In the classic TV sitcom "Dad's Army" Pt Godfrey makes frequent
reference to his sister Dolly's "upside-down cakes".
My first and central question: what are they, what's so funny about
them, and could you please give me a recipe?
Secondly, are the upside-down-cakes of Walmington O/S different from
the upside-down-cakes described in this Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upside-down_cake
I suspect they are as this UDC doesn't seem to be very British, the
pineapples wouldn't have been available in wartime, and also Godfrey
always refers to them in plural.
Thanks for your thoughts.

Charles Self wrote:
> In the classic TV sitcom "Dad's Army" Pt Godfrey makes frequent
> reference to his sister Dolly's "upside-down cakes".
> My first and central question: what are they, what's so funny about
> them, and could you please give me a recipe?
> Secondly, are the upside-down-cakes of Walmington O/S different from
> the upside-down-cakes described in this Wikipedia article:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upside-down_cake
> I suspect they are as this UDC doesn't seem to be very British, the
> pineapples wouldn't have been available in wartime, and also Godfrey
> always refers to them in plural.
> Thanks for your thoughts.

Many years ago we used to have them made with tinned/canned pineapple
slices.

They looked pretty much like the one in Wikepedia

On 7 Feb., 17:52, "Ophelia" > wrote:
> Many years ago we used to have them made with tinned/canned pineapple
> slices.
>
> They looked pretty much like the one in Wikepedia

In the UK?

Charles Self wrote:
> On 7 Feb., 17:52, "Ophelia" > wrote:
>> Many years ago we used to have them made with tinned/canned pineapple
>> slices.
>>
>> They looked pretty much like the one in Wikepedia
>
> In the UK?

Particularly in Yorkshire

Charles Self wrote:
> On 7 Feb., 17:52, "Ophelia" > wrote:
>> Many years ago we used to have them made with tinned/canned pineapple
>> slices.
>>
>> They looked pretty much like the one in Wikepedia
>
> In the UK?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle2235703.ece

Pineapple upside-down cake
This is a bit before my time, but I have vague nursery memories of a friend
of my grandmother's making a version of this, which she would serve with a
warm sauce made of pineapple juice thickened with - I imagine - cornflour.
That I can do without, but I am still of the mind that it is perfectly all
right to make this with canned pineapple rings. I feel it is slightly bad
sport to start peeling and slicing your own pineapple.

Anyway, canned pineapple is just fine, though I advise going for the one in
its own juice rather than in syrup, and I add some of the juice to the
sponge, too. This seems to help make it light and fluffy.

I have found that the best way of keeping this swift is by baking it in my
copper tarte Tatin tin; if you are using a regular cake tin, be prepared to
add a few minutes to the cooking time.

Serves 8

Butter for greasing

2 x 15ml tbsp sugar

6 slices pineapple from a 425g can, plus

3 x 15ml tbsp of the juice

11 glacé cherries, approx. 75g total weight

100g flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g soft butter

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Butter a tarte Tatin tin (24cm wide at the
top and 20cm diameter at the bottom) or use a 23cm cake tin (neither
loosebottomed nor springform).

2 Sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar onto the buttered base, and then arrange the
pineapple slices to make a circular pattern as in the picture.

3 Fill each pineapple ring with a glacé cherry, and then dot one in each of
the spaces in between.

4 Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, butter, caster sugar
and eggs into a food processor and run the motor until the batter is smooth.
Then pour in the 3 tbsp pineapple juice to thin it a little.

5 Pour this mixture carefully over the cherry-studded pineapple rings; it
will only just cover it, so spread it out gently.

6 Bake for 30 minutes, then ease a spatula around the edge of the tin, place
a plate on top and, with one deft - ha! - move, turn it upside-down.

