British vs American Comedy - A Comparative Analysis
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
- In this video essay I contrast British and American comedy in terms of tone, character, content, editing and assess the deeper meaning behind these factors. To do this, I examine shows like the office, the inbetweeners, its always sunny in Philadelphia, peep show, faulty towers, friends and more.
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Thanks yt for bringing me here
praise the youtube gods
It's an interesting topic. Great video
Very interesting topic, but would love to see a video that includes female comedy characters as well - virtually all of the characters you highlighted were men, so I wonder how your analysis would differ when we include female comics from both sides of the pond. Thank you and great video!
@The Film Essay
While I enjoy the video, I did notice some similarities with other videos that discuss about the topic.
This is not a criticism, but I'm glad videos like this exist. It gets me thinking about everything you and others have discuss.
I've read a comment somewhere that says American humor is making a normal situation bizarre and British humor is making a bizarre situation normal
That's the Monty Python formula
This comment is imho more accurate than the entire video
I couldn't have said it better
i kinda disagree for example the uk office is taking a normal situation and showing how absurd it is, were almost not laughing the people but the situation, i mean does anyone feel good that David Brent is such a fuck up, no you want him to do well but you know hes to ignorant.
Honestly
US comedy: “One day I could be like that. What a funny guy”
UK comedy: “At least I’m not like that. What an idiot”
Nah, I disagree on the UK part entirely
@@xgullafter9590 How do you disagree?
Sort of, I think it's more we see the fallible parts of ourselves and laugh. As much of a dick David Brent is we still see ourselves in his need to be liked etc. which is why you never actually hate him.
@@timk6181 I agree, from an outsider's point of view, British comedy always portrays a sense of relatability. You laugh at the comedian meanwhile thinking you might be like that or know of someone who's like that.
@@kcpopoo I think, as an American, the idea of laughing at one’s self is viscerally terrifying.
Remember: You don't have to prefer one and hate the other. You can have a nice diet of both.
What are you talking about I want to flaunt my intelligence because I prefer to only watch the clearly superior and smarter british comedy and anyone who likes american comedy is big stupid dumb dumb cock brain and has just never seen british office
@@asongeveryday Can't tell of this is sarcastic because I've seen comments like this lol
@@nobody-tj1mv dont worry its sarcasm
The fact that people on this website are so stupid that y’all had to verify this with one another makes me feel better about ignoring the loser hypocrite from the last comment thread lol
Nope
I'd argue that Always Sunny is quasi-British in its comedy. The characters are genuinely bad people, they make terrible decisions, and we laugh as they they tear their own world apart.
I agree, the styles definetly blend and always sunny is a good example of that!
I feel like Arrested Development was like that too
Also, bad lighting
@@youtubewasoncebetter Different, not necessarily bad.
To us, US shows look overexposed and oversaturated.
I think the narcissism of the characters make it much more American humour as yes they have the British failure and horrible lives but in their head they are winning. If it was British the gang would be more depressed and insecure. Furthermore the comedy would be based more on the failure of their schemes than the schemes themselves
I hate laughing tracks in US comedies. It's as if I'm stupid and can't decide when something is funny, so they have to remind me that a "joke" is supposed to be funny by playing that annoying laughing track.
Agreed, maybe it's there to help stop you falling to sleep.
Lol but those are only in sitcoms. And kid’s shows. It drives me crazy and as soon as I hear a laugh track the humor is INSTANTLY killed for me
Yeah all the best US comedies are just the ones without laugh tracks
I love the IT Crowd but the laugh tracks put me off. Tragic really.
Happens in some UK comedy too but I absolutely agree there is no need for canned laughter.
I’m an American that enjoys UK comedies, but I have to limit how much I watch, because the amount of absolute despair starts to get to me after a while.
That's interesting. I find that watching Brit comedy (I'm British) makes me feel better about myself - I think we take pleasure in watching people make fools of themselves because at least we're not as hopeless as them. But through US eyes watching people fail evokes feelings of sympathy and compassion. Basically we're a nasty, misanthropic bunch across the pond, but I wouldn't have it any other way!
@@Tmuk2 yeahas a Brit I believe that we feel better about ourselves when we see people who are worse and more screwed than we are.
This is why britain is the way it is. We're basically that meme of the Dog saying this is fine, whilst everything around him burns
i’m the exact same, except i’m australian. i love british comedy, black books, blackadder, the it crowd, all of it. but when i’m sad, brooklyn nine nine, the office US and how i met your mother are always gonna make me feel better.
@@AnderEvermore yup, it's the feeling of "guess it could be worse" that makes it all a little more bearable lol
Interesting points. I think the dreary colour palette of the uk is actually something common in all uk film and is more because of our climate. The world around us just looks a lot more cloudy and dull than many places in America. But that will also inevitably relate to the mood as well.
America also has a culture of "bigger brighter better" which makes the gap between British and American colour palettes even wider
I think in the uk the budget is more important! Shows like the office have low budget because it’s for the bbc. They typically only have one or two writers and the lighting isn’t purposefully dreary, it’s just poor. A lot of American shows are over produced in my opinion - they have big writing teams and just as big budgets.
@@jaxsjpg3225 I don't think the budget is a limit on the colourfulness of the set. I've seen plenty of shows with cheap colourful stuff in them. It's both cultural and an intentional artistic choice.
@@jaxsjpg3225 lighting isnt poor it's just a whole different tone
I think that a dull colour pallette is just an universal Europe thing.
This perfectly supports my theory, even if British comedy is significantly better: the UK is just an experiment to see how miserable people can get before they riot
2011
The UK is an experiment to see how miserable people can get before they riot - I think this is the finest sentence I will read today.
Yet somehow we riot less than the USA
@@scottking8189 You should look into *WHO* riots in the US.
