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Practically every week in the Radio Times, I used to read about how British sitcoms are 'dead', and how the US imports like Friends and Fasier are the only sitcoms we watch. Then they go and on and on about the 'good old days' with shows such as Fawlty Towers and Only Fools and Horses. Recently this has stopped. Why? The brilliant show on BBC1, 8:30, Friday.
It's called My Family, and it is hilarious. It's set around this family called the Harpers, of which there are five:
Ben Harper: The dad. Pessimistic and cynical. Kind of like how I imagine Goatboy. Anyway, he is always having these woes, and he counters them in hilarious ways. Played by Robert Lindsay, who I first saw in Hornblower, Ben provides the witty humour, with the sharp one-liners.
Susan Harper: The mum. Has Ben twisted around her little finger. She is cheerful and believes the best of anyone,unless it's Ben. She provides the counter to Ben, making his lines even funnier. Zoe Wannamaker plays Susan, and her hairstyle is humour enough. I mean, look at it!
Nick Harper: The oldest son.Played by an unknown called Kris Marshall. He is by FAR the funniest in the show. His facial expression have to be seen to be believed. He provides the slapstick, but the sheer stupidity of some of his lines have me doubled up in laughter, for example:
' I'm moving in slow motion. Figure I'll live longer this way'.
'Nick, you do realise that the Naked Chef isn't really naked when he cooks?'
' Well, I'm willing to go that extra mile'.
Hehehe. So funny. He carrys the show, although it is focused around Ben. The lad will go far.
Janey Harper: The daughter. Played by Daniela Denby-Ashe. She is funny, occasionally. In my opinion, she's the weakest part of the show. But she does provide the butt of many joke, including her shallow nature, and thick boyfriend.
Michael Harper: The youngest son. He's a genius, and this is used well. For example, the guy is selling meat before he hits puberty! He's played by Gabriel Thompson, another actor who I think should go far. He's not as funny, as Nick, but then who is?
This show rules. Even it's timing is brilliant, right before Have I Got News For You. Two of the funniest things on TV right next to each other? Thank you, BBC!
It should put all the critics of British sitcoms to shame. It's better than Fasier, and at least the equal of Friends on the Make-Gaz-Fall-off-The-Sofa Scale. I'm not saying that the old British sitcoms are any less good, it's just that the critics should open their eyes and see what's in front of them. Then they should collapse in laughter.
I'm 16, so by rights I shouldn't be watching sitcoms. Instead I should be lounging in my room, listening to really loud music and not doing my homework. Well, I do that too, of course, but at 8:30's on a Friday night, I'm watching My Family. Damn straight, I say. So should you.
It's called My Family, and it is hilarious. It's set around this family called the Harpers, of which there are five:
Ben Harper: The dad. Pessimistic and cynical. Kind of like how I imagine Goatboy. Anyway, he is always having these woes, and he counters them in hilarious ways. Played by Robert Lindsay, who I first saw in Hornblower, Ben provides the witty humour, with the sharp one-liners.
Susan Harper: The mum. Has Ben twisted around her little finger. She is cheerful and believes the best of anyone,unless it's Ben. She provides the counter to Ben, making his lines even funnier. Zoe Wannamaker plays Susan, and her hairstyle is humour enough. I mean, look at it!
Nick Harper: The oldest son.Played by an unknown called Kris Marshall. He is by FAR the funniest in the show. His facial expression have to be seen to be believed. He provides the slapstick, but the sheer stupidity of some of his lines have me doubled up in laughter, for example:
' I'm moving in slow motion. Figure I'll live longer this way'.
'Nick, you do realise that the Naked Chef isn't really naked when he cooks?'
' Well, I'm willing to go that extra mile'.
Hehehe. So funny. He carrys the show, although it is focused around Ben. The lad will go far.
Janey Harper: The daughter. Played by Daniela Denby-Ashe. She is funny, occasionally. In my opinion, she's the weakest part of the show. But she does provide the butt of many joke, including her shallow nature, and thick boyfriend.
Michael Harper: The youngest son. He's a genius, and this is used well. For example, the guy is selling meat before he hits puberty! He's played by Gabriel Thompson, another actor who I think should go far. He's not as funny, as Nick, but then who is?
This show rules. Even it's timing is brilliant, right before Have I Got News For You. Two of the funniest things on TV right next to each other? Thank you, BBC!
It should put all the critics of British sitcoms to shame. It's better than Fasier, and at least the equal of Friends on the Make-Gaz-Fall-off-The-Sofa Scale. I'm not saying that the old British sitcoms are any less good, it's just that the critics should open their eyes and see what's in front of them. Then they should collapse in laughter.
I'm 16, so by rights I shouldn't be watching sitcoms. Instead I should be lounging in my room, listening to really loud music and not doing my homework. Well, I do that too, of course, but at 8:30's on a Friday night, I'm watching My Family. Damn straight, I say. So should you.
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Your Honour wrote:
>Hmm, anyway. Tricks is ok. Well, he was.... until he got hit
> by that bus....
Anyway, he's in hospital now, should be out in a few weeks
> though.
I suspect the bus being Driven by Stan Butler, of 'On the Buses' fame...
I suspect that both Stan and Jack must have been getting up to all sorts of hilarious, saucy, seventies shinnanigans...
Dont worry... Blakey'll get 'em!
"I hate you Butler!"
>Hmm, anyway. Tricks is ok. Well, he was.... until he got hit
> by that bus....
Anyway, he's in hospital now, should be out in a few weeks
> though.
I suspect the bus being Driven by Stan Butler, of 'On the Buses' fame...
I suspect that both Stan and Jack must have been getting up to all sorts of hilarious, saucy, seventies shinnanigans...
Dont worry... Blakey'll get 'em!
