BS: Best Brit-com

Subject: BS: Best Brit-com?
From: GUEST,Dreaded Guest
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 08:13 PM

I've griped here quite a bit about television, but it does have its good points. In the US we get some but not all of British television, and over the years I've seen some great situation comedies (sit-coms) which are advertised here as Brit-coms.

So I looked at the threads on Mudcat and didn't see one relating to this and thought I'd ask. What is the best Brit-com ever?

Based on my limited experience I'd have to say 'Fawlty Towers'. Always been funny, no matter how many times I've seen it. I used to watch one called 'Are You Being Served?' which was great, as was one called 'Rising Damp'. Rigsby...about as funny as they come.

Let's see...'Black Adder'...any others?

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 08:26 PM

I personally like Red Dwarf.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Nemesis
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:07 PM

"Spaced"

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:09 PM

Well, it wasn't British, but I loved Father Ted.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Padre
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:22 PM

Two that I like are "No, Honestly" and the "Yes, Minister/Yes, Prime Minister" series

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: RangerSteve
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:25 PM

Good Neighbors, To the Manor Born, and Father, Dear Father.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:54 PM

I don't have much of a favorite...I love them all!!! "Fawlty Towers" and "Yes Minister/PM" are perhaps up at the top, but I watched one that cracked me up that made a run on PBS and never came back. It was "The Decline and Rise of Reginald Perrin" and the first 8 or so episodes had me on the floor about half the time. It fell off a little after that, but it was hilarious.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 10:09 PM

It was "Fall" not "Decline" at least in the UK. I'd agree about the early episodes being hilarious. Reginald Perrin was played by Leonard Rossiter, the same actor Dreaded Guest enjoyed as Rigsby in Rising Damp. I think he played both parts well.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 10:49 PM

Yep, same guy. Cracked me up! And Jon, you're probably right on the title.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 10:53 PM

I'd say "Father Ted," too. "Blackadder" is a close second.

It's not really a sit-com, but I really love "People Like Us," too.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Peg
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 02:22 AM

I do love Fawlty Towers and Monty Python's Flying Circus. Also have become a Blackadder fan in recent years...

other BBC/PBS imports I have enjoyed:
As Time Goes By
Monarch of the Glen
Coupling

I miss The Young Ones...

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: alanabit
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 03:57 AM

Spaw beat me to The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, which is probably my favourite. Blackadder has certainly been the best vehicle for Rowan Atkinson's talents so far. I particularly liked the final episode in which they finally had to go over the top. It ended in a freeze frame - which abruptly reminded you of the horrible tragedy which was underfpinning the gallows humour. It is time there was a decent series to make use of the talents of either Robie Coltrane or Robert Lindsay.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Bagpuss
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 05:58 AM

Since most of my favourites from the past have been mentioned, I just wanted to mention the current crop of really good comedies: Black Books, Phoenix Nights, The Book Group and The Office. Anyone know if another series of Spaced is planned? - I really miss it. And mustn't forget "Look Around You" - which while not a sitcom like the others, had me rolling around on the floor for most of it.

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 06:09 AM

The others named are wonderful.

But for "fall down laughing"....

Ab Fab!

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: HuwG
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 06:19 AM

alanabit, Robert Lindsay appeared as a would-be revolutionary in "Citizen Smith", some twenty-four years ago.


"Freedom for Tooting !"

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Gurney
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 06:27 AM

'Allo 'Allo is my favourite, closely followed by 'Auf Wiedersein, Pet'

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Jeanie
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 07:47 AM

Alanabit - as you are in Germany, you may not yet have seen Robert Lindsay and Zoe Wannamaker in "My Family" - (nominated this week for a BAFTA; programme just into its third series). It's fairly predictable sit-com as far as script and situations are concerned, but pulled into the ranks of having some extremely funny moments by their superb acting skills. The young man who plays the elder son in the series is also someone to look out for, I would say.

In the more 'standard' sit-coms (as opposed to the realistic documentary style ones like "The Office"), the best ones I reckon are those that use skilful experienced classical *stage* actors (such as Lindsay and Wannamaker). I saw Robert Lindsay play Richard III at the RSC a few years ago - wonderful.

Nobody's mentioned "Only Fools and Horses" yet. I saw David Jason on stage in "No Sex Please, We're British" way before any of his TV appearances, and you could tell then what superb acting technique he had.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Bagpuss
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 07:53 AM

Each to their own I suppose, but I can't watch more than 5 minutes of My Family without cringing. And I get the impression that Lindsay and Wannamaker feel the same way as they read their lines. I really can't see its appeal.

