I love comedy shows. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a stand up, quiz or sitcom format, if it’s funny I’ll watch it. Unfortunately, the vast majority of comedy shows on the TV at the moment are terrible, but there are still the odd exceptions. Here are a few of my favourites, including some old classics.
Mock the Week
A lot of people were disappointed when Frankie Boyle left the show, but I actually think it made it better. I like Frankie, but his jokes get a bit repetitive after a while. The guests are usually pretty good too (with some notable exceptions).
QI
Not as funny as Mock the Week, but better questions and you can learn something too! Stephen Fry is great as host, and the guests are (one the whole) pretty funny.
Flight of the Conchords
This only made it to BBC3 I think, but is one of the best comedy shows in recent years. It’s about two New Zealanders trying to make it as a band in New York, and is similar to comedies such as The Office, but slightly more innocent. There are only two series unfortunately, but there are rumours of a third.
Fawlty Towers
A real classic, definitely worth getting the box set if you haven’t already.
There are loads of others that I haven’t mentioned here. Monty Python (especially the films) are one of my favourites, and Ricky Gervais has also made some good shows. The Live At The Apollo series on the BBC has its moments too, although it largely depends on which acts are on that night. Friends and Scrubs are a bit different and not as genuinely funny, but still good for the occasional laugh and perfect if you need something to watch for a few minutes.
For every good show there seems to be a bad one though. It’s amazing how many average comedies get onto the BBC each year – makes you wonder what’s happened to most of the good comedy writers!