"I hate you Butler!"
Armitage Shanks wrote:
Hey Count Duckula, hows tricks?
"Count Duckula"?
Hmm, anyway. Tricks is ok. Well, he was.... until he got hit by that bus....
Anyway, he's in hospital now, should be out in a few weeks though.
:-)
Hey Count Duckula, hows tricks?
"Count Duckula"?
Hmm, anyway. Tricks is ok. Well, he was.... until he got hit by that bus....
Anyway, he's in hospital now, should be out in a few weeks though.
:-)
Your Honour wrote:
> SHANKSY!
> Alright mate?!
> How's things? Haven't seen you about for ages!
Hey Count Duckula, hows tricks?
> SHANKSY!
> Alright mate?!
> How's things? Haven't seen you about for ages!
Hey Count Duckula, hows tricks?
Stryke wrote:
> I wasn't saying that British sitcom is dead, only that the critics think it is.
> And I forgot League of Gentlemen, thanks for pointing that out. Although that
> isn't the sort of thing that traditionally falls into the bracket of situation
> comedy. But it is a supreme show. Are you...LOCAL?
lol.. sorry, man... I wasnt having a go, honest! :) ...
More labasting the sort of Daily Mail-esq TV critiques who push bland comedies like will and grace whatever it is they have stuck on channel 4 on Fridays... and ignore any new, original stuff until other people rate it, or slam it, before jumping on the opinion bandwagon themselves...
Curse them, and the cushy jobs they have managed to land themselves in! :)
> I wasn't saying that British sitcom is dead, only that the critics think it is.
> And I forgot League of Gentlemen, thanks for pointing that out. Although that
> isn't the sort of thing that traditionally falls into the bracket of situation
> comedy. But it is a supreme show. Are you...LOCAL?
lol.. sorry, man... I wasnt having a go, honest! :) ...
More labasting the sort of Daily Mail-esq TV critiques who push bland comedies like will and grace whatever it is they have stuck on channel 4 on Fridays... and ignore any new, original stuff until other people rate it, or slam it, before jumping on the opinion bandwagon themselves...
Curse them, and the cushy jobs they have managed to land themselves in! :)
I wasn't saying that British sitcom is dead, only that the critics think it is. And I forgot League of Gentlemen, thanks for pointing that out. Although that isn't the sort of thing that traditionally falls into the bracket of situation comedy. But it is a supreme show. Are you...LOCAL?
SHANKSY!
Alright mate?!
How's things? Haven't seen you about for ages!
Alright mate?!
How's things? Haven't seen you about for ages!
Stryke wrote:
> Practically every week in the Radio Times, I used to read about how British
> sitcoms are 'dead', and how the US imports like Friends and Fasier are the only
> sitcoms we watch. Then they go and on and on about the 'good old days' with
> shows such as Fawlty Towers and Only Fools and Horses. Recently this has
> stopped. Why? The brilliant show on BBC1, 8:30, Friday.
Although... 'My Family' is written by one of the guys who use to write for Seinfeld... (I'm not sure if an American version is aired in the states?)
Although, the British Sit-Com is hardly dead... Over recent years we have had Father Ted, Black Books, Space!, League of Gentlemen, Royale Family, the office, amongstst others (there were a couple of others that I forgot as I was typing :) )... Even Alan Partridge could be wedged (with a bit of pushing) into this class...
Although, largly 'prime-time' British sit-coms are didnt get ratings, but only because they were rehashing old Terry and June storylines...
Although, the British sit-com isnt dead, it has been, after spending far too many years in conformatity and never being more as sophisiticated the the average 'Saved By The Bell' episode, developing and evolving under the noses of the more conservative critique, and has been shown to be a format, that can actually be funny.
> Practically every week in the Radio Times, I used to read about how British
> sitcoms are 'dead', and how the US imports like Friends and Fasier are the only
> sitcoms we watch. Then they go and on and on about the 'good old days' with
> shows such as Fawlty Towers and Only Fools and Horses. Recently this has
> stopped. Why? The brilliant show on BBC1, 8:30, Friday.
Although... 'My Family' is written by one of the guys who use to write for Seinfeld... (I'm not sure if an American version is aired in the states?)
Although, the British Sit-Com is hardly dead... Over recent years we have had Father Ted, Black Books, Space!, League of Gentlemen, Royale Family, the office, amongstst others (there were a couple of others that I forgot as I was typing :) )... Even Alan Partridge could be wedged (with a bit of pushing) into this class...
Although, largly 'prime-time' British sit-coms are didnt get ratings, but only because they were rehashing old Terry and June storylines...
Although, the British sit-com isnt dead, it has been, after spending far too many years in conformatity and never being more as sophisiticated the the average 'Saved By The Bell' episode, developing and evolving under the noses of the more conservative critique, and has been shown to be a format, that can actually be funny.
I think Stupid Brian rules! He's so funny, when he sneaks into Janey's room, and then comes down for a glass of water.
Stryke wrote:
> Janey Harper: The daughter. Played by Daniela Denby-Ashe. She is funny,
> occasionally.
She definitely doesn't have a big enough part.
> and thick boyfriend.
Stupid Brian! They all call him Stu for short.
SB: "Why do you keep calling me Stu?"
Nick: "It's short for, umm, Stupid."
SB: "Oh. Oh, okay then."
> Janey Harper: The daughter. Played by Daniela Denby-Ashe. She is funny,
> occasionally.
She definitely doesn't have a big enough part.
> and thick boyfriend.
Stupid Brian! They all call him Stu for short.
SB: "Why do you keep calling me Stu?"
Nick: "It's short for, umm, Stupid."
SB: "Oh. Oh, okay then."
I loved the episode where Ben had a fued with his neighbour, and then the dog gets squished. Pure comedy.
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