Does anyone remember a series done by Nicholas Lyndhurst after he stopped doing Rodney? He was an MI5 agent. Can't remember what it was called, and they only did a couple of series, but it was seriously well written and very funny.

I'd guess that we feel about stuff like that the same as Americans feel about MASH or other old American sitcoms. Some are good, some aren't.

Trouble with current American sitcoms is the quality of the writing. I average one laugh a show on Friends, Frasier and Third Rock. Maybe it's dumbing down, but you can see the punchline approaching from so far away that by the time it's delivered, it's no longer funny. Third Rock is particularly prone to that. It's just the same plot over and over - you may as well be watching Scooby-Doo for the story quality and originality. Even most of the jokes are old. I'm not sure I've ever laughed at Fresh Prince, Roseanne or Married with Children.

Not that us Brits are immune to this - there's enough lousy sitcoms on British TV to fill any size of sick-bag.

Grab.