British sitcoms

[violetblue]

What do you think is the best ever British sitcom? And does anyone remember the one set in the sausage factory, with Dora Bryan, called 'Both Ends Meet'?

[littleoldme]

Father Ted is my absolute favourite. I also really liked Fawkty Towers and One Foot In The Grave. Can't stand Dinnerladies, but then I'm probably the only person in the country who thinks Victoria Wood has been vastly overrated for years.

[guinnessman]

Men Behaving Badly............. Or is that just me?

[aurelia]

The Royle Family
Only when I laugh
the good Life
some Mother's do 'ave 'em
To the manor born
Fawlty towers
Kinvig
george and Mildred
Man about the house
The Liver Birds
Brush strokes

[pjm007]

Only Fools and Horses
Alan Partridge
Fawlty Towers
The Office
The Royle Family

[barniclebill]

Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere,
Red Dwarf,
Alan Partridge,
Men Behaving Badly,
Only Fools and Horses,
My Family,
Some Mother Do Ave Em,
Young Ones,
The Office.

[Backdrifter]

In no specific order

Porridge
One Foot In The Grave
Spaced
I'm Alan Partridge
Red Dwarf, series 4 to 6
Dad's Army

Only Fools I'd include but only the latter half-hour ones and the earlier 50-minute ones (plus the Jolly Boys Outing special which is a classic).

violet, you mentioned some real old chestnuts there. Yes I remember Both Ends Meet - what an odd one to suddenly pluck out of the ether! I also remember Chance In A MIllion being on but only saw a snippet of it. My brother said it was very funny and that one thing that appealed to him was the Callow character's stilted way of speaking - "Brick. Through window. Note attached." Another short-lived, one-series one was An Actor's Life For Me, which bordered on the surreal at times and featured a great turn from Victor Spinetti. It also had an amazingly downbeat ending and then that was it - gone, never to return.

littleoldme, you are NOT alone - Victoria Wood did some good stuff but yes she is massively overrated and seems to be treated (along with Julie Walters) as some sort of national treasure. If I'm watching something with her on and she sits at the piano to do one of her songs, my heart sinks and I switch over. Dinnerladies was okay, a bit dull, I've seen worse but it's not that great.

[jessiedog]

Chance in a Million was good - loved the fact that he lived on the winnings of his 6 premium bonds, though several never won and he was thinking of cashing them in !!

[Otrere]

Definitely Porridge. Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher - what a diamond.

[abelmanmoth]

Does Peep Show count?

The great thing about this debate is that they are all great shows that people are listing and a nice mix of older and recent programmes.


Far too many to pick from, but here is a few from my list....

Nighty Night
Dad's Army
Spaced
Porridge
Citizen Smith
Only Fools...
Phoenix Nights
The Young Ones
On The Buses
Father Ted
Red Dwarf

[Pebbles]

The Likely Lads, and the follow up, which wasn't quite as good, "What ever happened to the Likely Lads". Loved the theme tune.
Had a bit of a crush on James Bolan then. Does anyone remember him in "When the Boat comes in" ?

[potterfan3]

My Hero

[ecoman]

WoWo, Chance in a million, brilliant

[Sherry1]

Got to be The Office and Ab Fab

[abelmanmoth]

I offered this question up in my local. Amongst the usual suggestions of 'Only Fools...', 'Porridge' and 'Blackadder', some stupid bint offered Davina McCall's horrendously offensive sit-com 'Sam's Game'...

[avis50]

Yes Minister.

Still funny, still relevant. Brilliantly acted, wonderful timing.

[bubbles4920]

i love Butterflies, just watched the re run on sky gold. i love the one where Ria is fed up of clearing away the table so she just puts another tablecloth over it and the family sit there with their next meal on top of the old one. also love the jelly and flan recipie she is trying to copy from the tv.
also loved:
bless this house
porridge
open all hours
fawlty towers
my family
robins nest
george and mildred
on the buses
get some in - can anyone remind me about this in detail?
some mothers do ave em
it aint arf hot mum
mind your language i adored!!!!
ciitizen smith- power to the people!!!!!!!!
gosh,there are so many, those were the days, mainly oldies arent they!

[the_kid_a]

Brittas Empire had it's moments.Bottom,Comic Strip too many to pick a favourite!

[the_kid_a]

Tom Chance in Chance In A Million was always downing a pint in about 2 seconds. Brenda Blethen played his girlfriend

[Big A.T]

Porridge - no contest!

[Dicky007]

Definately 'Bottom' for me - I can watch them again and again, seen them load of times live also

New Statesman and Drop The Dead Donkey were good also