Best Australian sitcom

We're the only people here who could possibly know what "Hampton Court" was, AA.

I am already strongly leaning to "Frontline" but I'll need to think about this.

We're the only people here who could possibly know what "Hampton Court" was, AA.

― Marquis Cha Cha Du Ri (King Boy Pato), Wednesday, 19 January 2011 20:00 (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Your point being?

Possibly the best spin-off of all time btw, if you don't count every other achievement in the history of human endeavour.

There is no other answer to this question except Hey Dad...!

^ you're a sick person, sicker than the guy who played Mr. Kelly

Oh and I took the list from wikipedia so it's missing a few rather ground-breaking entries such as We Can be Heroes and Late for School.

The absence of Chris Lilley should be a selling point imo.

It's also missing Col'n Carpenter.

This thread is shit.

Orrite, tell you what, let's use this thread to assemble a list of sitcoms that are not represented here (e.g. Let the Blood Run Free) and do a properly definitive poll.

What was that one with Shane Bourne? Bingles?

Oh fuck yes. God, this poll is useless.

Bullpitt isn't even on this list! Fucking hell. I hate the internet.

Are You Being Served Down Under

Blimey, I forgot this even existed!

Some wonderful terrorist has uploaded an episode of Are You Being Served? Down Under! on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QolEdqAJP0M

OMG

Poofter Jokes in that first clip: 765,429

Frontline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-kdKwNkkNU&feature=related

I have only seen (and indeed, heard of) Kath & Kim out of this lot, and that was dreadful. Are any of these actually funny?

Not to undermine your post moley but it's interesting to note that neither Lloyd nor Croft wrote that AYBSDU episode.

Fact: Reg Evans was killed in the Black Saturday fires.

Kath & Kim was not dreadful btw, out of this thread before I set Mr Kelly on you.

Who wrote it AA?

Another great moment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwfne1aYA3g&feature=related

Does anything else from 1997 come close? Or even now?

Jim something-or-other, i.e. someone I've never heard of.

Sorry, AA, but I hated it. I'm liking the Frontline clips, though - not hilarious, but astute.

I whizzed through the list and thought one of them was called 'Gey Dad..!'

Never seen any of these though.

I'm sure I've heard of Acropolis Now before, actually...

not hilarious, but astute.

― emil.y

Yes, that's true. Looking at them now, they remind me of the approach taken many years later by The Office and similar sitcoms - there are no obvious punchlines, but the writers depend on the awkwardness created by the exposure of manipulative social conventions for comedy value.

The only other thing around like it at the time was the BBC series 'Drop the Dead Donkey'. I don't know whether it's the laugh track or the stagey delivery, or what, but it now seems nowhere near as incisive or cynical as Frontline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLZ1LT0kd-4

Donkey's strength was in its timeliness. An episode would be recorded with topical gags from that morning's papers and aired the next day (we got it three days after recording). It was never more incisive than Murphy Brown, really.

Sorry, AA, but I hated it. I'm liking the Frontline clips, though - not hilarious, but astute.

― emil.y, Wednesday, 19 January 2011 20:51 (35 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Frontline was truly brilliant considering the time it was made, but as moley said it was never overtly a laffer.

Anyway, Larry Sanders got there first. The Aus press (which hadn't heard of Larry Sanders despite 10 airing it pretty consitently at the time) somewhat unfairly hailed Frontline as the genre-breaking future of television. It did shatter a hell of a lot of preconceptions about television news, though.

I'd forgotten about Larry Sanders. That was in a class of its own.

where the bollock is pizza

Pizza! And Swift & Shift Couriers, for that matter.

Does Wilfred count? I don't think it was ever meant to be funny.

wilfred is horrible but some weirdos seem to dig it

Yeah, it's weird but I dig it. It's good for a few hollow laughs. Isn't it an NZ production?

fck...is that it? that's our comedic history, that list? there must be more...must...