@@o0julek0o oh I know WHO riots😉😉
As a European, I feel like it's kind of in the culture that many American people (VAST generalization, obviously) take themselves a bit too seriously; they don't make fun of themselves nearly as much. Like TFE said, you laugh _with_ them, not _at_ them. Whereas the British build a lot of their comedy on precisely that. Their humour is much more dry and self-deprecating. It's also about seeing the absurdity and humour in the bleakness, because if we didn't laugh through the really hard stuff, we'd go insane. I feel like in America, the serious things have to be taken seriously or else you're gonna be called out for making fun of them, so it doesn't leave as much space for that darker kind of humour. That's just what I'd gauge from my experience, anyway.
Excellent observations
@@blahblahblah2699 Thank you!
I think a lot of it has to do with us (the British) being a fallen empire. We had the world and now we don't. America is a current imperial power, they're the Greatest Country In The world™ so they can't be seen as anything other than the best.
I agree with this. I still enjoy the more optimistic American humor more- but I agree about them being more serious and more sensitive about certain jokes.
I am an American that loves dark humour. We are so sensitive it hurts me.
I think the British preference for word-play over slapstick is why I love it. You can be clever with word-play and make insignificant moments funnier.
As someone else commented, Americans do take themselves too seriously and I think this missed the point that you’re not just laughing AT the actors in British comedy, but the actors are laughing at themselves too.
I’d argue we don’t really do that too much anymore. Honestly look at even the Simpsons. It’s set in a generic American city that’s supposed to represent any where in the US and it’s a fucking hellhole. Everyone’s dumb, half the people are fat, they take pride in their worst behavior and at the end of the day they learn nothing from their mistakes. That’s the US to a tee and that is the one of the most influential comedies in US history.
One us comedy that might not be relatable but is at least quasi-brotish is curb your enthusiasm. It has some terrible people as main character, with racist and homophobic tendencies, and we just watch their naiivity as they say awful stuff in public.
That may apply to sitcoms, but American stand-up comedy is full of self-deprecation, e.g. Louie CK. Also, in terms of word-play over slapstick I got two words for you: Benny Hill.
But also, there is great and terrible comedy on both sides of the Atlantic!
@@cortez1211 if you think america is a hellhole then you haven’t been to many countries (I’m not American in case you’re wondering)
British Humor seems like it’s accepting me as I am.
American Humor seems like it’s calling me to be better.
And both are important.
UK comedy is funnier to me because it’s more relatable. American comedy is too over the top, the only American comedy I like is always sunny in Philadelphia. It’s still over the top but the characters are not very successful.
Oh and American sitcoms are constantly having to point out that they made a joke!
Best sitcom ever was Fawlty Towers and they never had to do that because the jokes were actually funny. Funny material doesn't need to be lampshaded as such.
@@kukalakana it’s always sunny has an episode where they make fun of laugh tracks
If you like American comedies with less perfect characters I recommend checking out Arrested Development as well, I'm on my 2nd watch right now and damn almost every main character is just a bad person.
Bojack Horseman as well but thats more than just a comedy
@@kukalakana not all US comedies have a laugh track, those that do are awful but all the ones I've watched (Community, Arrested Development, Parks And Rec) don't
@@greentaigo2552 am currently on season 2 of bojack and it’s really good, but I’ll check out arrested development
Thankfully, we have Karl Pilkington to unite us all.
@@elis1716 I have to take y'all's word on that! I'm not British haha
Whether it's a potato or a nut, it's a foodage
Manmoth
@@spinny003 LOL! Half Man Half Biscuit.
he used to be a beacon of hope but now even karl has fallen to the traps of celebrityhood, he's vain now
There is another factor at play here which isn't covered, which is how these comedies are made. Generally speaking, British comedies are written by much smaller teams - the common on being the writing partnership - who write ALL the episodes. The requisite effort means UK series are generally much shorter. A UK comedy even making 50 episodes is rare. Meanwhile, in the US, many network comedies are produced by large writing teams, sometimes consisting of over a dozen different writers which constantly changes and shifts. Furthermore, showrunners change, meaning different producers take the lead for different periods. This obviously means much more material can be produced, resulting in shows with hundreds of episodes, but also means characters often become reduced to caricatures as they are now passed between writers. I think this is partly why many US comedy characters kind of fit into tropes - the wacky one, the flirty one, the serious one etc and become more entrenched in those tropes as the series go on. By the 15th (or whatever) season they basically just regurgitate the same jokes as later writers emulate their behaviour in earlier seasons. I would argue this kind of working actually makes it harder to create fully fleshed out characters despite the more time they have with them. Of course, as always there are exceptions to this, but I think many of the differences come down to production method primarily, and only partly due to social or attitude differences between the US & UK.
Oddly, I was discussing this very topic with a friend yesterday. I was wondering about the idea you could say that the quality of a series is inversely proportional to the number of people who write it. This is more of a general hypothesis, so it may way well fall at the first hurdle, but I'd be interested to hear people's views.
@@mandead I think there's probably something in it. I've always kind of believed that "too many cooks spoil the broth". I suppose at the end of the day it depends on your personal preference. Some people perhaps prefer a fun, knockabout comedy based on rapid gags - which is perhaps more easily produced in the US style and less dependent on realistic characters. Others a deeper character study, which is best produced in the UK style where the writers have more creative say. The quality of either style probably comes down to the talent of the teams and attitude of the network. However, I would say the side effect of the US system is that it allows shows to go on much longer. Too long if you ask me. Naturally, storylines become stale or outlandish as writers seek new ideas, the original creators leave to pursue new projects, and cheap cameos become staples just to provide some kind of new interesting element. Take The Simpsons for example. It is perhaps the archetype of the US system, with dozens of writers and different 'eras' under different showrunners. In its prime it was probably the best comedy series ever made, but it has plummeted in quality into the so-called 'zombie Simpsons era'. it's just shambling on with no real vision or direction. The method of production hasn't changed, but its just gone on far too long.
God damn you reminded me of sitting in front the cable tv 10 hours a day watching tbs.