"Ophelia" > wrote in message
...
> Charles Self wrote:
>> On 7 Feb., 17:52, "Ophelia" > wrote:
>>> Many years ago we used to have them made with tinned/canned pineapple
>>> slices.
>>>
>>> They looked pretty much like the one in Wikepedia
>>
>> In the UK?
>
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle2235703.ece
>
> Pineapple upside-down cake
> This is a bit before my time, but I have vague nursery memories of a
> friend of my grandmother's making a version of this, which she would serve
> with a warm sauce made of pineapple juice thickened with - I imagine -
> cornflour. That I can do without, but I am still of the mind that it is
> perfectly all right to make this with canned pineapple rings. I feel it is
> slightly bad sport to start peeling and slicing your own pineapple.
>
> Anyway, canned pineapple is just fine, though I advise going for the one
> in its own juice rather than in syrup, and I add some of the juice to the
> sponge, too. This seems to help make it light and fluffy.
>
> I have found that the best way of keeping this swift is by baking it in my
> copper tarte Tatin tin; if you are using a regular cake tin, be prepared
> to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
>
> Serves 8
>
> Butter for greasing
>
> 2 x 15ml tbsp sugar
>
> 6 slices pineapple from a 425g can, plus
>
> 3 x 15ml tbsp of the juice
>
> 11 glacé cherries, approx. 75g total weight
>
> 100g flour
>
> 1 tsp baking powder
>
> ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
>
> 100g soft butter
>
> 100g caster sugar
>
> 2 eggs
>
> 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Butter a tarte Tatin tin (24cm wide at
> the top and 20cm diameter at the bottom) or use a 23cm cake tin (neither
> loosebottomed nor springform).
>
> 2 Sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar onto the buttered base, and then arrange the
> pineapple slices to make a circular pattern as in the picture.
>
> 3 Fill each pineapple ring with a glacé cherry, and then dot one in each
> of the spaces in between.
>
> 4 Put the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, butter, caster sugar
> and eggs into a food processor and run the motor until the batter is
> smooth. Then pour in the 3 tbsp pineapple juice to thin it a little.
>
> 5 Pour this mixture carefully over the cherry-studded pineapple rings; it
> will only just cover it, so spread it out gently.
>
> 6 Bake for 30 minutes, then ease a spatula around the edge of the tin,
> place a plate on top and, with one deft - ha! - move, turn it upside-down.
>
>
>
Be-ro recipes, (I was given the cook book by my Mum when I first moved out
of home has a new recipe, peach and butter scotch upside down cake, this is
different to the one in my book, that has tinned pineapple and cherries!
http://www.be-ro.com/f_insp.htm

Sarah

> That I can do without, but I am still of the mind that it is perfectly all
> right to make this with canned pineapple rings. I feel it is slightly bad
> sport to start peeling and slicing your own pineapple.
>

I think the result might be different with fresh (raw) pineapple,
given that it has an enzyme that does weird things to gelatin
mixtures, and might possibly also affect a cake. Canned is the only
way to go. I often make it with canned crushed pineapple because more
of the brown sugar/butter mixture on the bottom gets around all the
pineapple. ;-) It's one of my favorite desserts.

I don't know anything about the OP's reference and what's common in
the UK, though.

N.

Nancy2 wrote on Thu, 7 Feb 2008 14:05:10 -0800 (PST):

??>> That I can do without, but I am still of the mind that it
??>> is perfectly all right to make this with canned pineapple
??>> rings. I feel it is slightly bad sport to start peeling
??>> and slicing your own pineapple.
??>>
N> I think the result might be different with fresh (raw)
N> pineapple, given that it has an enzyme that does weird
N> things to gelatin mixtures, and might possibly also affect a
N> cake. Canned is the only way to go. I often make it with
N> canned crushed pineapple because more of the brown
N> sugar/butter mixture on the bottom gets around all the
N> pineapple. ;-) It's one of my favorite desserts.

N> I don't know anything about the OP's reference and what's
N> common in the UK, though.

That's certainly true about the pineapple enzyme. I think that
it is called bromelain and it digests proteins. I seem to
remember "The Joy of Cooking" recommending staying away from
fresh pineapple as a fruit in jello.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton wrote:

> That's certainly true about the pineapple enzyme. I think that
> it is called bromelain and it digests proteins. I seem to
> remember "The Joy of Cooking" recommending staying away from
> fresh pineapple as a fruit in jello.

