Why do you like surreal humour? Page 5

Quote: Chappers @ 9th August 2018, 9:29 PM

Vic and Bob?

Like the dreaded chives on Big Night Out that were used to torment Les. The most surreal and funniest moments were the Action Image Exchange performances.

I'm a big fan of surreal comedy. I love the unpredictability of it. I can watch and enjoy standard comedy too but my favourite stuff most often has a surreal bent. Spike, Peter Cook, Python, The Mighty Boosh would all be my sort of thing.

I find that 'normal' comedy set in a cafe or a flat or a shop can be rather tedious with nothing that interesting happening. With surreal shows however you can escape to far-flung places or outlandish situations. I find those stories infinitely more interesting.

Yes

Quote: Firkin @ 9th August 2018, 8:51 PM

What recommendations do people have for surreal comedy.
Any more recommendations ? Which are you favourites ?

One Foot in the Grave

I like surreal humour, because it brings you out of reality for a minute. Somehow, comedy and fairly dark moments in comedy mix really well. Watching how characters deal with surreal moments is just funny. Whereas, your routine comedies which are full of nicesties mostly, are too easy to watch.

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 15th September 2018, 1:26 PM

One Foot in the Grave

I'd hardly call that surreal.

Quote: Chappers @ 23rd September 2018, 10:14 PM

I'd hardly call that surreal.

Really?

Given the dictionary definition of surreal as: "strange; not seeming real; like a dream; esp. the combining of items that are never found together in reality", I have always considered some of the plotlines very surreal.

The unsolicited delivery of a giant plastic fly that goes unexplained, the collection by Mrs Warboys of a gorilla costume from the dry cleaners instead of Victor's suit ("You must have seen it as a mistake when you brought it out" "Well I don't know what your suit looks like do I?") and "the shower is full of midges" are just 3 examples that spring immediately to mind.

Even the BBC comedy website referred to it as surreal (3 lines down in the second section):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/onefootinthegrave/

as does Wikipedia at the end of the 2nd paragraph in its "One Foot in the Grave" entry.

It's all very plausible as far as I'm concerned.

Quote: Chappers @ 24th September 2018, 9:34 PM

It's all very plausible as far as I'm concerned.

What in the name of bloody hell??!

You'd hardly call it surreal or it's all very plausible?

Which one?

I'm talking about One Foot in the Grave. I don't put it in the surreal bracket.

Quote: Chappers @ 26th September 2018, 12:06 AM

I'm talking about One Foot in the Grave. I don't put it in the surreal bracket.

Dead cat in a freezer?

Being asked to dog-sit a stuffed dog?

Live turtle burial?

The alien abductions?

Margaret's ghost caravan?

Gorilla costume mix-up?

Brothel beneath the chinese takeaway?

You should look up the definition of 'Surreal'.

I speak as someone who is not an expert on One Foot In The Grave but I remember watching it over the years and in particular the final episode which was very sad. Thankfully it was at a time before mobile phones and social media so it was something families watched and shared the experience together.

I wouldn't consider One Foot In The Grave as surreal because nothing ever happened that couldn't possibly happen in real life. I can't confirm that because as I make f**king clear I'm not an expert on the series but I don't think anything happened such as cartoon moments or flash back or a narrator. The IT Crowd in my opinion is about 95% un-surreal because despite how crazy the plots are they really could happen but there are moments such as when that weirdo hides up in the corner of the ceiling like a human spider that make it surreal.

Without wanting to give myself the warranted excessive pat on the back I still think that clears it up.

I think surreal is defined differently nowadays. I'm talking about fish on bicycles, soft watches and men in bowler hats with no faces.

Those things listed above are possible.

1970s Python then.

Quote: Chappers @ 2nd October 2018, 10:49 PM

I think surreal is defined differently nowadays.

Sorry, I didn't realise we were updating/re-defining the English language. I thought you, particularly, like me, were against such things. :)