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January 19, 2011 8:28 AM Subscribe
What are some shows like Flight of the Conchords and/or The IT Crowd?
My partner and I generally do not have similar taste in movies/television (and we are both woefully out of touch with current pop culture), but two shows we've both really enjoyed were Flight of the Conchords and The IT Crowd. We've finished both series, and we need something new to watch! What are some shows with similar character-based humour that we might enjoy?
My partner and I generally do not have similar taste in movies/television (and we are both woefully out of touch with current pop culture), but two shows we've both really enjoyed were Flight of the Conchords and The IT Crowd. We've finished both series, and we need something new to watch! What are some shows with similar character-based humour that we might enjoy?
I'm not sure how actually similar they are, but I loved both those shows and also loved the CBC series jPod.
posted by dreadpiratesully at 8:34 AM on January 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by dreadpiratesully at 8:34 AM on January 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Father Ted was written by the same writer as The IT Crowd, and was brilliant. Black Books is also great.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:34 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:34 AM on January 19, 2011
Ah yes, seconding The Mighty Boosh and Darkplace.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:36 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:36 AM on January 19, 2011
those are two shows that my hubby and i were able to agree upon as well! although it's a variety show with just 2 comedians, That Mitchell and Webb Look is VERY similar. also, if you're into vintage stuff at all, Fawlty Towers is great, i believe it's still considered the number one british tv show of all time. we also liked Outsourced and Modern Family...they're in the same humor family.
posted by assasinatdbeauty at 8:36 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by assasinatdbeauty at 8:36 AM on January 19, 2011
Better of Ted and/or Arrested Development?
Eastbound & Down
30 Rock
posted by Acer_saccharum at 8:37 AM on January 19, 2011
Eastbound & Down
30 Rock
posted by Acer_saccharum at 8:37 AM on January 19, 2011
err... make that Better Off Ted
posted by Acer_saccharum at 8:37 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by Acer_saccharum at 8:37 AM on January 19, 2011
The Inbetweeners, though I thought the third series went a little too far.
posted by MegoSteve at 8:38 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by MegoSteve at 8:38 AM on January 19, 2011
You might try the late lamented Party Down.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 8:39 AM on January 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 8:39 AM on January 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
If going for clever comedy, Arrested Development is particularly good.
posted by samsara at 8:40 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by samsara at 8:40 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Spaced (two series from 1999 and 2000). Both seasons were on Hulu the last time I checked.
posted by devbrain at 8:41 AM on January 19, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by devbrain at 8:41 AM on January 19, 2011 [6 favorites]
Some of my current favorite comedies might work:
Community
How I Met Your Mother
30 Rock
Modern Family
Not exactly like Flight, and I never saw IT crowd, but I find the above shows quite good. Especially Community.
posted by Grither at 8:43 AM on January 19, 2011
Community
How I Met Your Mother
30 Rock
Modern Family
Not exactly like Flight, and I never saw IT crowd, but I find the above shows quite good. Especially Community.
posted by Grither at 8:43 AM on January 19, 2011
what are some shows you disagreed on? I adored FotC but have never even heard of the IT crowd, so my advice would be limited... have you checked out:
Community
30 Rock
Louis
Larry Sanders (from the '90s, netflix it)
Arrested Development
Psych (not hilarious but has the buddy element)
How I Met Your Mother (a bit hit or miss)
Strangers With Candy (very weird, can be a bit gross, but sometimes brilliant)
posted by mdn at 8:44 AM on January 19, 2011
Community
30 Rock
Louis
Larry Sanders (from the '90s, netflix it)
Arrested Development
Psych (not hilarious but has the buddy element)
How I Met Your Mother (a bit hit or miss)
Strangers With Candy (very weird, can be a bit gross, but sometimes brilliant)
posted by mdn at 8:44 AM on January 19, 2011
I love the humor of both of those shows.
I'd throw in if you like that kind of humor to check out Curb Your Enthisiasm. It has the socially awkward, kind of nutty humor that both of IT Crowd and FOTC.
Also seconding Eastbound and Down.
I'd throw in the Ricky Gervais Show (HBO), and An Idiot Abroad which will be airing on the Science channel soon (or torrent it as I do, didn't know if it would come to the States as it was on Sky1).