I would never have thought to use fresh pineapple for an upside down
cake. It was always made with canned rings. I have fond memories of it
as a kid, and we rarel;y saw a real pineapple in the 50s. As far as I
knew, it only came in tins :-)

In article <PkLqj.111820$U12.19115@trnddc06>,
"James Silverton" > wrote:

> Nancy2 wrote on Thu, 7 Feb 2008 14:05:10 -0800 (PST):
>
> ??>> That I can do without, but I am still of the mind that it
> ??>> is perfectly all right to make this with canned pineapple
> ??>> rings. I feel it is slightly bad sport to start peeling
> ??>> and slicing your own pineapple.
> ??>>
> N> I think the result might be different with fresh (raw)
> N> pineapple, given that it has an enzyme that does weird
> N> things to gelatin mixtures, and might possibly also affect a
> N> cake. Canned is the only way to go. I often make it with
> N> canned crushed pineapple because more of the brown
> N> sugar/butter mixture on the bottom gets around all the
> N> pineapple. ;-) It's one of my favorite desserts.
>
> N> I don't know anything about the OP's reference and what's
> N> common in the UK, though.
>
> That's certainly true about the pineapple enzyme. I think that
> it is called bromelain and it digests proteins. I seem to
> remember "The Joy of Cooking" recommending staying away from
> fresh pineapple as a fruit in jello.

It's a protein-digesting enzyme. Papayas and kiwifruit have similar
enzymes. Care needs to be taken when using them in marinades for meat.


Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:44:22 +1300, Miche >
wrote:

>It's a protein-digesting enzyme. Papayas and kiwifruit have similar
>enzymes. Care needs to be taken when using them in marinades for meat.
>
>
>Miche

Eating raw pineapple or kiwi turns the inside of my mouth into
something that vaguely resembles ground beef.

Jo Anne

In article
>,
Charles Self > wrote:

> makes frequent
> reference to his sister Dolly's "upside-down cakes".
> My first and central question:

> what are they,

First you make a cake...

> what's so funny about them,

Wait a second, now, don't get ahead of me...

> and could you please give me a recipe?

Then you mail it to Australia.

Upside-down cake.

Alt. send it to NZ or SA.

> In the classic TV sitcom "Dad's Army" Pt Godfrey

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062552/

I wish I could see that show. I wish I lived in England, but I'm a bit
camera shy :-) Anyway, Brits have the best comedy television. I loved
"Good Neighbors." Or was it "The Good Life." I've had a crush on
Felicity Kendal as Barbara Good for decades, it never goes away. The
series "Yes, Dear," "Yes, Minister," and "Yes, Prime Minister" were
absolutely hilarious. They haven't been seen here for many years.

PBS (across the pond) seems stuck with "Last of the Summer Wine," "As
Time Goes By," "My Hero," and "To The Manor Born." I don't understand
why they show these over and over and over again, year after year after
year. It's sickening. I can understand they don't show "Yes,
Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" (people might get the idea that
they're really watching some politicians closer to home), but there are
literally dozens or hundreds of series they could show, like "Dad's
Army," which sounds like it has the makin's of great comedy (my dad
fought in the 8th Army in N. Africa and Italy, so he would have enjoyed
it, too).

Oh, well. Geeze.

Dave Smith wrote:
> James Silverton wrote:
>
>> That's certainly true about the pineapple enzyme. I think that
>> it is called bromelain and it digests proteins. I seem to
>> remember "The Joy of Cooking" recommending staying away from
>> fresh pineapple as a fruit in jello.
>
> I would never have thought to use fresh pineapple for an upside down
> cake. It was always made with canned rings. I have fond memories of
> it as a kid, and we rarel;y saw a real pineapple in the 50s. As far
> as I knew, it only came in tins :-)

Yep! same here

Jo Anne wrote:

> Eating raw pineapple or kiwi turns the inside of my mouth into
> something that vaguely resembles ground beef.

