This is culturally related to the US dislike of dark comedy. Very few movies in this genre have ever been successful in the US whereas they are a stock in trade in Europe.
(Dr Strangelove, Bad Santa...??)
Why the British Are Better at Satire
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Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#32This is culturally related to the US dislike of dark comedy. Very few movies in this genre have ever been successful in the US whereas they are a stock in trade in Europe. (Dr Strangelove, Bad Santa...??)
The Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading and Fargo.
Also I'd argue MASH, which was massively successful, though that might be stretching dark comedy. Depends on the episode I guess.
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Daily Show/John Oliver/Colbert are the closest the US comes as far as I know. Maybe South Park occasionally? Although both the Daily Show and Colbert have now wrapped up. And John Oliver is more like 60 minutes (before they sold out) than Private Eye.
Also, John Oliver is... British.
His television persona however is very much a construct that owes itself to his time on American cable television, specifically the Daily Show.
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've read somewhere that there's no real appreciation and respect between two men unless they make fun of each other.
You are worse than a youtube commenter. Edit: down voted... I guess some didn't get the joke
Don't worry about it. You still have valid things to say.
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
"But I think in the end, American audiences want to see the good in people, especially the main characters." I used to work in TV series development. One of the ongoing legends in the TV development business is how every American TV exec loves Fawlty Towers , and even though everyone's tried to adapt it for American TV, none of their attempts has been successful. The reason being that American audiences need the prot…
But Basil is totally likeable. He's very reasonable, but the world (and his wife) always conspires against him. His only real fault is his class consciousness, but show me a Brit without any of that.
Basil Fawlty is many things, but I wouldn't say reasonable is one of them.
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#36I wonder how difference between TV show productions affects this. Broadcoast TV shows in America are expected to run 22 episodes a year. In the Thick of It has made about that many episodes over 7.5 years. I don't think you can get people to watch that much biting satire in such a small time period. But I think in the end, American audiences want to see the good in people, especially the main characters. If not good,…
I think it's been mocked a bit in Community. One character was utterly fond of short British TV shows that would end abruptly after 6 episodes, while American shows would be milked seasons after seasons.
6 seasons and a movie!
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#37Maybe it's driven by the UK's libel laws, and lack of a First Amendment?
In the US, the media can report on powerful people, then claim protection from the US constitution.
In the UK, there is no such protection, so reporting facts about powerful people is a dangerous business. Instead, the strategy is to turn the events into a satire. One has to walk a fine line with the satire. It has to be realistic enough that the audience can have an inkling about who is being referred to. At the same time, it has to ridiculous enough that no powerful person will be prepared to turn themselves into a laughing stock by claiming that the satire is actually refers to themselves, which would be the implication of a claim of libel.
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#38Is there any equivalent in the US of Private Eye: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Eye ? Here's a recent cover: http://www.private-eye.co.uk/covers.php?showme=1383 and another: http://www.private-eye.co.uk/covers.php?showme=1378
Spy (1986-1998) was loosely based on Private Eye.
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#39This is culturally related to the US dislike of dark comedy. Very few movies in this genre have ever been successful in the US whereas they are a stock in trade in Europe. (Dr Strangelove, Bad Santa...??)
The Coen Brothers' Burn After Reading and Fargo . Also I'd argue MASH , which was massively successful, though that might be stretching dark comedy. Depends on the episode I guess.
MASH maybe.
Burn After Reading and Fargo, not so much. Not that they weren't dark -- just that they weren't a success in any mainstream way, especially the first.
Re: Why the British Are Better at Satire
#40Saturday Night Live has done good political satire over the years.
They have made jokes about politics. Not satire of the British level.