I always wondered why so many British shows were never broadcast in America. I think the most I ever saw growing up in the 80s and 90s was a bit of monty python, mr bean and fawlty towers on PBS, but otherwise nothing. Were the licensing fees so high that it just wasn't worth it? I suppose you could argue that the style wasn't a perfect fit for American audiences, but even then, having a large source of already produced tv shows must have been worth it to one of the tv stations?
The American comic hero is the Stand-Up Philosopher, wittily demonstrating his superiority with every line. The British comic hero is trying his best and failing miserably in a way that is relatable to the audience.
Consequently, the only British comedy that is popular in the US is satire, like Monty Python and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
This seems to be a rehash of Stephen Fry’s observation on the difference between the styles of humor.
I would push back on your generalization, the American family sitcoms are as big if not bigger than standup comedy.
It's not standup vs sitcom so much as winning vs losing.
British comedy runs on kicking its protagonists in the nuts. Ideally, they bring it upon themselves, but cosmic irony will do in a pinch.
It's practically unheard of for a British protagonist to end an episode in a better place than they started unless it's the Christmas special.
You should watch 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'.
There's plenty of American comedy that doesn't fit this mold (Broad City and Search Party are two examples that come to mind).
Definitely. It's rather that the plucky underdog surviving on his wits is practically absent in British comedy.
Brits don't do Bugs Bunny, only Wile E. Coyote.
I think there are also plenty of counterexamples in that direction. Isn’t Edmund Blackadder a plucky underdog surviving on his wits?
The US broadcast syndication market is really only set up to sell shows that have more than 100 episodes. I think UFO, Space:1999, and the 1955 Robin Hood were among the few shows seen on regular non-PBS stations. The Disney Show would sometimes run UK-filmed material. (Scarecrow, Thomasina) Partly it's because Americans can't understand the words when they hear many UK dialect accents, so they tune out those shows and that tanks the ratings. Even if you give a station a free tv show they lose money if no one watches it. We do better at remaking shows like All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Skins, and Being Human.
But why?
Why do they need 100 episodes to run something?
One of the reasons is the number of episodes in a typical UK sitcom series. Normally there are only 6 episodes which US broadcasters find difficult to schedule
I feel that everyone would benefit from a few runs of Yes (Prime) Minister.
The former PM's memoirs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9NifqJyDMI
Budgets maybe? British shows (especially from the 80s) are cheaply made and a bit grubby, especially in comparison to US shows with their comparatively enormous budgets, beautiful people etc.
> beautiful people
I’ve watched both the original british “Ghosts” sitcom and the still running american one. And to be honest this is the american quirk that i found the most odd.
I’ve actually like the fact they have created different characters to make more sense to be stuck in an american manor, but the main ones dont hide the beautifull actors appeal, which is weird.
Also, the american ghosts chatecters seem to have less depht, or at least their deph is rarely shown, ie, deph is there, but ignored or forgotten in most eps.
I miss the “cavern ghost” that while he had very primitive behaviours, he was actually smart, but more than that, he showed the pain, experience and how he grow detatched from partimgs and the lime due to the millenia he has been stuck, his mirror “thor” also has noce things, but doesn’t compare, or at least they dont play to them enough.
The english boy scout is a more mature and melancolic as well, and acts as a father feature to the female lead occasionally, while the american younger seems much more steriotipical.
I really like the american finance bro, it is no way similar to his british politic counterpart, and they do show his nice guy side often, I think the fact that they made them so opposite made me enjoy it more.
I guess that the difference in episode count per season might also justify why in most eps the americans are just steriotypes.
But the “beauty” of the american ghosts is just silly american obsession.
I watched one episode of Ghosts (US) and that was plenty. I watched every episode of every series of Ghosts (UK).