Same here
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano

>
> PBS (across the pond) seems stuck with "Last of the Summer Wine," "As
> Time Goes By," "My Hero," and "To The Manor Born." *I don't understand
> why they show these over and over and over again, year after year after
> year. *It's sickening. *I can understand they don't show "Yes,

You must not understand how PBS funding works. Each local affiliate
selects and buys the shows their target audience wants. If they are
showing reruns of some shows constantly, it's because either the
target audience wants them, or because your local affiliate has used
up its money on other programs. In addition, many local affiliates
forego showing programs available nationally, so they can show locally-
produced shows or shows with a local interest. Many times here in
Iowa, we don't get to see nationally-advertised programs in primetime
on PBS because our affiliate shows Iowa-interest programs instead.
C'est la vie.

If you want to influence what your local PBS station broadcasts,
donate generously during their fund-raising drives, and make sure you
let them know what you want to see.

N.

Nancy2 wrote:

> You must not understand how PBS funding works... donate generously during
> their fund-raising drives, and make sure you let them know what you want to
> see.

You're right, of course. But I've found that there is a disconnect
between the fund-raising side and policy-making/programming. The local
affiliate is not particularly responsive to suggestions, even less so
to criticism.

You seem to have made peace with the way PBS has changed due to funding
limitations. I wish it were otherwise, but it ain't, and I'm living
uneasily with it.

One time on Usenet, "Vilco" > said:
> Jo Anne wrote:
>
> > Eating raw pineapple or kiwi turns the inside of my mouth into
> > something that vaguely resembles ground beef.
>
> Same here

Same here!! And walnuts do it too, along with certain other
fruits, veggies, and vinegar. It sucks...

--
Jani in WA

One time on Usenet, Janet Baraclough > said:
> The message >
> from (Little Malice) contains these words:
>
> > Wouldn't canned pinapple have been available? I haven't seen the
> > show (I'm in the US) so I'm not sure which war it is about.
>
> The TV program is a comedy about WW2 in Britain, when there was
> strict food rationing and very limited imports of essentials only, no
> exotic fruit like oranges bananas or pineapple (fresh or canned).
>
> http://www.worldwar2exraf.co.uk/Onli...oodrationpage3.
> html

Ahh, thank you, Janet...

--
Jani in WA

Nancy2 wrote:

> You must not understand how PBS funding works. Each local affiliate
> selects and buys the shows their target audience wants. If they are
> showing reruns of some shows constantly, it's because either the
> target audience wants them, or because your local affiliate has used
> up its money on other programs.

I don't understand it either. I live close enough to the US to get PBS and
used to watch it before I got satellite. Every few months they would have a
begathon and run shows like Monty Python's Flying Circus and some of the
other good British comedy shows. Then the fundraising team would come on
between episodes with a spiel about how if we wanted to see good programming
like these call now and make a pledge. You kinda get the impression that if
you donate money because of the promise of those shows they will start
showing them, but that is the last you see of Monty Python until the next
begathon. If they get a lot of pledges for things like Monty Python, why do
they not run it as one of their regular programs. If they don't get enough
positive response (pledges) for Monty Python, why do they keep using it in
their pledge drives ?



> In addition, many local affiliates
> forego showing programs available nationally, so they can show locally-
> produced shows or shows with a local interest. Many times here in
> Iowa, we don't get to see nationally-advertised programs in primetime
> on PBS because our affiliate shows Iowa-interest programs instead.
> C'est la vie.
>
> If you want to influence what your local PBS station broadcasts,
> donate generously during their fund-raising drives, and make sure you
> let them know what you want to see.
>
> N.

dull knife wrote:

>
>
>
> I wish I could see that show. I wish I lived in England, but I'm a bit
> camera shy :-) Anyway, Brits have the best comedy television. I loved
> "Good Neighbors." Or was it "The Good Life." I've had a crush on
> Felicity Kendal as Barbara Good for decades, it never goes away.

What a coincidence. I was at the library the other day and they had a DVD
of the "Good Neighbours" so I brought it home and watched it. I was quickly
reminded of how sweet Felicity Kendall is. I can certainly understand the
crush.

