# Britians best sitcom a BBC poll **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156 "2004-01-12T11:39:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/1 "2004-01-12T11:39:43Z")
[sub]May be a IMHO thread but I’ll leave that up to the mods [/sub] BBC are doing a series trying to find the most popular/best 50-11 were ran through over the weekend. 100-11 can be found [here](http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/top11to100.shtml) Over the next 10 weeks there will be one prog a week dedicated to 1 of the top 10. At the end of this process the winner will be announced. Top 10 in no particular order are: Blackadder Fawlty Towers Dads Army Vicar of Dibley The Good Life One Foot in the Grave Only Fools and Horses Open All Hours Porridge Yes Minister Details about the Top 10 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/top10.shtml My Top 5 would be: 1. Fawlty Towers 2. Blackadder 3. Only Fools and Horses 4. One Foot in the Grave 5. Yes Minister I reckon Only Fools and Horses will win with Fawlty Towers 2nd. What do people think? I’m looking forward to the progs about each show. 1st being Blackadder on Sat BBC2 21:00 ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/2 "2004-01-12T11:42:40Z")
And I’m sad that Father Ted did not make it into the top 10. Only missed by one place. Surely it could easily swap with the Vic of Dib? If it had BTW we Micks would have most likely started a voting campaign to make it no. 1 ala the Wofle Tones winning best song in the world a while back 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/3 "2004-01-12T11:45:17Z")
Oh and just found this info. All the shows details: Blackadder January 17th 9pm John Sergeant Fawlty Towers January 24th 9pm Jack Dee One Foot in the Grave January 31st 8pm Rowland Rivron Yes Minister February 7th 8pm Armando Iannucci Only Fools & Horses February 14th 9pm David Dickinson Vicar of Dibley February 21st 8pm Carol Vorderman The Good Life February 28th 9pm Ulrika Jonsson Porridge March 6th 9pm Johnny Vaughan Open All Hours March 13th 9pm Clarissa Dickson Wright Dad’s Army March 20th 9pm Phill Jupitus I’ll stop now for a while ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/4 "2004-01-12T11:47:37Z")
I was distressed by the top 10. My feeling is that British sitcoms are occasionally absolute gems, but the vast majority are trite, unfunny, unwatchable shite. I’ll give you: Fawlty Towers Blackadder Yes Minister The Office Father Ted Porridge The rest can take a long walk off a short pier (probably in a bathtub on wheels :rolleyes: ). ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/5 "2004-01-12T11:53:17Z")
Four of my ten faves made it to the general top 10, including my top 3 (FT, BA, YM). Not that bad. Although… Porridge? Open all hours? Good grief. The Young Ones (31) and Bottom (45) should have ranked much higher. ---
**Author:** ![nickannan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bcef8e/32.png) [@nickannan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nickannan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/6 "2004-01-12T11:58:23Z")
i was surprised to find ‘Teachers’ missing from the list. and phoenix nights was surprisingly low too ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/7 "2004-01-12T12:03:23Z")
Porridge and Open all Hours had their moments especially Porridge. The Good Life and Vic of Dib are my problems with the top 10. If the poll was done right now The Office would be way higher. I agree that The Young Ones should be higher but then again I don’t think it gained a lot of popular support from anyone that isn’t 25-35ish. ---
**Author:** ![Israfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/87869e/32.png) [@Israfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Israfel)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/8 "2004-01-12T12:04:56Z")
As an American British comedy fan I have to admit that this list surprises me. I mean, I had no idea that shows like “Only Fools and Horses” were that well respected. Of the 10 available I guess my top five would be: Fawlty Towers Yes, Minister Blackadder The Good Life Vicar of Dibley But then, my _real_ favorites seem to be farther down the list. ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/9 "2004-01-12T12:10:38Z")
