Britain's Best Sitcom

[midge5]

The shows put into the top 10 were:

Blackadder
Dad's Army
Fawlty Towers
The Good Life
One Foot in The Grave
Only Fools and Horses
Open all Hours
Porridge
Vicar of Dibley
Yes Minister

with the rest of the top 100 being found here .

Out of the top 10 left to vote for which would you pick as your top 3 and then what would you change about it as I am guessing no one will agree with all of it?

My top 3 would be:
Yes Minister/Prime Minister
Blackadder
Only Fools and Horses


then my top 10 would be something like(would probably changed next time I tried making this list):

• The 3 above
• Steptoe and Son
• The Likely Lads
• Red Dwarf
• Fawlty Towers
• Keeping Up Appearances
• One Foot in The Grave
• Porridge

In no particular order.

[Knight Theamion]

Blackadder ****ing wins fs.

[Deepflow]

blackadder...
fawlty towers
yes minister

the top two are very very close imo. Blackadder only wins because of more episodes.

[Belgarath The Sorcerer]

Blackadder
Porridge
Fawlty Towers

Although that top ten is ****ing awesome, it is however sadly lacking one show, namely: RED DWARF

[Knight Theamion]

My family is a good series too.

[KoeN]

Originally Posted by Knight Theamion

My family is a good series too.

best comedy on dutch tv atm :P

[Deepflow]

possibly the good life should win just because felicity kendall makes me all hot and bothered.

they are ALL fantastic though, but ive never really watched open all hours

[Weeks]

Yes Minister
Prime Minister
Blackadder
Red Dwarf (not the recent series)

the good life was ok, mainly due to the women in it was hot.

[Deepflow]

actually, i retract my earlier statement. Viar of Dibley is not fantastic.

[JonnyBGood]

Originally Posted by Belgarath The Sorcerer

Blackadder
Porridge
Fawlty Towers

Although that top ten is ****ing awesome, it is however sadly lacking one show, namely: RED DWARF

With porridge and fawlty towers reversed and a hell yeah on red dwarf.

[Deepflow]

red dwarf was about 14 wasnt it?

the office was 25 though!!!. scandal, that should be in the top 10 imo.

[midge5]

Originally Posted by Deepflow

red dwarf was about 14 wasnt it?

the office was 25 though!!!. scandal, that should be in the top 10 imo.

Red Drawf was 18 and The Office was 25 yeah. While it should probably have been a bit higher and I agree it was quite good for me it is nowhere near as good as quite a lot of those above it.

Also am I the only one who found Frank Spencer more annoying than funny, he was just so stupid it did my head in :/

[the_dastardley_chihuahua]

blackadder has got to win!

[Deepflow]

Originally Posted by midge5

Red Drawf was 18 and The Office was 25 yeah. While it should probably have been a bit higher and I agree it was quite good for me it is nowhere near as good as quite a lot of those above it.

Also am I the only one who found Frank Spencer more annoying than funny, he was just so stupid it did my head in :/

i personally love it more than almost any other sitcom myself... the office, not some mothers do ave em. And Jonathon ross did mention the list was compiled before the brilliantly funny and wonderfully final xmas special.

[Deffeh]

haha, My Family beat the Office. A victory for common sense, the tabloids would have you believe it was between Only Fools and Horses and The Office.

Only Fools and Horses was predetermined to win this anyway, i think.

For me

1. Absolutely Fabulous
2. Only Fools And Horses
3. Men Behaving Badly

[pablissimo]

Only Fools And Horses
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers

The absence of the Office in the top 10 is a crime, and Phoenix Nights, Black Books and The League of Gentlemen should all have come higher.

[lokken]

Don't think Dibley or One Foot in the Grave deserved to be in the top 10

Allo Allo, Father Ted and Steptoe should feel very hard done by to not be there as they were all fecking good sitcoms.

I'd like to see either one of Ronnie Barker's win or Dads Army though as they really are enduring classics. Only Fools is clearly going to win this one, because they'll show the clip of Trig and Del when he falls over in the bar and Del driving through the Peckham rioters, and everyone will go and vote for them.

[Embroglio]

The Good Life
Porrige
Dad's Army

[Lupin]

Mr . Bean

ffs!

[djbass]

Coupling
My Hero!

[Spearhead]

Only good englisch series are :

The young ones
and
Bottom

rest is crap!

[Evergreen]

Vicar of Dibley belongs in the top 10 as much as Child Porn belongs on TV.

Blackadder
Father Ted
Fawlty Towers
Red Dwarf
Dad's Army
One Foot in The Grave
Yes Minister
Porridge
Bottom
Absolutely Fabulous

That's my top 10

The top 10 title's that are not in my list should be a long long way down it imo.

