JeffB:
The sitcom featuring Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal as newly self-sufficient Tom and Barbara Goode was called “The Good Life”. However, the title was changed to “Good Neighbours” for the US market so as not to be confused with an earlier US sitcom of the same name.
Do you get One Foot In The Grave on your networks? It stars Richard Wilson as Victor Meldrew (catchphrase “I don’t BELIEVE it!” and Annette Crosbie as his wife.
Currently the best of the crop is The Royle Family. It probably won’t get to the US. Network chiefs will almost certainly consider it to be unsuited to the American market. Pity, because it’s absolutely bloody brilliant. It features a working class Manchester family watching telly, drinking tea, farting and arguing, all in real time.
Eve, thanks for the reminder about The Thin Blue Line. I’ve only seen it a couple of times, and, like you, I had little use for it.
I usually don’t like broad physical humor, and yet Mr Bean still appeals to me. Of course, that could very well be due to watching it with my son, who cracks up like a possessed banshee when it’s on.
Gotta agree that Are You Being Served? gets old fast. Last time I watched it, the end of the episode had the intire cast get up in full blackface and minstrel clothing dancing about. Obviously the intent was indeed to be shocking here, but MY GOD there are some things you just… don’t… do…
I heard from someone the other day that you soon won’t be able to buy Red Dwarf videos because of the movie that is (or eventually will be) in production. Anyone know for sure? And will they stop shoing them on PBS for the same reason?
I remember “No, Honestly”–It was Pauline Collins and her husband, whose name escapes me. I remember liking it–I think it first aired here in the 70’s.
I also have fond memories of “A Fine Romance” with Judi Dench and her hubby. It was the sort of thing you don’t get often in the US–a non-young, non-thin, non-trendy couple who gradually fall in love.
I discovered it somewhere in the middle of the run, when Richard was preparing to retire, and dreading it. I couldn’t help but wonder what was so wrong with retirement, and then I spent a few minutes with Hyacinth (on my Sony 25" TV with the stereo sound and genuine mahogany trim) and it became quite clear.
One of my favorite episodes was the one (maybe the only one) where Richard stood up to her – I don’t recall the details, but he dragged her out of a phone booth and made her get in the car. She was quite chastened.
“Watch that pedestrian, Richard.”
“What pedestrian, Hyacinth?”
“The one on the sidewalk, over there, on the other side of the street.”
This is currently being shown on BBC America. I tried it, didn’t like it, though.
“The Good Neighbors” (originally “The Good Life” in the UK) is one of the best. Even 25 years later, it blows away most of the sitcoms on the air today.
Really wish they’d do a fifth Blackadder series. Maybe set it in the future.
One Britcom that no one has mentioned yet is Allo Allo. I found it to be quite funny. I also enjoy Red Dwarf, Are You Being Served and Keeping Up Apperances.
Chef
Keeping up Appearances
As Time Goes By
Red Dwarf
Blackadder
Mulberry - C’mon, how can you not like a show about the son of Death making his first job’s last little while enjoyable?
To The Manner Born
Thin Blue Line
I’m with Ike and LC on “Fawlty Towers” and “Are You Being Served”.
One or two of the Fawlty Towers episodes were kind of mean-spirited, but the scenes where Cleese is dealing with “The Germans” are some of the funniest things I’ve ever seen! If you didn’t like that one, there’s something wrong with you. :)[ul][li]Good Neighbors - very good. But then, I had a major crush on Felicity Kendal. :)[/li][li]Yes, Minister; Yes, Prime Minister - very good. Some excellent dialog, almost surreally capturing the absurdities of politics and the civil service.[/li][li]No, Honestly! - I remember it as pretty good.[/li][li]Blackadder - so-so, but I liked the theme song.[/li][li]Mr. Bean - thought it was so-so at first, but I grew to like it.[/li][li]Keeping Up Appearances - can’t watch it. Even though Hyacinth is supposed to be funny, I just can’t stand her.[/li][li]Vicar of Dibley - so-so.[/li][li]Bless Me, Father - so-so.[/li]AbFab - disliked it at first, then appreciated how outrageous it was, then got bored with it.[/ul]
*Keeping up Appearances
*Are You Being Served? (only every once in a while)
*The Thin Blue Line (again another perverted one but it has its good points)
*Waiting for God
*One Foot in the Grave (LOVE it! Clean humor, grumpy old guy…he reminds me of my boyfriend in a way…hehe)
*Dad (sometimes the one guy is annoying though because he’s so pessimistic)
*Red Dwarf (woo hoo!)
The Brittas Empire - starring Chris Barrie (Rimmer) of Red Dwarf. It took me a while to warm up to the show, but now I love it. So of course BBC America stops showing it!
Mr. Blue Sky - Blackadder’s Christmas Carol has some scenes set in the future. It is very…odd. I really enjoyed it, though. It’s available for sale on video tape, but I don’t know who might still have it.
Wait! I just checked the BBC America site and they’re showing it Christmas day! Here is the time:
As regards U.S. imports to U.K., the one that first comes to mind is “Frasier”. “3rd Rock” and “Friends” can be funny. And, “Northern Exposure” was good, but I arrived at it late, and only saw a few episodes.
For Brit-coms, I have no idea why “Are You Being Served” is being shown anywhere; except as a cruel and unusual punishment, but here’s another vote for “Waiting for God” Nice to know I’m not alone in seeing Stephanie Cole/Diana Trent as the best role model. If “A Very Peculiar Practice” shows up anywhere, it is well worth a look.
Haven’t seen mentioned a show I used to watch a long time ago called"Doctor in the House", about a number of interns in a large hospital. It was a spinoff from a movie of the same name I believe. I remember an episode where the royal family was supposed to visit, that had some really silly toilet gags. Did anyone else ever watch this one?
All right, fine, I’ll stand up for “Are You Being Served?” Yes, it’s the UK equivalent to “Three’s Company,” but it was funny. It certainly was not the ultimate in mediocre British puerile sex comedy. It keeps turning up because there are roughly three million episodes to put in rotation (more bang for your buck!) and…well, it’s funny.
“Red Dwarf.” “Blackadder.” “Waiting for God.” “Keeping Up Appearances.” “Chef!” “The Vicar of Dibley.” “Fawlty Towers.” “Monty Python” itself. “The Kids in the Hall” - an import, but from Canada.
“Alexei Sayle’s Stuff.” Brilliant stuff that fell off the face of the Earth. I wish I had the lyrics for the “Panic!” and “Free Association” songs.
And, “The Goodies.” Last saw this at age three. Guys jumping in the air yelling "Goodieeeeeeeeeees! Goodie goodie yum-yum!" Weird old guy chasing a rabbit till they both drop from exhaustion. The Goodies take the old guy back and mount him on the wall. Brilliant, at age three. I want to see it again and see if it holds up.
Great. Everything I thought of has been mention by now. Even the ones I almost forgt about like “Butterflies” The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin" and “To the Manor Born”. Bring them back!
Here’s one: there was the show that Three’s Company was based on. The sequel was called “Robin’s Nest”. The first part was just like Three’s Company except…you know. Funny. Not Blackadder funny, but not Three’s Company not-funny. And now they’re playing Three’s Company over there? Well, they’re paying for sending us “Are You Being Served?”
And how come they’ve never had (to my knowledge) “Till Death do Us Part” on in America?