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Telly addicts

Unfunniest comedy show you have seen?

297 replies

OneFancyTealQuail · 13/08/2025 14:49

Mrs Brown's boys

OP posts:
AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 13/08/2025 17:05

Lampzade · 13/08/2025 15:16

British sitcoms are generally unfunny

The Fast Show is the absolute exception to that rule.

the80sweregreat · 13/08/2025 17:05

I love the English The Office so much , but the American version I found hard going , but occasionally it was funny.

the80sweregreat · 13/08/2025 17:06

The fast show was ace!
ITV always had dire shows on in the 70s and 80s
’ mind your language’ was awful.

Hotflushesandchilblains · 13/08/2025 17:07

Allseeingallknowing · 13/08/2025 17:02

That was one of the best programmes for those with a weird and dark sense of humour- like me!

I think it was of its time, but having never seen it, I was kind of horrified by it. That said, I love Motherland and PPs dont, so just goes to show how different we all are.

SprayWhiteDung · 13/08/2025 17:09

BebbanburgIsMine · 13/08/2025 16:55

Still Game is the funniest show ever!

Glasgow pensioners causing mischief and having a laugh.

Much loved in Scotland.

It is indeed one of the best sitcoms ever - fantastic and peerless right until the very perfect end.

I think the BBC's policies on showing Still Game outside Scotland have been abhorrent.

I will never understand why they merrily flooded the schedules with OFAH for years and years, and never once considered that 'regional interest only', in spite of the full-on Cockney setting, accents and dialect (which I'm not saying was a wrong decision at all); yet when it comes to the BBC jewel that is SG, that was assumed to be of no or little interest in the rest of the UK, as reflected in their lacklustre screenings.

They were even more disgraceful when it came to the brilliant Dear Green Place.

SwanFlight · 13/08/2025 17:10

I wouldn't say I love Big Bang Theory, Frasier, Seinfeld and Curb. But there's always a laugh to be had. And I can appreciate the writing. Curb feels a little too formulaic, it sort of weirdly straddles sitcom/farce and mocks socal conventions. It's entertaining. The early mockumentaries like The Office, had their place. Comedy is so hard for the TV, how they can make anything feel spontaneous after so many takes and re-writes baffles me. The family friendly shows are difficult.

There are some good shows, Friday Night Dinner has a groove that does work. Hi, I'm Martin Goodman... If you can't laugh at that character then. Well. I don't know. The ones that try a bit too hard can fall flat. Simpsons, Goldbergs, Phoneshop, Don't hug me I'm scared, We are Lady Parts, Detectorists, Motherland, Alma's not Normal and People Just do Nothing all gave me a right laugh.

Back to the unfunniest. Probably the News Quiz on Radio 4. Satire just feels dead, but I think that's just a result of the News being so dreadful, that I don't want to even think about it any more. Having said that one does tend to corpse at the deeply unfunnies of life sometimes. Many topics have been over done. I can't think of many TV comedians that give me a chuckle. Romesh Ranganathan does bring me a smile. There are a few masters still out there, that know how to conduct the audience for laughs. Funniest gig I think I ever went to was Stewart Lee doing a piece about absolutely nothing.

I tried episode 1 of such brave girls, and that was lost on me. Most people laugh at their own farts more than telly comedy anyway.

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 13/08/2025 17:13

ruffler45 · 13/08/2025 16:19

Most of them are unfunny as there are no good script writers anymore and noone is producing good ideas for comedy.
All these PC comedians who only laugh histerically at each other just dont cut it which is why they have tried to become travel commentators and they are no good at that either.

And dont get me started on the comedy programmes they put on the radio - dire and deluded. who the hell spends money on commissioning them.

Edited

PC comedy took hold in the 1980s. Has there really been nothing over the last 40+ years that you've found funny? What kind of comedies stand out to you as both hilarious and non-PC? It Ain't Half Hot, Mum? Mind Your Language? Love Thy Neighbour?

BernardBlacksMolluscs · 13/08/2025 17:14

Allo Allo was in hindsight, appalling. Comedy writers in the 80s REALLY benefited from there only being 4 channels

the80sweregreat · 13/08/2025 17:16

Detectorists and Gavin and Stacey are very good and funny and poignant with some well drawn characters.

Tillow4ever · 13/08/2025 17:18

Oh I have thought of something - Monty Python. I tried very hard to enjoy it, but just found it to be completely unfunny!

Coffeeishot · 13/08/2025 17:21

Tillow4ever · 13/08/2025 17:18

Oh I have thought of something - Monty Python. I tried very hard to enjoy it, but just found it to be completely unfunny!

Monty python is "niche" i think comedians pretend they love it, it is meh at best.

the80sweregreat · 13/08/2025 17:23

I never liked Monty python or the films.
People love it and quote it all the time.
I don’t get it I suppose !

SprayWhiteDung · 13/08/2025 17:26

Tillow4ever · 13/08/2025 17:18

Oh I have thought of something - Monty Python. I tried very hard to enjoy it, but just found it to be completely unfunny!

It had a few moments that raised a smile, but I always wonder how successful they would have been in getting it commissioned and widely screened if it had been the exact same material proposed by a bunch of working-class men or women who had met at Loughborough uni.

the80sweregreat · 13/08/2025 17:28

The Monty Python crew were so lucky to be commissioned as most of it was terrible, but agree it was because of their backgrounds rather than the fact it was any good!

Violinist64 · 13/08/2025 17:29

I totally agree with Mrs Brown's Boys and it appears that there is a new series about to start. The other "comedy" l find excruciatingly unfunny is Mr. Bean.

Melonmango70 · 13/08/2025 17:30

DeirdreChambersWhatACoincidence · 13/08/2025 16:25

Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, Frasier.
I can't stand Love Actually.

Yeah, Frasier - I will never get why people find that so funny! Love Actually is utterly dire.

Namechange2700000 · 13/08/2025 17:31

The Young Ones
Mrs Brown
Blackadder
Father Ted

the80sweregreat · 13/08/2025 17:33

Children like Mr Bean.
I never liked the Young ones , it was just shouty and unfunny.

User32459 · 13/08/2025 17:38

Violinist64 · 13/08/2025 17:29

I totally agree with Mrs Brown's Boys and it appears that there is a new series about to start. The other "comedy" l find excruciatingly unfunny is Mr. Bean.

Mr Bean is just a prick to everyone for no reason.

ChocolateBiscuitsandaCuppa · 13/08/2025 17:39

Mrs. Brown's Boys
Stath Lets Flats

the80sweregreat · 13/08/2025 17:40

Stath lets flats , it is an odd one. I gave up after one episode!

boopthatdog · 13/08/2025 17:42

Arrested development

IMustDoMoreExercise · 13/08/2025 17:42

Whereland · 13/08/2025 14:56

The Big Bang theory- I hate it!!

Gavin and Stacey

Sorry, didn't mean to quote you, but the first few series of BBT are really funny.

User32459 · 13/08/2025 17:43

Modern sitcoms are too zany and wacky. Sitcoms work better when it's relatable people in real life situations. That was why Friends was so popular for example or Only Fools.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/08/2025 17:43

For me, it’s Fawlty Towers - I just can’t see the appeal.