Have you checked out Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia? That is a side splitter sometimes and Danny Devito joined the show because he loved the concept so much.
posted by handbanana at 8:47 AM on January 19, 2011
I'd throw in if you like that kind of humor to check out Curb Your Enthisiasm. It has the socially awkward, kind of nutty humor that both of IT Crowd and FOTC.
Also seconding Eastbound and Down.
I'd throw in the Ricky Gervais Show (HBO), and An Idiot Abroad which will be airing on the Science channel soon (or torrent it as I do, didn't know if it would come to the States as it was on Sky1).
Have you checked out Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia? That is a side splitter sometimes and Danny Devito joined the show because he loved the concept so much.
posted by handbanana at 8:47 AM on January 19, 2011
I like those shows, too, and also enjoyed Coupling and adore Community. Nthing Arrested Development; it's great to marathon it all. I hear awesome things about 30 Rock and Always Sunny.
posted by mostlybecky at 8:47 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by mostlybecky at 8:47 AM on January 19, 2011
It will be here. I saw commercials specifically talking about how it was going to be on.
posted by theichibun at 8:48 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by theichibun at 8:48 AM on January 19, 2011
I think like Bored to Death has the same lackadaisical feel and sweet-natured comedy as FotC. The only problem is that Season 1 only has 6 or 8 episodes... way too few.
posted by The Michael The at 8:49 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by The Michael The at 8:49 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Re: shows we disagreed on, I like some trashy TV dramas (Grey's Anatomy-- shameful, I know-- and True Blood come to mind), he prefers documentaries and comedies.
These look great so far, keep 'em coming guys!
posted by torisaur at 8:52 AM on January 19, 2011
These look great so far, keep 'em coming guys!
posted by torisaur at 8:52 AM on January 19, 2011
Better Off Ted and Party Down feel similar to those shows to me, but I'm not sure I can enumerate or articulate reasons why I think this. Darkplace is a no-brainer.
posted by painquale at 8:53 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by painquale at 8:53 AM on January 19, 2011
It's Garry Shandling's Show. Seriously.
posted by mintcake! at 8:54 AM on January 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by mintcake! at 8:54 AM on January 19, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also just thought of Louie, it Louis CK's show that was just on FX and will have a second season.
Bored to Death is also fantastic.
posted by handbanana at 8:54 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Bored to Death is also fantastic.
posted by handbanana at 8:54 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
My votes go for:
Arrested Development
Better off Ted
Black Books
That Mitchell & Webb Look
Modern Family
30 Rock
(More or less in that order, although they're all good)
posted by schmod at 8:55 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Arrested Development
Better off Ted
Black Books
That Mitchell & Webb Look
Modern Family
30 Rock
(More or less in that order, although they're all good)
posted by schmod at 8:55 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Green Wing
posted by mimo at 8:59 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by mimo at 8:59 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
+1-ing Modern Family, anything with Mitchell and Webb (M+W Look, Peepshow), Community, Louie, Black Books, and 30 Rock.
Also consider Archer (animated, on FX - Spy spoof featuring a bunch of cast from Arrested Development, plus a fair amount of crossover with FotC gueststars), Spaced, and, as something out of left field, Top Gear. It has that sort of misanthropic banter that the English do pretty well. My wife and I have 0 interest in cars, but watched all the Top Gear streaming on Netflix in a few weeks.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:05 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also consider Archer (animated, on FX - Spy spoof featuring a bunch of cast from Arrested Development, plus a fair amount of crossover with FotC gueststars), Spaced, and, as something out of left field, Top Gear. It has that sort of misanthropic banter that the English do pretty well. My wife and I have 0 interest in cars, but watched all the Top Gear streaming on Netflix in a few weeks.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:05 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Summer Heights High - a mockumentary that is just brilliant, done by an Aussie who plays three of the characters.
posted by Leezie at 9:06 AM on January 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Leezie at 9:06 AM on January 19, 2011 [4 favorites]
Ooh, Little Britain is excellent for character-based humour.
posted by Dragonness at 9:11 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Dragonness at 9:11 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
I came in here to suggest Party Down and Arrested Development, but was beaten to the punch. They both have the same kind of semi-absurd humour and buffoons-who-don't-realize-they're-buffoons that I associate with Conchords and IT Crowd.
