# Favourite Sitcoms



## Liverpoolphil (Mar 27, 2016)

Over the last prob 40 years we have been blessed with some quality sitcoms 

From Blackadder to Dads Army and Allo Allo and Only Fools etc are always mentioned as people favourites 

But what about the under the radar ones ?

What's your fav ?

I'll start with Coupling and especially the early couple series - loved it especially Jeff who was brilliant 

So what's yours ?


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## HomerJSimpson (Mar 27, 2016)

Outnumbered. Some of the early ones when the kids were small were unscripted.


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## guest100718 (Mar 27, 2016)

modern family, BBT, brooklyn Nine Nine.


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## Dan2501 (Mar 27, 2016)

No sitcom will ever match the greatness of The Office. It's just perfect. Lost count the amount of times I've watched it all the way through.


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## Grogger (Mar 27, 2016)

Alan Partridge
The Office
Phoenix Nights
Still Game
IT Crowd
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace 
Peep Show


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## HomerJSimpson (Mar 27, 2016)

Phoenix nights and IT Crowd were good. 

How about Fall and Rise of Reggie Perrin. Not sure it ever got the critical acclaim it deserved. Brilliantly observed and loved Leonard Rossiter in it. Rarely repeated and one that has never tried to be copied


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## Lord Tyrion (Mar 27, 2016)

Hebburn. Check it out if you haven't seen it. Very funny.


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## richart (Mar 27, 2016)

Father Ted
Early doors
Red Dwarf


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## irip (Mar 27, 2016)

not sure its classed as under the radar but Porridge is my all time favourite i could watch it every day.


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## Tongo (Mar 27, 2016)

richart said:



			Father Ted
*Early doors*
Red Dwarf
		
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A mate of mine lent me the DVD's for this. The sort of comedy that doesnt make you belly laugh but still makes you smile a long time after you've watched it.


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## Tongo (Mar 27, 2016)

irip said:



			not sure its classed as under the radar but Porridge is my all time favourite i could watch it every day.
		
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Absolute class. Along with Frasier probably my two favourite sitcoms. Cleverly written throughout.


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## Hobbit (Mar 27, 2016)

Just goes to emphasise what was in the other comedy thread. Tastes differ. 

Absolutely loved Red Dwarf but would sooner have scooped my eyes out with a wooden spoon than watch the Office.


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## richart (Mar 27, 2016)

Tongo said:



			A mate of mine lent me the DVD's for this. The sort of comedy that doesnt make you belly laugh but still makes you smile a long time after you've watched it.
		
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 Some really good actors in Early doors, and better than the Royal Family in my opinion. More believable characters.

Forget to mention Rab C Nesbitt, even if I did have to watch it with sub titles.

Frasier must be one of the few spin offs that was better than the original (Cheers)

I used to like Taxi as well, but that might have had something to do with Marilu Henner.

Early series of MASH were very good, again with top character actors.


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## HomerJSimpson (Mar 27, 2016)

Likely Lads and Whatever Happened...


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## Ross61 (Mar 27, 2016)

Black books
Citizen Smith
The Young Ones
The New Statesman
Yes Minister
Thee Big Bang theory 
The IT crowd
Cheers
Frasier
Teachers
Gimme Gimme Gimme

i could name 50 more but have got bored but The Office and Mrs Browns Boys would still not be on the list


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## HomerJSimpson (Mar 27, 2016)

Yes Minister. Great shout. Did I hear/read it's being redone?


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## Deleted member 16999 (Mar 27, 2016)

Lord Tyrion said:



			Hebburn. Check it out if you haven't seen it. Very funny.
		
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Hebburn, Where dreams go to die&#128515;


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## Oxfordcomma (Mar 27, 2016)

HomerJSimpson said:



			Yes Minister. Great shout. Did I hear/read it's being redone?
		
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Been watching this on Yesterday the last couple of weeks. Still brilliant, and barely aged at all.

From others already mentioned, Outnumbered (the tennis episode with the calendar scene), MASH and Father Ted are the standouts for me. I'd include Green Wing as well, for the jaw-dropping oddness. And in a similar vein, Mighty Boosh, slightly hit and miss but genius when it worked.


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## JohnnyDee (Mar 27, 2016)

I have too many to narrow it down so...

Hancock's Half Hour
Steptoe & Son
Whatever Happened to the Likeky Lads
Happy Days
The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin
Porridge
Royle Family
Hi De Hi
Father Ted
All Alan Partridges
Friends 
Still Game

I have a really soft spot for Dad's Army but can't include it in my list because of the character of Corporal Jones. He was a facile and totally unnecessary sledgehammer for the masses to get a cheap and simple laugh. However after the same joke was included for the two thousandth time in the third episode it became terminally tedious for me.

His repeated and dreadfully lame schtick every episode of 'Don't panic!" "I'd like to volunteer for..." and "They don't like it up 'em" bored me to tears in what was otherwise a script of total comedy genius. He should've been invalided out after episode two.


