In an attempt to familiarize a group of Czech university students with British humour, I curated collection of British comedies for them to watch. The selection included shows such as Peep Show, Nathan Barley, Men Behaving Badly, The Office, Alan Partridge, Little Britain, Only Fools & Horses, and Fawlty Towers. After we’d watched them, I asked the students to complete a questionnaire. Their responses prompted me to consider the shows I grew up with from an entirely fresh perspective.

Which example of British humour did you most enjoy?

Over 50% of the students favoured Little Britain. I’m not surprised – sketches are easier for foreigners because if they don’t understand something they can wait for the next sketch. Also, the slapstick humour, simple characters, and catchphrases make them very accessible for foreign audiences.

Fawlty Towers was the second most popular show, which surprised me because it is very old. But again it is quite slapstick and the characterisation is cartoonish, which perhaps is why the students liked it.

The third most popular show was the American Office. This irritated me as I only showed it for a comparison with the British version. But I can see why the students liked it. American humour tends to be bigger and bolder than British humour — and dare I say it, more obvious.

Which of the comedies did you least enjoy?

Over 50% mentioned Alan Partridge — apparently it was “boring” and the protagonist is an “idiot. I am a fan of this show but I can understand why the students didn’t like it. Alan Partridge is a specific type of British idiot — and perhaps you have to be British to understand the humour.

Peep Show also received a lot of hate, which surprised me because I thought the students would like it. Then again a lot of the dialogue takes place inside the characters’ heads, which can be bewildering if English is your second language.

The Office proved unpopular because “nothing was happening.” The minutiae of everyday life is an important component of British humour, but I understand why foreigners might find it tedious, particularly when they are used to seeing extraordinary characters in extraordinary situations (which America does very well). That, or we only enjoy minutiae when it reflects our own culture back to us.

Did anything surprise you about the comedies you watched?

The most common response was: “It’s surprising that boring comedies we do not find funny are top rated in Britain.” In my experience Czech and British humour share many similarities, so I expected these comedies to hold more appeal. I guess we forget how much a country’s comedy is intertwined with its culture; however well you think you know another culture you’ll never understand it the same way you understand your own.

In what ways do you think Czech humour is different from British humour?

Unfortunately the responses in this section lacked enough detail to offer insight. 70% said there were “no similarities whatsoever.” Others mentioned vague themes which comedies all over the world deal with (families, jobs, relationships).

In what ways are Czech and British comedies different?

Several students mentioned that “Czech shows have smaller budgets and inferior acting.” Others added that “Czech comedies are family friendly so there isn’t the same diversity.” Again this is unsurprising: Britain is a larger country with a huge TV industry and an even bigger cultural economy, it sells its books, films and TV shows around the world.

Other students mentioned how “Czech shows tend to focus on the extraordinary and contain more action.” This surprised me as in my experience most Czech comedies are set in ordinary Czech villages – and very little happens.

Based on these comedies, what are some of the main components of British humour?

90% mentioned “cringeworthy situations, awkwardness and embarrassment”. These themes stem from Brits repressing their feelings in the interest of politeness. The awkwardness appears in the gaps between how they would like to behave and the unspoken demands of etiquette.

Another common response was “making fun of other countries.” British comedies tend to stereotype foreign countries, highlighting an awkward relationship with political correctness. Ordinarily I would have missed this, so it was fascinating to notice the relationship for myself. Evidently, things we know inside out can change entirely when we remove them from their native environment. So in a way, watching these shows with the students may have taught me more about British humour than it taught them.