The Office has gone on far too long. It jumped the shark after season one
Well that's what friends was. But Seinfeld was exactly NOT THAT, strictly - it was the writing procedure that only one or on a rare occasion- maximum- a team of two (which was always an established duo) and that was a very strict rule. No one but Larry or Jerry could edit - if it all- the scripts - but that was also rare as the team of writers was so carefully chosen by them and they all understood the show and characters and comedy so well. That's why it was so seamless but each episode was actually always written by a totally different writer- never the same one in unison.
That's what skilled writing and quality is... .. 🙏🙌 and I am just going off memory from what I learnt via every commentary and DVD special over 15 years I listened to, each one I watched over and over and over and over. I've always had mad respect for the show. It's organic n not pushed together by a team of suits n stats ..... Which is what friends was ... And it makes sense why I never ever ever liked it as a kid in the early 2000s .. , let alone today! I always saw it as a bunch of dull caricatures who were too obsessed with looks than actually BEING . FUNNY. None of those women hold a candle to Elaine Benes. and none of the (beta) men on friends hold a candle to Kramer or Georges acting , nor Jerry's dynamic with them.. also, Seinfeld's secondary cast (like the Costanzas, uncle LEO,. Elaine Benes bosses or even coworkers! , Newman , Jerry's parents, Elaine boyfriends like puddy 🤣, or her crazy roommate from the early seasons ... Georges girlfriends 🤣, Kenny Bania "that's gold Jerry, GOLD!":D, alll the characters who appeared often.. it was so organic n so brilliant. .. oh and remember Kathy Griffin being Jerry's most hated person /acquaintance- she was perfect fo the role! So funny!) CRAZY Joe DAVOLA who was a clown and was obsessed and stalking' Elaine!!! , ... Susan Ross Parents were HILARIOUS...and Tim Watley, and Elaine boss Mr Peterman- he was so funny is was just insane... And I'm missing sooo many more !!! 😮😮😮🌟🌟🌟🌟🙏🙏. Absolutely genius. Original . Just brilliant... Low IQ people like friends- there's no complex stories or even other characters like there are in Seinfeld- where there's always a bunch of new characters and new storylines etc to play off - and all the actors who guest starred were just incredible - and they ALL had their big breaks there, Courtney Cox was one of them- a minor one at that.. go look for yourself the enormous list of breakout stars and a Listers who made it from being cast on Seinfeld in just a few scenes !!! Charlotte from sexcity, Lead Law n order actors, Lead will and grace actors, Lead Fraiser actors, Bryan Cranston,. The villian Jigsaw from the SAW horror films, David ouddy who is very very famous now - not just from his voice acting as JOE from family guy.. and if course Frank and Estelle Costanza,
Oh and Deuce Bigalow ,
ROB SCHNEIDER made his breakthrough too!
And there's soooooo many others but I'll be here all night!! 🔥🔥😵🤓🤓⭐💫... Just brilliant cast, writing , acting, editing, energy and incredible people all around.
Seinfeld is the best ( and it is exactly the similar format to British humour.. it's perfect.) Peep show is also genius. COMMUNITY, is also brilliant (NBC too , coincidentally.. it was Seinfeld but without trying to be, and was so different but similar humour style .. you need to watch it to understand it .. genius show by Dan Harmon )
... Nathan for you is good too but totallyyyy different again..
No one comes close to the originals..Seinfeld and PEEP SHOW.. (and community as it's so unique) ... They will live forever n never get old. I said it decades and I'm still right.
Quality!
The InBetweeners STILL makes me laugh like a drain. British comedy is relatable, dark and cringeworthy. And I love it.
It's the best comedy series I've ever watched. It feels almost relatable, it's more realistic, the characters are always themselves and never change. And it's obviously stupidly funny 😂😂
The inbetweeners is what would happen if you took an average british 6th form and turned up the depressing. It relatable, but exaggerated. Basically that's what all british comedy is. Take a relatable situation, and exaggerate the depressing factors untill it's funny. And it works.
@@bethanybrookes8479 Every group of friends has had things happen to them which could easily be turned into an Inbetweeners or Peep Show episode (the latter to a lesser extent, as I liken Peep Show to: A series of events which on their own are plausible, but they stack up to the point of absurdity. At any given point in isolation it’s believable and that’s why it works
@@justdavelewis that's what I ment by exaggerate. Words aren't my strong suit...
@@bethanybrookes8479 yeah I get you man dw 🤣 I was having this conversation about peep show with my friends as we were watching it. Namely the episode where Jez ends up eating the dog.
It’s like they consistently roll snake eyes on dice for every single thing that happens to them. Sure, individually in each instance it’s a 1/36 chance but it quickly multiplies into something ridiculous, yet some how still believable because you say to yourself: well, if I was in that position, I don’t know if I’d do it much differently
What never ceases to amaze me is people constantly pit these two against each other. Nobody focuses on the great things that make them both work. Which is honestly what I'm interested in. It's very easy to sit around all day and talk about two things that are different. They're two different things. Let's talk similarities
There is both great and terrible comedy on both sides of the Atlantic. Lots of variations w/in and between the two. Mr. Show and Monty Python vs Hee-Haw and Benny Hill.
The point about UK preferring wordplay and US preferring slapstick seems to be reflected in the UK having a multitude of comedy panel shows like 8 out of 10 Cats and Taskmaster, whereas the US doesn't have any that I know of (as an Aussie). The closest I can think of is Who's Line, and honestly improv rides the line between UK and US comedy styles imo
I believe 'Whose line is it anyway' was a British show before ABC did their own version of it so that for sure backs your point even more
@@judebritton6999 oh yeah definitely, but it didn't peak until America. The lines are even more blurred when you take into account that a lot of the og American Who's Line people appeared on the British version multiple times
Who's Line isn't really funny though
@@krissee6961 bro (gender neutral),,,, that's just your opinion. You don't have to implicitly shame everyone that does like the show just because it doesn't line up with your own humor
@@furbybuddy how to be hypersensitive! I meant the US version. The Brit version is funny.
