# Canadian comedy showdown: Corner Gas Vs Trailer Park Boys **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952 "2007-09-12T19:03:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/1 "2007-09-12T19:03:37Z")
Ok, which is your favourite? I’d especially like to hear from Canadians on this. I’ve only seen one episode of Corner Gas, I thought it was amusing but generally kinda of lame, I suppose gentle, slightly surreal humour. Only one ep though so it might grow on me. I’ve seen people recommend it on here so I am willing to give it another go. Trailer Park Boys, this has been on air here for sometime and it took me quite a long while to realise it was anything other than a Jackass style show. When I realised what it was I sat down to watch it and I absolutely loved it. I watch any episode that I can, it’s on a few different stations here, albeit usually late at night. I love the characters, the ongoing conflicts, the ridiculousness, and some of the recurring stuff like the character who permanently has a glass of vodka(or gin?) and coke in his hand, even during an armed robbery. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/2 "2007-09-12T19:44:57Z")
I prefer Corner Gas. Trailer Park Boys seems to have run out of plot ideas and some story lines are getting just too stupid for my tastes. ---
**Author:** ![Valteron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f17d59/32.png) [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/3 "2007-09-12T20:01:18Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] Ok, which is your favourite? I’d especially like to hear from Canadians on this. Trailer Park Boys, this has been on air here for sometime and it took me quite a long while to realise it was anything other than a Jackass style show. When I realised what it was I sat down to watch it and I absolutely loved it. I watch any episode that I can, it’s on a few different stations here, albeit usually late at night. I love the characters, the ongoing conflicts, the ridiculousness, and some of the recurring stuff like the character who permanently has a glass of vodka(or gin?) and coke in his hand, even during an armed robbery. [/QUOTE] I don’t get it. I live in Canada and the guys in TPB seem pretty much like my neighbours, eh? I didn’t even know it was a comedy. I thought it was a slice-of-life daily drama. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/4 "2007-09-12T20:04:11Z")
I think that Trailer Park boys is over, but don’t know that for sure. The last episode gave a summary how everyone was doing fine with their lives, and the boys had a lot of money, so I do no know where they could go from there. I liked both shows a lot. Corner Gas in its first season made me laugh a lot harder than TPBs ever did, so I like it better. After that I think CG had exhausted some of their best material, but there are still some very good episodes. I am from Saskatchewan originally, so I got a real kick out of a good show coming from my province. I like how Corner Gas concentrates on dialog. Sitting and talking in cafes having coffee is how a lot of time is passed in small towns. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/5 "2007-09-13T01:52:47Z")
I think the episodes of TPB I see are all out of order from different seasons but I’ve only seen about a dozen of them. I’d like to see Corner Gas again but the scheduling is a bit iffy. I might try to pick them both up on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/6 "2007-09-13T02:50:35Z")
I prefer Corner Gas quite a bit, but then Dog River is a lot like the town where I grew up and where my parents now live. featherlou mentioned awhile back that Corner Gas will be available in the US soon. She mentioned the station, but I think it’s one I don’t get - maybe she’ll pop in with a link? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/7 "2007-09-13T03:00:44Z")
Maybe I will. 😃 If I had one of them there super-duper memories, I could just tell you what the station was. I got it from the [Corner Gas website](http://www.cornergas.com/home/) - let me link that for ya. Okay, the station is Superstation WGN. You should all go to the Corner Gas website anyway - it has COMBINE RACING!!! The only thing that could top that would be Zamboni Racing! My vote is for, no surprise, Corner Gas. Yes, the humour is mostly gentle, but there have been episodes when we’ve laughed until we were crying. I don’t know how many people I’ve hung around or worked with who virtually were Brent Butt. By the way, **Ginger** , it looks like the Season 4 dvd is just about ready to be sold. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/8 "2007-09-13T07:45:18Z")
**Billable Hours** kicks both those shows in the bum\* \*For the Americans; Bum in the Canadian word for ass. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/9 "2007-09-13T12:09:59Z")
Corner Gas, all the way, because I like sarcasm-based comedy. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/10 "2007-09-13T15:11:49Z")
I wonder if TPB is found to be funnier (or better?) by Americans because it features a lot of guns. We like our guns, here! I’ve seen all of TPB…I’ll get me some Corner Gas and report back on my findings… ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/11 "2007-09-13T15:45:28Z")
Corner Gas! ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/12 "2007-09-13T15:53:12Z")
Corner Gas. I’m always down on the canadian film and tv industry but this one is pretty good. Trailer Park Boys isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/13 "2007-09-13T16:20:02Z")
