence more cultural exposure. This is why after marrying a girl from the American Mid-West and spending time in her home town I can re-watch the Simpsons and understand it far better than I ever did before!

I live the Harry Hill Movie.

Harry Hill. More irritating than the aftermath of a midge-infested bivi in the Scottish highlands.

I'd guess the Venn diagram of Radio Times readers and Mrs Browns Boys fans has quite an overlap.

The set of people who like actual comedy is way over there somewhere ---------->

[i]Fresh Meat[/i]

Jeez the last series of that was baaad though!

Cougar -
Never heard of it, but that there in the middle there is Graham Linehan, writer of Father Ted, The IT Crowd etc, so it's got a pedigree.

Interesting!
Well there you go then, all you nerds have a new comedy to check out thanks to me (It was on BBC2) 😀

Molgrips - I suspect thats part of the issue with still game - it might be that you need to have a little knowledge and understanding of Scottish / glasgow culture to really get it.

Myself I like the banality and pathos of it - and its very acutely observed

No love for [i]Detectorists[/i]? I thought that was the best comedy I've seen in ages.

Crikey, how soon we forget. Detectorists. Yes.

Watched one episode of MBB as a colleague kept in about it. Had to switch it off half way through. As above, the obvious jokes, in-your-face/know-what's-coming and the "oh we made a mistake" got on my breasts.

For me....
Peep Show
Thick of It
The Office
People Just doing Nothing
Inbetweeners

Can't stand MBB. Nor Miranda. Nor any other mainstream sitcom that 'knowingly' nods back to those of the 70s (except for one mentioned below).

For me (and I seem to be typical STW demographic here)...

Spaced
The IT Crowd
Inbetweeners
Man Down
The Mighty Boosh
House of Fools
Friday Night Dinner - funniest thing on right now
Raised by Wolves

Looking on the bright side, by the time 2099 rolls around it won't be the best sitcom of the century. Will it?

Need to try Detectorists, heard good things about it.

Not bothered by Mrs Brown, but I find it surprising that People Just Do Nothing has only had one mention on here so far. It's utter genius.

Something I actively avoided at the time it came out, simply because of all the trendy young things gushing about it, was Nathan Barley. Just watched it properly for the first time, and it is brilliant. In fact, I'm struggling to think of something that Chris Morris, Charlie Brooker, Peter banham etc are involved with, that isn't.

Peep Show, I've just never clicked with t. Just find it irritating and get bored with it very quickly.

Spaced
The IT Crowd
Inbetweeners
Man Down
The Mighty Boosh
House of Fools
Friday Night Dinner - funniest thing on right now
Raised by Wolves

This reads like a list of comedy that I love, but I've not watched the last two, so I'll have to check those out.

Something I actively avoided at the time it came out, simply because of all the trendy young things gushing about it, was Nathan Barley. Just watched it properly for the first time, and it is brilliant.

I rewatched it last year, having watched it and liked it at the time, and if anything it seems even more relevant today than it did then when self-facilitating media nodes were probably more of a London thing.

Edit -Wrong century!

Durr.

Have sat thru a couple of MMB's - not even nearly funny.

But

"Mongrels" was fantastic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongrels_(TV_series)

"Edit -Wrong century!

Durr."

😆

I was about to post 'Blackadder is so last century', before you edited your post.

I'll post it anyway so that others can know the stupidity of your error. 😀

Blackadder still trumps anything this century though so worth saying. Besides, there was the millennium episode/feature, though that was a bit crap.

I'll post it anyway so that others can know the stupidity of your error.

[img] [/img]

"Blackadder still trumps anything this century though"

Very subjective. I don't see other good comedy as inferior, just different.

One sitcom I really didn't understand the popularity of over here, was Friends. And a lot of 80s + 90s US 'comedy'. The Cosby Show, Fresh Prince, Rosanne etc I didn't find at all 'funny'. Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm though were brilliant.

[quote=miketually ]
I rewatched it last year, having watched it and liked it at the time, and if anything it seems even more relevant today than it did then when self-facilitating media nodes were probably more of a London thing.

If you go back through the TV GO HOME archives, some of the outlandish ideas Brooker had, actually became reality!

Mrs Brown's Boys voted best sitcom of century

Is quite frankly the saddest indictment of:

The people 'surveyed'.
The state of British TV.

It is utter bilge and about as funny as watching paint dry. On hospital TV.