Comedy: 488

The League of Gentlemen (1999–2017), a British comedy horror sitcom, debuted on BBC Two in 1999. Set in the fictional town of Royston Vasey, inspired by Alston, Cumbria, the show follows a cast of eccentric characters portrayed by three of its four writers: Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, and Reece Shearsmith. In recognition of the group’s 20th anniversary since appearing on BBC Radio 4, the BBC announced three new episodes in August 2017 which aired on BBC Two from 18-20 December that year. The intertwining plot ...

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), directed by Jay Roach, is an American spy comedy film. Its title is a witty nod to the James Bond classic, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). In the film, Austin Powers, a time-displaced British spy from the 1960s, is on his honeymoon with his wife Vanessa Kensington when she is revealed to be a fembot controlled by Dr. Evil. Following her explosive demise, Austin realizes he is once again a free agent and can indulge in casual affairs. Meanwhile, NATO observes Dr. Evil’s comeback from space and his reunion with his estranged son Scott, who later appears on ...

M. Night Shyamalan wrote and directed Wide Awake (1998), a comedy-drama film produced by Cathy Konrad and Cary Woods. Following the loss of his beloved grandfather, ten-year-old Joshua A. Beal takes it upon himself to search for answers about life and death during fifth grade. Josh is a student at Waldron Mercy Academy, a private Catholic boys’ school in Philadelphia, where he notices that boys in uniform rarely smile. His mischievous best friend Dave often skips class. Being small for his age leads to being bullied, ...

The romantic comedy, The Parent Trap (1998), marks the directorial debut of Nancy Meyers. Nick Parker and Elizabeth James meet on a cruise in 1986 and quickly fall in love. They get married and have twin daughters, Hallie and Annie. Unfortunately, their marriage ends shortly after the twins are born. As a result, Nick raises Hallie on his vineyard in Napa, California while Elizabeth resides in London, where she works as a wedding gown designer and raises Annie. Eleven years later, the twins end up at the same summer camp where they develop a strong rivalry. After pulling a dangerous prank with her friends on ...

Will & Grace (1998–2020) is a popular American sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, it follows the friendship between Will Truman, a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler, a straight interior designer. NBC approached experienced sitcom director James Burrows for his thoughts on the show’s homosexual subject matter and potential audience interest. After reading the script in November 1997, Burrows was immediately drawn to the unique characters and genre portrayed. Filming of the pilot ...

Out of Sight (1998) is an American crime comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Frank, adapted from Elmore Leonard’s 1996 novel of the same name. Jack Foley, a career bank robber, is serving time at Lompoc Penitentiary in California alongside his partner Buddy Bragg. During his time there, he befriends Glenn Michaels – a jittery petty criminal who never takes off his sunglasses – and Richard Ripley, a wealthy white collar criminal from Detroit. After Foley saves Ripley from being ...

The film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) was released, based on Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name. The story follows Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo as they speed through the Mojave Desert in 1971. While under the influence of mescaline, Duke shares his encounters with giant bats and takes stock of their drug supply. In their rented red Chevrolet Impala convertible, they pick up a hitchhiker and reveal their assignment from a magazine to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race in Las Vegas. However, their excessive drug use causes the hitchhiker to flee on foot. Desperate to reach their destination before any ...

Stephen Gyllenhaal’s American dark comedy-drama thriller film, Homegrown (1998), follows the story of small-time marijuana harvesters Jack, Carter, and Harlan in Northern California. The trio witnesses their boss Malcolm being shot by his pilot during a visit to his successful marijuana plantation. After recovering from the shock, Jack takes charge and leads the group as they quickly dismantle their camp and gather enough crop to make up for their losses before leaving. While Carter and Harlan transport the harvested crop to Lucy’s for drying, Jack focuses on finding a potential buyer. However, with ...

The acclaimed American comedy film Rushmore (1998) centers around the unique story of Max Fischer, a spirited teenager. Max’s bond with wealthy industrialist Herman Blume and their mutual admiration for elementary school teacher Rosemary Cross is at the heart of the film. Despite being a brilliant student involved in numerous extracurricular activities at Houston’s prestigious Rushmore Academy, Max struggles to maintain his grades. His determination to rise above his middle-class upbringing amidst the elite students fuels his ambition. However, Headmaster Nelson Guggenheim has placed Max on academic probation with a strict warning – one more failed ...

Thank God He Met Lizzie (1997), an Australian romantic comedy film directed by Cherie Nowlan, follows the story of Guy as he marries Lizzie. The dreamy groom reminisces at his wedding reception about the girlfriend he once lost and his past relationship with Jenny, a warm and funny long-time partner.

