The Vicar of Dibley

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 4:51am

I believe this is the funniest tv series I have ever seen, and that includes Seinfeld. The cast for this and the writing are superb. I adore the supporting players including Trevor Peacock and Roger Lloyd-Pack, who looks a great deal like Stephen Sondheim. The episode with Tom doing the full monty and Owen's duck with audible gas is a treasure.

Edit: The episode when she imagines her intended is marrying someone else is classic. She lip-synchs It Should Have Been Me.
"Somebody call the po-lice! That woman down there is a doggone thief! I should have been me!"
Updated On: 12/30/08 at 04:51 AM

[Radiana]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 5:34am

It's been a while since we've seen it but that's the series with Dawn French, right? Yes, we loved it. I can't put my finger on it but there is just something about English comedy.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 6:58am

its a great show and did so well here in the UK

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 7:07am

It is the one with Dawn French.
I just discovered at my library on dvd and absolutely love it. I have now watched all episodes.
One of the characters has a line I love.
"It's the worst plan since Hitler's dad said to Hitler's mum, 'Let's go upstairs, Brunhilde, I'm feeling a little saucy tonight.'"
Updated On: 12/30/08 at 07:07 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 9:33am

Alice is a great character and Emma Chambers plays her brilliantly. It's so funny how she spoils the Vicar's jokes at the end. Someone needs to put together a video of just those clips.

[kooky]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 9:39am

I ADORE this show, I received the DVD set as a gift, just thinking about this show
makes me laugh!

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 12:10pm

Emma Chambers is wonderful. The bits after the end credits are great, and I love the one after the last episode.
Kooky, you got a great gift!

[kooky]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 12:25pm

Yes your right nmartin, it was a fab gift. The wedding of Alice and Hugo is
probably one of my all time favorites..... think I will watch a few episodes later !!!!!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 1:23pm

Dawn French and Emma Chambers are comedic GOLD in this series. I absolutely LOVE this show. The Christmas specials are fantastic as well. The recent one that references Sense and Sensibility and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe had me and my boyfriend in tears ("Mr. Tumnus?"). We watched it twice in one weekend, we loved it so much. I rate it up there with Absolutely Fabulous, French and Saunders, Coupling and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. Also among my faves are Wild West, Let Them Eat Cake, The Catherine Tate Show, Little Britain and Murder Most Horrid.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 1:32pm

So the next question is, and this probably deserves its own thread, why can't the US produce funny shows like this?

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 1:47pm

My girlfriend introduced me to this recently. Too funny!

Updated On: 12/30/08 at 01:47 PM

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 4:32pm

"No, no, no, no, no, no...yes."

[Hulmeman]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 5:33pm

We've had recipes for Scotch Eggs on here, I think we should now swap recipes for Mrs Copely's Mamalade and liver cake!

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 5:55pm

I hated it when Mrs. Cropley died. I love that actress.

[Hulmeman]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 6:05pm

Liz Smith left The Vicar of Dibley to work on a different sitcom called "The Royle Family" where she created another wonderful character "Nana". I don't know if the series is known in America, but it is new classic of British comedy if you like British comedy.

Her last appearance in that series drew the biggest TV audience in Britian for years.

She is hotly tipped to be made a Dame in the New Years Honours list. Fingers crossed!!!!
Updated On: 12/30/08 at 06:05 PM

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 6:09pm

I don't know about The Royale Family, but I'm certainly going to see if it's on dvd.

"Her last appearance in that series drew the biggest TV audience in Britian for years."
Are you talking about her last appearance on Vicar or the other show?

[Hulmeman]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 6:17pm

On "the Royle Family" nmartin.

I'll give you the basic story line - it's about a Manchester family who do nothing except watch TV. It's a kind of parody of the real Royal family, except this lot are couch potatos and "can't be arsed" kinda people. You might call them "trailer trash" is the nearest I can get to describe them.

The did a Christmas special this year and it again toped the TV ratings on Christmas day. Tom Courtney was the guest star.

If you can, watch it from the begining, because it may take some getting used to. The humour is very "British". It is broadcast by the BBC so you might pick something up from there.


Updated On: 12/30/08 at 06:17 PM

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 6:19pm

I looked it up, and it is on dvd. I am definitely going to get it. Thanks, Hulmeman!

[Hulmeman]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 6:24pm

Sorry, my original spelling was incorrect,I've corrected it now - it is "The Royle Family". I'd hate for you to buy a DVD of a different disfuntional British family!!!!!!

I'd be interestedto know what you think about the comedy nmartin!!!!

[nmartin]

Posted: 12/30/08 at 6:29pm

Yes, Hulmeman, I did notice when I looked it up is was Royle. I'm very much looking forward to it!!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/31/08 at 10:22am

I hated it when Mrs. Cropley died. I love that actress.

You can now see Liz Smith, Dawn French, Julia Sawalha ("Saffie" from Ab Fab) and Ben Miles ("Patrick" from Coupling) on Lark Rise to Candleford. While it's not a comedy, I have fallen in love with this period drama series. It is something like a British Little House on the Prairie sort of thing. I've watched all 10 episodes from the first series. I do hope it continues.

I've never seen The Royle Family. I'm going to have to add that to my Netflix queue.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/31/08 at 10:46am

I turned my college roommate and cousin onto this show. It, and "I Love Lucy" remain the only shows that no matter how many times I watch them, I *still* laugh. I only wish there were more episodes for me to love.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 12/31/08 at 12:31pm

I thought I would pass out from laughing at the end of Alice's bit about I Can't Believe It's Not Butter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MsbvGmLaU4

Updated On: 12/31/08 at 12:31 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/31/08 at 12:46pm

^ That's one of the best ones.

I also really like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gT8b5kM_Pw

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/31/08 at 1:08pm

A bit of trivia from imdb

When Emma was given the script that included the tongue-twisting "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" speech on a Friday afternoon, her co-star Dawn French told her she'd never be able to remember it by the next Friday when filming began in front of a live audience. That weekend, Emma and her husband drove to the country to visit relatives and Emma practised the speech over one hundred times in the car and learnt it perfectly for rehearsals the next Monday. Dawn French was speechless!