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

[CSW]

Hmm, just found and read all this thread. As a UK-er I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents pence. 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.

Like many of you (and Tom) I love the Office but have a large distaste for Gervais (Merchant seems like a good guy, but I mark him down for enabling Ricky so much.)

One thing that did seem to go unanswered however:

Are Phoenix Nights and Road to Nowhere good?

I've only seen clips.

Phoenix Nights is one of my favourite, if not favourite, British shows ever. It's so beautifully observed and accurate in it's caricaturisation. And is frequently laugh out loud funny.

The best thing about it for me, though is that it is very, very Northern (in an English sense.) Peter Kay (anyone familiar with his stand-up?) is a proud Northerner and it infuses his work. It is an excellent insight into the working man's/labour clubs here in NW England. And that is not a slice of England that generally is seen/heard about outside of the country. Which concerns me that people might not "get it." I have Southern/London friends that don't, for example. But given the good taste shown in this thread, I urge you to try it out, if you can find it. (Stay away from the Max and Paddy spin off though.)

And then come back and tell me what you thought, if you did.
 

[Sarah]

Oh, good.  An assignment.  That will simplify my day.

[buffcoat]

This thread almost makes up for the time I was almost hate-speeched with sarcasm by very tall and thin mohawked English punk in leather and chains.

That's right, I said almost hate-speeched with sarcasm.  That's how scarring it was.

[Sarah]

I'm sure he was entirely unprovoked.

[Sarah]

If you're not averse to thieving, you can get both series of Phoenix Nights in one fell swoop off of the Pirate Bay.

[buffcoat]

I'm sure he was entirely unprovoked.

He was provoked by a gaggle of American high school students walking past him at the Tower of London.  I think it was the most Punk thing - sorry, "fing" - he could find to do that day.

[Sarah]

Do you remember any of the sarcasm?

[Sarah]

I've watched two episodes of Phoenix Nights.  So far, I'm not in love, but I'll keep watching.  Part of the problem for me is Peter Kay himself.  He is way too young to carry off the character he is playing, for one thing, and his acting is very self-conscious.  Also, though I like the way the show captures the place and its people--both rather remind me of here--a lot of the humor is awfully infantile.  Maybe it'll grow on me.

[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.

[CSW]

I've watched two episodes of Phoenix Nights.  So far, I'm not in love, but I'll keep watching.  Part of the problem for me is Peter Kay himself.  He is way too young to carry off the character he is playing, for one thing, and his acting is very self-conscious.  Also, though I like the way the show captures the place and its people--both rather remind me of here--a lot of the humor is awfully infantile.  Maybe it'll grow on me.

Wow. i didn't actually think anyone would take me up on that. That's cool. I hope you do end up liking it, but like I said I did have concerns about it. It's definitely not as "smart" as a lot of the other stuff mentioned in this thread and your comments are definitely fair and somewhat valid. That said the last scene in each episode where they audition acts always get me. Dave Spikey as Jerry is also a big favourite of mine

But thanks for trying Sarah.

[Sarah]

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?

[Sarah]

I've watched two episodes of Phoenix Nights.  So far, I'm not in love, but I'll keep watching.  Part of the problem for me is Peter Kay himself.  He is way too young to carry off the character he is playing, for one thing, and his acting is very self-conscious.  Also, though I like the way the show captures the place and its people--both rather remind me of here--a lot of the humor is awfully infantile.  Maybe it'll grow on me.

Wow. i didn't actually think anyone would take me up on that. That's cool. I hope you do end up liking it, but like I said I did have concerns about it. It's definitely not as "smart" as a lot of the other stuff mentioned in this thread and your comments are definitely fair and somewhat valid. That said the last scene in each episode where they audition acts always get me. Dave Spikey as Jerry is also a big favourite of mine

But thanks for trying Sarah.

No one ever went broke overestimating how much free time I have.

I will keep at it.  My problems with Kay will probably subside with familiarity.  He's just a bit too Little Britainy for me.

[CSW]

My problems with Kay will probably subside with familiarity.  He's just a bit too Little Britainy for me.

Fair. Just remember Phoenix Nights came first.

As an aside, boy do I hate Little Britain.

[Sarah]

Oh, I know.  I'm not faulting him as a copycat.  And Phoenix Nights is nothing like Little Britain.  Reminds me more of some Canadian shows I've seen, a kind of cross between Trailer Park Boys and Corner Gas.

Quasi non sequitur:  what did you think of Psychoville?

[wood and iron]

You weren't directing that at me but I'll answer:

I thought Pyschoville, particularly series 1, was pretty great. That whole episode with the policeman in the apartment? I thought that was brilliant.

League of Gentlemen is one of my favorite shows of all time so I guess I might be biased. I wasn't as enamored with series 2, I must admit.