Trial and Error (1997), an American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, follows the story of Charlie Tuttle. Recently promoted to partner at the prestigious law firm Whitfield and Morris, he is tasked by his boss and future father-in-law with requesting a continuance for a cousin-in-law’s mail fraud case in Paradise Bluff, Nevada. Despite conflicting with his upcoming bachelor party, Charlie makes the journey from California. To his surprise, he is met by his best man, actor Richard Rietti, who is determined to ensure a memorable pre-wedding celebration. However, things take an unexpected turn when Charlie gets ...

My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) is an American romantic comedy directed by P. J. Hogan and written by Ronald Bass, who also served as producer. Just three weeks prior to her 28th birthday, New York City food critic Julianne ‘Jules’ Potter receives a call from Michael O’Neal, her lifelong friend and a sportswriter in Chicago. The two had made a pact years ago that they would marry each other if they were both single at age 28. However, Michael informs Jules that he is getting married in four days to a younger college student named Kimmy Wallace, ...

The American animated show South Park (1997–2024), developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central and created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, centers on four boys: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman and Kenny McCormick. These boys reside in the fictional small town of South Park, located within the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. The town is also home to various other characters such as students, families, elementary school staff, and residents. The show features prominent settings including South Park Elementary, ...

Ally McBeal (1997–2002) is an American legal comedy drama television series that aired on Fox from September 8, 1997 to May 20, 2002. Created by David E. Kelley and starring Calista Flockhart in the title role, it follows the eccentric, humorous, and dramatic lives and loves of lawyers at the Boston law firm Cage and Fish. The show received critical acclaim during its early seasons, winning both the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. Currently, a revival is in development at ABC. The story begins ...

Chasing Amy (1997), an American romantic comedy-drama film by Kevin Smith, centers around the lives of comic book artists and best pals Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards. During a promotional event for their comic Bluntman and Chronic at a convention, they encounter Alyssa Jones, a fellow writer and friend of Hooper, an African-American writer and activist who uses a militant persona to market his comic White-Hating Coon. While Holden is immediately drawn to Alyssa, he soon discovers she identifies as a lesbian. As they spend time together, their friendship deepens much to the dismay of ...

The American animated sitcom King of the Hill (1997–2010), created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, premiered on Fox in January 1997 until September 2009. Four additional episodes aired in syndication from May 3 to 6, 2010. Set in the fictional town of Arlen, Texas, the show revolves around the Hill family. Hank Hill, a responsible, hard-working, and honest propane salesman and family man, serves as the head of the household. He also works as an assistant manager at Strickland Propane where he frequently uses his catchphrase ‘propane and propane accessories’. ...

Just Shoot Me! (1997–2003) is an American sitcom television series that originally ran on NBC from March 4, 1997 to November 26, 2003. The show, created by Steven Levitan, is set in the office of a fictional fashion magazine called Blush. Over seven seasons and a total of 145 half-hour episodes (including three episodes rebroadcasted), the show follows the stories of the staff members at Blush. This includes Jack Gallo, the owner and publisher; his daughter Maya, a writer; secretary Finch; former model Nina; and photographer Elliot. Hot-tempered journalist Maya Gallo finds herself in a desperate situation after getting ...

Deconstructing Harry (1997) is a dark comedy film from the United States that Woody Allen wrote, directed, and acted in. One evening, Lucy hails a taxi to visit Harry Block, a well-known author in Manhattan. Recently finishing his latest book, Lucy is upset to see that her own affair with Harry has been used as inspiration for the character Leslie’s affair with her sister’s husband Ken. Enraged by this public portrayal of their relationship, Lucy pulls out a gun she had concealed in her purse and threatens to take her own life. She then turns the weapon on Harry and begins shooting at him. As he runs away ...

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) is an American spy comedy film directed by Jay Roach. In 1967, British spy Austin Powers saves the day by stopping an assassination attempt by his archenemy, Dr. Evil, at a London nightclub. Following the incident, Dr. Evil flees to space and freezes himself cryogenically. To ensure that he is ready in case of a future threat from Dr. Evil, Austin willingly goes into cryostasis himself. Three decades later, Dr. Evil returns to find that his henchman Number 2 has turned Virtucon, the front for his empire, into a highly profitable business venture. However, instead of ...

Mojave Moon (1996) is an American road movie written by Leonard Glasser and directed by Kevin Dowling. While dining at his favorite restaurant, Al McCord encounters Ellie, a young woman searching for a ride to her mother Julie’s home in the Mojave Desert. Despite the presence of Julie’s volatile boyfriend Boyd, Al finds himself drawn to the free-spirited woman. As they journey through the desert, strange events occur and it falls upon Al to make sense of them. When their car gets a flat tire, Al discovers a body in the trunk – Ellie’s boyfriend ...