What are the funniest TV shows of the past few years?
April 15, 2004 12:19 PM Subscribe
I'm wanting to download some comedy series off P2P. Any recommendations?
I haven't watched English speaking TV for many years so I'm out of the loop. I downloaded The Office and Ali G episodes and enjoyed those. What are the funniest American shows of the last few years?
I haven't watched English speaking TV for many years so I'm out of the loop. I downloaded The Office and Ali G episodes and enjoyed those. What are the funniest American shows of the last few years?
It wasn't a sitcom, but Buffy the Vampire Slayer always made me laugh because of the usually very witty writing. Also, you might look into Will and Grace (seasons 1-4 especially) and Scrubs.
Also, some people think Curb Your Enthusiasm is pretty funny (I don't think I get it completely).
posted by Slimemonster at 12:43 PM on April 15, 2004
Also, some people think Curb Your Enthusiasm is pretty funny (I don't think I get it completely).
posted by Slimemonster at 12:43 PM on April 15, 2004
I have to agree with skryche, live action tv has been pretty disappointing.
Possible exception being the Tick if you can find it.
Invader Zim is also darn funny, it too is a cartoon (I had to get mine on P2P as it was cancelled)
posted by milovoo at 1:05 PM on April 15, 2004
Possible exception being the Tick if you can find it.
Invader Zim is also darn funny, it too is a cartoon (I had to get mine on P2P as it was cancelled)
posted by milovoo at 1:05 PM on April 15, 2004
Sealab 2021
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
Sifl & Olly (Third unreleased season available on DVD.)
Kids in The Hall (First season available on DVD)
Upright Citizens Brigade (First season available on DVD)
Invader ZIM (First season coming soon to DVD)
posted by Danelope at 1:23 PM on April 15, 2004
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
Sifl & Olly (Third unreleased season available on DVD.)
Kids in The Hall (First season available on DVD)
Upright Citizens Brigade (First season available on DVD)
Invader ZIM (First season coming soon to DVD)
posted by Danelope at 1:23 PM on April 15, 2004
Greg the Bunny might be one you missed; Fox tried to dump it as fast as they could.
The first 6-7 episodes were great right up until the second episode with Rochester Rabbit. The quality slips a bit after that.
Also, get Heat Vision and Jack. (It has been described as a "P2P classic"). Fox didn't even bother airing the pilot.
posted by sleslie at 1:25 PM on April 15, 2004
The first 6-7 episodes were great right up until the second episode with Rochester Rabbit. The quality slips a bit after that.
Also, get Heat Vision and Jack. (It has been described as a "P2P classic"). Fox didn't even bother airing the pilot.
posted by sleslie at 1:25 PM on April 15, 2004
Chappelle's Show from Comedy Central is quite funny, too. The first season just came out on DVD so it should be popping up on P2P networks soon, if it hasn't already.
posted by dual_action at 1:28 PM on April 15, 2004
posted by dual_action at 1:28 PM on April 15, 2004
A lot of my friends enjoy 'Arrested Development' which is new show (this season) on Fox. I don't get to watch it as HBO always wins that time slot for me, so I can't vouch for it all the way.
I second, (or is it third now?) the nod to Curb Your Enthusiasm. Best comedy show in years.
Finally, its a bit older, but Sports Night was a great ABC show from the late 90s. Both seasons are out on DVD, but you could probably find some on the networks as well. Both Sports Night and Curb Your Enthusiasm should be watched in order for best effect.
posted by shotsy at 1:35 PM on April 15, 2004
I second, (or is it third now?) the nod to Curb Your Enthusiasm. Best comedy show in years.
Finally, its a bit older, but Sports Night was a great ABC show from the late 90s. Both seasons are out on DVD, but you could probably find some on the networks as well. Both Sports Night and Curb Your Enthusiasm should be watched in order for best effect.
posted by shotsy at 1:35 PM on April 15, 2004
Greg the Bunny was WAY funnier when it was on IFC. The episodes are still available online, I think.
posted by agregoli at 1:56 PM on April 15, 2004
posted by agregoli at 1:56 PM on April 15, 2004
Curb your Enthusiasm. It is genius. Download all of Seinfeld first then download all of Curb your Enthusiasm. You have to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm from the beginning or you won't get it. Also it helps if you can watch three episodes or so in a row to 'get into' the style.
