British Men Behaving Badly

Not since The Young Ones have I been so hooked on a British comedy!

I lived in England for a brief period and while over there was introduced to Men Behaving Badly, possibly THE funniest sitcom I've ever seen. I was embarrassed when we (that is, the United States) tried to remake it with Ron Eldard and Rob Snyder (how does this guy continuously get work??). As TV censors are more uptight here, it was impossible to replicate the show's madcap, off-color humor, which is what made it work in the first place. (Ditto when High Society - another sitcom that thankfully flopped - tried to mimic Ab Fab.) The part where Gary finds his girlfriend's diaphragm and tries fitting it in his mouth - the way little kids do orange sections - was priceless, and would never make it past censors here, aside from maybe a Saturday Night Live sketch.

As a woman, I probably should have been repelled by some of Tony and Gary's antics, but found them oddly endearing and fun to watch. (Of course, if I was dating either one, the story would be different!) The only complaint I have was that the Gary-Dorothy romance wasn't very convincing...but then again, maybe she dated him because "I wanted someone I could feel superior to!" as she herself once said.

Gary's dad/officemates are also a hoot...I don't know if it's just because ageing British eccentrics are played for laughs (see The Major on any Fawlty Towers episode) or what.

I wish this show would come out on video!!!!!!