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Television Comedy By Country

There are many kinds of comedies shown on television. Sometimes one country will take a chance and show a comedy on local television from another country, but not everyone 'gets it'. What about you, which kind of Comedy do you like the most from the list above and why?

Country Comedy Television

I would have to stick with US comedy. I've been exposed to British humor such as Mr. Bean, and it is very different and difficult for an American to get used too. At least with American comedy, the jokes are not above my head, which I'm sure other countries say about US comedy.

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Before I begin a comparison of British and American comedy, let me point out that both countries produce a lot of rubbish, and I think that we tend not to get the chance to see the worst of the other country's programmes.

As an Englishman, I am a bit schizophrenic when it comes to comedy - particularly sitcoms.

Generally speaking, American and British sitcoms differ mainly in the way they are written.

British sitcoms are handcrafted by one or two writers who have conceived the idea and brought it to fruition like bringing a baby into the world.

American comedy shows tend to be written by a team of script-writers, assembling the component parts of the show like workers in a car factory.

Emotionally, I much prefer the British method. Often, the writers of good British comedy become household names, as well known as the actors who play their characters. Comedies like Only Fools and Horses, The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin, Dad's Army, Till Death Do Us Part and many more, are authored by familiar writers, who often become known for several comedy series. British comedy is often more about situation and character than jokes.

American comedy, on the other hand, is written by teams of writers, who may change throughout the life of the programme. They hone the script, paring away the flab, and leave a sparkling display of gags and wisecracks.

As I say, emotionally I prefer the tradition and craftsmanship of the British method. However, my favourite comedies are American.

Comedies like Frasier, Friends, MASH, Will & Grace and many more, show the gag machine in operation. Fast, smart, wise-cracking scripts usually revolve around the characters getting involved in embarrassing situations. The lives the characters lead are often interchangable. It is easy to imagine Ross visiting Frasier for therapy, or Grace being charmed by Joey's easy machismo.

British comedy tends to be more idiosyncratic and individual. Dad's Army, Yes Minister, Only Fools and Horses and The Good Life are all classic British comedies, but it is difficult to imagine, for example, Delboy visiting the Goods, or Captain Mainwaring dealing with Sir Humphrey Appleby.

British comedies tend to be set in a definate location, unique to itself. American comedies are more homogenous. Frasier's Seattle could be any large city as could the New York of Friends. The method by which they are written, while creating incredible dialogue and gags, makes the shows formulaic.

British comedy is continuing the tradition of unique characters and settings, all with that individual, hand-crafted ambience. I am thinking of programmes like The Office. Nighty Night, and the latest political comedy, The Thick of It - all totally different.

In fact, the only British comedy famously written to the American formula by a team of writers is My Family, which in my opinion is quite funny, but lacks the sophistication of it's American cousins.

American comedies are beginning to embrace the quirky, character and plot-led influence of British comedy. Desperate Housewives and Arrested Development avoid the gag-a-second formula of, for example, Joey, and are much stronger for it.

However, as much as I rail against the American system, I have to admit that my favourite comedies are Frasier and Scrubs, and I love to catch re-runs of Taxi and Cheers on digital.

Country Comedy Television

I'd love to be really patriotic and vote for British, but unfortunately I would have to say that generally speaking I find the American humor to be far funnier.
I do like the British humor in television, but it's not rip roaringly funny, it's just subtle, and I do feel that if you were raised in any place other than Britain you wouldn't see the funniness in it at all (unless you've spent quite a while in Britain to become accustomed to it)
There is at the moment a series on British tv called Little Britain, it has huge amounts of followers and fans, and most people tend to talk about it. It has been announced that they are taking the series to America, but based on American way of life. I seriously fear for the working of this, as what one nationality might find seriously funny, another nation might find not funny at all, and of poor taste.
Sometimes things are worth leaving well alone whilst they are still good!