Britcom Ratings--Choose 10 Please

Cafe Society
1

Inspired by the sitcom ratings thread…

While looking over the list, I realized that there are many Britcoms that I prefer to American sitcoms, so, for the like-minded, here’s a list of 20 British sitcoms from which you can choose your 10 favorites.

I am limited to the ones we Yanks have been exposed to. If our British contingent has any subs for their list, feel free to include them:

Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
Are You Being Served?
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
Keeping Up Appearances
Father Ted
Dad’s Army
Open All Hours
Butterflies
Red Dwarf
Man About the House
Robin’s Nest
Ripping Yarns
The Vicar of Dibley
The Young Ones
Absolutely Fabulous
Only Fools and Horses
Hot Metal
As Time Goes By
Executive Stress

My list:

Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
Are You Being Served?
Father Ted
Red Dwarf
The Young Ones
Absolutely Fabulous
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
Ripping Yarns
The Vicar of Dibley

I realize that Ripping Yarns is more of an anthology, but since it follows the sitcom format, I included it. And I purposely left out Python since it’s strictly a sketch show.

2

I’d like to sub in **Spaced ** please. Wiki link
Also, your list doesn’t include One Foot in the Grave - I don’t believe it! Wiki link
The Young Ones
Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
Father Ted
Red Dwarf
Man About the House
The Vicar of Dibley

3

Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
Father Ted
Dad’s Army
The Vicar of Dibley

Add:

Keeping Up Appearances
The Good Life (Good Neighbors)
The Brittas Empire

4

I don’t see Allo Allo on the list…
Or Peep Show.

5

Thank you, silenus ! I was racking my brain trying to remember Chris “Smeg-head” Barrie’s other show that aired here.

Oh, and KUA was on my original list.

6

Just been rewatching all of mine (on my iPod, on the train). I’d make my top ten (in no particular order):

The Young Ones
Blackadder
Fawtly Towers
Monty Python
Father Ted
The Day Today (precursor to the Daily Show IMO, except all made up news, totally awesome)
Brass Eye (Follow up to The Day Today)
League of Gentlemen (on of the most twisted shows on TV, absolutely awesome!)
Little Britain
Red Dwarf

EDIT: Missed a couple: The Fast Show(‘Brilliant’ in the states) and The Mary Whitehouse experience.

7

Too many on that list that I’ve never seen, and too many of the ones I have seen are mediocre or poor. But I’d have time for:

Fawlty Towers
Red Dwarf
Blackadder
Ripping Yarns
As Time Goes By

Add:
Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister (one of the best coms ever, Brit or otherwise)
Chef
Waiting for God

8

Blackadder
Red Dwarf
The Dinner Ladies (I have to add this. After all I’m a Yank and I’ve been exposed to it. We have to get it over here.)
The Young Ones.
One Foot in the Grave.
The Good Life.
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
Didn’t you forget To the Manor Born?
Open All Hours.
The Vicar of Dibly.

9

Chef! How did I forget that one? I own it on DVD!

W2K, My sloppy C&P kept KUA off my initial list. My bad.

10

I don’t know enough Britcoms to be able to participate in this one…but…no Jeeves and Wooster?!

11

Coupling
AbFab
The Young Ones
Monty Python
Fawlty Towers

12

Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
Red Dwarf
Ripping Yarns
Absolutely Fabulous

I’d also add
The Good Neighbors (Felicity Kendall – yum!)
The Office
My Hero

13

Seconding most on the list, most importantly Spaced and Yes (Prime) Minister. Additional recommendation for The League of Gentlemen and Brass Eye if you like your humour extra black. Wouldn’t include Python though because the format isn’t really “Britcom” IMHO, rather sketch comedy.

Adding:

The IT Crowd )(written by Graham Linehan, who was one of the authors of Father Ted)
**Black Books **(you haven’t lived until you’ve watched this. Really. I promise. First season also partially co-authored by Linehan.)
Absolute Power (which was excellent as a radio series as well).

You should now go and make it your goal to find and watch at least Black Books and Absolute Power if you haven’t seen them. Drop everything else, find 'em. You won’t regret it.

14

Good God, how did I forget The Office! Add this to my list as well.

15

Fawlty Towers
Blackadder
Dad’s Army
Open All Hours
Red Dwarf
Man About the House
The Vicar of Dibley
The Young Ones
As Time Goes By
Coupling

16

No Coupling on the original list? It’s brilliant.

17

In a kind of rough order…

Red Dwarf. I’ll admit, the last season was pants, the first 7 though: Awesome.
ADDED: Black Books. Bill Bailey rocks!
Dad’s Army. I think I prefer it on the radio though.
Father Ted. It suffers from too many repeats.
ADDED: The IT Crowd. I wrote this off at first viewing, now I love it.
The Vicar of Dibley. Great, lovable cast.
Blackadder.
Only Fools and Horses. Suffered from too many repeats.
Open All Hours. A perfect early evening show.
The Good Life. Yum yum…

Keeping Up Appearances is just my cup of tea for a relaxed Sunday afternoon. I wouldn’t watch it at any other time though.

18

Little Britain doesn’t seem to be on BBC-American anymore - did it get cancelled?

I used to tell my wife that I wished the Britcoms came with subtitles - some of the dialogue is impossible for me to decipher.

19

Monty Python
The Good Life
The Young Ones
The Avengers (no way that’s anything but a comedy)

20

Coupling

The Office

Keeping up Appearances - I honestly feel like Patricia Routledge is the Jackie Gleason of Britcoms!