‘Why watching BBC’s Mrs Brown’s Boys is worse than fracturing an ankle’

I decided to give BBC’s sitcom Mrs Brown’s Boys a chance and watched it for the first time – but did I find it funny? Not one bit.

Mrs Brown’s Boys has a BAFTA, over 50 episodes, a viewership of around 11 million at its peak and even a spin-off movie – but after watching it for the first time, can someone please tell me how?!

The BBC sitcom premiered back in 2011 and follows matriarch Agnes Brown, played by Irish comedian Brendan O’Carroll, and the shenanigans she and her family get up to.

Although the show was often played in my house growing up, usually around Christmastime, I had never actually watched a full episode – I was usually in the other room, eyes glued to the EastEnders festive special with a tub of Quality Streets!

But, of course, I was aware of Mrs Brown’s Boys through its reputation. It’s not news that the show has often divided plenty of viewers, with some critics calling it one of the “worst sitcoms ever.” Yet for some reason, Mrs Brown’s Boys keeps coming back every year.

So, after fracturing my ankle, when I found myself bed-bound and bored out of my head, I thought, why not actually watch Mrs Brown’s Boys? I mean, I had nothing to lose, right? But it turns out I did: around 22 minutes and 45 seconds of my life.

Armed with a cup of tea, I loaded up the first-ever episode on iPlayer and clicked the play button – and let’s just say I wish I had never bothered.

Straight away, the animated opening credits have me cringing, but let’s not write it off just yet… Unfortunately, what follows is poor-taste humour, slapstick foolery and childish jokes that sound like something even I could conjure up when drunk.

It doesn’t help that every time Agnes makes a so-called joke or gag, the studio audience wet themselves with laughter. How are they finding this funny?!

An example is when Agnes declares: “‘Missus, that’s a banana, not a willy. It won’t get bigger if you squeeze it!’” talking about people prodding her fruit and veg on the market stall. I mean, if you asked a 13-year-old to write a script for the show, I’m 101% sure they would come up with that joke…

Plus, it’s clear Agnes likes the word ‘feckin’’, dropping it in pretty much every sentence. Was creator Brendan O’Carroll hoping for a catchphrase that would catch on? ‘Feck’ off.

Oh, and I’ve also been introduced to Agnes’ family members, too, but if anything, they are just as unfunny. And around 10 minutes in, I’ve not laughed once, not even a smirk. I even caught myself nearly picking up my phone to doom scroll on TikTok; that’s how uninterested I was.

Giving the first episode the benefit of the doubt (it aired in 2011), I pressed stop and started watching more recent episodes. Surely things have got to get better or at least funnier, right? I was wrong.

I’m ready to switch off and pop Coronation Street on when the jokes start about character Rory, Agnes’ openly gay son in the show. It’s clear he is the butt of borderline homophobic jibes, often relying on very outdated stereotypes: an example being that he’s an effeminate hairdresser.

It all feels very 2005, to be honest. And with that, I decided it was time to turn it off. Offended? Not particularly, but bored? Oh yeah.

Now, I understand as a gay 20-something man, I may not be Mrs Brown’s Boys’ target audience, however I like to think I get humour. I understand it, despite my not necessarily agreeing with it. Sitcom Only Fools & Horses? That was laden with homophobia and racism, but I understand it was from its time, likewise with Fawlty Towers.

But Mrs Brown’s Boys? I just didn’t find it funny. Not one ‘fecking’ bit.

And honestly, I think I’d rather go through fracturing my ankle again if it meant I didn’t have to watch another episode…