I think the fact that the UK characters dont tend to change much is why people see them as being more real. As well as the fuck ton of swearing
Yeah but don't you get tired of watching people be the same? Sometimes you want to see the character development at some stage. I'm not saying every show needs to have character development but it's nice to mix things up.
@@dinkin_flicka14 that's what the situation is for.
@@dinkin_flicka14 That's kind of the reason these UK shows only run for 6 episodes and so few series. It's why the snapshot of the characters can be and are considered more realistic. The biggest thing missing from this "analysis" is how the format and importance of syndication in the US dictates the writing. It's why so many have story and character arc tropes (eg "Will they won't they") built in. Because that syndication is where the money is and obviously is a big motivator for execs.
Dont change in what way?
As a brit I could argue curb does the same
I feel that a large part of the appeal of UK humour is the concept of relatability. With the more dark and nihilistic comedy that is commonplace in British and Australian media, it comes back to a sense of feeling that the characters are realistically stupid, annoying or smarmy, you could imagine that person being your boss, teacher, friend or enemy. Whereas American comedy often places it’s protagonists as the epitome of success and the American ideal and plays a lot more into escapism than coping with life through comedy.
This explains why I find comfort in many American comedies. It's on purpose.
As a Brit, I prefer the American approach to sitcoms (Community, Arrested Development, Parks and Rec, Brooklyn 99, 30 Rock) whilst I prefer the British approach to stand-up and panel shows. I prefer my narrative to show character growth with characters that I actually like (which is why I never got into Always Sunny).
This is so true
What else can you expect from someone named Zak.
@@rentalsnake6542 Not entirely sure if I'm being dissed or not XD
@@MrVisualHigh Well you admitted you didn't get into Always Sunny, so yes you're most likely getting dissed.
@@bums009 OK, not sure what my name has to do with anything though?
I personally wouldnt say that Always Sunny is a good example of american comedy and that actually it takes a lot of things from uk comedy
Yeh but it’s sort of more over the top and it plays into the absolute insanity and idiosyncrasies of all the characters whereas uk comedies like the office feel more grounded in reality. That’s not to say there are not people somewhat similar to the gang in always sunny in the real world they just play up the awfulness of the characters to make statements on the modern world.
UA-cam WILL.N.E said it perfectly when he was watching cringey boyfriend POV tiktoks (and I'm paraphrasing here): "this only happens in America because this kind of ridiculous behaviour gets bullied out of you at a young age here"
we try over here but most people are just too stubborn or dont care enough about other peoples opinions to change.
Pretty sure it used to be bullied out of Americans too. Used to.
What behavior?
@@SidheKnight ridiculous behaviour
@@SidheKnight that special kind of arrogance, narcissism, self importance, lack of self awareness, entitlement, and vanity that americans do best and which tiktok produces in mass quantities
The thick of it is marvellous. There's an artistry to Malcolm's tirades and insults. Great writing and great acting. The tone is grim but the laughs are constant.
I'm glad it made the cut as well, Capaldi really outdid himself with Malcolm
“American comedy is more optimistic”
Bojack Horseman: *hold my depression*
Bojack can have an optimistic takeaway though. It gives us so many examples of how we might be standing in our own way and how we can break out of harmful patterns so that we can grow. The characters who were able to face themselves and learn to be honest with themselves, did end up achieving what they wanted to in the end, even if it wasn't exactly how they pictured it in their head.
Hold my depression 😂
Yes, just like Rick & Morty
@@thatman6916 Rick and morty is trash
@@jamesmallard8815 it's your opinion
I'm glad you put Outnumbered in there. I had forgotten how great that show is.
It used to be played on abc me (abc3 at the time), an australian government channel for kids. It surprised me it was allowed with it's underage drinking and a violent kid. They sometimes have shows with "mature" themes (degrase) but it's always in a way that shows how bad it is, trying to deter you. Outnumbered just uses it as a joke
@@shadowkyber2510 That's where I first saw it actually. Made it even funnier.
the difference between the UK and US Office exemplifies the general difference between UK and US comedy to me... like a gut punch versus a Hi-5. US comedy never really dangles you over the precipice of human failure and self doubt, it seems to willingly sugar coat any kind of awkwardness. (there are probably some exceptions).
Agreed
America in a nutshell then 😂
It's easy to see why a show like the US Office is so widely popular by everyone because it's a kind of happy medium of the two. That UK base of average normal people who aren't that amazing at life and slowing watching them succeed at small things
They literally had the same pilot episode.
I'd love to add to this that, the friendship displayed in the friends episode is drop-in friend level. It's "you agree with me politically, you're low effort, and you make me look good". It's quintessentially American.
The friendship displayed in Peep show is deep, true friendship, that withstands moments of bitterness and angst. Friendship that lasts through the darkest times, even through pissing yourself to protect your friend.
This runs through the fabric of both societies. Friendships with ideologies versus friendships with real, actual, flesh and blood people with foibles and flaws.
An important aspect for me when watching comedy is the “aftertaste.” I laugh at anything clever in the moment, but how does my soul feel after watching an episode or two? Like life is fun, success is possible if you throw yourself at a goal (even in a ridiculous way), there are entertaining personalities and situations everywhere if you only have the eyes to notice them? Or like life is a unscalable mountain, most people who express themselves are losers, and you just have to have a dry wit to cope with the bleak reality we’ve been handed. I know it’s the less sophisticated answer because British accents are so beautiful, but I like American comedy better. I leave happy and inspired, more appreciative of life. Very interesting video! Thanks!
How can we talk about British comedy and not mention Alan Partridge?
Great to see Peep Show getting some recognition though.
Alan partridge is so overrated imo. Why do older people love him so much??
@@bums009 just shut the fuck up
@@sethbatsonxx5967 I second this.