[QUOTE=Mikemike2] I think that Trailer Park boys is over, but don’t know that for sure. [/QUOTE] Yes, it is. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite between the two shows because I love them both so much. TPB is definitely better for the belly laughs, over-the-top scenarios, and incredibly creative foul language (long live shit talk!): > [@Jim Lahey](#): > > Randy just doesn’t understand. I mean I love him dearly, but I hate Ricky more. I just don’t want to have to put up with that prick for the rest of my life. You know, he grew up as a little shit-spark from the old shit-flint. And then he turned into a shit-bonfire, and then, driven by the winds of his monumental ignorance, he turned into a raging shit-firestorm. If I get to be married to Barb, I’ll have total control of Sunnyvale, and then I can unleash a shitnami tidal wave that’ll engulf Ricky and extinguish his shit-flames forever. And with any luck, he’ll drown in the undershit of that wave. > > Shit-waves… _Corner Gas_, OTOH, is a lot more subdued and incredibly sarcastic. It’s funny in an entirely different way from TPB, and it manages to do so without strong language or any material that could be construed as even remotely offensive. Unlike TPB, it’s really something the whole family can watch, and from what I’ve read, it’s an unbelievably huge hit in Canada - hell, _two_ sitting Canadian Prime Ministers have guest-starred on the show! ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/14 "2007-09-13T18:49:49Z")
**An Gadaí** , it’s definitely a rum & Coke that Julian’s holding all the time, based on where the show takes place (Canadian Maritimes). I agree with **Seven** that “Billable Hours” is a better show than either. > [@](#): > > _Paraphrasing…_ > Clark: Millie, I’d like you to copy, bind and file this according to the Aramaic alphabet. > Millie: Mandaic or Syriac? > Clark: This girl’s good. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/15 "2007-09-14T13:25:00Z")
[QUOTE=neutron star] \_Corner Gas_, OTOH, is a lot more subdued and incredibly sarcastic. It’s funny in an entirely different way from TPB, and it manages to do so without strong language or any material that could be construed as even remotely offensive. Unlike TPB, it’s really something the whole family can watch, and from what I’ve read, it’s an unbelievably huge hit in Canada - hell, _two_ sitting Canadian Prime Ministers have guest-starred on the show! [/QUOTE] They have managed the occasional off-colour joke, but they make it extremely subtle - the example that comes to mind is Brent getting a haircut from Karen, and saying, “I’m getting a little trim from Karen” and then looking a wee bit shocked at what he just said. And yes, part of the allure is seeing who they’ve got for guest cameos (the recent one from the premier of Saskatchewan was a nice touch, we thought. And Brent bugging Lloyd Robertson was a Canadian comedy classic - Lloyd Robertson is the Canadian equivalent of Walter Cronkite, having been doing the national news for approximately 200 years now.) ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/16 "2007-09-14T14:05:14Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] They have managed the occasional off-colour joke, but they make it extremely subtle - the example that comes to mind is Brent getting a haircut from Karen, and saying, “I’m getting a little trim from Karen” and then looking a wee bit shocked at what he just said. [/QUOTE] That’s funny. I missed that episode. And, of course, there was the ‘worlds biggest hoe’. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/17 "2007-09-14T14:11:55Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] Lloyd Robertson is the Canadian equivalent of Walter Cronkite, having been doing the national news for approximately 200 years now.) [/QUOTE] And he was very well parodied as “Floyd Robertson” on _SCTV_, where he was played by Joe Flaherty. I’ll put in a vote for _Corner Gas_. The more subdued and gentle humour makes me laugh longer and louder than the in-your-face and unsubtle _TPB_. The latter reminds me of the comedian I once saw who, when his jokes were falling flat, decided that dropping a few “fucks” and “shits” into them would have us rolling in the aisles. We didn’t, and I still don’t. Regardless of language, you’ve gotta have funny material to work with, and _Corner Gas_ does. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/18 "2007-09-14T14:20:52Z")
I also love that _Corner Gas_ has some fairly intelligent humor in there, mostly thanks to Wanda (a.k.a Sally Smartypants 🙂 ). > [@](#): > > [Wanda is reading a book] > **Customer** : What’s that, quantum physics? > **Wanda Dollard** : Yeah, I’ve always been fascinated that light could be a particle and a wave. I was gonna study it in college, but then I got interested in biochemistry. And then on a whim settled on liguistics with minor in comparative religion. > **Customer** : Wow, how’d you end up in a place like this? > **Wanda Dollard** : The last girl quit, can you believe it? > [@](#): > > **Brent LeRoy** : I’m not up on that new stuff. > **Wanda Dollard** : You’re not up on it? Or you’re not into it? > **Brent LeRoy** : I might be into it, if I was up on it. But I’m not up on it, so I’m not into it. What I’m into, I’m up on. > **Lacey Burrows** : I’m mostly into what I’m up on, but even though I’m not up on the new stuff, I’m sort of into it. > **Brent LeRoy** : I’m down with that. > **Wanda Dollard** : See, prepositions _can_ be fun! > **Brent LeRoy** : What’s a preposition? ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/19 "2007-09-14T14:55:55Z")
I think we can all agree that both are better than _Little Mosque on the Prairie_. Personally, I prefer _Trailer Park Boys_, but it all pales next to _Slings and Arrows_ as far as I’m concerned. I’ll have to check out _Billable Hours_, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952/20 "2007-09-14T16:32:29Z")
I watched **Billable Hours** and was impressed with the first episode I saw. I watched it again several times and it did not do anything for me, so I stopped recording it. The jokes were too forced and the characters too unsympathetic. Just not funny enough. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-comedy-showdown-corner-gas-vs-trailer-park-boys/418952.md?page=2)