British comedy has such a rich heritage, that if you have not found yourself acquainted with the likes of Ricky Gervais or John Cleese just, now might be your time!
With quarantines all over the world, now is the perfect opportunity to expand beyond binge-worthy box sets like Schitt’s Creek and WandaVision. and if you are looking for something a little bit different, British comedy has such a wide heritage, but has probably influenced most things that you are into. Let’s show you some of the best shows to get started with.
The Office
You might very well be well into the US version with Steve Carell and co, but fly on the wall documentary style is arguably what Brits do the best, just as long as you think the characters from Spinal Tap are actually British! But with all of the mockumentary shows for the last 15 years, from Parks and Recreation to Modern Family, the blueprint was set right here. If you are aware of the US version, there’s not much of a stretch, but the British one certainly has a lot more pathos. And while Extras expanded upon the Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant schtick, it was here where it had more laughs, but more heart, which is definitely a key component of British humor.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus
Before John Cleese made an appearance in almost every animated movie from the late 90s up to the present day, and before he hit comedy gold with Fawlty Towers, he was part of the Monty Python troupe. The absolute godfathers of absurdist comedy. While many Britons will talk about The Goons before them, it was the Pythons that brought absurd surreal comedy to the masses. Many comedians talk about them as the Beatles of comedy, and it is hard to argue with them! the DNA of Python is evident in so many shows that came after it, from cult hits such as The Young Ones, but it’s also evident in the comedy genotypes of stand-ups from Mitch Hedberg to even Zach Galifianakis. When you look at Galifianakis’ work, from Between Two Ferns through to his stand-up show Live at the Purple Onion, it’s hard to not picture Python as the progenitor.
Bottom
For many people, this is an acquired taste. But for those that want to get into British comedy with a sort of puerile bent, this is the best place to begin. The Young Ones certainly were the blueprint for Bottom, but while this vehicle for Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson was a cult hit in America, it was an absolute smash hit in Britain. And the puerile aspect of Bottom is evident in later shows such as The Inbetweeners and Peep Show, but it’s much more than that. Described as a Waiting For Godot with slapstick gags, its wordplay is absolutely banal and genius in equal measure.
Charlie Chaplin was a part of British comedy but he was representative of World Humor. If you are looking for a plethora of pathos, puns, and puerile humor, maybe it’s time to try some British comedy.