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,James
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 07:55 AM

Absolutely Fabulous is my all time Favourite. One Foot in The Grave, To The Manor Born, As Time goes by. Allo, Allo. Fawlty Towers, Waiting For God,May to December. Lots of others. There should be a whole Chanel of Brit-coms, or international best of-coms.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Jeanie
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 08:07 AM

Yes, Bagpuss - as I said, it's a predictable situation and a predictable script, but I love watching it to learn from skilful actors how to get laughs out of precious little - and they *do* make me laugh.

I'm sure actors of their calibre take these TV sitcom parts because they will earn far more money from just one series than they would in any kind of stage work, however prestigious the company or venue.

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: alanabit
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 08:47 AM

I'd like to see it Jeanie. I saw Lindsay in the BBC's "Much Ado About Nothing". It was a great part for him, because it is both serious and funny. I can only imagine what he made of "Richard III", which is also very underrated as a comic masterpiece. I bet the wily old sod milked it for every line.
I sure liked "Absolutely Fabulous" and although it was as hackneyed as Hell, Ina and I really loved "Keeping up Appearances", which we caught in the original on Belgian TV. Patricia Rouledge clearly revelled in taking that awful harridan apart. Her sheer zest made it for us. Didn't anyone else like "The Young Ones"?

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:17 AM

Yes Minister.........Priceless comedy. A fave of mine. Also, No Job For A Lady.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:52 AM

Fresh Fields, Are You Being served is so bad it is good..a little of it goes a very long way. French and Saunders. Chef was good but the later episodes tailed off.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Dreaded Guest
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 10:43 AM

Let's see...'The Vicar of Dibley'...I saw some of those, and isn't that being produced again? I heard it was.

And I learned that "Clever clogs get scragged in the bog" from 'The Thin Blue Line'. Took me a long time to figure that one out.

Yeah, there should be a channel for all these programs and nothing but.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Bagpuss
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:03 AM

I forgot - Dinner Ladies with the wonderful Victoria Wood and Julie Walters, and I must confess to enjoying Gimme, Gimme, Gimme.

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Bagpuss
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:09 AM

And how could I miss mentioning the most delightfully twisted League of Gentlemen?!

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Peg
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:43 AM

alanabit; maybe you didn't see it but I did mention The Young Ones...haven't seen it in years.

forgot Abfab-- how could I? Hilarious...

I also like Vicar of Dibley. Chef gets irritating after a while but I do find the main character funny sometimes...

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Lord Percy
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:46 AM

Well, of course Blackadder was unparalelled for snotty historical comedy writing. Yes Minister was creme de la creme of snotty contemporary writing, but what were the names of those two "punk" series(es) starring Ric Mayall?

Oops, got it! The New Statesman, and "Bum"...is that right? Nothing 'darker' than those, even the hysterical Ab Fab.

Lord Percy

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:48 AM

"Bottom" - but close enough

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Jeanie
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 01:40 PM

Lord Percy, you forgot the other one: "Filthy, Rich and Catflap."

- jeanie

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Don Firth
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 06:32 PM

Lots of them, but particular favorites are As Time Goes By, Good Neighbors, The Vicar of Dibley, and Waiting For God. In addition to being hilarious, I regard the Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister pair as the best telecourse I've ever seen on the way politics actually works (or doesn't). Too bleedin' true, no matter what political system you're talking about.

I couldn't begin to list the more serious British shows we (my wife, Barbara, and I) have watched and enjoyed. After watching the remake of The Forsyte Saga a few weeks back, Barbara got the videotapes of the older series (with Susan Hampshire, Eric Porter, et al) from the library and we're watching that. We actually like it better than the remake. They haven't shown Monarch of the Glen on our local PBS affiliate, but Barbara discovered that the library has at least some of the videotapes. We've watched the first couple of episodes, but the rest of the tapes are either checked out or missing. We've got them reserved, so I hope it isn't the latter. We're hooked.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 05:42 AM

'Spaw (and anyone else), if you liked Reggie Perrin, you should read the books by David Nobbs. I think there were three (might have been four?) and they all got televised. Nobbs writes his own screenplays, so the book is indistinguishable from the tv prog (except that one is a book and the other is a tv prog): no abridgments or "improvements".

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Bagpuss
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 05:46 AM

I think David Nobbs also wrote 'A Bit of a Do' - which I loved as a tv series with David Jason.