One time on Usenet, Dave Smith > said:
> dull knife wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >
> > I wish I could see that show. I wish I lived in England, but I'm a bit
> > camera shy :-) Anyway, Brits have the best comedy television. I loved
> > "Good Neighbors." Or was it "The Good Life." I've had a crush on
> > Felicity Kendal as Barbara Good for decades, it never goes away.
>
> What a coincidence. I was at the library the other day and they had a DVD
> of the "Good Neighbours" so I brought it home and watched it. I was quickly
> reminded of how sweet Felicity Kendall is. I can certainly understand the
> crush.

I liked that show, but we lost PBS when we went to satellite years
ago, and I never see it now. Library, excellent idea...

--
Jani in WA

In article >, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> dull knife wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >
> > I wish I could see that show. I wish I lived in England, but I'm a bit
> > camera shy :-) Anyway, Brits have the best comedy television. I loved
> > "Good Neighbors." Or was it "The Good Life." I've had a crush on
> > Felicity Kendal as Barbara Good for decades, it never goes away.
>
> What a coincidence. I was at the library the other day and they had a DVD
> of the "Good Neighbours" so I brought it home and watched it. I was quickly
> reminded of how sweet Felicity Kendall is. I can certainly understand the
> crush.

I saw a picture of Felicity recently, and she's still pretty in her
60's, and pretty slinky, too, I might add.

http://www.icelebz.com/celebs/felicity_kendal/
http://www.perfectpeople.net/celebri...ity-kendal.htm
http://www.celebrina.com/felicity-kendal/quotes/

I'm glad there's another Felicity Kendal fan out there someplace.
Maybe we could start a fan club abd get her to visit...???

Barbara should have run away with Jerry and left Tom and Margo to their
misery. Sorry, sounds immoral, but wouldn't that be the modern plot?

I didn't like Monty Python, But I liked Fawlty Towers. Dad's Army
sounds like a great show. I'll buy it on DVD or Blu-Ray if I can find
it.

On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:04:17 GMT, (Little
Malice) wrote:

>Same here!! And walnuts do it too, along with certain other
>fruits, veggies, and vinegar. It sucks...

I'm sure something I ate in *large* quantities would do it to me too,
can't think of anything off hand though.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

Little Malice wrote:

> > What a coincidence. I was at the library the other day and they had a DVD
> > of the "Good Neighbours" so I brought it home and watched it. I was quickly
> > reminded of how sweet Felicity Kendall is. I can certainly understand the
> > crush.
>
> I liked that show, but we lost PBS when we went to satellite years
> ago, and I never see it now. Library, excellent idea...

Between the movie channels on teh sattelite and the library, I have rented from a
video store once in the last year. The local library has a decent collection of
movies on VHS and DVD. Thy do not have the latest releases. but they do have an
interesting assortment of od movies, documentaries, music and televion series.
They have Monthy Python shows and movies, Fawlty Towers, Coupling, Larry
Sanders Show, 24, The Sopranos (only two seasons) Dr. Who and a number of British
detective shows. I find it easier to select a movie there than at the rental
store and I get them for 7 days for free.

sf wrote:

> On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:04:17 GMT, (Little
> Malice) wrote:
>
> >Same here!! And walnuts do it too, along with certain other
> >fruits, veggies, and vinegar. It sucks...
>
> I'm sure something I ate in *large* quantities would do it to me too,
> can't think of anything off hand though.

Even small amounts of walnuts leave the roof of my mouth blistered like a
burn, and I think it does that all the way through. It's nasty.

On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:14:27 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> You kinda get the impression that if
>you donate money because of the promise of those shows they will start
>showing them, but that is the last you see of Monty Python until the next
>begathon. If they get a lot of pledges for things like Monty Python, why do
>they not run it as one of their regular programs. If they don't get enough
>positive response (pledges) for Monty Python, why do they keep using it in
>their pledge drives ?

They aren't stupid. They use a Monty Python marathon as bait to
attract pledges. If they ran MP more often, people (in your area)
wouldn't turn on PBS during a pledge drive.