The Games, anybody?

yeah, The Games is a major omission, it's cleverer and often less smug than Frontline. new series coming this year!

I have only seen (and indeed, heard of) Kath & Kim out of this lot, and that was dreadful. Are any of these actually funny?

Four, maybe five. Kath & Kim is dreadful, yes.

K&K is indded dreadful. It is 'bogan humor' at its worst.

Still, who go to the hassle of being funny when you only need to be 'politically incorrect' to pick up apologists and publicity?

Seeing as this is an aus thread...

I vaguely remember something comedic shown early on Saturday mornings here.

It had a jaunty intro tune, lots of AusGirls either dancing around throwing a beach ball to each other, or fixing a landrover's engine while sneering...

Sorry, can't help....are you sure it was a comedy? (intentional or otherwise)

aw kathnkim had some moments...mainly idiocy via kel for me - mebbe I relate.

The Hollowmen isnt here either.

Love the Librarians, Very Small Business, and Frontline.

Mind you - Hollowmen/Frontline/Games arent sitcoms are they, they're satires.

pizza?
--ducks--

are you sure it was a comedy?

Yeah, it was a cross between Neighbours, Kath and Kim, etc.

I'm fairly sure it had women only as cast members.

Could be McLeod's Daughters - there's always a bit of land-rover action there, and the cast is mainly women (tho not 100%)

The worst show of all in that line-up, and the one that stiffed fastest and most ignominiously, was 'The Bob Morrison Show' which lasted for about three eps around 1996 and was atrocious. The title character was a talking dog, breed unremembered or unknown, whose voice belonged to an obnoxious little turd of an ex-FM DJ called Stig Wemyss, who a couple of years later found a much larger, and captive, audience to annoy the shit out of when he became the ground announcer at the MCG - or, 'The Voice of the G' as he styled himself. He tried to adopt Farnham's You're The Voice as his theme song, but the Wheatley crowd's legal people made a few threatening noises and (unfortunately) he backed down. Shame - it would have been a legal bloodbath.

(Checked some photos, naah. Not silly enough)

So much Kath & Kim hate. They had a target and they hit it perfectly. I grew up around exacty the sorts of people in that show and it really is 100% accurate. Series 4 was awful though.

Wow, cheers for the Wemyss backstory. I only knew him from Col'n Carpenter and (despite that) didn't realise he was SUCH a wanker.

xp there was Marshall's Law but I think technically that was a dramedy.

Also Bligh reminds me of something I associate with the period but I can't think what it was. Anyway, bizarre show that. Did Artist Services produce any other sitcoms?

They could only do "haha, he's wearing a watch in 1800" joke about four times iirc.

MAN, Funky Squad looks HORRIBLE when you rewatch it these days. I like to blame it on Tim F in the lead role. Incidentally, he's gone so batshit these days.

Did you hear him on Boxcutters recently? Bloke has completely lost his grip.

ive been out of it, whats wrong with Fergo?

He's angry. He hates stuff about the Australian film industry that doesn't even exist and he's really really angry about it.

went with Stupid, Stupid Man

i like SSM but dear lord am i sick of wayne hope

Did Artist Services produce any other sitcoms?

No, me neither.

I remember it existing but buggered if I can remember anything about it. Knew there was a wedding one that wasn't Newlyweds, that's as far as I got.

Uh in fairness to Tim Fergo, he does have MS.

Yeah but his weirdarse view of the industry is not related to that.

Well no, but being very ill for a very long time can affect people with depresion and anger and stuff.

A guy I've dated a bit was working with TF on that WTF show he did on SBS, says he's cool to work with.

Ah yeah fair point, but (Pato and) I are referring to his new public style.

Oh his TV persona's always been annoying as fuq

Yeah but yeah but yeah but yeah but yeah but he's gone from being angry/sexy to just completely ott h8-the-world angry. Take Paul McD's shtick and crank it up to 13.

mcd is now mellow as all g/o

Tim was dead sexy in the olden days, wasn't he...mmmm

My bff who's still in Melb just sent me a care package that includes the DAAS unlimited uncollectible sterling deluxe edition. Best friend eva!