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Bystander
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 06:50 AM

Havn't seen 'The Fast Show' mentioned yet - best since Python. Also someone said 'Father Ted' wasn't really a Brit-com. I believe the Irish writers could not get Irish TV interested in the script so they approached UK Channel 4 who made the programme.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: alanabit
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 08:18 AM

David Nobbs' "Second to Last in the Sack Race" is also worth reading.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Jimmy C
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 10:11 AM

All of their sit-cooms are excellent and it is difficult to select a favourite, I liked Mr.Bean - Are you being served - Keeping up appearances and of course Black Adder and Fawlty Towers. The old Goon show was great back in the mid sixties but I don't recall the title, it may have been just the Goon Shjow.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Peg
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 11:19 AM

I did like Mr. Bean a lot, actually; it wasn't on for very long. Rowan Atkinson is hilarious!

I enjoyed One Foot in the Grave, too, and Waiting for God, but they've been taken out of the weekend rotation on PBS here...we did get Ballykissangel back, though, starting at the beginning which I was happy for since I started watching it a couple of seasons in...

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 01:16 PM

The only two Brit-coms we currently get are "Keepig Up Appearances" and "As Time Goes By". We love both of them even though they are on their third rerun at least. Our all time favorites are "Butterflies" with Geoffrey Palmer (that's an old one) and "Barbara" which takes place in Lancashire. "Barbara" was running currently last May when we were in Ireland.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 02:16 PM

Ah, yes! Keeping Up Appearances. Onslow is my role model.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Raedwulf
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 03:19 PM

I'm slightly surprised no-one has mentioned the superb "Porridge", nor, equally superb, "The Good Life".

The Goon Show was the title, JimmyC, but, technically, I wouldn't class it as a sitcom. Neither was Monthy Python (which I love). The former was a stream of one-off episodes featuring the same characters over & over, the latter was a collection of skits & sketches, much like "Q", Milligan's rather erratic TV oeuvre (though the Nato Army Boot was a classic!). I could also mention the Goodies, another fabulously funny show, but I'm not quite sure that it counts as a sitcom.

For pure unarguable sitcom, I'd nominate Porridge & The Good Life, along with Blackadder & Red Dwarf.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 03:56 PM

Never seen Porridge, but The Good Life played in the United States under the title Good Neighbors (Felicity Kendall, Richard Briars, Penelope Keith, and Paul Eddington). One of our favorites. As a matter of fact, I videotaped every episode of Good Neighbors and As Time Goes By.

Also The Vicar of Dibley. I love Alice. One can easily assume that she's a grown-up with the mind of a very peculiar child, but I think she's actually a true philosopher who just happens to inhabit a not quite parallel universe. One episode has a schtick in it that I think ranks right up there with Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First?" Alice mentions the product "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" to Geraldine, and tells her that she can't believe it's not butter. "That," says Geraldine, "I think, is the general idea." But Alice then goes on to say that she's found another product that's not "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter," but she can't believe that the product that is not "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" is not "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter." As Geraldine stares at Alice with her brows knit and her mouth open, Alice weaves this into one of the most convoluted bits of monologue that's ever been done. Absolutely hilarious, and if you manage to follow the whole thing, it makes perfect sense. A real tour de force.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: JudeL
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 04:19 PM

I'm amazed that no-one has yet mentioned "Some Mothers Do Have 'Em". "The Beiderbeck Affair" was very good as was "Shelly", both full of very dry subtle touches. Or go back a little further and there was a series called "Oh Brother" which starred Derick Jacobe as an accident prone cleric.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Alba
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 04:53 PM

Wish they would show the Likley Lads again on PBS or the girls from Liverpool...the Lyver (probably spelt wrong!) Birds. I loved these two shows.
And although it only happens once a year..'The Eurovision song contest is always good for a laugh!!!!it may not be all British but it shows on BBC so I think it counts:>)
Oh Brother was very funny I had forgot all about it!
A

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: The Walrus
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 05:07 PM

Mr Bean?...Mr Bean? ARRRRGGGGHHHH!
I find it about as funny as trying to remove your own appendix with broken glass. It's dire.

regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 08:14 PM

Does Dame Edna qualify as a Brit-com? Talk about funny and outrageous!

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Little Robyn
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 06:15 AM

The Vicar of Dibley is my favourite too - especially Alice's Not really butter bit.
But does anyone remember 'The Army Game' with Alfie Bass as Private Bisley - known as Bootsie. It later morphed into 'Bootsie and Snudge'.
The earlier show had some great characters including 'Flogger' Hoskins and Bones, who received a letter from his Mum -"Dear Son, I'm writing this slowly because I know you can't read very fast".....