Also I quite like Mr. Show and David Cross' HBO special.
posted by skylar at 2:02 PM on April 15, 2004
Also I quite like Mr. Show and David Cross' HBO special.
posted by skylar at 2:02 PM on April 15, 2004
The Office, from the BBC. Get the Xmas episode.
posted by tranquileye at 2:29 PM on April 15, 2004
posted by tranquileye at 2:29 PM on April 15, 2004
Thirding the Cartoon Network Adult Swim stuff. Seconding The Chapelle Show and Arrested Development (don't miss those). Also, there are plenty of episodes of Scrubs available in torrent form.
posted by yerfatma at 3:45 PM on April 15, 2004
posted by yerfatma at 3:45 PM on April 15, 2004
Arrested Development rocks, as does Curb Your Enthusiasm, the Simpsons, Family Guy, (later seasons of) Futurama, Sex and the City, Scrubs, etc.
Just check TWOP for television shows that were well-liked...chances are, those will be shared on P2P networks somewhere
posted by graventy at 4:46 PM on April 15, 2004
Just check TWOP for television shows that were well-liked...chances are, those will be shared on P2P networks somewhere
posted by graventy at 4:46 PM on April 15, 2004
Arrested Development is so great. Sports Night was too. Great writing and acting in both.
I don't care for Curb Your Enthusiasm so much. If you ever saw Seinfeld and couldn't stand George (as I did the last couple of seasons), then you probably won't enjoy Curb.
We also enjoy: Scrubs, Bernie Mac, Malcom in the Middle.
Have fun!
posted by evening at 5:39 PM on April 15, 2004
I don't care for Curb Your Enthusiasm so much. If you ever saw Seinfeld and couldn't stand George (as I did the last couple of seasons), then you probably won't enjoy Curb.
We also enjoy: Scrubs, Bernie Mac, Malcom in the Middle.
Have fun!
posted by evening at 5:39 PM on April 15, 2004
Action was freaking hilarious. Comedy Channel (I think) ran a marathon a month or two ago, so maybe it's still floating around Gnutella or someone's hosting torrents.
posted by nicwolff at 6:37 PM on April 15, 2004
posted by nicwolff at 6:37 PM on April 15, 2004
Seinfeld is, IMO, absolutely stellar. Must-see-TV.
I'd love to find CBC's The Newsroom and Made in Canada on P2P.
Red Dwarf is great. Absolutely Fabulous is wretched and good at the same time. Lovejoy is great. Heck, howzabout Fawlty Towers? BlackAdder?
Oh, wait, you said American. That makes it considerably more difficult to find intelligent, funny television.
SpongeBob, The Tick, and a few other cartoons were pretty good. I honestly can't think of any worthwhile live-action comedy television this past few years.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:16 PM on April 15, 2004
I'd love to find CBC's The Newsroom and Made in Canada on P2P.
Red Dwarf is great. Absolutely Fabulous is wretched and good at the same time. Lovejoy is great. Heck, howzabout Fawlty Towers? BlackAdder?
Oh, wait, you said American. That makes it considerably more difficult to find intelligent, funny television.
SpongeBob, The Tick, and a few other cartoons were pretty good. I honestly can't think of any worthwhile live-action comedy television this past few years.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:16 PM on April 15, 2004
Only one series was ever made, a british/canadian work: "Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show". A very funny animation series with the late Bob Monkhouse.
Hello, my name is Josh, and I'd like to talk to you about reincarnation.
posted by fvw at 7:27 PM on April 15, 2004
Hello, my name is Josh, and I'd like to talk to you about reincarnation.
posted by fvw at 7:27 PM on April 15, 2004
This is ancient, but I rather like Rowan Atkinson's Black Adder. Maybe that's just me, though.
posted by kickingtheground at 7:39 PM on April 15, 2004
posted by kickingtheground at 7:39 PM on April 15, 2004
Response by poster: Thanks everyone, this list is just what i need.
