Luke has the Con!

Hey everyone.
Luke Foster is one of the Panel members and he's got control of the Blog.
I'll have an update on the new show later today.
Till then...

Hey there, everyone in Internet Land. It's your old pal Luke here, taking the reins of the blog for a moment to give Dave a break from all that typing. It hurts his delicate fingers, you see, and he needs those for his needlepoint work. As I'm sure you all know by now (since I won't let you forget), I have a big love of all things British. As you may have guessed from the "Doctor Who" and "Red Dwarf" shows, I could talk about that sort of stuff for hours. But rather than do that and send Marc into a coma, I decided to take the written path instead. Many of you (I assume) have thought to yourselves, "I've always wanted to watch some British comedy, but I don't know where to start. I wish someone would help me make the right choice!" Well worry no more, my friends, I'm here to help. Here's a list of stuff I like (in other words, all the British sitcoms I happen to own), and why.

Red Dwarf: Do I really need to talk any more about this show? Seriously, just go watch it. (also the episode topic of NPN#42! Dave.)

Blackadder: You guys have heard of Mr. Bean, right? The friendly guy who rarely talks and gets himself into all sorts of wacky adventures? What if the guy who played Mr. Bean played a character that was a manipulative, conniving bastard instead? Well, that's just what happened in the early 1980s, when Rowan Atkinson starred as the titular character. The show ran four seasons, each taking place in a different time in history, starting in the Dark Ages and ending in World War I. There was also a TV movie that took place in 1999 that wrapped the whole thing up. Atkinson played Edmund Blackadder (or Prince Edmund, the Black Adder in the first series), all descendents in the same family. All were men who craved money and power, and would lie, cheat, steal or whatever they had to do to get it. Blackadder's loyal sidekick was Baldrick, aiding in or, in many cases, the unwilling subject of one of Blackadder's schemes. Also, check out seasons three and four when Hugh Laurie, of "House" fame, co-starred as George, a moronic prince in season three and a moronic lieutenant in season four. It's a really funny show, and it's fun to root for the bad guy, even though more often than not his plans fail utterly.

Mr. Bean: I suppose I should talk about this one, since I mentioned it earlier and some of you might not have heard of it. Mr. Bean is, like I said, a friendly guy who rarely talks and gets himself into all sorts of wacky adventures, even if its something as seemingly mundane as making a sandwich or buying Christmas presents. Atkinson's pantomime ability is fantastic, telling a story and making us laugh the whole time, most of the time without uttering a word. There were only 14 episodes of Bean, and you can get them all in one convenient DVD pack.

Monty Python's Flying Circus: Come on, do I need to explain this one? Everyone's heard of Python. If they haven't, they're commies.

Fawlty Towers: Probably the best-known member of the Python troupe was John Cleese. Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth co-created "Fawlty Towers," about a completely unpleasant hotel manager, his wife, their staff, and the many and varied guests they have. This show ran only two seasons, but is considered to be a hallmark of television comedy for its great acting and solid, hilarious, and sometimes edgy writing.

The Office: You may have seen the show on American TV starring Steve Carrell, but the British one is better, because it's British. Ricky Gervais co-created (with Stephen Merchant) and starred in this show about life at a mid-level paper merchant in the city of Slough. It's filmed like a documentary and the humor comes from a combination of the bleakness that comes from working in an office as well as the almost horrifyingly embarrassing situations the main characters, particularly Gervais', get themselves in to. It is not only hysterical but also therapeutic for anybody who's worked in an office, if for no other reason than it lets you know you're truly not alone in the world. This series ran only two seasons, with a two-part special to wrap everything up, proving it's better to burn out than fade away.

Spaced: At last, a sitcom that speaks to me. Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson co-created, co-wrote, and starred in this show about two twentysomethings who pretend to be a couple so they can rent a flat (that's English for "apartment) together. Together with their friends Mike, Brian, Twist, and Marsha, they have all sorts of adventures, often bordering on the surreal. This show is a lot like "Friends," only instead of a bunch of pretentious rich people in boring situations, they're a bunch of artists and geeks with stories chock-full of pop culture references and surreal moments a la "Scrubs." "Spaced" only went two seasons before Pegg decided he needed a break and wrote "Shaun of the Dead," which propelled many of them to stardom. Fans clamor for a third season or a special – or anything, really – more than for any other show I've seen.

Extras: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's second show, this time about a film extra's desperate attempts to make it to the big time, and what happens when he finally does. This show is a bit different than "The Office," since it's not done in a documentary style and the humor is a bit darker. Also, look for at least one celebrity cameo per episode. This show followed the "two seasons and a special" format of "The Office," proving the maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

The Thin Blue Line: Rowan Atkinson's other, and far more traditional, sitcom, centering around a squad of police officers. This one was much more formulaic than his other shows, with the typical stories about unrequited love, rivalries among coworkers, misunderstandings leading to wacky situations, etc. Still and all, it's not a bad show, and got a lot done in its two seasons. Two seasons? Am I the only one starting to notice a pattern here?