Ten Best British TV Comedies, Ever

The ten best British TV comedies, ever

Ten best British TV comedies, ever

Treat yourself to the benefits of some proper laughter

By Chris Barnardo

A duck walks into a drugstore blood flow in about 70 percent of list tends to be dominated by only & asks for a tube of chap stick. people. the most recent programmes and Somewhat refreshingly in these those hoary old favourites that The cashier says to the duck, days of scare stories and long lists of everyone always votes for, but "That'll be one pound fifty" things you can’t do if you want to you’ve seen a hundred times on stay healthy, on a positive note, reruns. The duck replies, doctors advise that 15 minutes of I’m sure I will have missed off "Put it on my bill" laughter each day will reduce your some favourites, but given a rainy risk of cardiovascular disease and afternoon, or an autumn evening, I Studies into the beneficial effects of help you live longer. So now all you would be happy to spend a few laughter have found that laughing need is something to make you hours watching an episode or two of not only increases blood flow and laugh. It’s no good waiting for Aunt any of these television milestones. If reduces your risk of developing Mable to trip up and catch her left you haven’t seen them, then you heart disease but also can help fight breast in the mangle, what we need have no idea what fun you are infections, relieve hay fever, ease is some rip roaring, health giving missing. I could wax lyrical about pain and help control diabetes. A laughter to order. each one, but I won’t, because there study carried out in 2005 found that Over the years, Britain has are plenty of reviews on the web to for just about everyone, laughing produced some great television confirm my choices if you don't trust increases blood flow by over 20 comedy, but finding the best me. What I will do though, is throw percent and that the effects, which amongst the huge amount of in just one quote from each show. As are similar to those resulting from programmes now available on DVD a passing note, while researching this doing aerobic exercise, last for about is a rather hit and miss affair. So to piece I had to look up quotes from all 30 to 40 minutes after laughing. This make it easier for you, I have the shows and over a couple hours I is great news for all us determined complied my top ten list of the best laughed at least a week’s worth of couch potatoes who want to get of British Comedy. health giving laughter, so what more more exercise but like to feel that Top ten lists of things like this are lies in wait when you snuggle up on we’ve burnt off enough calories by always hard to write. For a start TV the sofa and discover some really running to put the kettle on in can quickly become dated, then there funny TV. between shows in the advert break. is the vast amount of material to The study found that stressful choose from, and finally any list will And the top ten TV shows that will film sequences had the opposite be very personal. You don’t do much get you laughing are, in no particular effect, and were actually bad for you, better if you throw the question open order: raising stress levels and reducing to a public vote, because the then the

Blackadder The IT Crowd Series 2 Series 1, 2, and 3 are all sublime

Percy: Only this morning in the courtyard I saw a Moss: What are you eating? horse with two heads and two bodies. Roy: (with his mouth full) Muffin . Blackadder: Two horses standing next to each other? Moss: A muffin? How can you be hungry? You ate a whole chicken at the stress buffet. The League of Gentlemen Roy: (points to Moss' stress machine) What's that? First series &the Christmas Special are the best Moss: I've made a stress machine to try out on myself like the one in that class. Watch this. I'm going to ask Herr Lip (in a German accent): Lotte will finger myself a very personal question. (The needle goes to your hymn on the organ but I wish to conduct you the end of the scale, drops, then goes back) Don't myself. worry, I'm not really going to ask myself any questions. (The needle goes back to zero).

Page 1 of 2 © C.Barnardo dadcando 2008 The ten best British TV comedies, ever

The Mighty Boosh Series 1 and 2, but start with the Ballad of Basil Fawlty: Ah, Manuel? There is too much butter Milky Joe (Series 2) on those trays. Manuel: Que? (Howard and Vince have a meeting with a record Basil Fawlty: (speaking slowly and pointing to executive) each item in turn) There is too much butter - on - Vince Noir: You better start getting the magic those - trays. potions out, Mowgli, or we're gonna hurt you. Manuel: Ah, no senor. No "on those trays"... Naboo: All right, hang on. (counting the trays) ... uno, dos, tres. (he hands them each a glass of yellow liquid) Naboo: This is Liquid Music. Green Wing Howard Moon: What's in it? The first series (the second series is Naboo: The tears of Mozart. disappointing). (They both drink it down) Naboo: ...mixed with the urine of Mark Knopfler. Cutting, witty, great characters, with themes (Howard and Vince make a face) develop over the series like all good comedies, Howard Moon: How long does it last? totally brilliant, but not one to watch with the Naboo: Three hours. Quick, you better hurry! kids. (They leave fast) Bollo: Truly, Master, you are a wise man. Do you (Guy is attempting to talk like a cockney... note: think they will succeed? Guy is a posh anaesthetist, Hackney Stadium is Naboo: Don't think so - that was Lucozade. London’s East End dog racing circuit and a

monkey is cockney slang for £500) The Fast Show Series 3, but you will want to come back for Guy: I was only down the old Hackney Stadium last more and the other series ’ are great too night... blew a monkey on a dog. Mac: Really? You'll have the RSPCA after you. Spawned more catch phrases than any other TV comedy sketch show, tons of characters, superbly Extras acted and brilliantly observed. Get the box set of both series, trust me, you will not be disappointed. Rowley Birkin: Truly, She was half woman, half fish. Terrible in the kitchen, but a bloody good swimmer. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant (from the Office) lampoon numerous A-list movie and TV Black Books stars (who came on the show and acted as themselves) in this top notch comedy series about All three series’ are just brilliant. making TV drama.

Sullen Irish bookshop owner and dysfunctional Ben Stiller: Who are you? friends are so cutting and dry; it’s making me Andy: Nobody. laugh just thinking about it. Ben Stiller: That’s right, and who am I?

Andy: It's either Starsky or Hutch, I can never Customer: Look, there's no other way to say this, but I remember? didn't come in here to be insulted. Ben Stiller: Was that supposed to be funny? Bernard Black: Well, I didn't ask for the job of Andy: You tell me, you were in it. insulting you. In another life, we could have been brothers. Running a small, quirky taverna in Sicily.

Maybe we would have married the local twins instead of wasting each other's time here in this dump. But it The Office was not to be. So hop it. UK version

If you’ve only seen the US version, the original British series is well worth a look, pity they only Fawlty Towers made two series, gotta watch ‘em all... Any episode, there are only a few to choose from and they are all solid gold. David Brent: Eagles may soar high, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.