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Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

Da telly
Dec A Wash
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Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#1

Post by Dec A Wash »

The title is self-explanatory.

List yours and, if you feel like it, maybe give a reason why.

Might add mine at a later date!
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#2

Post by Berties_Horse »

You first Deccy, that's the way this thing works.

Quid pro quo.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” - Voltaire
Dec A Wash
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#3

Post by Dec A Wash »

Berties_Horse wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:36 pm You first Deccy, that's the way this thing works.

Quid pro quo.
Okay, so! But it will have to be quick as I have to get back to work! Off the top of my head....

Out in front is Fawlty Towers.

After that, my favourites include, in no particular order,:
Yes Minister/Prime Minister (probably Number 2 actually!)
One Foot in the Grave
Father Ted
The Office

Others that would be below them but I still rate them highly:
Only Fools and Horses
Rising Damp
The Good Life
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (Name Edited!)

Plenty of other comedies I like but I would not necessarily call them my "favourites".
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#4

Post by Berties_Horse »

Dec A Wash wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:59 pm Okay, so! But it will have to be quick as I have to get back to work! Off the top of my head....

Out in front is Fawlty Towers.

After that, my favourites include, in no particular order,:
Yes Minister/Prime Minister (probably Number 2 actually!)
One Foot in the Grave
Father Ted
The Office

Others that would be below them but I still rate them highly:
Only Fools and Horses
Rising Damp
The Good Life
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (Name Edited!)

Plenty of other comedies I like but I would not necessarily call them my "favourites".
Little to fault with your top five, classics all. Here are my additions:

Blackadder
Red Dwarf (Seasons 1-6)
I'm Alan Partridge
The Thick Of It
Peep Show

Although these wouldn't meet the criteria of conventional humour, special mention goes to Monty Python & The Day Today.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” - Voltaire
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Del.Monte
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#5

Post by Del.Monte »

Steptoe & Son
George & Mildred
The Good Life

There are just too many to list. Agree with all of those previously mentioned but never got Red Dwarf.
'no more blah blah blah'
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#6

Post by Eggonyerface »

The office
.
.
.
.Peep Show
The thick of it
Alan Partridge
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silverbirch
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#7

Post by silverbirch »

I agree with most of the above. I'd add:
The Royle Family
Early Doors
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#8

Post by Joe »

silverbirch wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 7:08 pm I agree with most of the above. I'd add:
The Royle Family
Early Doors
+1 on Early Doors.

I'd love to have seen a third series when Ken and Tanya got together.

One I enjoyed but never saw again was "At Home with the Braithwaites" Not your average sitcom, more comedy drama.
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#9

Post by Frank »

I’m generally not a fan of British comedy but Fr Ted and Only Fools stand up against anything.
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#10

Post by Del.Monte »

"Are you being Served?" a classic series that would never be allowed past the thought police these days.

'no more blah blah blah'
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#11

Post by JDaniels »

Black Books and The IT Crowd were both very good.
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#12

Post by Del.Monte »

RSV wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 12:32 pm I’m generally not a fan of British comedy but Fr Ted and Only Fools stand up against anything.
I've never heard Father Ted described as British Comedy - Irish cast, Irish storyline, Irish writers, Irish on location shooting - it may have been a Channel 4 production but that's the limit of its Britishness.
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#13

Post by Strangely Brown »

Some of my favourites not mentioned yet:
Monty Python
The Goodies
The Likely Lads
Mr. Bean
Citizen Smith
Fawlty Towers
Not the 9 O'clock News
The Young Ones
Porridge
Absolutely Fabulous
The Dick Emery Show
Alas Smith and Jones
The League Of Gentlemen
Dave Allen at Large
The Two Ronnie's
The league of Gentlemen
The Thin Blue line
Kenny Everett TV Show
Minder
"I'm Living on Dog food"
Dec A Wash
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#14

Post by Dec A Wash »

I put in comments beside the ones I am particularly familiar with.
Strangely Brown wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:45 pm Some of my favourites not mentioned yet:
Monty Python - Excellent
The Goodies - Long time since I've seen it but it was good.
The Likely Lads - Dreary
Mr. Bean - Entertaining
Citizen Smith - Dreary
Fawlty Towers - It's the first one I mentioned!! My favourite of all time!
Not the 9 O'clock News - Very good
The Young Ones - Interesting, had it's moments
Porridge - Funny but has not stood the test of time
Absolutely Fabulous
The Dick Emery Show - Vaguely funny, well past its sell by date.
Alas Smith and Jones - Very good
The League Of Gentlemen
Dave Allen at Large - Great
The Two Ronnie's - Great
The league of Gentlemen
The Thin Blue line - Has its moments.
Kenny Everett TV Show - Good of its time
Minder - Great but it wasn't a pure comedy - it was part drama.
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#15