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## AmandaJR (Mar 27, 2016)

The Office - best TV ever.


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## Tarkus1212 (Mar 27, 2016)

Mork & Mindy


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## wrighty1874 (Mar 27, 2016)

There's a new one starting on BBC 2 on Friday April 1st starring Elaine C.Smith aka Mary Doll in Rab C.Nesbitt. Gets a good review.


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## richart (Mar 27, 2016)

I think some have missed the OP asking for under the radar sitcoms.  

Dads Army, Porridge, Yes Minister/Prime Minister, Likely Lads etc are surely main stream UK comedies.


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## Jimaroid (Mar 27, 2016)

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Close the thread.


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## ScienceBoy (Mar 27, 2016)

I'm more of the black books/ green wing kind of guy. 

Never got "the office" brand of humour.

Loved the IT crown.

Anyone recall the short lived "lab rats" and the one about the golf club with Hale from Hale and Pace!

So-so about US sitcoms.


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## USER1999 (Mar 27, 2016)

All quiet on the Preston front.


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## Wabinez (Mar 27, 2016)

Early season or two of Fresh Meat were good. Big Bang Theory is up there, Friends still makes me chuckle and Inbetweeners always gets a laugh.

Out of those, Fresh Meat is very under the radar in my opinion.


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## full_throttle (Mar 27, 2016)

two and a half men
king of queens


no idea why but i like them


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## srixon 1 (Mar 27, 2016)

Have been watching Raised by Wolves recently, quite funny at times.
Inbetweeners. How they get away with some of it is amazing.


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## MarkE (Mar 27, 2016)

Red Dwarf, Spaced, Fawlty Towers.


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## Ross61 (Mar 27, 2016)

murphthemog said:



			All quiet on the Preston front.
		
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great shout.

"Gurkha tank battle"  :thup:


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## larmen (Mar 27, 2016)

Ross61 said:



			Cheers
Frasier
		
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It's funny how I can watch Frasier again and again, but I find Cheers really dated these days. When they came out originally I barely got into Frasier in the 1st place.

Add TBBT and '2 and a half men' for me. The later is possibly the Cheers of current time and will be outdated soon.
I also used to love M.A.S.H back in the days.


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## Piece (Mar 27, 2016)

Stella Street
Police Squad.


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## wrighty1874 (Mar 28, 2016)

Green Wing is a good call.


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## user2010 (Mar 28, 2016)

Love Thy Neighbour
On The Buses
Till Death Us Do Part

And more recently:
The Goldbergs
Everybody Loves Raymond
Modern Family
The Big Bang Theory


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## Ross61 (Mar 28, 2016)

Scrotie McBoogerballs said:



			Love Thy Neighbour
On The Buses
Till Death Us Do Part
		
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All a bit politically incorrect these days. Saw a couple of episodes of on the buses recently. I don't remember it being so sexist. I suppose when I watched it at the time it was first aired it was the norm.


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## Hacker Khan (Mar 28, 2016)

The thick of it and The Office recently ish. 

The Young Ones and Blackadder had the biggest influence on my humour when growing up.

Special mention to Parks and Recreation as well.


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## Ethan (Mar 28, 2016)

My favourites:

Yes (Prime) Minister
Fawlty Towers
Frasier
Seinfeld
Thick of It


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## Pin-seeker (Mar 28, 2016)

Game on & Coupling were good back in the day. 
Modern Family is a current favourite in our house.


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## anotherdouble (Mar 28, 2016)

Please sir was up there for me in my younger years. Robins nest had for me the best character ever, the Irish one armed pot washer. More recently you can't forget Mrs Bucket.


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## AmandaJR (Mar 28, 2016)

Used to love watching The Good Life


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## guest100718 (Mar 28, 2016)

Can anyone suggest somethng that wasnt first shown in black and white.!


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## guest100718 (Mar 28, 2016)

Arrested Development
Spaced


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## chrisd (Mar 28, 2016)

Steptoe & Son
Hancocks half hour
Citizen Smith
The Likely Lads
Fawlty Towers
Hi de hi
Reggie Perrin
Rising damp
Yes Minister
On the buses
The good life
The New Statesman
Outnumbered (1st couple of series)
Mrs Browns boys (when they didn't swear openly)


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## garyinderry (Mar 28, 2016)

30 rock, its always sunny in Philadelphia and curb your enthusiasm for some American laughs.


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## Pathetic Shark (Mar 28, 2016)

Just Good Friends.  Only partially ... OK completely because of Jan Francis


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## Norrin Radd (Mar 28, 2016)

Till death us do part was brilliant and Warren Mitchell played the part so well. 
it was always a must watch show in our house.
Dads Army was the best ever ,closely followed by Porridge and only fools.
as for things like The Office and anything attached to Gervais just dosent float my boat at all.
 too much old school i think.


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## Break90 (Mar 28, 2016)

On a sporting note, I recently watched Outside Edge on I player, Brenda Blethyn, Timothy Spall, Josie Lawrence, absolute quality.


