Best classic UK sitcom
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Topic: Best classic UK sitcom
Posted By: Blacksword
Subject: Best classic UK sitcom
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 03:00
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My vote goes to Fawlty Towers. Brilliant well written, well performed comedy that has stood the test of time. It was still a tough decision though. Blackadder was also pure genius, and I think some of those written in more recent times are also excellent. Notably, 'Spaced' 'The Office' and 'League of Gentlemen' Whats you choice folks?? ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Replies:
Posted By: James Lee
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 04:38
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I only know about half the list, but it was between "Fawlty Towers" and "Young Ones" for me. Because of growing up in the 80s, I had to choose the latter...it had more of an impact on me at the time, though it doesn't stand up as well now. Jerzei Belowski vs. Manuel ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/sollipsist/?chartstyle=kaonashi"> 
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 05:16
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The Young Ones was considered 'groundbreaking' at the time. It was very funny and quite daring and satirical for the time. I'm not sure which of these shows - apart from TYO and Fawlty Towers - made it across the pond, but I guess some would just not travel well. I did hear that 'The Office' had had some impact in the US, but had been shown on BBC Amerca, and hadn't reached a huge audience. I also heard that an American version was to be recorded, which sounds terrible and seems to miss the point. I think US shows translate very well to our British TV. Friends is hugely popular here, and I have to admit having watched it from the start For those who have never experienced 'Spaced' or 'The League of Gentlemen' I strongly reccomend them! ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
I also think Frasier is classic stuff! 
Posted By: Velvetclown
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 05:26
Young Ones !! ------------- Billy Connolly Dream Theater Terry Gilliam Hagen Quartet Jethro Tull Mike Keneally |
Posted By: Logos
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 07:39
Young Ones is fantastic.. haven't seen an episode in years though  But my favourite among the British comedy scene has always been, and always will be The Fast Show!! It's just amazingly hilarious. I just watched an episode last night and almost laughed myself to death. Especially I love the Jazz Club  (yeah I know it's not a sitcom) |
Posted By: Metropolis
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 07:48
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Blackadder defecates all over those other choices from a great height
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Posted By: dude
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 07:52
There are so many good shows here i cant choose
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Posted By: Metropolis
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 07:54
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Well, not so great a height above I'm Alan Partridge and The Office
------------- We Lost the Skyline............
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 07:54
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I thought I would only list sitcoms for now, and do a separate thread for sketch shows, satire etc. Watch this space.. The Fast Show is excellent, I agree. The Jazz Club character 'Louis Balfour' is apparently based on a real music show presenter from the 60's or 70's, but I cant remember his name. Can anyone else?? ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Logos wrote:
Posted By: Richardw
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 08:09
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The League Of Gentlemen for me. |
Posted By: Reed Lover
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 08:24
Hey,Richard! Wanna buy some pegs? There are so many great shows in the list. One's that have been missed: Red Dwarf You can keep all those American sitcoms,they lack grit! ------------- 
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Posted By: PROGMAN
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 08:41
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Young Ones, Only Fools and Horses, Bottom. Don't Forget: Comic Strip Presents... and Barry Welsh Is Coming. ------------- CYMRU AM BYTH 
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Posted By: Richardw
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 08:54
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 09:00
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KE9 reporting for re-start training on Progarchives. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Alucard
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 10:04
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BTW When I was younger I used to watch a programm called CATWEAZLE. Does anyone remember this? |
Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 10:45
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Blackadder for sure. My friends and sisters couldn`t figure out
why I laughed at this show. Red Dwarf and Hitchhikers Guide are great
too.