--
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On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:36:00 GMT, (Little
Malice) wrote:

>One time on Usenet, Dave Smith > said:
>> dull knife wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I wish I could see that show. I wish I lived in England, but I'm a bit
>> > camera shy :-) Anyway, Brits have the best comedy television. I loved
>> > "Good Neighbors." Or was it "The Good Life." I've had a crush on
>> > Felicity Kendal as Barbara Good for decades, it never goes away.
>>
>> What a coincidence. I was at the library the other day and they had a DVD
>> of the "Good Neighbours" so I brought it home and watched it. I was quickly
>> reminded of how sweet Felicity Kendall is. I can certainly understand the
>> crush.
>
>I liked that show, but we lost PBS when we went to satellite years
>ago, and I never see it now. Library, excellent idea...

OTOH, I've never understood the allure of British television. It's
*boring*.

--
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remove the smiley face first

sf wrote:

> They aren't stupid. They use a Monty Python marathon as bait to
> attract pledges. If they ran MP more often, people (in your area)
> wouldn't turn on PBS during a pledge drive.

I realize that they do it to attract pledges, but my problem using programs like
Monty Python and saying that if we want to see programming like this we have to
send out pledges, but then never shoing those programs in their regular
schedule. It is bait and switch. They advertise one thing and deliver something
else. I relaizse that the pledging for MP is no guarantee that they will run it.
I had assumed that they would base their schedule on the feedback they get, and
since they have been using the MP series in their begathons for at least 15 years
that they must be gettting pledges from it. So it is time to deliver.

FWIW, we had MP on CBC long before PBS aired it. It is also available on DVD at
our library, so I don't bother with the begathons.

I get two different BBC stations on my satellite and they have a lot of good
British Comedy series. One of the best I ever saw was "Nighty Night", only about
a half dozen opisodes, but absolutely hilarious. We also enjoyed "Coupling".

On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 11:29:13 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:04:17 GMT, (Little
>> Malice) wrote:
>>
>> >Same here!! And walnuts do it too, along with certain other
>> >fruits, veggies, and vinegar. It sucks...
>>
>> I'm sure something I ate in *large* quantities would do it to me too,
>> can't think of anything off hand though.
>
>Even small amounts of walnuts leave the roof of my mouth blistered like a
>burn, and I think it does that all the way through. It's nasty.
>
Ouch. I guess once is enough.

--
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remove the smiley face first

<sf> wrote in message news
> On Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:14:27 -0500, Dave Smith
> > wrote:
>
>> You kinda get the impression that if
>>you donate money because of the promise of those shows they will start
>>showing them, but that is the last you see of Monty Python until the next
>>begathon. If they get a lot of pledges for things like Monty Python, why
>>do
>>they not run it as one of their regular programs. If they don't get enough
>>positive response (pledges) for Monty Python, why do they keep using it in
>>their pledge drives ?
>
> They aren't stupid. They use a Monty Python marathon as bait to
> attract pledges. If they ran MP more often, people (in your area)
> wouldn't turn on PBS during a pledge drive.
>

I think they are rerun often on a BBC Dish channel that also does Absolutely
Fabulous. I love Edie staggering and falling out of a taxi after a night on
the town.
Dee Dee

<sf> wrote in message ...
> On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:36:00 GMT, (Little
> Malice) wrote:
>
>>One time on Usenet, Dave Smith > said:
>>> dull knife wrote:
>>>
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > I wish I could see that show. I wish I lived in England, but I'm a
>>> > bit
>>> > camera shy :-) Anyway, Brits have the best comedy television. I
>>> > loved
>>> > "Good Neighbors." Or was it "The Good Life." I've had a crush on
>>> > Felicity Kendal as Barbara Good for decades, it never goes away.
>>>
>>> What a coincidence. I was at the library the other day and they had a
>>> DVD
>>> of the "Good Neighbours" so I brought it home and watched it. I was
>>> quickly
>>> reminded of how sweet Felicity Kendall is. I can certainly understand
>>> the
>>> crush.
>>
>>I liked that show, but we lost PBS when we went to satellite years
>>ago, and I never see it now. Library, excellent idea...
>
> OTOH, I've never understood the allure of British television. It's
> *boring*.
>

I'm not to fond of the standard sitcoms with the canned laughter. Fawlty
Towers is about the only one. I have rented a few from the library, the
ones that are the 'most beloved.' But I am not enamored.

f-i-l loves the one where the woman has an issue with "class." It is so
contrived to me. A social climber? not funny!