David Dickinson is reveiwing Only Fools and Horses?!?!? Suffering duck. Are they trying to rig the voting _down_? Whoever decided that wants taking out and poking with a sharp stick. I still reckon that it will win, but I must protest at any complaints about Porridge and Open all Hours. Classic stuff. I must just be a David Jason groupie!! ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/10 "2004-01-12T12:12:48Z")
Only Fools and Horses is one of the most popular TV prog’s ever in Britain. It was consistently huge for more that a decade with it’s xmas shows the must see event of the season for several years running. It probably doesn’t travel that well though. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/11 "2004-01-12T12:27:54Z")
_Yes, Minister_ will win, hands down obvious. And deservedly so. _Blackadder_ will win the ‘slightly younger people’ vote, so will be second, or possibly third. And the last of the top three will be _Fawlty Towers_. Actually, that one will probably be second. I have no idea why Vicar of Dibley is in the top 10. Not that it isn’t funny sometimes, but you may as well put in _Are You Being Served_ or _Hi De Hi_ if you’re gonna put _Vicar of Dibley_ in. I would’ve thought _Ab Fab_ would beat out _Dad’s Army_ too. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/12 "2004-01-12T12:58:41Z")
Top spot should go to Yes, Minister. Fawlty Towers should be close. ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/13 "2004-01-12T13:09:18Z")
I agree wiht most of the comments here. _Blackadder, Red Dwarf and The Young Ones_ while damn funny at times, don’t appeal to enough people to make them top of the list. Thought too that _Ab Fab_ would have been higher in the listing _Open All Hours and Porridge_ were pretty funny I remember but as with a lot of things, if you weren’t around at the time you’re not going to find them as good as the more recent examples of British humour. ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/14 "2004-01-12T13:21:31Z")
I always thought the Vicar of Dibley was rather dull, same for Dad’s Army. Unfortunately, living where I do, I’ve never seen most of the rest. Off the top of my head, my top five’d be: Mr. Bean Are You Being Served? As Time Goes By The Office Coupling ---
**Author:** ![UselessGit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/74df32/32.png) [@UselessGit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UselessGit)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/15 "2004-01-12T14:41:05Z")
I jump merrily on the bandwagon and cast my ‘slightly younger people’ vote for, yes, Black Adder. Almost too funny sometimes, it is. I would have liked to see League of Gentlemen there too, but I guess it’s a fairly new series and there is the merest inkling of a suggestion of a possibility that not all people may love it as much as I do. ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/16 "2004-01-12T14:43:00Z")
I’m royally sick of these polls but I’ll probably end up watching at least some of the programmes. The presence of the decidedly average _Vicar of Dibley_ in the top ten is testament to the power of middle England. _Father Ted_, _The Royle Family_, _The Office_ and _Steptoe and Son_ probably deserved places in the top ten and my little known favourite of recent times is _Early Doors_. Still, my parents would prefer _The Good Life_ or _Dad’s Army_ any day so I suppose it’s balanced enough. My vote would go to _Fawlty Towers_, with _Blackadder_ and _Yes, Minister_ filling the podium places. ---
**Author:** ![Crimson\_Teardrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a5b964/32.png) [@Crimson\_Teardrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crimson_Teardrop)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/17 "2004-01-12T14:57:10Z")
I hope Fawlty Towers or Blackadder win…they are personal favourites. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/18 "2004-01-12T15:01:15Z")
Dammit, yes. _Coupling_ should have been in the top ten simply for the quality of the writing - exploiting the ‘situation’ aspect of sitcoms to the absolute. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/19 "2004-01-12T15:04:19Z")
Would anyone like to frame a market? i know where my money would go. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156/20 "2004-01-12T15:05:15Z")
I guess if _Father Ted_ had been a BBC show it would have been in there instead of _The Vicar of Dibley_ (WTF?). Presumably the Beeb don’t have the rights to show it. Anyway, is the whole thing just an elaborate excuse to show more repeats? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britians-best-sitcom-a-bbc-poll/224156.md?page=2)