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 12:33
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I love The Office so I voted for that one. The Good Life is also great and I'm quite fond of Ever Decreasing Circles (Penelope Wilton is lovely
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.Posted By: emdiar
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 12:49
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Reggie Perrin, a classic, but it has to be a toss up between Black Adder and the Young Ones. Personally, I can't stand sitcoms in which the one joke is a person who believes his/herself to be popular/clever/cool, whilst being completely oblivious to the fact that they are in fact a bore/idiot. Alan Partridge, David Brent, the Bucket woman, I just wanna slap 'em silly. They simply always fail to amuse me. (Onslo saves KUA, just. I can't feel sympathy for Richard, he could have dropped the psycho bitch years ago!) ) ------------- Perception is truth, ergo opinion is fact. |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 15:50
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I thought The Office was excellent. Very funny, as the focus was not just on Brent being an idiot, the interaction between Tim and Dawn was very well played, and Gareth Keenan was the ultimate office fool. I think in time it will be regarded as much of a classic as Fawlty Towers. Did anyone see 'Spaced'?? This was quite a surreal and 'young' sitcom. Written and performed by the same team who made the film 'Shaun of the Dead' ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Syzygy
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 17:10
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Blackadder, specifically the episode of Blackadder III featuring Robbie Coltrane as Dr Johnson. There isn't a bad show among them though, just shows how good we can be at comedy. Just out of curiosity, does anybody know how Blackadder went down in the USA? ------------- 'Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich among us...' Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom |
Posted By: tuxon
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 17:30
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Bottom is my fav. together with the Young Ones and a close third would be Fawlty towers. In general I like Brittish Humour, sometimes it even makes me smile ------------- I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 17:37
Spaced is excellent,very underrated.Shaun Of The Dead was great fun! |
Posted By: The-Bullet
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 19:25
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"Why say it cannot be done.....they'd be better doing pop songs?" |
Posted By: Reed Lover
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 19:32
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Jeez,how could I forget? Bolton's finest in a brilliantly observed comedy of Northern life!
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Posted By: threefates
Date Posted: March 22 2005 at 20:11
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Oh I always loved the cheesy ones... Red Dwarf, Britta's Empire, Are You Being Served... and my favorite was Father Ted... ------------- THIS IS ELP 
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Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 05:21
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I once heard Rowan Atkinson say that he was dissapointed that US audiences didn't really take to Blackadder. He thought it was too 'English' for them. He wanted to reach the US audience and thats where Mr Bean came in. Slapstick visual humour that could be exported anywhere, without the confusion that British 'wit' can sometimes cause. ------------- Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy! |
Posted By: Reed Lover
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 09:39
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Father Ted,I forgot that one too! Brilliant comedy Dermot Morgan is sadly missed.. we could resurrect it on the archives: Father Ted = Velvet Clown http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrewguest/assumpta.wmv - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrewguest/assumpta.wmv http://www.fathertedonline.ukf.net/soundsamples/sister.mp3 - http://www.fathertedonline.ukf.net/soundsamples/sister.mp3 http://www.fathertedonline.ukf.net/soundsamples/beast.mp3 - http://www.fathertedonline.ukf.net/soundsamples/beast.mp3 you guessed it..... Mrs Doyle=KE9 Father Jack = ok,Me
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrewguest/island.wmv - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrewguest/island.wmv
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Posted By: Harlequin
Date Posted: March 23 2005 at 18:17
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Bottom gets my vote. My teenage kids love it and are desperate to see the Big Wheel episode again. Bladder and Flowery Tw*** also rank high. A does Red Dwarf which would have got my vote if it was listed. ------------- Information is not knowledge Knowledge is not wisdom Wisdom is not truth Truth is not beauty Beauty is not love Love is not music Music is the best... |
Posted By: Dragon Phoenix
Date Posted: March 24 2005 at 05:02
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1. Fawlty Towers 2. Blackadder 3. Yes Minister |
Posted By: Radioactive Toy
Date Posted: March 24 2005 at 05:11
farty touwels  -------------  
Reed's failed joke counter: ||||| R.I.P. You could have reached infinity.... |
Posted By: goose
Date Posted: March 24 2005 at 13:45
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Spaced was really, really funny. I watched the whole of both series in two evenings I think . My vote went to Fawlty Towers though.
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