I'm a heretic without humor...

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Try Combat and 12 O'Clock High instead. They hold up remarkably well, especially Combat.

I think one of the selling points of Rat Patrol back when it was first being broadcast was that it was in colour. It just looked exotic and exciting. Once something becomes common, it's easy to forget why we were so enthralled by it before.

[GoSharks]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Try Combat and 12 O'Clock High instead. They hold up remarkably well, especially Combat.

Now, now...this thread is vaguely about the appreciation of humor. If we're going to delve into old military television series, shouldn't we include Hogan's Heroes?!!

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by GoSharks

Now, now...this thread is vaguely about the appreciation humor. If we're going to delve into old military television series, shouldn't we include Hogan's Heroes?!!

This would be a good place for General Burkhalter to come in and say "Klink, I suspect sabotage!".

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by rkomar

I think one of the selling points of Rat Patrol back when it was first being broadcast was that it was in colour. It just looked exotic and exciting. Once something becomes common, it's easy to forget why we were so enthralled by it before.

We didn't have a color set back in the day, so it surprises me to realize some of the old shows were actually broadcast in color. Didn't know Rat Patrol was one of them.

The last season of Combat was in color, too.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by GoSharks

Now, now...this thread is vaguely about the appreciation of humor. If we're going to delve into old military television series, shouldn't we include Hogan's Heroes?!!

And McHale's Navy!

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by Catlady

And McHale's Navy!

Gomer Pyle would be proud to be included Gaawwlleee!

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by tompe

The first ones are the least funny ones for me. You should probably start with one of the sub-series. I recommend the city guard books subset.

Well, I like to read stories in order (generally in order of the story, not by definition of writing), and simply hate skipping parts...

Originally Posted by Difflugia

I wonder if age at first reading is a factor? I read the Hitchhiker's books when I was about ten and thought they were hilarious. I still re-read and enjoy them occasionally, but it's possible that's more nostalgia than anything.

I read the Guide for the first time at my inlaws... I must have been between 25 and 30 at the time (female, windows lover...)

Originally Posted by jandrew

Obviously, some people are humorless and just don’t want to admit they don’t get it. They will claim they aren’t humorless because they laughed at other stuff, but they are mistaken and that other stuff just isn’t funny. It’s sad really.

Now, that's funny!

[Rbneader]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Well, I like to read stories in order (generally in order of the story, not by definition of writing), and simply hate skipping parts...

The Discworld books aren't really a single series. More like loosely connected series set in a shared universe. The ones that aren't complete standalones are easy to pick up anyway, except maybe for the later city watch books. There's no harm in skipping around. Please do ignore the first 3 books though, they're pretty bad.

Here are the Discworld sort-of-series:

City Watch (the central books)
Guards! Guards! (1989)
Men at Arms (1993)
Feet of Clay (1996)
Jingo (1997)
The Fifth Elephant (1999)
Night Watch (2002)
Thud! (2005)

Moist von Lipwig
Going Postal (one of my favorite Discworld books)
Making Money

Witches
Wyrd Sisters 1988
Witches Abroad 1991
Lords and Ladies 1992
Maskerade 1995
Carpe Jugulum 1998
The Wee Free Men 2003
A Hat Full of Sky 2004
Wintersmith 2006
I Shall Wear Midnight 2010


Death and his family
Mort 1987
Reaper Man 1991
Soul Music 1994
Hogfather 1996
Thief of Time 2001


Standalones
Pyramids
Interesting Times 1994
The Last Continent 1998
Small Gods
Moving Pictures
Monstrous Regiment (ties in a tiny, tiny bit with City Watch)
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents

OT: I also dislike Hitchhiker's Guide. I read the first book as a kid, which was OK but not great. It felt like the author was trying too hard. Just tossing every kind of joke into the book to cover all potential audiences, and relying on the pacing to whip past moments that didn't work for a particular reader. I like Monty Python and can't stand most of Mr. Bean.

For everyone who likes military-themed sci-fi humor, try Stargate SG-1. The season 2 episode 1969 even got my aged relative (who strongly prefers sitcoms and family dramas) to laugh out loud more than once. The whole series is pretty funny, although there's also lots of drama and action.

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Oh, yeah... where was I? Ah, yes. The topic of this thread. Or was it the thread going to grow out of this topic? I don't know. Anyway, what books have you read recently that you felt should have been better (or, worse), after all you've heard about it?

Chieftains by Bob Forrest Webb. It's has been recommended to me by several people, and has good reviews. The story is OK, but despite the author mentioning how much research went into it, it has some odd factual errors.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

Loved the first book in the series, but they did go steadily downhill from there.

Maybe it's a Vogon plot.

[Pulpmeister]

Of course Hitchhikers began life as a radio series, broadcast in the UK, which I never heard, so its verbal humour was based on the sounds of words. The first two books were really funny, for me, but the last couple were dead dull. I don't think I finished the final one. The voice of the Guide, that prim schoolmasterish voice in the TV miniseries, was the same actor who played that role on radio originally. I wonder if the original radio series was ever released on say MP3?

[Katsunami]

I'm now starting book five. Actually, I liked the fourth book best up until now. Not because its the funniest, but because it has some good character development for Arthur.

Spoiler:

And I actually felt sad for Marvin in the final chapter, finally dieing at the age of 37 times as old as the universe itself. "Here I am, brain the size...."

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Rbneader

The Discworld books aren't really a single series. More like loosely connected series set in a shared universe. The ones that aren't complete standalones are easy to pick up anyway, except maybe for the later city watch books. There's no harm in skipping around. Please do ignore the first 3 books though, they're pretty bad.

Problem is, I already have the first three books. I bought them some time ago. And I'm not going to buy more books from the same author if I cannot even get through the ones I already have...

(library simply isn't an option here, they have a total of between 3 and 4 thousand books on loan, mostly drama (and I find those a drama to read), horror (can't stand them) and books for businesses, and don't even mention English. And I don't think the books would improve if I read the translated versions ).

[Katsunami]

By the way; does the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the actual electronic device, I mean) remind someone else of a black Kindle 1 with a locally installed version of Wikipedia?

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

By the way; does the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the actual electronic device, I mean) remind someone else of a black Kindle 1 with a locally installed version of Wikipedia?

Now that you mention it...