A character 27 years in development that is so broadly explored as to have released autobiographies....overrated🤫
@@bums009 Because he's funny. Not exactly rocket science.
Brits are more comfortable with "dark", which is why Frankie Boyle is so loved, despite claiming to hate people. The Knight Rider sketch from Tramadol Nights sums this up perfectly.
Finding humour in bleakness is British. Using humour to avoid or escape bleakness is American.
Edit: I agree with Ricky Gervais, though: generalizing is not a good idea.
In British comedy you're relieved you're not like the dunce being laughed at. In American comedy you'd quite like a life like the characters'. I prefer British humour because it feels closer to reality and less idealised. I get why others might prefer US humour for the same reasons though
I would not like to be any character from Curb your Enthusiasm, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, or Arrested Development. And how close was Benny Hill to reality? Just saying.
Characters in a UK comedy think they are living in a US Comedy. It's the hope mixed with a delusion of grandeur that is what kills them.
Excellent video btw, earned a sub.
This is only fools and horses perfectly summed up
Dude im ngl, the british office is fucking hilarious, i got tired of rewatching the american version and i tried it, i cant believe more people didnt watch, it was super funny!
I watched it when it first released and loved it. The cringe is so hard to get through lol you feel so bad for Brent at times.
When I watched British version I just didn't enjoy as I did with u.s version
Brit version is funny but cringy and sad
minnime That’s kind of the point with it though. British comedy treads a bit of a knife edge of tragicomedy. The characters are borderline pathetic, sometimes to the point that you feel bad at laughing at them, even if they’re complete assholes. David Brent is absolutely awful. And yet when he really hits rock bottom, it’s super uncomfortable to watch.
The UK office (the original office) in my opinion is a genre defining masterpiece. I mean it basically single handedly invented the mockumentary format. It makes me laugh out loud less than the US version, but that doesn't mean it's not as good. Its far more nuanced and complex in terms of characters, and in my opinion it goes beyond comedy into just legitimately brilliant and heartbreaking drama status
Missing from this video: The IT Crowd and Black Books.
And any of the Alan Partridge series.
That really is an interesting point about American characterization, that everyone believes that if they work hard enough, then they could potentially be successful. It's not just in humor, but in all media. From dramas like There Will Be Blood, Breaking Bad and Nightcrawler, showing the dark side of American capitalism, to The Office, It's Always Sunny, and almost any Adam Sandler film showing the optimistic change that people can improve on their situation, or at least be content with it. And that feeling of content is hardwired into American culture, that it's not enough to sit and complain about politics or the economy, but to rationalize how you can make those issues not matter as much to you. The pursuit of happiness and contentness are in the preamble that is read first in the constitution, a paper that is considered as divine as the 10 commandments to some. At the end of every episode of It's Always Sunny, the gang relax and have a drink. They're happy, and content with their life choices. That's the baseline, and they might even improve at the end in some episodes. The ending of the office shows everyone as successful, with Dwight literally having a white picket fence farm house, the setting point of the American Dream. It's a religion, almost, to be American. And it truly is something that can't be learned fully, only lived.
well-written in-depth analysis. would have loved to see more content & further explanation regarding the effects of America capitalism. 88/100
Idk about the always sunny part. I feel like if they’re ever content at the end of an episode it’s for comedic value for the audience to see how completely selfish and unaware the gang are of their bad decisions lol
As a fan of British humour, I discovered a UK comedy called "Coupling" and it's basically a British version of Friends but without all the slapstick and a lot more adult humour. Highly recommend it.
Wow that's a blast from the past 👍
Upstart Crow starring David Mitchell (as Shakespeare) is my recommendation. Very British comedy, Blackadderesque.
I live in Scranton and I can tell you that Scranton is undeniably gloomy unless it’s halfway summer which it isn’t most of the year.
Eh, I live in the Hill Section near Nay Aug, and I think the city is charming in it's own run down, backwards sort of way.
Ocrilat
Well Nay Aug’s pretty in the summer and when it’s not cloudy Scranton’s skies look better than most of the world.
@@piyodsbl1900 Lol I love that the city has 10x more trees than people, and really dig the old buildings.
the only good thing about Scranton is Joe Biden and he’s not even that good 😆
In regards to the reference to the American dream element of American comedy. Events over the last year has kind of shattered that illusion so it will be interesting to see how American comedy evolves from now on.
How doesn't this have more views
The algorithms started being kind, let's hope it continues
I genuinely loved this essay. I watched all mentioned shows, and have never stopped to realise the difference. This will make any future US&UK comedy experience even better, thank you~
This is one of my favourite UA-cam videos I’ve ever watched! Brilliant, love it!
I think it's unfair to say that american comedy is more slapstick. British comedy has a strong tradition of the slapstick, including shakespeare, pantomime, punch and judy, mr bean, charlie chaplin fawlty towers, benny hill, and laurel and hardy
OmG - you forgot BOTTOM
I agree. It’s interesting that all those examples are relatively old. I think that maybe a lot of the divergence in the comedic styles happened in the late 20th, early 21st century. Could be wrong though.
@@threefoldland I think maybe in terms of slapstickness, sure, that divergence is more recent (with slapstickness maybe having become less common in british humour over the last couple of decades). I think part of that is that slapstick british comedy is disproportionately for children (or atleast available for children), and so I think that over the last couple of decades british humour may have become more sophisticated or clever than it was in the past, and so slapstick comedy may have become less common.
@@franticranter Yeah I agree. I mean, still really enjoy slapstick if its done right.
Old British slapstick has morphed into the "physical comedy" of characters like Frank Spencer, Hyacinth Bucket and the mad villagers of the _Vicar of Dibley._ None of these comedies has a particularly clever script, but it is the physical delivery of their lines which is genius.
HIMYM is another fine example. Brilliantly written, eventually everyone becomes a better version of themselves at the end. It might appease american viewers, but shows like that or friends put such unrealistic expectations on people lives.