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: HuwG
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 06:47 AM

JudeL, "Oh, Brother", actually starred Derek Nimmo, rather than Derek Jacobi. (Sir) Derek Jacobi has not (to my knowledge) appeared in any comedy series, although he has a very dry sense of humour, which he displays when appearing on panel game shows.

Derek Nimmo appeared as another ineffectual cleric (C of E, this time), in a series which I haven't seen for many years; "All gas and gaiters".

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Alba
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 07:25 AM

Steptoe and Son! Another favorite in our house!

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Don Firth
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 01:04 PM

Barbara and I are currently watching Sir Derek Jacobi in the four-episode presentation of The Jury on "Masterpiece Theatre." We first became acquainted with him in I, Claudius, saw him in a performance of Hamlet, and watched the Brother Cadfael series regularly.

I don't recall ever seeing him in a comedy role, except for a guest appearance on one episode of Frasier, where he played a Shakespearean actor whom Frasier greatly admired. Frasier wanted to sponsor him in a one-man show. And then he saw him in action. He may have been great at one time, but by the time Frasier met him, he was past it—both over the hill and over the top. Wild gestures, moaning, clawing his chest, etc. Sir Derek has a real flair for comedy and spoof.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: GUEST,Den at work
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 01:51 PM

What about "Till death do us part." I like the Royle Family which is currently playing on BBC Canada.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Helen
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 08:27 PM

Netscape just crashed after I typed a long rave so in a nutshell:

Thanks (not!) 'Spaw for reminding me that I haven't seen Reggie Perrin since it first came out and it was my favourite at the time. I just fall back into a cosy misty lack of loss about it and you remind me again.

Goodness Gracious Me, and the spin-off from that, The Kumars at No. 42, are wickedly funny, giving the Indian-British perspective on comedy.

I've decided that once I identify a comedy actor I like I can then take a punt on any show he/she is in after that and usually like it, e.g. Rik Mayall.

What was the name of that comedy with the guy who played Rimmer in Red Dwarf as a ditzy, self important office manager? Sort of like a fictional version of The Office.

We generously lend out Dame Edna to other countries as required, but we are very proud of her Oz origins.

There have been other threads recently on tv comedies, and British shows have ranked among the highest on those threads. I'll try to find them and put a link in.

I'll refrain from mentioning the Oz sit-com Mother & Son because, except for DNA connections to actors and scriptwriters etc, it isn't British and therefore that would be thread creep (grin). But, if I did mention it I would rave about Ruth Cracknell and Garry MacDonald, other wise notorious as "Norman Gunston".

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 11:32 PM

Monty Python's Flying Circus is my all-time favorite TV comedy show, British or otherwise. Another Brit-com I liked was "Doctor In The House." Thanks to mudcatter Melani, I'm just starting to familiarize myself with Blackadder. Funny stuff! (Thanks for the loans of your videos).

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: JudeL
Date: 18 Apr 03 - 03:53 AM

Yes Hew, wrong Derek, I knew who I was thinking of I just typed in the wrong surname. Still it gave someone a nudge in remembering other things that Derek Jacobi has been in.

Helen: The comedy I think you are trying to remember is "The Brittas Empire" where he played the manager of a leisure centre.

Another of my favourite classics is "Rumpole of the Bailey"

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Don Firth
Date: 18 Apr 03 - 02:51 PM

Mother and Son. One of the funniest shows around. I wish my local PBS station would bring it back.

I knew a guy who had lost his job and had to stay with his mother for a few months. He told me he watched a couple of episodes of it and said "What the hell! I'm living in the damned show!"

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Apr 03 - 07:09 PM

Does anyone remember "2.5". I have vague memories of a marriage breaking up but still a comedy. 2.5 referred to the average number of children in the average family. Would have been circa 1975 in the States.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Gurney
Date: 19 Apr 03 - 07:04 AM

Has anyone mentioned 'Open All Hours' with the two Ronnies? And the situation comedy 'The Two Ronnies?' Corbett and Barker, if you didn't know, two of the very best.

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Apr 03 - 01:08 PM

There are many listed that I have never seen...I do tend to enjoy the ones that 'translate' well, and do not depend on intimate knowlege of UK slang and in-jokes..Monty Python always did a decent job of hitting at humor that was pretty basic.

(I will say that my current favorite is Canadian,,,"The Red Green Show")

Subject: RE: BS: Best Brit-com
From: The Walrus
Date: 19 Apr 03 - 05:09 PM

Gurney,

"Open All Hours" was Ronnie Barker and David Jason, I don't think Ronnie Corbett was involved there (I think he had his own sit-com 'Sorry'running at bout the same time).

Regards

Walrus.