Beginner's Guide to British Comedy

Monty Python's Flying Circus - Aired 1969 - 1974. It ran for three full seasons and a half fourth season. This is easily one of the best comedy shows ever created. The Python Players were John Cleese, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam.

Flying Circus was all sketch comedy tied together with goofy segues and Gilliam's cartoons. There are also 4 Python movies - Quest for the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, The Meaning of Life, and And Now For Something Completely Different. All are worth checking out but the Flying Circus is where the real genius lies. Look for 'The Argument Clinic', 'How Not To Be Seen', 'The Dead Parrot Sketch', The Funniest Joke in the World', and 'Nudge Nudge' to name just a few.

French and Saunders - Aired 1987 - 1990 with specials being made up until 2007. This is another sketch comedy show, written and performed by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. These two women are hilarious and are very fond of dressing as men to do movie parodies. During their sketches they often break character to reprimand each other's performances.

Each of the two has appeared separately in other shows and movies. Be on the lookout for their Lord of the Rings parody, Titanic parody, Madonna and Britney video parody, and any sketches that take place in the white room (you'll know it when you see it).

Spaced - Aired 1999 - 2001. Very few people I've talked to have heard of this show which kills me because it is so good. It was created by Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson. Simon has since gone on to make Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Run Fat Boy Run. Spaced is about two strangers who meet while looking for a flat and the neighbors they encounter once they move in.

It is obvious while watching this show that Pegg and Stevenson have a deep love of movies and pop culture. References abound but always in a very subtle and funny manner. Find a way to watch this show, it is one of the funniest ever made.

The Office - Aired 2001 - 2003. This show was hugely successful not only in the UK but also in America. The American version of The Office is a decent show but doesn't hold a candle to depth and subtlety of the original. It was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and filmed in a documentary style complete with talking head segments.

The characters in this show are larger than life but somehow completely relatable. David Brent, the boss of the office, stands as monument to poor leadership and narcissism. This show is available for rental, do yourself a favor!

Absolutely Fabulous - Aired 1992 - 2005. There was actually a break between 1995 and 2001, it was continuously on for 13 years. This show was created by Jennifer Saunders based on a sketch from French and Saunders. It centers around two immature, middle aged woman who constantly behave inappropriately.

This show is hilarious and hard to get enough of. Buy a season on DVD and don't be surprised when you watch every episode in a single sitting. It's that addictive.

Fawlty Towers - Aired First Season in 1975 and Second Season in 1979. This show was created by John Cleese and is said by Ricky Gervais to be one of this inspirations. It centers around a small bed and breakfast like hotel in England.

John Cleese's character, Basil Fawlty, is one of the most wretched, self-centered, paranoid cowards imaginable which makes him endlessly enjoyable to watch. He is always brown-nosing the wrong guests and treating the rest as insects not worthy of his effort. There are only 12 episodes but so much humor is packed into them it feels like a lot more.

Peep Show - Aired 2003 - Present. This show is crude and raunchy and funny in ways you don't expect. It's told from the perspective of two friends who room together and often the camera is from their point of view. It's called Peep Show because you constantly hear what is running through the minds of the characters, most of the time it's completely contradictory to what they're actually saying or doing.

This show isn't easy to explain and also not terribly easy to find in Region 1 (NTSC) format. It's worth the hunt or the region-free software download.

Those are my all time favorites but there are many others worth checking out. The Vicar of Dibley, starring Dawn French. Red Dwarf, starring Craig Charles. The Young Ones, starring Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson. Black Adder, starring Rowan Atkinson. Just to name a few more. Hope you enjoy!