Old School Comedy Yes Or No

[WJ99mobile]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

My original post was a piss take but some of these answers remind me of spending time with my grandfather when I was a kid

Even something like last of the summer wine has a nostalgic feel whether the content was actually clever or not

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

One of Monkhouse's greatest gags and perfect in every way was when he said "People used to laugh when I said I wanted to be a comedian. They're not laughing now".

Yes, clever line from Monk house and which I remember myself. However, he always came over as oleaginous and with a fake persona to me.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

Oh I can

I happen to think monkhouse wasn't funny and a tory

The trouble is Sludge, would you still have the same opinion of Bob Monkhouse if he wasn't a tory? I used to hate him when I was younger because I thought he was just an oily, slick quiz show presenter, but when I dug a little deeper, I found that, despite his presentation being a bit too polished for me, he was a genuinely funny man.

Comedy, like music, is either good or bad and which side of the line it falls into is very much in the eye of the beholder. Allo Allo has been mentioned on here, but I thought it was rubbish because I was old enough to remember Dads Army which was very similar in format and concept, but I thought it was far better acted and fresher.

Acts like Morecambe and Wise, the two Ronnies and Tommy Cooper (the only comedian I've seen who would have me cracking up even before he said a word) would have to be a bit more "edgy" if they were around these days, but they would have been successes because, when all's said and done, they were funny. Similarly, it appears that, thankfully, the sort of Terry and June family based type situation comedies are a thing of the past.

[barrybloo]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

Not really old school, but "Big Train"
Almost as good as Python.

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

How long ago does it need to be to be considered old school?

Phoenix Nights is over 20 years old and creases me every time I put it on.

[MacAdder]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

How long ago does it need to be to be considered old school?

Phoenix Nights is over 20 years old and creases me every time I put it on.

Peep show 20 years old too.
Clever and very funny.

[Cardiff Ultra]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

Its difficult to say without going back and watching them. I remember loving Allo Allo as a kid but its probably horrifically dated now.

Of the ones I have watched of late, Only Fools (especially the early ones), Porridge, The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin and Yes Minister are all superb.

Brass Eye is 25 now so not sure if that counts, still the best comedy ever shown on TV IMHO.

[jon1959]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

Its difficult to say without going back and watching them. I remember loving Allo Allo as a kid but its probably horrifically dated now.

Of the ones I have watched of late, Only Fools (especially the early ones), Porridge, The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin and Yes Minister are all superb.

Brass Eye is 25 now so not sure if that counts, still the best comedy ever shown on TV IMHO.

We rewatched all of Reggie Perrin and Yes Minister (and Yes Prime Minister) last year.

Yes (Prime) Minister is still brilliant - not just the writing and the acting, but the relevance over 40 years on.

Reggie Perrin was dire. Painful. Re-watching it destroyed all my fond memories.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

Yes, clever line from Monk house and which I remember myself. However, he always came over as oleaginous and with a fake persona to me.

Very fake

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

The trouble is Sludge, would you still have the same opinion of Bob Monkhouse if he wasn't a tory? I used to hate him when I was younger because I thought he was just an oily, slick quiz show presenter, but when I dug a little deeper, I found that, despite his presentation being a bit too polished for me, he was a genuinely funny man.

Comedy, like music, is either good or bad and which side of the line it falls into is very much in the eye of the beholder. Allo Allo has been mentioned on here, but I thought it was rubbish because I was old enough to remember Dads Army which was very similar in format and concept, but I thought it was far better acted and fresher.

Acts like Morecambe and Wise, the two Ronnies and Tommy Cooper (the only comedian I've seen who would have me cracking up even before he said a word) would have to be a bit more "edgy" if they were around these days, but they would have been successes because, when all's said and done, they were funny. Similarly, it appears that, thankfully, the sort of Terry and June family based type situation comedies are a thing of the past.

Yes , monkhouse being a tory seal's the deal but even if he wasn't I wouldn't find him funny

My old dear said he was creepy which I think sums him up

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

Its difficult to say without going back and watching them. I remember loving Allo Allo as a kid but its probably horrifically dated now.

Of the ones I have watched of late, Only Fools (especially the early ones), Porridge, The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin and Yes Minister are all superb.

Brass Eye is 25 now so not sure if that counts, still the best comedy ever shown on TV IMHO.

Brass Eye .....when he's trying to buy pills off the street dealer and confuses him

Classic

Day To Day and Partridge are off the wall too

Very much modern comedy

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

We rewatched all of Reggie Perrin and Yes Minister (and Yes Prime Minister) last year.

Yes (Prime) Minister is still brilliant - not just the writing and the acting, but the relevance over 40 years on.

Reggie Perrin was dire. Painful. Re-watching it destroyed all my fond memories.

Often give Yes (Prime) Minister a watch - it’s superb and always has been, I’d say it might well be more relevant now than it was in the eighties.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

Peep show 20 years old too.
Clever and very funny.

The difference between peep show and allo allo is the key

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

How long ago does it need to be to be considered old school?

Phoenix Nights is over 20 years old and creases me every time I put it on.

I would say things changed in the early eighties

The fact that one foot in the grave kept going is the key

Phoenix nights is mostly very gentle comedy and quite old school but then throws in a spanner

It's way above the likes of bread , only fools and horses , allo allo

[Rjk]

Re: Old School Comedy Yes Or No

The trouble is Sludge, would you still have the same opinion of Bob Monkhouse if he wasn't a tory? I used to hate him when I was younger because I thought he was just an oily, slick quiz show presenter, but when I dug a little deeper, I found that, despite his presentation being a bit too polished for me, he was a genuinely funny man.

Comedy, like music, is either good or bad and which side of the line it falls into is very much in the eye of the beholder. Allo Allo has been mentioned on here, but I thought it was rubbish because I was old enough to remember Dads Army which was very similar in format and concept, but I thought it was far better acted and fresher.

Acts like Morecambe and Wise, the two Ronnies and Tommy Cooper (the only comedian I've seen who would have me cracking up even before he said a word) would have to be a bit more "edgy" if they were around these days, but they would have been successes because, when all's said and done, they were funny. Similarly, it appears that, thankfully, the sort of Terry and June family based type situation comedies are a thing of the past.

it is interesting how some comedy ages better than others though.
Tommy Cooper was one I never found remotely funny, painfully unfunny- you couldn't have paid me to watch him when I was a teenager, yet I really liked the earlier work of someone like Harry Hill who I can imagine being just as unfunny to someone else if they weren't feeling it.