Mrs Brown's Boys - the worst comedy ever made

[Chippy_Tea]

I am a big fan of MBB i guess i am one of the "audience that enjoyed the broad, double entendre comedy of On The Buses and Are You Being Served" mentioned below.



Mrs Brown's Boys has beaten Fleabag and After Life to win a fifth comedy prize at the National Television Awards.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46619935

How has a slapstick comedy, hinging on a middle-aged man pretending to be a troublesome 'mammy', thrived in the gulf between critics and audiences?

"I think it's because there's a certain section of the audience that feels disenfranchised by modern comedy; an audience that enjoyed the broad, double entendre comedy of On The Buses and Are You Being Served?" says Dick Fiddy, archive TV programmer at the BFI.

"I think Mrs Brown's Boys, as well as shows like Miranda, represents a style of comedy that isn't elsewhere."



It has been called "the worst comedy ever made," but after eight years, Mrs Brown's Boys remains a huge hit with viewers.

This was evidenced once again on Tuesday night after it won a fifth comedy prize at the National Television Awards.

When the sitcom, created by and starring Brendan O'Carroll as a foul-mouthed Irish matriarch, arrived on screens in 2011, it was generally met with critical disgust.

"Jaw-droppingly past its sell-by date," wrote the Metro at the time. "Old-fashioned," said the Guardian.

Things didn't improve from there, with the Observer calling it "shameless excrescence" in 2017.

Strong words. But at the same time, the show has grown to become one of the most-watched TV sitcoms in decades.

In 2016, it was named the greatest British sitcom in a Radio Times audience poll. It has won Baftas as well as a viewer-voted National Television Award.

Its Christmas special in 2018 brought in 6.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched programme of the day.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

***** mbb.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

***** mbb.

Any particular things you don't like?

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

All of it. Sorry chippy all my clients love it & a lot of my family !

 

[PhilBrew]

Hmmm ... those who think the comedy of Mrs Brown's Boys is based on double entendres probably also think the situations in Alanis Morisette's song 'Ironic' are actually based on irony

 

[Pavros]

I'm not sure that it's the worst comedy ever made - that one on ITV a few years ago with Denise van Outen was pretty bad (was it called Babes in the Wood, or something similar?).

I just find mbb terribly dated and not funny at all. I used to watch Are You Being Served, Allo, Allo etc in the 70s and 80s and enjoyed those shows as a kid BUT they haven't aged well. If I watched them now, I doubt I could sit through an episode.

I also hate the audience 'participation' bit in mbb when they cheer madly as soon as a 'loved' character appears. Having said that, I haven't seen a full episode, just bits if there is nothing else on before Match of the Day.

 

[Leon103]

Every episode is the same, hence why I stopped watching it years ago. It got a bit like little Britain did

 

[Pavros]

I would have had a hard time choosing the best comedy from those shortlisted. Didn't like Fleabag and hate Gervais (thought he was good in The Office until I realised that he wasn't actually acting in it!). I can't even remember the other nominees...

 

[MrRook]

One of the worst comedies in America was "My mother the car" starring Jerry Van Dyke (Dick Van Dyke's brother). The mother in the show died and somehow ended up speaking to her son through the car's radio.
It damn near killed Jerry Van Dyke's career. Luckily for him he managed to get cast on Coach, a really good comedy.

 

[MmmBeer]

Tried watching it once, didn't get it.
Is it the worst, who knows? Theres some pretty stiff competition for that accolade.
Overated? Definitely.

 

[LeeH]

Absolute dross, you can anticipate every sketch and gag.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

MBB is awful but not as bad as 'Not going out', so I would say the 2nd worst.

 

[terrym]

Stopped watching TV 'comedies' years ago with one or two exceptions. Most of them now are not even slightly amusing, and there are a few radio programmes like that too. I have occasionally seen bits of mbb and it looks pretty dire as was Miranda which was also, apparently very popular. I can't understand what people see in them. It's contrived rubbish and the canned laughter at the slightest 'funny' bit makes it even worse. The only comedy act who can make me actually laugh out loud is Peter Kay; Stewart Lee isn't far behind although many folks won't like his humour. But I did watch 'Life of Brian' again last night and there's stuff in there that's really funny, but sadly because of the PC brigade some of the content wouldn't be allowed on the big screen any more.

 

[GhostShip]

Still cannot get my head around how anyone could vote for this above Fleabag or After Life. It is absolutely beyond my comprehension.

Maybe we should stop allowing people to vote for things

 

[Richie_asg1]

I think there is room for improvement. I don't seem to be watching any regular comedy for the reasons above, but I do watch stand-up on Live from the Apollo, which is less contrived.
Used to love Allo Allo but was only Rene which used to break the 4th wall regularly.

 

[user 23602]

I've watched it once... And the only smile I raised was when I turned it over. It just feels dated and the humor isn't what I call humor, I just don't find it funny. I prefer humor of a darker, more questionable nature.

 

[MickDundee]

Absolute dross, you can anticipate every sketch and gag.

This.

Sex Education should have won the NTA.


The best sitcoms are the ones that fly under the radar somewhat. My favourites from the last 15 years are Early Doors (BBC2 comedy about a pub written by Craig Cash, was one of James McAvoy’s first TV roles. The crooked policemen stole the show but every character was fantastic) and Life in Pieces (American sitcom made up of a series of interlinking sketches starring James Brolin, Betsy Brandt, Colin Hanks and the lovely Zoe Lister Jones - in fact the latter two’s characters remind me of me and my wife)

 

[Linalmeemow]

as was Miranda which was also, apparently very popular

A one-joke effort, that one, the joke being "giant woman falls over". Funny once or twice for sure, no idea how you make multiple series out of it.

 

[Avo]

Early Doors (BBC2 comedy about a pub written by Craig Cash, was one of James McAvoy’s first TV roles. The crooked policemen stole the show but every character was fantastic)"

"Crime doesn't catch itself...." Clasic

 

[The Baron]

Bored with it had its day as with a lot of programmes went o to long