The Comedy Thread

Last night I was watching the comedy (if you can call it that) lineup on BBC One. I was very happy to see that dire Mad About Alice gone and something about My Family, although I didn't like the messed up clips that I seen ages ago. The worst week was very humourous but i'm afraid ITV won the comedy award for TV Burp.

So do you think "BBC One is the place to be on a Friday night" lives up to the title?

Nope, it's Channel Four and then (bizzarely) ITV, thanks to Harry Hill.

Or, of course, the pub.

Once upon a time BBC 2 ruled Friday nights with the Comedy Zone, which mostly was 90mins of brilliant laughs.

I think BBC One are the only channel that persistently tries out new comedy ideas. Admittedly some of them are crap like the afore mentioned "Mad About Alice". But I think they deserve credit for trying out something different because one day, a hit may be found by their continuous Friday night comedy strand. I thought "The Worst Week of my Life" was really good, whereas "Wild West" only mediocre. But "TV Burp" I'm afraid, in my opinion is the same tired format presented by the same unfunny presenter. But, there you go, each to his own!

Because they have the money to.

I didn't watch the new one last night, but it's predecessors have been dire, awful and (in the case of the Crouches) insulting. But this only applies to BBC One. Two, and Three have been pretty successful in trying out new ideas. ITV have come on leaps and bounds recently in terms of comedy i think, whilst Channel 4 are about to lose of all of their American output anyway!

I never watch BBC One on a Friday night, or indeed any night. I watched Have I Got News for you but that's not on Friday nights any more and Harry Hill is definitely more funny than anything else they have. I also prefer a good drama on a Friday as opposed to lame comedy, and usually I listen to the radio anyway.

I think the BBC have (quite cleverly IMHO) made a clear divide between the kind of comedy that is on BBC1 (maintstream), BBC2 (panel quizzes, cleverer comedy), BBC3 (new ides, risky) and occasionally BBC4 (arty). It so happens that my preference would lie around BBC 2 and 3 (I'm counting HIGHFY in this because it originated on BBC2!) so I don't really like much of the comedy on BBC1 these days.

Did no-one watch "The worst week of my life" that was bloody hilarious, the the dodgy My Family thing was only to introduce a new series. I thought last night telly was rather brilliant.

No, BBC3 - alternative political correctness, BBC2 - sort of alternative political correctness, BBC1 - All About Me. 'Nuff said.

The Boring Broadcasting Corporation - spending your money on our offices.

I can imagine Nelson Muntz as the new image of the BBC in the future, you know standing there and going Ha Ha.

PRIVATISE THE BBC NOW.

The mental ward is down at Digital Spy, mate.

Edit - and you really think the excellent 'Monkey Dust' is an example of being PC?

Really? I thought it was here.

Oddly, I wasn't keen on TV Burp either; and then I watched it with friends and had an ephiphany...

Mind you, comedy is always funnier when you're watching it with someone. But Harry has me in hysterics when I'm just sitting alone in the front room, now.

At least the BBC do try new shows, you do have to give them that. I can't remember the name of the programme but the one about the Sports reporter should have really been on BBC Two than One, as One is more mainstream than Two obviously.

ITV's output seems to be improving rapidly thanks to the help of Avalon Television.

Though from what I heard the new series of My Family won't be that good as Kris Marshall (Nick - probably the best character) only appears in one episode.