[JC]

Phoenix nights should be a lot higher, certainly above the ****ing office.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by JC

Phoenix nights should be a lot higher, certainly above the ****ing office.

The Office I felt was too deliberately cringeworthy at times where as I felt Peter Kay found the perfect middle.

Personally I think this top 100 has come too soon for some sitcoms atm (though how the **** Vicar of Dibley made that top 10 with those regards stuns me cold).

[MrL_JaKiri]

Blackadder
Father Ted
Spaced
Fawlty Towers
Black Books

for a top 5.

[Zharkov]

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

Blackadder
Father Ted
Spaced
Fawlty Towers
Black Books

for a top 5.

I am posting here to agree with this choice!

[Phang]

where the **** is absolute power on that list

[Deepflow]

its FAR too recent...

i like the office and pheonix nights, i just prefer the office...

and so do most other people. Im one of a swarm

yay!

[JC]

Originally Posted by Deepflow

and so do most other people.

!

Thats because, unfortunately, most people are southern fairies.

[Deepflow]

ah... its the old north south bitterness at us having stuff thing.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by JC

Thats because, unfortunately, most people are southern fairies.

You're a southern fairy.

[Evergreen]

Spaced and Black Books were great but it was more comedy and less situation imo.

There is just something slightly imbalanced about them that makes me watch them purely for the gags.

Fawlty Towers and Blackadder told great stories as well as being funny. Spaced and Black Books just create ridiculous situations and then just litter it with funnies which while quick and easy and appealing.

Black Books and Spaced feel like a sketch from a show expanded on, it's almost like saying that show made from the Chewin the fat about the two old men was a good sitcom, lots of people watched it but it isn't top 10 stuff.

[MrL_JaKiri]

That's more of a criticism of Spaced than Black Books, imo.

It all of course depends on your definition of SitCom.

[Nondescript Human]

Fawlty Towers
Yes Minister
Blackadder
The Office

In that order.

[LHC]

Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
Red Dwarf

in that order

[Pyr0 MK III]

Blackadder
Red Dwarf
Dad's Army
Open All Hours

[Stew]

What would your lists be if it was top 10 American sit coms? What if it was any sit coms? Would they be all British?

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

That's more of a criticism of Spaced than Black Books, imo.

It all of course depends on your definition of SitCom.

Situation Comedy.

Black Books and Spaced is more RidSitCom.

At least Red Dwarf was founded on a good book and a plausible field and had some line of continuity from episode to episode.

Spaced and Black Books you could watch in any order usually and not miss anything.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

Situation Comedy.

Black Books and Spaced is more RidSitCom.

At least Red Dwarf was founded on a good book and a plausible field and had some line of continuity from episode to episode.

Spaced and Black Books you could watch in any order usually and not miss anything.

Well, I don't think Red Dwarf was founded on a good book.

And as for the 'you could watch it in any order' thing, that's true for just about every episode of Red Dwarf, in an individual series. Only 'Out of Time' and the one before 'Me^2' (Confidence and Paranoia?) spring to mind, from the first 6 series at least.

As for the 'watch it in any order thing', that's also true of Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, and, indeed, most of the sitcoms ever made.

Spaced, on the other hand, actually has a running plot (See: things like the relationship between Brian and Twist). It wasn't just back to square one every episode.

Score one for me

[Bloomers III]

Blackadder would be my first choice. Although I think Only Fools and Horses will win it, I dislike it though so

[Dante Hicks]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

Spaced and Black Books you could watch in any order usually and not miss anything.

I wasn't going to post anything today but I have to reply to this. This isn't true of Spaced I'm afraid :

1. The whole on-going joke in the first series about Mike disconnecting his retina's
2. Twist & Brian's relationship (wouldn't make any sense if you saw in wrong order)
3. Tim going out with the bird from Darkstar
4. Martha believing Tim & Daisy were a couple (which went on for two series, ffs)
5. The whole Colin the dog thing.

5 random examples on why you're wrong. If anything, Spaced has a ridiculous amount of self-referencing.

My top 10 (no particular order):

Only Fools and Horses (it's set in South East London, I have to rate it)
Red Dwarf
Blackadder
Spaced
Yes Minister
The Young Ones / Bottom (both surreal but hilarious)
The Royle Family (painfully well observed)
Drop the Dead Donkey
Citizen Smith (South London again, plus faux lefty idiots)
Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin

There's plenty of others that I used to watch all the time, but never used to find funny (Birds of a Feather for some reason).

edit : How was Red Dwarf founded on a book? Surely you mean the other way round?

Also : Fawlty Towers is good but over-rated.

Also 2 : I'd include the TV series of Hitch Hikers Guide, but I'm not sure if that counts properly.

[MrL_JaKiri]

5, dante, not 4.

DtDD is great too. As is Yes (Prime) Minister. And Bottom/TYO's. And

[Dante Hicks]

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

5, dante, not 4.

