Reply to: Harry Enfield and Northerners

[Board Game Geek]

I find the History of Comedy a fascinating subject, because if you examine the populist shows of the day, they mostly follow the trends and fashions of the time.

I cannot really comment on anything pre-1970, though I am aware of urban comedies such as "The Likely Lads", the "Liverbirds", "Till Death Us Do Part".

I can imagine that one element of such shows which made them successful was their focus on the family unit, which had previously been torn apart by WW2. The home is typically a safe, family unit, and I believe this was important to rebuilding the national psyche.

"Dad's Army" must have been a considerable gamble, considering the post-war mood, and on paper, a comedy about aging Home Front Guards sounds in terrible bad taste. Yet what an astonishing success it was.

Throughout the 1970 era, I recall plenty of "The Two Ronnies", "Reggie Perrin", "Bless This House", "Butterflies", "Rising Damp".

Again, an era of "sit coms" or "sketch shows", with nothing truly offensive, and the comedy genteel and perhaps a bit risqué.

Then the 80s landed. With a bang.

It seemed that the 80s was determined to throw everything we had taken for granted about comedy and reinvent itself anew.

New lines were drawn. This was comedy with often a politcal edge. Whereas the Establishment in previous decades had often been portrayed as bumbling and ineffectual, the 80s comedy held no punches and gave the Establishment both barrels. "Not the Nine O' clock News", "Spitting Image", "One Foot In The Grave", "The New Statesman", "Blackadder".

I think this era marked a sea-change in the relationship between the general population and the comedy they were served. A new generation of writers, many with strong, political leanings, used comedy as a vehicle to shock as well as entertain. I'd go far as to say it was an age when comedy got "nasty". Little wonder that this rubbed off on to the people at home. I think it was an angry decade for many reasons.

This trend seemed to die in the 90's, with a return to more peacable comedy, albeit with a more "escapist" and "bizarre" feel, such as "Father Ted", "Red Dwarf", "Mr Bean", "The Brittas Empire", etc. Politcal satire seemed to ease off the nasty throttle, though it did make light relief of the world at the time, "Drop the Dead Donkey".

Again a return to the cosy home environment, albeit with a angsty edge, "Men Behaving Badly", "Game On", "Absolutely Fabulous".

I think this era also saw a comeback of the "sketchshow" with the likes of "A bit of Fry and Laurie", "The Fast Show", "Rab C Nesbitt", etc.

Which brings us to the "00s", and the continuation of the sketch shows such as "Little Britain", and the various clones thereof. Or the continuation of shows, usually American imports, such as "Friends" or "Frasier".

Politcal satire seems particularly thin on the ground, and certainly not of the "in your face nasty" variety seen in the 80s. Comedy seems to focus on the quick sketch with the same old characters every week with the same old punchlines but in a different setting.

Is this inventive or an insult to our intelligence ?

Are the general population so lazy, unimaginative, uneducated or all three that they just want to be served "fast food comedy" that they can easily digest without having to think too hard, or think at all ?

What do you think ?

[PAH]

Funniest Enfield ever was the episode with The Playboys and Teaching English to Aliens.
.
.
.
. in 1990

Nah, I think he peaked with "Loadsamoney" in the mid-late 80s. He even had me wanting an XR3i Turbo Nutter, or whatever it was he drove.

Vaguely remember his follow on character "Buggerallmoney" when the economy crashed soon afterwards. Maybe he should resurrect that one.

[Charles Foster Kane]

Abusive and paranoid. I like it. I am not Bagpuss. I don't do alternative IDs as I have a job that requires me to work occasionally. I have asked you to not be so aggressive towards other users, <churchill mode>wind your neck in</churchill mode> or find another forum to troll on.

I simply took issue with:



I don't have to publicly (or privately) defend myself so please drop it and take a hint if you want to carry on enjoying the banter on here.



There is no free speech - someone has to pay the hosting bills.

How much do you want for it?

[ferret]

I think you might be Ferret...

If not then closely aligned with him...

Anyone read 1984 by H.G. Wells, totalitarian bulletin board, free speech?

...Ho hum...

Abusive and paranoid. I like it. I am not Bagpuss. I don't do alternative IDs as I have a job that requires me to work occasionally. I have asked you to not be so aggressive towards other users, <churchill mode>wind your neck in</churchill mode> or find another forum to troll on.

