To be nonplussed why people rave over Mrs Brown's Boys

[ComposHat]

I've tried watching it twice twice and haven't got past the first five minutes it was so awful.

It seemed like an artless parody of a shite 70s sitcom (like something Frankie Howerd forgot to make) Don't get me wrong I'm not a comedy snob and quite enjoy a broad knockabout comedy like Vicious, yet I am utterly bemused by Mrs Brown's Boys, it looks dated, absurd and utterly free from laughs.

Yet it has a massive following, especially amongst people of my parents' generation. Normally when there's a TV programme I dislike I can see why other people (Top Gear for example) may enjoy it. But Mrs Brown seems to be without any redeaming features.

There must be some fans out there who can explain its appeal?

I detest it but I'm in the minority, I know people who adore it and laugh their socks off. I wish I did like it because every time I switch the TV on it appears to be on.

Professor, I love Miranda but it definitely took me half a series before it 'clicked'. DCs loved it from the first episode which is the only reason I stuck with it for that long. I can't see the same happening with MBB. Are you a lecturer? You sound frighteningly clever. < slightly in awe emotion >

I hate it, it makes me itch it's so painfully unfunny.

I love it, but can see why people don't.

Hi Andy's Banana, no I am not a lecturer. I named myself Professor simply because Professor Dent is a character from the Bond film Dr No, and I am a Bond fan. I regret it now, being a bloke and pitching in on Mumsnet calling yourself Professor is sort of asking for trouble, I wish I had picked a jolly, funny name like yourself...

I am not sure that anyone who likes Mrs BB's is going to be 'frighteningly clever'...

I love Mrs Browns boys- it makes me laugh out loud.
Not a lot of tv actually does that anymore.
Oh, and I'm not thick either.
I am laughing at the idea that intelligence is anyway related to your sense of humour. Surely you must be a bit thick to think that?

I always thought that The Office and Vicar of Dibley were both shit. I actually have a good sense of humour, but never laughed once at either of those programmes. People look at me like I'm mad when I tell that though, like because they find it funny you must as well, but humour is so subjective. What I really don't like are comedy snobs who think they are more intelligent that anyone who likes stuff such as Mrs Brown

A lot of people don't like Benidorm, but it makes me cry with laughter, mainly because I was dragged on package holidays by my parents growing up and met people exactly like the characters in the show. I wouldn't dream of calling someone a snobby twat for not getting though.

The comedies I do like and laugh at include, Father Ted, One Foot in The Grave, Keeping up Appearances, Only Fools and Horse, Allo Allo, Some Mothers Do ave Em, Hi-De-Hi, 2.4 Children, The Brittas Empire.

I Think it is just dire

My mum loves it, and worse than that so does my ds2. Sometimes when he's laughing away at it all I can think is 'really? really?!'

Professor you could change your name to Mr.Kidd, or Mr. Wint?

Haven't read whole thread (sorry I know that is a crime) but in response to OP, Mrs Brown's Boys might be awful but it's a lot better than Vicious! I only watched one episode of that and it was actually painful as it was so dreadful. So if that's your criteria for what counts as funny I'm afraid YABU .

My mum likes Mrs Brown's Boys (she is 69). I wonder if it's because it is a little bit rude and naughty but still comes back to being about love for family (ie not cruel humour like some other stuff).

The main reason I dislike it is because it's no funny. I wouldn't object to throwback TV if it was funny. As I was unable to detect any humour I decided to listen out for the canned laughter, perhaps that would cue me in to when to laugh. I then noticed that the canned laughter went on for pretty much the whole episode whilst nothing funny was said. The laughter got a bit louder when mrs brown swore.
I have a friend who says she's never enjoyed any comedy and never gets what makes people laugh. She's discovered Mrs Brown and finds it hilarious.

I would imagine that Mrs Brown lovers would find Miranda lovers to be their allies in the ability to laugh like drains at tripe.

Not I!

I titter like an idiot at Miranda, but have yet to raise even a tiny smile at MBB.

I am with Hester, I guffaw at some bits of Miranda. I sit with a wide opened Wtf gob watching mbb. Just not funny. At least Miranda is likeable.

I also find Miranda really funny, but find MBB puzzling in it's lack of funny.

I don't get Miranda, my mum loves it.

Miranda is probably the worst 'comedy' to hit the screens in years, it really is painful - Mrs Browns boys however is entertaining & often very very funny.

& it's not surprising your average Mumsnetter fails to find MBB's funny - it's far too course & working class. Miranda on the other hand will have plenty of fans on here as she's (supposedly ? ) witty, educated, & middle class.

Oh, so now it's a class thing, is it?

What complete bollocks. I'm working class, had a very working class upbringing, thanks.

I don't identify with a lot of the stuff in Miranda (her Mum and boarding school are completely alien to me), and neither do I identify with anything in MBB, but I don't find that funny.

Funnily enough, I was never in the Home Guard, yet I laugh at Dad's Army. I have never run a hotel in Torquay, but I love Fawlty Towers. I've yet to time-travel to Elizabethan England, yet I die laughing at Blackadder. And I'll let you know when I land my job on a mining corp spaceship, but in the meantime I'll continue to laugh at Red Dwarf.

Class has nothing to do with it. I find Miranda funny, I don't find MBB funny.

What's so hard to understand about that?

Oh, and the word you're looking for is 'coarse' - if you're attempting sarcasm or wit, the right spelling of a word is always useful.

Thats a steaming pile of BS Navada

Or what 2Tinselly says

Sincere apologies for typo - I throw myself at your working class feet. ( just make sure they don't smell ) many thanks.

So people who like Miranda and don't like MBB are public school educated poshos with overbearing mothers, and people who like MBB who don't like Miranda are you know, keeping it real and like, really identifying with the working classes and going back to their roots and stuff?

Okaaaaaaaay.

My feet smell lovely, but nuffink posh, alright?