Britcoms FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Our Favorite Sophisticated Outrageous British Television Comedies - Softcover

Thompson, David

  • 3.80 out of 5 stars
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9781495018992: Britcoms FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Our Favorite Sophisticated Outrageous British Television Comedies
Softcover
ISBN 10: 1495018997 ISBN 13: 9781495018992
Publisher: Applause, 2016

Synopsis

Britcoms FAQ is a sweeping survey of the very best in British television comedy, from the early days of 1950s television, and the rise of Tony Hancock, through the golden age of Monty Python, Are You Being Served?, and Steptoe and Son – featuring the madcap comic geniuses of the 1980s – to the modern age of Absolutely Fabulous, Coupling, Red Dwarf, and more.

Written with both a deep love and cultural understanding of the shows, highlighting the finest performances and resurrecting the greatest jokes, Britcoms FAQ also visits the medium's transition from radio to television, its history on vinyl and compact disc, and its thematic shift from straight-forward humor to a sometimes biting force for political and social commentary.

Included are chapters spotlighting the sitcoms' fascination with dysfunctional families, their rebellion against conventional society, and the changing face of the media itself. The legacy of Monty Python is explored in depth, but so are such themes as class warfare, censorship, and even suicide. Britcoms long ago determined that very little is sacred when there's laughter to be had – and Britcoms FAQ proves it!

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About the Author

Dave Thompson is the author of Depeche Mode, Go Phish, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Applause
Publication date
2016
Language
English
ISBN 10 
1495018997
ISBN 13 
9781495018992
Binding
Paperback
Edition number
1
Number of pages
392
Rating
  • 3.80 out of 5 stars
    5 ratings by Goodreads