Exactly! But there were also some raw, hard-hitting moments in HIMYM. The ending, itself, is so divisive
I wish I could enjoy HIMYM but Ted is just such a whiny brat, completely unlikable
Tbf a middle aged man having friends is unrealistic to begin with
HIMYM is so mediocre it's tragic it went on as long as it did
@@tzauron cringe HIMYM is goated
This is really interesting. Surely Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm are exceptions to the US trends? The characters in these shows rarely grow, and their outlooks are often cynical.
As soon as he mentioned that the Peep Show scene was about wedding doubts, I thought of Seinfeld. The whole arc with George not wanting to get married to Susan but being too cowardly to call it off, then being happy when she died - that's pretty dark!
@@tiddlypom2097 And don't forget that she died from toxic envelope glue because George bought the cheapest wedding invitations he could get.
But even then, every single character is generally satisfied and most viewers would trade their lives for theirs. Jerry, Larry, George, Elaine, Kramer. The only loser is Newman and he's not a main character.
This was really good. I hope it blows up
It’s interesting to think about how societal circumstances effect comedy, that was a really cool comparison to draw
i actually rly love both and see the ingenuity in each - US or UK comedy. hope to see more asian comedies tho, more relatable to me personally
What do you recommend? I've tried watching asian comedies, mainly korean, but personally I find them completely unfunny and almost unwatchable as they seem so over-acted and over the top and slapstick. Maybe that's just me missing jokes because of a culture divide though
It’s always sunny is more of a British comedy I would say
I’m British and I find the deprecation and laughing at people that comes with British comedy just distasteful and unnecessary most of the time. British comedy can definitely be funny but I don’t see what’s comedic about putting people down and laughing at who they are and I don’t see how that’s an enjoyable viewing experience. I want to laugh but not feel awful about myself in the process so I ultimately prefer American comedy. However, I don’t like the slapstick part of American comedy because it’s again laughing at peoples misfortune and a very cheap way to get a few laughs
I get what your saying but it's also refreshing, think about embarrassing things that happened during School then watch inbetweeners and see actually we were all that dumb and embarrassing. It kind of unites us in our flaws instead of tries to gloss over them.
I like it as we have this attitude of "don't think you're better than anyone else, we're all losers". Nobody takes themselves seriously here, whereas in america they take everything way too seriously and just come across arrogant and entitled a lot of the time
I get your point, but at the end of the day these aren't real people were laughing at, and the situations they get themselves into and how they handle stuff can be quite cathartic and allow you to laugh at those qualities you recognize in yourself, and take yourself a little less seriously.
I’m someone who can’t stand secondhand embarrassment so I don’t really like the UK type humor. I was always the type of person who got laughed AT, so it’s really hard for me to watch that type of humor and see others get put down for things I can understand.
@@citruscirrus5607 same! That’s exactly why I hate it too
Great video! Enjoyed every bit.
The audio mixing could be smoother, however. I had to turn the volume up and down throughout, especially when Fry spoke.
Even out the volume a bit, and you're a top tier essayist.
Interesting. In my 'outsider' experience of watching both UK and US comedy, in general US comedy laughs at other people (more slap-stick), while UK comedy is more self-deprecating, encouraging us to laugh at ourselves. So while I appreciate this care in which this has been presented, I start from a different philosophical base. To me, US humour is cruel: UK humour is not.
I 100% agree
The high satire of Benny Hill must have went over my head.
I completely agree
What? I actually completely disagree. If we follow what was said in the video, US comedy laughs *with* its characters whereas UK comedy laughs *at* its characters. This is the *exact opposite* of what you took from this video.
Also, I don't think any of them is cruel or anything like that. It's just different comedy.
@@cogitoergosum9069 it is the opposite of the video thesis but I really don’t think the take in this video is correct, in US comedy the punchline is always getting one over on someone else. You may be rooting for a figure to succeed, but the jokes tend to be them succeeding by getting in a great retort or put down at someone. In UK comedy, the protagonists are losers, but the comedy is in their reactions to things, their beleaguered sigh when things go wrong again, the relatable feeling of losing yet again. The punchline is a look of defeat or a sigh from the protagonist. The US figure is aspirational and we laugh with them maybe but we are actually laughing AT whoever they are laughing at, when Chandler or Barney gets in a good jab at someone in friends or HIMYM for example. In the UK, the protagonist is an object of pity but relatably so and you laugh with them in their predicaments because we all know what it feels like to suck at something.
Thanks for an actual interesting analysis of the differences instead of a discussion of an opinion of which is funnier. Personally I enjoy both for all of the reasons you mentioned.
Wonderful analysis and presentation. Thank you!
It's interesting that It's Always Sunny is shown as an example, but they intentionally subvert a lot of American sitcom tropes, or sitcom tropes in general. The best example is the episode where they try to win a bar award but the bars are a metaphor for sitcoms - they visit a bar where there are lots of bright colours, the staff are cheerful and likeable, and there's a will-they-won't-they situation going on. They try to copy this formula at their own bar but inevitably fail and joyfully embrace their weird, horrible selves.
What about all the gentle sweet-natured British comedy though? I don't think you should underestimate the impact of shows like Vicar of Dibley, Miranda, and Dinner Ladies. And what about the Bridget Jones films? Even Fleabag, while containing lots of harsh comedy, has a wise-cracking heroine who isn't at all pathetic. I feel like you've picked quite a narrow range of shows mostly from a particular period of time and that's why they're similar
Those are good examples which don't fit the story, but a large proportion of British sitcoms revolve around the recurring failure of their main characters. Don't know if you're familiar with all of these but off the top of my head some examples from 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's: Hancock's Half Hour, Steptoe & Son, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads, Some Mothers do Ave Em, Porridge, Rising Damp, Only Fools & Horses, Blackadder, Bottom, Alan Partridge. Every episode is about people trying to better themselves financially or socially, and every time they fail and end up back where they started.
