Sitcoms
Comments
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He's a good writer is Ben Eltonsoapy_jones said:Watched this the other night, despite not being a Ben Elton fan (politics) and him looking remarkably like Tony B-Liar nowadays.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b092l7pq/the-ronnie-barker-comedy-lecture-with-ben-elton
It was interesting and made some good points about sit-coms. Put my foot through the TV whenever Miranda was mentioned but...
Thing with situation comedies is that they are bloody hard to get right. Some I find so bad they are offensive. Citizen Khan was/is so bad I thought it was a parody whereas whilst Miranda isn't to my taste my missus finds it funny and I see that what she does (Miranda) can appeal to a demoraphic.
Phoenix nights is another one, I absolutely loved it having drunk and attended events at similar places and actually having drunk in the place it was filmed at Bolton away years ago it isn't hard to see where the observations were made and that tickled me. Besides that I think Peter Kay is a brilliant comic actor, so much more to him than shouting "garlic bread" just by raising his eyes he can get me going.
I liked Gavin & Stacey but I didn't like the smithy character as much as a lot of people did. I thought Ruth Jones and Rob Brydons turns in that were what made it so funny2 -
Very few comedies "stand the test of time" as they say.
Some old comedies which were apparently extremely popular years ago don't even raise a hint of a smile in repeats.
Only fools still has people belly laughing after 20/30 repeat views.2 -
So true.Leroy Ambrose said:Should have ended with the watch. Up to that point, it was consistently the funniest thing ever screened on British TV.
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I didn't like Smithy the first time around, but on second viewing I did, weirdly. He's that mate you know is annoying but you also know he's harmless and means well.Carter said:
He's a good writer is Ben Eltonsoapy_jones said:Watched this the other night, despite not being a Ben Elton fan (politics) and him looking remarkably like Tony B-Liar nowadays.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b092l7pq/the-ronnie-barker-comedy-lecture-with-ben-elton
It was interesting and made some good points about sit-coms. Put my foot through the TV whenever Miranda was mentioned but...
Thing with situation comedies is that they are bloody hard to get right. Some I find so bad they are offensive. Citizen Khan was/is so bad I thought it was a parody whereas whilst Miranda isn't to my taste my missus finds it funny and I see that what she does (Miranda) can appeal to a demoraphic.
Phoenix nights is another one, I absolutely loved it having drunk and attended events at similar places and actually having drunk in the place it was filmed at Bolton away years ago it isn't hard to see where the observations were made and that tickled me. Besides that I think Peter Kay is a brilliant comic actor, so much more to him than shouting "garlic bread" just by raising his eyes he can get me going.
I liked Gavin & Stacey but I didn't like the smithy character as much as a lot of people did. I thought Ruth Jones and Rob Brydons turns in that were what made it so funny
Phoenix Nights was brilliant - I really like Car Share too.
Nothing tops OFAH though - saw one the other day I'd somehow missed about Grandad getting arrested in Spain, and this bit had me in stitches:
Rodney: You were gun running during the Spanish Civil War?!
Grandad: Well that's the best time to do it, Rodney.4 -
"I thought you said the dump was open 24/7?"
"Yeah, but not at night Del"6 -
I'd take out number 4 and stick in Steptoe and Son.Riviera said:Best 5 British Sitcoms:
1) Fawlty Towers
2) Porridge
3) The Office
4) Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
5) Dad's Army
There you are, that's that sorted.0 -
I think that is just the name given to the lectures in remembrance of RB the great man. It was the inaugural in what will be yearly lectures by guest speakers.Jensenwasclass said:I also watched the Ronnie-Barker-Comedy-Lecture.
Very disappointed, was mainly Elton spouting on about
his own shows not much about Ronnie Barker at all.
Should have realised can't stand the narsisestic Elton at all.1 -
Grandad " Sidney Poitier. You know him, always plays the black fella,"North Lower Neil said:
I didn't like Smithy the first time around, but on second viewing I did, weirdly. He's that mate you know is annoying but you also know he's harmless and means well.Carter said:
He's a good writer is Ben Eltonsoapy_jones said:Watched this the other night, despite not being a Ben Elton fan (politics) and him looking remarkably like Tony B-Liar nowadays.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b092l7pq/the-ronnie-barker-comedy-lecture-with-ben-elton
It was interesting and made some good points about sit-coms. Put my foot through the TV whenever Miranda was mentioned but...
Thing with situation comedies is that they are bloody hard to get right. Some I find so bad they are offensive. Citizen Khan was/is so bad I thought it was a parody whereas whilst Miranda isn't to my taste my missus finds it funny and I see that what she does (Miranda) can appeal to a demoraphic.
Phoenix nights is another one, I absolutely loved it having drunk and attended events at similar places and actually having drunk in the place it was filmed at Bolton away years ago it isn't hard to see where the observations were made and that tickled me. Besides that I think Peter Kay is a brilliant comic actor, so much more to him than shouting "garlic bread" just by raising his eyes he can get me going.
I liked Gavin & Stacey but I didn't like the smithy character as much as a lot of people did. I thought Ruth Jones and Rob Brydons turns in that were what made it so funny
Phoenix Nights was brilliant - I really like Car Share too.