posted by Johnny Assay at 9:14 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by Johnny Assay at 9:14 AM on January 19, 2011
This is a bit random, but after loving and devouring IT Crowd, Mighty Boosh, Father Ted, Black Books, Spaced, and Peep Show, the only thing I've enjoyed recently is Red Dwarf. It's not like the others, but it appeals to me in a similar way.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 9:40 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 9:40 AM on January 19, 2011
I also recommend Party Down and Louie. In my opinion, those two shows and most of the British shows I mentioned above, have a particular sense of sincere heart mixed in with their absurdist humor and general brilliance, which I think distinguishes them from some of the other American shows often lumped together with them in these threads. At least that's my conclusion after trying to figure out some of the common denominators among the shows I passionately love.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 9:54 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 9:54 AM on January 19, 2011
The Sarah Silverman Program. She is the least interesting aspect of the show, but the writing and supporting characters are great. Also, there are a lot of wacky songs that remind me of FoTC.
posted by TurkishGolds at 10:28 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by TurkishGolds at 10:28 AM on January 19, 2011
I wouldn't say The Thick of It is very much like Flight of the Conchords or The IT Crowd, but it's a really good show. It's more like The Office but set in a politician's office.
posted by Eumachia L F at 11:33 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Eumachia L F at 11:33 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
nthing Party Down. That show was brilliant -- first season was a little wobbly, and by the second season they were running full-tilt boogie. So freaking good, and a tragedy that two seasons is all they got. RIP.
posted by shiu mai baby at 11:34 AM on January 19, 2011
posted by shiu mai baby at 11:34 AM on January 19, 2011
Seconding The Thick of It. Easily my favourite Brit show in the recent years.
posted by Dragonness at 12:38 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by Dragonness at 12:38 PM on January 19, 2011
nth-ing Black Books, Coupling and Spaced. Also, listen to robocop is bleeding- Top Gear (the British one, not the recent American version) is hilarious. You don't have to care about cars to enjoy it. Also, kind of randomly, the cinematography on that show is gorgeous.
posted by oblique red at 1:04 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by oblique red at 1:04 PM on January 19, 2011
My recent new favorite: QI.
It's not similar to The IT Crowd, but people I know that like The IT Crowd also like QI.
There are lots of QI episodes on Youtube, so you can watch a few before you invest any real amount of time.
posted by cellojoe at 1:22 PM on January 19, 2011
It's not similar to The IT Crowd, but people I know that like The IT Crowd also like QI.
There are lots of QI episodes on Youtube, so you can watch a few before you invest any real amount of time.
posted by cellojoe at 1:22 PM on January 19, 2011
nthing Summer Heights High.
Another great mockumentary by Chris Lilley, where again he plays all the main characters, is We Can be Heroes: Finding the Australian of the Year, which apparently is often branded as The Nominees outside Australia.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:26 PM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Another great mockumentary by Chris Lilley, where again he plays all the main characters, is We Can be Heroes: Finding the Australian of the Year, which apparently is often branded as The Nominees outside Australia.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:26 PM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]
Black Books, Green Wing and Peep Show are all available on Hulu.
posted by media_itoku at 2:29 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by media_itoku at 2:29 PM on January 19, 2011
I also loved Flight of the Conchords. Currently, my new favourite is The Big Bang Theory.
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 3:24 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by Bron-Y-Aur at 3:24 PM on January 19, 2011
Please please follow Admiral Haddock's suggestions. I've recommended the same handful of shows more times than I can count on Mefi, but there's a reason why, whenever people ask for this variety of comedy, everyone has the same handful of suggestions: they're GOOD! Arrested Development is the only American show that comes close in brie-lliance! I WANT to like other shows, but everything else comes up short comparatively.
posted by Mael Oui at 9:26 PM on January 19, 2011
posted by Mael Oui at 9:26 PM on January 19, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Peepshow (though the characters are dreadful people).
Other of Linehan's shows--Black Books and Father Ted.
Sort of outlandish, but with some of your IT Crowd favorites is Garth Marenghi's Darkplace.
And, of course, The Mighty Boosh.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:34 AM on January 19, 2011 [4 favorites]