I know, I'm a retard. Plus I thought of the Colin the dog one afterwards.

[MrL_JaKiri]

And I can't work out why a deep space mining vessel 6 million years from home, crewed by a man from liverpool, a cat, an insane computer and a hologram is more plausable than a drunken bookshop owner who hates customers.

I thought the latter was the normal order of things.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

Well, I don't think Red Dwarf was founded on a good book.

And as for the 'you could watch it in any order' thing, that's true for just about every episode of Red Dwarf, in an individual series. Only 'Out of Time' and the one before 'Me^2' (Confidence and Paranoia?) spring to mind, from the first 6 series at least.

As for the 'watch it in any order thing', that's also true of Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, and, indeed, most of the sitcoms ever made.

Spaced, on the other hand, actually has a running plot (See: things like the relationship between Brian and Twist). It wasn't just back to square one every episode.

Score one for me

Red Dwarf, First of all if you didn't see any of the first couple of series you wouldn't have a clue why they were just 3 and holly at the time (And not a mining ship full of people).

You'd miss where kryten got added in if you watched say Red Dwarf series 2 and then Red Dwarf series 5.

During Red Dwarf Series 5 or 6 can't remember which one you'll not know why they were on Starbug and not on Red Dwarf if you hopped onto any episode in the middle of that series or didn't previously watch series behind that.

Let's not forget the long running love interest from the early series, kachenski or however it's spelt (sue me if I can't get the exact particulars correct here in general I am right), originally played by that annoying scottish bird who had a one hit wonder and then VJ'd on vh-1 for ages. Only for the love interest of the main character's life to return in Red Dwarf 7 was it?

You'd miss Rimmer getting his Hardlight upgrade so if you jump between series you'll not understand why he can feel and get hit in later series.

The list is countless.

Something tell's me your fishing and fishing hard for tiny tiny examples mark. (The books were great and the relationship in spaced thing you mentioned isn't exactly plot consuming is it.. don't get me wrong I love spaced and Black Books they make me laugh but that isn't enough to shove it up there with blackadder or Fawlty towers not by a LONG LONG way.)

p.s. before you accuse me of not being able to remember specifics I dare you to identify what episodes belong to what series in any other long running series like Fraiser of Friends for example.

[Dante Hicks]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

Red Dwarf, First of all if you didn't see any of the first couple of series you wouldn't have a clue why they were just 3 and holly at the time (And not a mining ship full of people).

I think you missed the part of his post where he says "In an individual series".

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

Red Dwarf, First of all if you didn't see any of the first couple of series you wouldn't have a clue why they were just 3 and holly at the time (And not a mining ship full of people).

You'd miss where kryten got added in if you watched say Red Dwarf series 2 and then Red Dwarf series 5.

During Red Dwarf Series 5 or 6 can't remember which one you'll not know why they were on Starbug and not on Red Dwarf if you hopped onto any episode in the middle of that series or didn't previously watch series behind that.

You'd miss Rimmer getting his Hardlight upgrade.

The list is countless.

Again, that's inter-series examples; it's MUCH easier to have changes like that when you have more than 2 series. Also, including the general premise of red dwarf as 'something you have to watch all the way through to understand!!!!' is a little contradictory, given you said the premise was MORE PLAUSABLE than either Spaced or Black Books.

Other examples? The hard light bee. Compare that to the (also midseason) addition of Colin the dog.

And I never said the books weren't great.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

And I can't work out why a deep space mining vessel 6 million years from home, crewed by a man from liverpool, a cat, an insane computer and a hologram is more plausable than a drunken bookshop owner who hates customers.

I thought the latter was the normal order of things.

One is sci-fi, taken from well written fiction with background to as why where and when everything happened.

Black Books has just dumped someone with little or no business talent and a horrible personality into a well stocked book shop that always get's customers and is v liberal about what he can do (much like homer simpsons character in the Simpsons).

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

One is sci-fi, taken from well written fiction with background to as why where and when everything happened.

I don't see why you're still labouring under the misconception that 'Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers' was written before the series, given it's been pointed out at least twice.

And your 2nd para doesn't exactly explain why you think Red Dwarf is more 'plausable', just more complicated.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by MrL_JaKiri

Again, that's inter-series examples; it's MUCH easier to have changes like that when you have more than 2 series. Also, including the general premise of red dwarf as 'something you have to watch all the way through to understand!!!!' is a little contradictory, given you said the premise was MORE PLAUSABLE than either Spaced or Black Books.

Other examples? The hard light bee. Compare that to the (also midseason) addition of Colin the dog.

And I never said the books weren't great.

I'll admit some of the examples were more superficial, some were more serious, Compare the addition of colin the dog to Kryten or the changing of holly ta.