Nothing tops OFAH though - saw one the other day I'd somehow missed about Grandad getting arrested in Spain, and this bit had me in stitches:
Rodney: You were gun running during the Spanish Civil War?!
Grandad: Well that's the best time to do it, Rodney.8 -
"Arthur's ashes" weren't that the guy that won Wimbledon?4
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Mange tout.
John Sullivan was a fantastic writer and the cast were superb.
I think maybe it should have ended with them becoming millionaires after the watch discovery.
It was mainly an affectionate knowing look at family life by a brilliant writer who knew how to set up and write a scene for maximum comic effect. And the casting of and interaction between Rodney and Del was fantastic.
And it had some really poignant moments in there for good measure too.
One of the very best British sitcoms ever in my view.6 - Sponsored links:
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(1) Dads ArmyRiviera said:Best 5 British Sitcoms:
1) Fawlty Towers
2) Porridge
3) The Office
4) Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
5) Dad's Army
There you are, that's that sorted.
(2) Only Fools and Horses
(3) Fawlty Towers
(4) Porridge
Didnt ever really watch any others (Not that I can think of at the moment anyway)0 -
Probably not the best person to judge the reklative merits of a wide range of TV sitcoms then, eh?ForeverAddickted said:
(1) Dads ArmyRiviera said:Best 5 British Sitcoms:
1) Fawlty Towers
2) Porridge
3) The Office
4) Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
5) Dad's Army
There you are, that's that sorted.
(2) Only Fools and Horses
(3) Fawlty Towers
(4) Porridge
Didnt ever really watch any others (Not that I can think of at the moment anyway)6 -
Just before Del falls through the bar he tells Trigger that the the birds in here love talking about money. So Trigger walks up to a couple of them & tells them he found an old £5 note the other day.3
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Of classics not already mentioned, Father Ted was great too. Also enjoyed Some mothers do ave em and keeping up appearances.
More modern ones, Peep Show, Inbetweeners, Nighty Night.2 -
Benidorm deserves a mention for modern situation comedies, another one that observes people very well0
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Early Doors.1
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Dinnerladies0
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Liked that tooAlgarveaddick said:Dinnerladies
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Apart from:Riviera said:Best 5 British Sitcoms:
1) Fawlty Towers
2) Porridge
3) The Office
4) Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
5) Dad's Army
There you are, that's that sorted.
Steptoe and Son
Rising Damp
The Likely Lads
Father Ted (Irish)
Outnumbered
The Young Ones0 - Sponsored links:
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The only sitcom that comes close to Only Fools has got to be Miranda9
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Royle Family1
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Loved OFAH. Agree it should have ended with the watch.
Funny it was but poignant too. Hearing 'holding back the years' after Rodney and cassandra's wedding. Proper lump in the throat.9 -
Brilliant.happyvalley said:Just before Del falls through the bar he tells Trigger that the the birds in here love talking about money. So Trigger walks up to a couple of them & tells them he found an old £5 note the other day.
I love it when he says his Dad died a couple of years before he was born.
That and the "What's Dave then, some sort of nickname?" scene.1 -
Cant watch Fawlty Towers now, I find it cringeworthy, when first on I though it was superb... its a bit odd, I suppose it must be over familiarity but I can still watch old Monty Pythons, Porridges, etc and no probs.cantersaddick said:It's good but it's no Fawlty towers.
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that one line is funnier than Miranda Hart's entire careermoutuakilla said:The only sitcom that comes close to Only Fools has got to be Miranda
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Yes Minister/Prime Minister.
Some of the best comedy writing, casting and acting of all time.5 -
I'm sorry you are the 1st person I know that does not like it. It is the best show on tv. It's funny but can also made you feel emotional the two things that stand out his Grandad's funeral with the hat and when Rodney has a breakdown in the lift just after he loses his baby.Derek1952 said:
Just seen The Story of only Fools and Horses on t.v.Does any one else not find fools and horses funny.Stupidity and Slapstick never found amusing.
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Astounded!Halix said:
Cant watch Fawlty Towers now, I find it cringeworthy, when first on I though it was superb... its a bit odd, I suppose it must be over familiarity but I can still watch old Monty Pythons, Porridges, etc and no probs.cantersaddick said:It's good but it's no Fawlty towers.
I watch them regularly and laugh and laugh and laugh. Got my kids into them. The comedy is timeless even if the set and costumes are not. Perfectly crafted British farce. I have them on VHS, DVD, i-tunes on my SkyQ planner.3 -
In no particular order...
Blackadder
Only Fools and Horses
Phoenix Nights
That Peter Kay Thing
Car Share
One Foot in the Grave
Father Ted
The IT Crowd
Yes (Prime) Minister
Fawlty Towers
I'm Alan Partridge
Men Behaving Badly
The Young Ones
Red Dwarf
The League of Gentlemen
The Office
Bottom
The Thin Blue Line
The Inbetweeners
Peep Show
Spaced
Extras
Cuckoo
Green Wing
The Thick of It
Great British sitcoms past and present. Some haven't aged as well as others but all great in their time. By no means exhaustive. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but People Just Do Nothing is brilliant.6
