January 06, 2012
Argentinian Racing Pigeon?
Growing up in Duckford, Sunday night was PBS night. Masterpiece Theater (Danger: UXB for the win!) went into Monty Python's Flying Circus, followed a half-hour later by Doctor Who (Fourth Doctor will always be the best).
In between Python and Doc was the incredibly unfunny The Two Ronnies. The show, which ran from 1971 to 1987 on BBC1, is a perfect example of how the humor from one country may not translate to another, even if they nominally speak the same language. Ronnie Barker (the stout one) and Ronnie Corbett (the short one) are apparently revered as something akin to comedy gods in Britain, with the show consisting of sketch comedy, opening and closing news parodies, and the legendary catchphrase "It's good night from me." "And it's good night from him." Some FIFTEEN MILLION PEOPLE tuned in each week to The Two Ronnies, a number which I can scarcely credit. Perhaps they included dead people in the count.
I believe Official First Friend of The Pond Vaucaunson's Duck will agree with me when I say that it was the single most disappointing British TV show of all time, at least until Are You Being Humiliated Served? came on. Having said that, it wasn't entirely awful. Every now and again, they would manage to drag a laugh or two out of us there in our cozy midwestern homes as we stayed up too late on a school night. For example, allow me to present this:
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In between Python and Doc was the incredibly unfunny The Two Ronnies. The show, which ran from 1971 to 1987 on BBC1, is a perfect example of how the humor from one country may not translate to another, even if they nominally speak the same language. Ronnie Barker (the stout one) and Ronnie Corbett (the short one) are apparently revered as something akin to comedy gods in Britain, with the show consisting of sketch comedy, opening and closing news parodies, and the legendary catchphrase "It's good night from me." "And it's good night from him." Some FIFTEEN MILLION PEOPLE tuned in each week to The Two Ronnies, a number which I can scarcely credit. Perhaps they included dead people in the count.
I believe Official First Friend of The Pond Vaucaunson's Duck will agree with me when I say that it was the single most disappointing British TV show of all time, at least until Are You Being Humiliated Served? came on. Having said that, it wasn't entirely awful. Every now and again, they would manage to drag a laugh or two out of us there in our cozy midwestern homes as we stayed up too late on a school night. For example, allow me to present this:
To be sure, it's no Fawlty Towers, but this particular sketch is the closest to "funny" I've ever seen from The Two Ronnies. The "black moon rock" gag actually made me laugh. Well, enjoy, won't you?
Posted by: Wonderduck at
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I never laughed at that show. Not ever, not once. Ditto for the other one you mentioned.
Now, The Vicar of Dibley, that was funny. I don't know if that was ever shown on WTTW; I saw it on whatever the PBS station was in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
...which would also run British SF series on Friday (later Saturday) nights. Red Dwarf and Doctor Who; and for a while they were running Blake's 7 after DW was over. (B7 was, for me, a disappointment, though the OP was pretty cool.)
But Two Ronnies? Not even in the same zip code as funny.
Now, The Vicar of Dibley, that was funny. I don't know if that was ever shown on WTTW; I saw it on whatever the PBS station was in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
...which would also run British SF series on Friday (later Saturday) nights. Red Dwarf and Doctor Who; and for a while they were running Blake's 7 after DW was over. (B7 was, for me, a disappointment, though the OP was pretty cool.)
But Two Ronnies? Not even in the same zip code as funny.
Posted by: Ed Hering at January 07, 2012 05:50 AM (4X4NQ)
2
Actually, I always enjoyed the Two Ronnies. A different sort of humor than the zany madcap Pythons. I have a weakness for puns and wordplay, which is what the Ronnies do best. And I always looked forward to Corbett's monologues.
It's all subjective, of course.
And Pertwee's was my favorite. Okay, Jo Grant, really.
It's all subjective, of course.
And Pertwee's was my favorite. Okay, Jo Grant, really.
Posted by: Vaucanson's Duck at January 08, 2012 03:46 PM (OFJiW)
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