I don't watch much American stuff but British and Irish sitcoms seem to laugh at failure more often than anything else.
@@StupStups yeah that's true, we do love a loser in the UK, but I don't think that necessarily makes the comedy bleak or dark?? There's a lot that's admirable and uplifting about the British comic hero getting knocked down but keeping on trying. It depends a lot on the writer's tone - the character's life might be one long stream of indignities, but if it's taken very lightly it's not painful. I agree that American comedy is generally more aspirational and British comedy is more grotty though! :)
Edit: forgot to give examples, but feel like Dad's Army, Jeeves and Wooster, The Good Life, Love Nina, and The Durrells are all good ones! Also Edgar Wright's cornetto films (iconic! 🙌)
Well miranda and the vicar of dibley in my opinion are classically british comedy characters as they're both losers who fail constantly. Utterly loveable, and not a bad people at all, but very different to american comedy characters still. In america they'd make them more attractive, less weird and less frumpy. And bridget jones doesn't really count as its a movie made for american audiences as well as british ones
@@hi-ve1cw yeah, that's true, I just mean that British comedy isn't always dark and bleak tbh! It can have a positive outlook and a happy ending and still be typically British
@@dulcierobertson7828 Yeah I agree. There's loads of british comedies that aren't very bleak, I'd actually say most of them have a generally light-hearted tone like the inbetweeners, or fawlty towers, or blackadder, but overall the key similarity is still that the characters are all losers
this video is awesome!!! i learned so many interesting things that i've never thought of before, but this answered pretty much every question i've had in my head of why i never connected with british comedy much. this explanation actually gave me a fresh perspective to help me enjoy it more.
Uk office gives me depression when I realise the inherent sadness in human existence.
US office cheers me up and cures my depression and destroys my stupid grandiosity when I realise we need to move on and stop worrying about our actions in the past
The depression is just reality.
Great channel, keep it up. Reminds me of every frame a painting :) Cant wait for your next video
This thumbnail intrigued me 😬
"Laughing at vs. Laughing with"
So much of a difference. Really.
I hope video's going to be worth it...
Fantastic commentary! Just subbed, thoroughly enjoyed this video! :) 🙌
I think there’s just a huge difference in culture
UK comedy usually tries to build to moments of extreme pathos. Steptoe, Rising Damp, Blackadder, Inbetweeners, The Office, Peep Show, Friday Night Dinners. Tragedy and Comedy dancing with each other. I have never felt emotional while watching an american comedy but been moved and close to tears many, many times by UK comedies. Lots of UK writers would feel that they were wasting their time unless they could tap into profound truths and use comedy just as a means to get there. Maybe Roseanne was the closest.
I'd say Scrubs has some very Emotional moments, amazing show but I do find it hard to watch the entirety of a US comedy series, jokes and characters get played out so get out when it's good no need for 8-20 seasons!
Fleabag is another great example of this.
The ending of Blackadder Goes Forth, when they all go over the top to meet their doom, is probably one of the most heartbreaking scenes in all of television, probably made me cry the most too. And all that for a comedy! The Brits just do it best
@@missmillienettleton and Ghosts!
My favorite comedy is Frasier,
which I'll admit is pretty by the books with American comedy in its over the top slapstick and wise-cracking, but I find it interesting how it relates to British comedy in Frasier's flaws constantly causing his downfall. And yet, he still has a great job in a wealthy appartment and gets along with his family.
My fave US comedy as a Brit is Frasier also - probably because it is close to UK style. Yes Frasier is a quick witted high achiever sometimes surrounded by people of dubious character but you do often laugh at him because as you say he has flaws due to his superiority complex which leads to him regularly misreading situations and often ending up with egg on his face which is what makes him continuously relatable. Also the set up is not a necessarily conventional US or romanticised scenario either. The first episode I thought was so well written with Frasier and Martin struggling to understand each other and accept what was best for the father. Along with Steptoe and Son - I love it!
@@moominmayI love how Frasier balances comedy and difficult family relationships. They make it seem so heartfelt and real while still getting into hilariously absurd situations.
@@TheWinterWarlock yes exactly - it’s a perfectly balanced comedy!
That scene in outnumbered where Ben is asking questions to the vicar is gold👌
USA can’t hack the UK banter level
and that's the truth
Thanks for the video, I love comparing USA and UK shows.
Personally (I’m canadian btw) I like both, depending on the type of show. To me I think the biggest difference is this. American shows are more likely to try to make their material easier for non Americans to understand, compared for british shows for non brits to understand.
That’s a huge reason why I prefer USA office more than UK. UK is still a great show, but I can’t laugh at it because I don’t get most of the jokes, even what they say I cannot always understand. And I think that difficulty in understanding the british office, helped make the USA office a success.
Whereas e.g. American top gear? I don’t like it personally. But british top gear (original with clarkson, May, Hammond) is one of my faves. Even if not all jokes I could understand, it was very easy to understand their persona, the banter with each other.
And kitchen nightmares. Omg. The USA version is like wwe in a restaurant. Sorry I’m prob ranting at this point 😅
I love British comedy and I've been told my sense of humor is dark.
This is a solid video but I think that friends, the office, and it’s always sunny are not the only representations of American humor. You can find other examples and new ideas in sitcoms like 30 rock, community, parks and rec, and other shows.
brilliant video! I think it's so interesting to think about these differences, and I like how you linked it to the American dream and such. I think the type of comedy which we most often see in the US is more like sentimental comedy- the characters overcome trials and bizarre situations and come off well at the end, and British is more low comedy where, as you said, we laugh at who the characters are and I think this does reflect the general British attitude which is very cynical and less optimistic.
Great video! In general I don't have a exact distinction between the two examples of comedy, but this video clears it up. However, I would argue that it's always sunny is much more of a mix between the American and British comedy. The whole show is about assholes who don't change, who hate each other and themselves but only stay together because it's normal for them. And with their style of comedy is much more word play, with some of their most famous quotes from the show being insults to each other. Again, great video!
