I’m a fan of Modern Family. A very big fan. The idea of a show that takes a look at the boring life of a family intrigues me. Mostly because I have a family. But I just started watching Outnumbered, a BBC programme featuring the king of the panel shows, Hugh Dennis as a father. And guess what?

It’s hilarious.

There’s an obvious parallel between the two shows. I won’t do that thing where I say British TV is better than American TV, but I will say this about Outnumbered: it’s more realistic as a portrayal of family life than Modern Family. They’re both comedies, but the writers in Outnumbered really made the mundane funny using the classic observational comedy style that made Seinfeld so popular (what’s the deal with people kicking their bags when they move in a line?). The Guardian compared Outnumbered to Modern Family, which they often do because they would rather every TV show was broadcast by the BBC. But they’re both funny in their own ways. Modern Family tries to give you the ideal family that is flawed. Outnumbered gives you your own family.