What's Fidler up to these days?

ABC radio presentation/production iirc.

Adventures of Lano & Woodley was dope

― basically just a 2/47 freak out (sic)

Yes, I have fond memories of that one. Woodley ia a genuine old school clown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew-YKVVUW1k

The thing is... THE THING IS....

Hahah. .so great, Love Woodley's hands!

He is cuet =)

Mother & Son. By a country mile.

See now, I can't watch that show. I'm not blaming the show or the actors - theyre brilliant people - but the concept makes me SO DAMN MAD.

Its like when my dad watches "Keeping up Appearances" and says he wants to punch Mrs Bucket in the face and he has to leave the room he gets so cross.

Yeah me too. I used to love it but now I'm just WHY DON'T YOU PUT HER IN A HOME. I think you have to hate the dentist if your investment in the show is to pay off but tbh I empathise with the dentist these days.

xp oh god yes, Clive Swift's char is very realistic and plausible but drives me batty nonetheless.

Richard, that's it.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Hey Dad..! 2

learing to troll

http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2011/04/swift-shift-tipped-to-air.html

Paul Fenech’s second season of Swift & Shift Couriers is tipped to air later this year.

The follow-up series has been sitting dormant at SBS because of sensitivities with the storyline, but there may finally be movement soon.

The series, which sees the courier company competing with rival couriers in India, was written and filmed before headlines emerged in Australia about attacks on Indian students.

As a broadcaster which aims to be inclusive of multicultural communities, it got cold feet over the timing of the often-outrageous comedy.

TV Tonight understands that the exit of managing director Shaun Brown in June will mean a greenlight for the show to finally make it to air.

SBS is expected to replay the first season before premiering the second.

Meanwhile it also has Fenech’s new comedy, Houso’s.

HOUSO'S

HOUSO'S

oh look isn't he cute, oh look his hair is all tied up at the back how cute

fuck off

ignore

Re: Houso's - Did you see this a couple of months ago?

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/nines-current-affair-to-forget-20110217-1ay72.html

ahahahahaha

Didn't Tony Martin state that one of the gags in the Houso's trailer was the best gag in Australian comedy so far this year?

Yes, he did! Sorta.

I’ve watched the Internet trailer for his upcoming Housos about twenty times. The car stunt alone is funnier than anything I’ve seen on Australian TV this year.

Acropolis Now
The Adventures of Lano and Woodley
All Together Now
At Home with Julia
Are You Being Served Down Under
Bingles
Birds in the Bush
The Bob Morrison Show
Bobby Dazzler
Brass Monkeys
Bullpitt!
Col'n Carpenter
DAAS Kapital
Daily at Dawn
Dearest Enemy
Dog's Head Bay
Dossa and Joe
Frontline
Funky Squad
The Games
The Glynn Nicholas Show
Grass Roots
The Group
Hampton Court
Hey Dad..!
The Hollowmen
Kath & Kim
Kingswood Country
The Last of the Australians
Late for School
Let the Blood Run Free
The Librarians
Mother and Son
My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?
My Two Wives
Newlyweds
Pizza
Rita and Wally
Sit Down, Shut Up
Summer Heights High
Stupid, Stupid Man
Swift & Shift Couriers
Very Small Business
We Can Be Heroes
Wedlocked
Welcher & Welcher
Wilfred

Still think "very small business" was quite underrated, it was quite bleak.

Can I just say LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR IN AUSTRALIA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppI1qu3y0_Y

classic theme

Seems to have more "poofter jokes" than "nig-nog jokes".

so julia gillard is in this rite

portrait of the pedo as a young man

Seems to have more "poofter jokes" than "nig-nog jokes".

are you sure?

I'm not saying there isn't plenty of the latter!