Steve Coogan, Chris Morris, British comedy of the moment...

[Sarah]

I agree.  I mentioned it because I think those fellows do different characters much better than the Little Britain boys do.  Also, I was reminded of it because the actor who played Tealeaf is very good in a new supernatural show I'm liking (The Fades).

[wood and iron]

I mentioned it because I think those fellows do different characters much better than the Little Britain boys do.

Exactly. Little Britain was one of the first British shows I watched and really liked it. However, the luster dulled on that very quickly when I realized their characters are one joke and repeated ad nauseum.

League of Gentlemen, at first, I thought was going the same way. They had a few characters and the jokes tended to be along the same lines. But the more episodes I watched, I realized how they were developing the characters and the jokes about those characters. Also, more often than not, the jokes aren't at the expense of the characters.

This just reminded me that I haven't seen their movie yet...

[buffcoat]

Do you remember any of the sarcasm?

Half of the group passed and he muttered, "Stupid Americans."  Then the rest of us passed and he said, "OI LUVV YEW YANKS!" in a very loud and hurtful sarcastic tone.

You poor baby.  I have a whole new insight into your character now.  I trust charges were pressed?

The police man, or "bobby," came over and said "What's all this then?"  I said, "What's all what then?" He said "what's all this what then?"  I said "What's all what this what then?"  He said, "What.." I said, "If you're a real cop, where's your gun?"  Then he left.

It was so terribly traumatic that I've only been back to England twice since then.

[buffcoat]

I thought season one of Little Britain was hilarious.  I watched season two and hated it so much I haven't watched anything else by those two since.  It's like if SNL had only two actors and they were still doing Cheeburger Cheeburger and Gerald Ford.  And SNL, for heaven's sake, is one of the worst programs for running things into the ground.  They got nothing on these guys.

[Sarah]

Yup.  Except I got tired well before the end of season 1.

[Crusherkc]

Just saw this: a flippin' box set of IT Crowd with 20-sided die/board game

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003Z9JHNY/downandoutint-21

PAL region dvd, keep in mind.

[Dan of Orange]

All the shows mentioned so far are great, has anyone thrown 'Man to Man with Dean Learner'? Because it's pretty special in a way I can't describe. If you haven't seen 'The Thick of it' and don't mind a truck load of cursing I would check it out because it is gorgeous writing and acting.

[wood and iron]

Just saw this: a flippin' box set of IT Crowd with 20-sided die/board game

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003Z9JHNY/downandoutint-21

PAL region dvd, keep in mind.

That seems cool but I never understood collections like that when the show isn't done making new episodes. This seems like a particularly British phenomenon. Maybe that's just my OCD and how I like my series sets to look like they belong with each other.

[Sarah]

All the shows mentioned so far are great, has anyone thrown 'Man to Man with Dean Learner'?

Yes.  Most recently, here:

I largely agree with all the choice UK programming you have all picked out..Darkplace, Boosh, Coogan, IT Crowd, etc etc.... all very good. I second the Man to Man with Dean Lerner recommendation.

[Bryan]

Any weird and wonderful british comedies in the last year or so?

[Dan of Orange]

Friday Night Dinner

[Bryan]

Good tip - that looks very promising. Thanks!

[Matthew_S]

Good tip - that looks very promising. Thanks!

I concur.  Apparently headed for a US remake.

Less weird, but enjoyable to me is Outnumbered, particularly for those with children.   Can the singles relate?

[Bryan]

I just watched the second installment of Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker's series from a few months ago. After the first episode, it took me a few weeks to work up the nerve/soften the memory of the first installment sufficiently to take another crack at it. I think it's pretty brilliant stuff, but extremely unpleasant. I admire it more than I enjoy it. I'm hoping part 3 isn't as rough going as the first two.

[wood and iron]

I just watched the second installment of Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker's series from a few months ago. After the first episode, it took me a few weeks to work up the nerve/soften the memory of the first installment sufficiently to take another crack at it. I think it's pretty brilliant stuff, but extremely unpleasant. I admire it more than I enjoy it. I'm hoping part 3 isn't as rough going as the first two.

Part 3 is pretty damn bleak. My favorite is the second episode. It just feels like a perfect science fiction short story.

I really loved this series and hope they do another.