# Your 5 favorite Brit-coms **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 26, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910 "2006-03-26T01:37:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/21 "2006-03-26T06:48:02Z")
What, no love for _Keeping Up Appearances_? Silly, but always good for a belly laugh somewhere in it. And does it have to be a TV sitcom? Since someone mentioned Monty Python, I would like to mention The Goon Show, a supremely zany radio program from the 50’s (and into the 60’s I believe). Mind the pedestrian, Richard. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Galaxyhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7bcc69/32.png) [@Galaxyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galaxyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/22 "2006-03-26T06:53:53Z")
1-The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin 2-Fawlty Towers 3-'Allo 'Allo 4- New Statesman 5- Blackadder I recommend this site [http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/index.shtml](http://www.bbc.co.uk/sitcom/index.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Galaxyhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7bcc69/32.png) [@Galaxyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galaxyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/23 "2006-03-26T06:56:10Z")
> [@Stinkum](#): > > Fe) > > I can’t remember the name of the show offhand, but the one from the mid-80’s with the giant puppets that spewed wonderfully vicious political venom. I caught a few episodes when I was travelling in England in 86. I don’t think it ever made it in America – many of the politicos skewered on the show were British, so it would have sailed over the heads of Americans. Spitting image [http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/spittingimage\_7775945.shtml](http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/spittingimage_7775945.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/24 "2006-03-26T07:00:09Z")
> [@Stinkum](#): > > I can’t remember the name of the show offhand, but the one from the mid-80’s with the giant puppets that spewed wonderfully vicious political venom. I caught a few episodes when I was travelling in England in 86. I don’t think it ever made it in America – many of the politicos skewered on the show were British, so it would have sailed over the heads of Americans. Sounds like [Spitting Image](http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/spittingimag/spittingimag.htm). Brilliant show, and you’re right, so focused on UK politics/pop culture it would be impossible to import to America. Though as a kid I hardly followed politics closely, I still found it funny as hell. So… back to the OP. In no particular order: 1. A Bit of Fry & Laurie 2. The Fast Show aka Brilliant! 3. The Young Ones 4. The Office 5. Nighty Night ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/25 "2006-03-26T07:09:43Z")
_May To December Are You Being Served?_ (Seasons 1-3 only) _No, Really_ (I think that was the name of it – mid-70s, about a newlywed couple, starred a real-life married couple, only ran about 14 episodes) \*Fawlty Towers Red Dwarf \* Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/26 "2006-03-26T08:26:24Z")
In no particular order: Yes (Prime) Minister Blackadder Are You Being Served? To the Manor Born Open All Hours It should be noted that from 1994 until late 2004, I didn’t have a TV, and I still don’t watch much, so my list is rather skewed. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/27 "2006-03-26T08:40:23Z")
Keeping Up Appearances (why no US version yet?) Girls On Top Ab Fab Are You Being Served? Charles and Camilla ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/28 "2006-03-26T08:44:39Z")
There’s no way I could narrow it down to five. I would consider all of the following to be top tier: Fawlty Towers Black Books Spaced Red Dwarf (the first five or six seasons) Blackadder The Office Yes, (Prime) Minister Monty Python A Bit of Fry and Laurie The Young Ones Peep Show And I know I’m forgetting a few. ---
**Author:** ![Fast\_n\_Bulbous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@Fast\_n\_Bulbous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fast_n_Bulbous)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/29 "2006-03-26T09:52:22Z")
Have you people forgotten _Porridge_? and, in no particular order: Python Blackadder Black Books Ripping Yarns and many more… ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/30 "2006-03-26T19:16:30Z")
[Brass Eye](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_Eye) The Young Ones Father Ted League of Gentlemen [League of Gentlemen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Gentlemen) Either of the Alan Partidge shows (“Knowing me knowing you” or “I’m Alan Patridge”) ---
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/31 "2006-03-26T19:58:34Z")
This one is hard as the first three are almost a tie for my number one favorite. [ol] [li]Chef[/li][li]Fawlty Towers[/li][li]Red Dwarf[/li][li]Black Adder[/li][li]Thin Blue Line[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/32 "2006-03-26T20:22:38Z")
Father Ted Black Books [Spaced](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187664/) Blackadder Red Dwarf Other sitcoms I love: [Green Wing](http://www.sitcom.co.uk/green_wing/characters.shtml), [Peep Show](http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/P/peep_show/) and The Office. You’ll notice, that unlike most American sitcoms, the basic premise of these shows is about as far away from a normal family/group of friends, living normal lives as you can get. There is often more alcohol and drug use (as comic devices) than is usual in American shows. Compare and contrast _Friends_, _Everybody Loves Raymond_, _The King of Queens_, _Roseanne_, _Spin City_ etc with the following: The adventures of a really stupid priest, an alcoholic senile priest with Tourettes and a priest found guilty of embezzlement on a tiny island off the west coast of Ireland. (Father Ted) A sociopathic, alcoholic Irishman who hates selling books, a ditzy girl who owns a shop selling useless gadgets and a guy who ate “the little book of calm” try to run a bookshop. (Black Books) A comic store geek and an unemployed writer pretend to be a couple- they move into a house with an alcoholic landlady and a mad artist, take lots of drugs and have adventures with their friend who is slightly psychotic and thinks he’s in the army. (Spaced) A load of complete lunatics happen to work in a hospital - there is unnecessary and unexplained camel-riding by the staff liaison officer (Green Wing). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/33 "2006-03-26T20:27:21Z")
Farty Owls The Office Mr. Bean Ab Fab some show with the word ‘horses’ in it that I can never remember. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/34 "2006-03-26T20:31:48Z")
Fawlty towers by far and away number 1. followed by: Yes Minister Black Adder (WW1 episodes) Red Dwarf The Office in no particular order. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/35 "2006-03-26T20:32:48Z")
Would that be [Only Fools and Horses](http://www.ofah.net/)? For anyone who doesn’t know, the title comes from the saying “only fools and horses work”. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/36 "2006-03-26T20:36:27Z")
> [@ddgryphon](#): > > As Time Goes By (not because it is hysterically funny, but because it is so well done) Great show. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/37 "2006-03-26T20:36:58Z")
> [@ddgryphon](#): > > As Time Goes By (not because it is hysterically funny, but because it is so well done). ATGB gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/38 "2006-03-26T21:34:45Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > Would that be [Only Fools and Horses](http://www.ofah.net/)? > > For anyone who doesn’t know, the title comes from the saying “only fools and horses work”. Dat’s it! Only saw it a couple of times when I was in London, but thought it very funny. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/39 "2006-03-26T21:49:53Z")
The Fast Show really doesn’t count as a sitcom, alas. I’d say, in no particular order (apart from Fawlty Towers): Fawlty Towers The Office Blackadder (particularly II & III) Father Ted Yes, Minister (& Yes, Prime Minister) I’d also like to point out that Father Ted, though British-funded, was almost completely Irish; Ballykissangel is largely the same, and really isn’t a sitcom. ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910/40 "2006-03-27T03:27:34Z")
In no particular order: Yes, Minister (Yes, Prime Minister) Fawlty Towers Coupling As Time Goes By Absolutely Fabulous all of which I have on DVD. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-5-favorite-brit-coms/349910.md?page=3)