Post by Strangely Brown »

Sorry, missed the Fawlty Towers in your first post.
In TV sitcoms many references to the era get lost over time unless you saw it back in the day the humour may be lost so agreed on with your timeframe references.
Dreary for some, funny to others...
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#16

Post by 490808 »

Del.Monte wrote: Sat Jul 31, 2021 12:56 pm "Are you being Served?" a classic series that would never be allowed past the thought police these days.
Then imagine getting Love Thy Neighbour (1972 TV series) past the censor these days.

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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#17

Post by Uncle Frank »

In no particular order.
Duty Free
Bread
Just Good Friends
French Fields
Ever Decreasing Circles
Nighty Night
Snuffbox
Never The Twain
Home To Roost
Brushstrokes
Bottom
Butterflies
The Fast Show
Keeping Up Apperances
Allo Allo
Dad's Army
Goodnight Sweetheart
Sykes
Hancock's Half Hour
Rhapsody In Blue
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#18

Post by Rhapsody In Blue »

OFAH
The IT Crowd
Black Books
Fawlty Towers
The Office
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#19

Post by Love and theft »

Apart from all the classics above (which I agree with - the Office tops my list)I seen a comedy called Dead Boss on bbc3 a couple of years back. Sharon Horgan Jennifer Saunders. Any body seen it ?

I though it was very good but got cancelled after 1 season
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#20

Post by Uncle Frank »

Love and theft wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 9:21 pm Apart from all the classics above (which I agree with - the Office tops my list)I seen a comedy called Dead Boss on bbc3 a couple of years back. Sharon Horgan Jennifer Saunders. Any body seen it ?

I though it was very good but got cancelled after 1 season
Yes that was the one where she got sent to prison isn't it? It looked very promising. I would have liked to have seen it continue. I think Sharon jumped ship to Channel 4 soon after that.
BBC used to have a policy that they always made at least 2 series of a sitcom because they came very close to cancelling Only Fools and Horses after the first series. Sadly they don't do that anymore.

Semi-Detached is a funny sitcom from a couple of years ago. It is unique because every episode follows the main character played by Lee Mack in real time for the duration of the show.
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#21

Post by Love and theft »

Uncle Frank wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:02 am Yes that was the one where she got sent to prison isn't it? It looked very promising. I would have liked to have seen it continue. I think Sharon jumped ship to Channel 4 soon after that.
BBC used to have a policy that they always made at least 2 series of a sitcom because they came very close to cancelling Only Fools and Horses after the first series. Sadly they don't do that anymore.

Semi-Detached is a funny sitcom from a couple of years ago. It is unique because every episode follows the main character played by Lee Mack in real time for the duration of the show.
Ya deadboss was definitely worthy of a second season.

I am mixed on Lee Mack. I seen a British poll a year or 2 back that put Lee mack ahead of Billy Connolly in terms of best comedians. Surely not. I've been on a 1 man boycott of Lee mack ever sense 😁
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#22

Post by 95438756 »

Minder

Only Fools and Horses

Some mothers do 'Ave em starring Frank Spencer

All dated now but a hoot in their time.
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#23

Post by Dec A Wash »

gugleguy wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:58 pm Minder

Only Fools and Horses

Some mothers do 'Ave em starring Frank Spencer

All dated now but a hoot in their time.
While I always enjoyed Minder, I would never have categorised it as pure comedy. I would see it as a drama with a lot of comedy. The Sweeney, which Denis Waterman was previously in, had its fair share of humour too, but you would not call it comedy!
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#24

Post by Uncle Frank »

Love and theft wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:20 pm Ya deadboss was definitely worthy of a second season.

I am mixed on Lee Mack. I seen a British poll a year or 2 back that put Lee mack ahead of Billy Connolly in terms of best comedians. Surely not. I've been on a 1 man boycott of Lee mack ever sense 😁
I wouldn't rate Mack's standup too highly myself and putting him ahead of Billy Connolly is just daft but he is actually quite good in Semi-Detached. Geoffrey McGivern stars in it he was in Dead Boss too. I think he's one of the best british comedy actors around.

I remembered some more
Spaced
The League of Gentlemen
Back
Rab C Nesbitt
The High Life
Sorry
Man Down
Dead Pixels
Toast of London
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Re: Your Favourite British Comedies of All Time

#25

Post by Del.Monte »

Sorry and Rab C Nesbitt were excellent but I've never even heard of the others.
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