I used to like Benny Hill, but now I see him and he's not funny anymore.
Times change. But Monty P. is still 'it.'
Dee Dee

sf wrote:

> .
>
> OTOH, I've never understood the allure of British television. It's
> *boring*.

That might explain why some of the best loved American sitcomes were based on
British shows, like All in the Family, Three's Company, The Office and many
others.

"Dee.Dee" wrote:

>
> I'm not to fond of the standard sitcoms with the canned laughter. Fawlty
> Towers is about the only one. I have rented a few from the library, the
> ones that are the 'most beloved.' But I am not enamored.
>

Canned laughter is pretty lame, and the British laugh tracks are bad, though
the humour, IMO is much better.

If you like The Office, watch the original British version of it. Ricky
Gervais is much better better in the role of the boss than Steve Carell.
Gervais has gone on to do "Extras" which is incredible.



> f-i-l loves the one where the woman has an issue with "class." It is so
> contrived to me. A social climber? not funny!

There are several with women like that... Good Neighbours, To the Manor Born
and Keeping up Appearances.



> I used to like Benny Hill, but now I see him and he's not funny anymore.
> Times change. But Monty P. is still 'it.'

I always thought Benny Hill was pretty silly.

My favorite: Yes, Minister. Like so many sit-coms, there's one central
joke, but I find it funny and clever and unexpected every time they got
to the final line.


Coupling can be funny, but mostly it makes me cringe.


--Lia

On Sat, 9 Feb 2008 12:30:51 -0500, "Dee.Dee" >
wrote:

> I used to like Benny Hill, but now I see him and he's not funny anymore.
>Times change. But Monty P. is still 'it.'

Different strokes. Didn't like MP then, and my opinion hasn't
changed. I liked The Bob Newhart Show... with brothers Daryl, Daryl
and Daryl. It was appointment television back in the day.

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On Sat, 09 Feb 2008 12:47:27 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>
>>
>> OTOH, I've never understood the allure of British television. It's
>> *boring*.
>
>That might explain why some of the best loved American sitcomes were based on
>British shows, like All in the Family, Three's Company, The Office and many
>others.
>
Key word: *based*. Of the three you mentioned, I've heard of two and
only watched one.

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<sf> wrote in message ...
> On Sat, 9 Feb 2008 12:30:51 -0500, "Dee.Dee" >
> wrote:
>
>> I used to like Benny Hill, but now I see him and he's not funny anymore.
>>Times change. But Monty P. is still 'it.'
>
> Different strokes. Didn't like MP then, and my opinion hasn't
> changed. I liked The Bob Newhart Show... with brothers Daryl, Daryl
> and Daryl. It was appointment television back in the day.
>
> --
So, there you go -- it's what keeps the world turning.
Bob Newhart - Mary Tyler Moore -- it was mildly OK, it was too tame for me
at the time. There was no laughter of mine to ad to the laugh tracks.
All in the Family, I did watch. And at the time I loved Mary Hartman, Mary
Hartman; if I missed a show, I would almost cry.
Dee Dee

"Dee.Dee" wrote:

> I think they are rerun often on a BBC Dish channel that also does Absolutely
> Fabulous. I love Edie staggering and falling out of a taxi after a night on
> the town.

That has been running here lately on BBC Kids.
My favourite episode was the one where Edie has a near deth expereince and meets
God, played by Marianne Faithful and the angels are playing an old Animals tune
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place.

On Sat, 9 Feb 2008 13:30:12 -0500, "Dee.Dee" >
wrote:

>And at the time I loved Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman; if I missed a show, I would almost cry.

Which I rarely watched and barely remember.

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"Dee.Dee" wrote:

>
> And at the time I loved Mary Hartman, Mary
> Hartman; if I missed a show, I would almost cry.

I remember thinking how silly that show was and could not understand why mySiL
thought it was so good. She told me to watch three episodes to give it a fair
shake. I did. I was hooked.