Completely agree with you there, in general I think always sunny - especially the early seasons - has a lot of the qualities of a more British than American version of comedy (while perhaps becoming more Americanized in seasons 13 and 14 e.g. better lit, character development of Mac, locations looking more like sets etc.)
I never thought about it, but it seems to check out. Being American, I do love the character growth and hope aspect of American comedy. I enjoy British comedy as well, but the end of the shows always felt to be missing something for me. Guess that was it.
This is a good gateway into the different upbringings in our culture on a very deep level very interesting.
Hey now. I take exception to anyone calling "Friends" a comedy. But seriously, great video!
As a European the UK comedy seems cringy to me while the US comedy seems forced. Of course there are exceptions in both cases.
You know what I actually agree with that you've made the best comparison in my opinion.
Well at least UK comedy is supposed to be cringy, so they've succeeded in their goal whereas I doubt american comedies are trying to seem forced. Cringe comedy isn't everyone's favourite, it's just personal preference but I love it
What is the comedy from your own country like?
@@omp199Honestly in my country I think we have some funny comedies but the problem here is the overacting and some times they try too hard to make you laugh but hey at least we don't put a laugh track in every phrase
@@iliaslef Well, that's something. :) Maybe you could start a campaign to get a comedy made with some more subtle acting!
I would say it’s a little bit of a stretch to fit Always Sunny into that hopeful optimistic vibe of American comedies, I think the point of that show is that they are horrible, unpleasant losers, who do stupid, cruel and not very well thought out things and it’ll usually come back to bite them.
I think it’s got a lot more scepticism and nihilism in. But what separates it from being a British comedy (at least modern British comedies) is that it goes quite big and outlandish with its storytelling, whereas British tend to present a very realistic set of people, circumstances and flaws and only exaggerate slightly for comedic effect.
Brits love to laugh at their actual faults and worries and the world, in a very relatable way, whereas I think Americans generally laugh at earnestness and shenanigans
If I ever get that abhorrent asmr ad for that Rise sleep app again, I’m suing UA-cam.
Great video btw.
This was very interesting, thank you!
I haven't seen much british sitcom but I think a big part is also the length of the show. American sitcoms go for hundreds of episodes so there is lots of space for growth and character development.
Enjoyment of British humor seems to be grounded in schadenfreude.
“Pain looks good on other people.”
Really nice analysis 👌👌👍👍
I think a good example of this would have been parks and rec. It is incredibly bright and upbeat and the characters are always growing and bettering themselves. But at the same time it's funny and you do literally laugh with the show and the characters.
Similar to what you said and how I would sum it up: Uk care/judge on WHO you are........USA care/judge on the things you do
You can sum up British Vs US comedy by looking at Jims pranks Vs Tims pranks in The Office. American comedy is very sensationalised. Jim's pranks are so unbeliaveble that you have to subvert logic and realism and just go with the fact that this guy will spend an entire day setting this stuff up out of office hours. Tim's pranks are things that you probably see happen in a real office. UK comedy is very grounded in reality except in shows like the IT Crowd and the Mighty Boosh but in those cases they literally spell it out that the main characters are living in a python esc world. In US comedy they play the over the top stuff completely straight. As if the crazy stuff that happens is completely normal. Both sides are great but the contrast is why it's so difficult to do like for like remakes.
A nice, fairly comprehensive video. We'll done. I would like to see someone do a more in depth look at comic styles, situations, and word play, comparing English and American. Regardless, this was insightful and obviously not a 20 min grab for views, thankyou.
What makes that scene from peep show even better is there's a baptismal bath behind them that he could have pissed in.
I'm surprised you didn't include Community as an example of US comedy.
I was thinking the same. I really like the character of Jeff because of the way the show plays with the main character archetype. He starts off as this hot shot lawyer and thinks he above everyone but spends the later series stuck in a dead end job at greendale. Almost everyone else gets their "achieving their dream" moment except for him, Jeff is the only one not in an American comedy
What are the chances that I’ve just been watching many many clips of QI, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, & Would I Lie To You?
Pretty high. It’s called UA-cam algorithm.
That scene in Peep Show where Jeremy pees down the balcony at the wedding had me choking on my own laughter...
2:14
"Its weird because the situation really isn't funny"
"And you add a laugh track..."
"I know, but the laughing _tells_ me that it's funny"
Conclusion:
American comedy is more positive, while British comedy is more realistic
Shows like The Mighty Boosh or Shooting Stars is a good example of the difference. There is no way that this kind of comedy would ever translate as it seems that USA humour always has to “make sense” and the absurd or abstract is shyd away from.
Hear hear! Comedic surrealism cannot be overlooked as something quintessentially british. We've The Goon Show and Monty Python to thank for that grand tradition.
This was super good!!!
Very well put. Thank you.
Today I learned that the British trade their tea for espresso depresso when they write comedy
I was considering watching Peep Show & am very sad that Mark is never happy :(
Definitely give it a watch! One of my favorite comedies of all time, up there with Its Always Sunny.
Well, he is always fairly optimistic in the short term..he is always thinking the woman he is pining after is or could be THE ONE... but once he gets to know them.. he realises they're not compatible or he makes an absolute disaster of it. He tries to improve his work life & career, but things outside his control often mess it up. That's part of what his relationship with Jeremy so funny... that Jez is a slacker who never or rarely tries, but does somehow manage to get these amazing women - Nancy, Big Suze, Elena, Zara & somehow even getting hs dream job(s).. but again these often have strings or are not what Jeremy believed them to be. Peep Show is amazing, should give it a watch.
Check out Mitchell and Webb in their new series "Back". You'll be miserable.
that's what's so good about it! mark is a terrible person, it's brilliant
Well this was surprisingly insightful
This is excellent thank you for this