Five fresh fish, I didn't mean only American, I was hoping for British suggestions too. And Canadian. I did manage to catch The Newsroom a few years ago, yeah, it was really great. There is another Canadian comedy show recently set in a trailer park--name slips my mind--I'm sure you'd know it. Is it any good?
posted by dydecker at 7:43 PM on April 15, 2004
Five fresh fish, I didn't mean only American, I was hoping for British suggestions too. And Canadian. I did manage to catch The Newsroom a few years ago, yeah, it was really great. There is another Canadian comedy show recently set in a trailer park--name slips my mind--I'm sure you'd know it. Is it any good?
posted by dydecker at 7:43 PM on April 15, 2004
dydecker - it's called 'Trailer Park Boys.'
posted by kickingtheground at 7:45 PM on April 15, 2004
posted by kickingtheground at 7:45 PM on April 15, 2004
That 70s Show is a humorous sitcom with stellar writing as the genre goes (not as good at Simpsons at their high point, but better than Simpsons now, IMO).
That's the only aside from the usual Simpsons/Family Guy/Futurama trifecta.
posted by Ryvar at 9:34 PM on April 15, 2004
That's the only aside from the usual Simpsons/Family Guy/Futurama trifecta.
posted by Ryvar at 9:34 PM on April 15, 2004
Trailer Park Boys is brilliant. Suprnova currently has single-torrent downloads of the entire Series 1 to 3, and the just-aired first episode of Season 4.
Father Ted is a very funny UK series too, as is The League of Gentlemen. Both worth tracking down.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:14 PM on April 15, 2004
Father Ted is a very funny UK series too, as is The League of Gentlemen. Both worth tracking down.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:14 PM on April 15, 2004
I'm ten years late
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Chapelles Show
Sealab 2021
I'm Helping! I'm Helping You! I made an egg for you!
posted by headless at 12:56 AM on April 16, 2004
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Chapelles Show
Sealab 2021
I'm Helping! I'm Helping You! I made an egg for you!
posted by headless at 12:56 AM on April 16, 2004
I can't think of any American sitcoms worth watching since Frasier jumped the shark.
From Brit TV, I'd second Father Ted, Black Books and Spaced if you like surreal, and The Office, League of Gentlemen, Peep Show and Nighty Night if you like the darker side of comedy.
posted by salmacis at 3:33 AM on April 16, 2004
From Brit TV, I'd second Father Ted, Black Books and Spaced if you like surreal, and The Office, League of Gentlemen, Peep Show and Nighty Night if you like the darker side of comedy.
posted by salmacis at 3:33 AM on April 16, 2004
I watched a couple Aqua Teen episodes. I don't get what the appeal is. They're cheap-ass animations with unsophisticated humour, IMO.
A really great one: The Games, from Australia. My god, it was the perfect send-up of the Olympics. And a perfect send-up of the politicians involved in the Olympics.
The scary thing is that some of the cockups and scandals that were in the show ended up also happening in real life! An episode where the 200m sprint ended up being a few feet short... really happened! Couple other things, too; forget what they were.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:23 AM on April 16, 2004
A really great one: The Games, from Australia. My god, it was the perfect send-up of the Olympics. And a perfect send-up of the politicians involved in the Olympics.
The scary thing is that some of the cockups and scandals that were in the show ended up also happening in real life! An episode where the 200m sprint ended up being a few feet short... really happened! Couple other things, too; forget what they were.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:23 AM on April 16, 2004
The Games, from Australia. My god, it was the perfect send-up of the Olympics.
five fresh fish - Was that a Roy and HG thing, or something else? Do you have a link?
posted by milovoo at 9:45 AM on April 16, 2004
five fresh fish - Was that a Roy and HG thing, or something else? Do you have a link?
posted by milovoo at 9:45 AM on April 16, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
Family Guy
Sealab 2021
Home Movies
Undeclared, while it was on, was also very funny. And of course, The Daily Show is excellent, but doesn't seem very tempting as a download.
From Brit TV I recommend the sitcoms:
Spaced
Black Books
posted by skryche at 12:35 PM on April 15, 2004 [1 favorite]