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## virtuocity (Mar 28, 2016)

Green Wing, Nighty Night, Mighty Boosh tick the boxes for weird Brit comedy.

Love Peep Show, Teachers and Alan Partridge as well.

Think it's becoming 'cool' to slate The Office but I thought this and Extras were superb.


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## Blue in Munich (Mar 28, 2016)

Porridge; Fletcher's switch from pleading to righteous indignation when he finds out that Godber has already agreed to throw the boxing match is priceless and the final punchline is an absolute classic

Fawlty Towers; only 12 episodes yet so many classic lines from all the characters.  Manuel, the Major & the moose is brilliant. 

Only Fools & Horses; having worked in that area for a few years and crossed paths with a number of these chancers it almost qualifies as a documentary.

Dad's Army; apart from the irritating Corporal Jones :angry:.

Mrs. Brown's Boys; I'd love it just as it was written but the ad libs, screw ups and improvisation as they try & stitch each other up makes it priceless.

Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister; the best use for politicians, taking the proverbial out of them.


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## tugglesf239 (Mar 28, 2016)

I think that Only fools and Porridge are the two best there has ever been and ever will be

For me personally a good sitcom must have excellent characters. Del Boy and Fletcher are absolute examples of this, superbly written and  almost lifelike, even though they are caricatures.

My other favorites are Father Ted, The Thick of It, Black Adder, Step toe and son for example are all based around superbly comic characters and amazing writing.

I think any good British sitcoms are a very rare beast these days and the vast majority of things on these days (im only 36) is garbage.

Apart from Father Ted Crilly, Malcolm Tucker, Partridge, Brian Potter, Rab Nesbitt and a few others. Nothing comes close to the rouges and scoundrels created in the 60's, 70's and 80's.

Dying art form in the UK

EDIT - I have just remembered Peep Show and the in betweeners. Both fantastic


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## Hacker Khan (Mar 28, 2016)

tugglesf239 said:



			I think that Only fools and Porridge are the two best there has ever been and ever will be

For me personally a good sitcom must have excellent characters. Del Boy and Fletcher are absolute examples of this, superbly written and  almost lifelike, even though they are caricatures.

My other favorites are Father Ted, The Thick of It, Black Adder, Step toe and son for example are all based around superbly comic characters and amazing writing.

I think any good British sitcoms are a very rare beast these days *and the vast majority of things on these days (im only 36) is garbage.*

Apart from Father Ted Crilly, Malcolm Tucker, Partridge, Brian Potter, Rab Nesbitt and a few others. *Nothing comes close to the rouges and scoundrels created in the 60's, 70's and 80's*.

Dying art form in the UK

EDIT - I have just remembered Peep Show and the in betweeners. Both fantastic
		
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Yes it does, it's just that people tend to have very selective memories and are only exposed to the best stuff from that era. There was a vast amount of dross as well. 

It is widely acknowledged that we are currently going through a golden era on TV, it is just that you have to look a bit harder for it now as TV is so fragmented with the Sky channels and on demand TV.

You should be thinking the best song has yet to be written, the best TV show is yet to be shown, your best golf shot is yet to be hit.  As if not you are already wishing your life away.


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## GG26 (Mar 28, 2016)

So many great British sitcoms of the 70s, of which most have been mentioned above although don't forget Butterflies.

In more recent times have enjoyed Coupling & Episodes (both of which were best for the first two series), and Frasier and The Big Bang Theory from the US.  

I've never got The Office or Mrs Brown's Boys - just not for me.


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## SocketRocket (Mar 28, 2016)

Watched some 'Rising Damp' recently.   Very funny.


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## HomerJSimpson (Mar 28, 2016)

Ross61 said:



			All a bit politically incorrect these days. Saw a couple of episodes of on the buses recently. I don't remember it being so sexist. I suppose when I watched it at the time it was first aired it was the norm.
		
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You could add Mind Your Language to the list. So racially incorrect it's another that'll never (rightly) get aired again. I also don't remember On The Buses being quite so sexist but as you say sitting watching it at the time you're impervious to it all


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## SatchFan (Mar 28, 2016)

Ever Decreasing Circles.


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Mar 28, 2016)

HomerJSimpson said:



			Outnumbered. Some of the early ones when the kids were small were unscripted.
		
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+1 from me on early Outnumbered.  And at the time I can remember just loving _Some Mother's Do Ave Em_


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## SatchFan (Mar 28, 2016)

Nearly forgot - Bottom.


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## richart (Mar 28, 2016)

HomerJSimpson said:



			You could add Mind Your Language to the list. So racially incorrect it's another that'll never (rightly) get aired again. I also don't remember On The Buses being quite so sexist but as you say sitting watching it at the time you're impervious to it all
		
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I went to see an episode of Mind your Language being made. Francoise Pascal was a stunner.:thup: Don't remember anything else about the programme though.


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## PhilTheFragger (Mar 29, 2016)

Bit more Upto date, really liked Bluestone 42
Great characters


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