I simply took issue with:

The only person to agree with you so far is a woman, and we all know they have no sense of humour, unless you are a woman or maybe just have low testosterone?

I don't have to publicly (or privately) defend myself so please drop it and take a hint if you want to carry on enjoying the banter on here.

Anyone read 1984 by H.G. Wells, totalitarian bulletin board, free speech?

There is no free speech - someone has to pay the hosting bills.

[Charles Foster Kane]

Yes, but Perhaps that's why (together with The office) Sketch shows seem old hat now. Thinking about it ..That Mitchell and Webb look is a good example of how important good writing is. It's very much hit and miss, whereas Peep Show written by someone else is classic.

PS you do try to troll a bit. I agree with you to some extent and you are still trying to be a xxxx. I'm giving you my attention so no need really.



The Playboys was class, also the Superhero sketch with The Mighty Sword of Dobber

I think you might be Ferret...

If not then closely aligned with him...

Anyone read 1984 by George Orwell, totalitarian bulletin board, free speech?

...Ho hum...

[xoggoth]

I only like South Park these days.

[Bagpuss]

Peep show is not a sketch show, it is a sitcom, a more accurate comparison would be That Mitchell and Webb look which is not quite as funny...

...Ho hum...

Yes, but Perhaps that's why (together with The office) Sketch shows seem old hat now. Thinking about it ..That Mitchell and Webb look is a good example of how important good writing is. It's very much hit and miss, whereas Peep Show written by someone else is classic.

PS you do try to troll a bit. I agree with you to some extent and you are still trying to be a xxxx. I'm giving you my attention so no need really.

Funniest Enfield ever was the episode with The Playboys and Teaching English to Aliens.
.
.
.
. in 1990

The Playboys was class, also the Superhero sketch with The Mighty Sword of Dobber

[Bob Dalek]

Funniest Enfield ever was the episode with The Playboys and Teaching English to Aliens.
.
.
.
. in 1990

[Charles Foster Kane]

Particularly abusive tonight CFK. Learn not to be so abusive or find another board to troll please

I always thought Bagpuss was your favourite.

[ferret]

Particularly abusive tonight CFK. Learn not to be so abusive or find another board to troll please

[Charles Foster Kane]

Some of it was good, but canned laughter over the weaker stuff to highlight where you were supposed to laugh made me it even less funny. On the whole his sky series was better. If you go back to his early/mid nineties peak he had some great writing talent working on the show e.g. the writers of Father Ted. At that time Whitehouse was also drawing charcters from his working life e.g. the old gits. Since then alas in the new series they have become reliant on rehashing similar but weaker stereotypes. The weak stuff wouldn't have made it ten years ago. In light of series like Peep Show the bar has been risen while Harry has gone backwards.

Peep show is not a sketch show, it is a sitcom, a more accurate comparison would be That Mitchell and Webb look which is not quite as funny...

...Ho hum...

[Bagpuss]

Some of it was good, but canned laughter over the weaker stuff to highlight where you were supposed to laugh made me it even less funny. On the whole his sky series was better. If you go back to his early/mid nineties peak he had some great writing talent working on the show e.g. the writers of Father Ted. At that time Whitehouse was also drawing charcters from his working life e.g. the old gits. Since then alas in the new series they have become reliant on rehashing similar but weaker stereotypes. The weak stuff wouldn't have made it ten years ago. In light of series like Peep Show the bar has been risen while Harry has gone backwards.

[Charles Foster Kane]

Why the abrasive personality? You aren't correct, you have an opinion, accept that some people differ with a little humility. IMHO Enfield is in decline, the material is sub his previously high standard.

Impressionable? come on.. who is lauding the worst 80s ITV double act. That isn't even debatable.

Humility? What do character traits have to do with an appreciation of satire?

The only person to agree with you so far is a woman, and we all know they have no sense of humour, unless you are a woman or maybe just have low testosterone?

The Dragon's Den spoof was very funny for a start, having ACTUALLY watched every episode I could reel off a dozen more sketches which are just as funny.

[Bagpuss]

Ooh touchy. Get a sense of humour.

Again, don't let Alexei Sayle think for you, do you have your own brain Johnny Impressionable?

Why the abrasive personality? You aren't correct, you have an opinion, accept that some people differ with a little humility. IMHO Enfield is in decline, the material is sub his previously high standard.

Impressionable? come on.. who is lauding the worst 80s ITV double act. That isn't even debatable.

[cojak]

I thought it a pile of steaming crap...