British Comedy Guide

Britain's Best Sitcom Page 3

I would like to see Open All Hours in there. The old and new version in there too

On The Buses should be the top 5.

Black Adder
Fawlty Towers

I wonder if the kids these days, growing up now with Tinder will even get Fawlty Towers.

Bastards.

Quote: george roper @ 31st July 2014, 10:20 AM BST

On The Buses should be the top 5.

Where?

5: Fawlty Towers
4: Dad's Army
3: Vicar of Dibley
2: Blackadder
1: Only Fools and Horses

Okay, Vicar of Dibley shouldn't be there, but that would only mean 6: Yes Minister would be higher. I think only a minority of people like On the Buses-possibly it's in the top 40?

In 2004, sitcoms such as I'm Alan Partridge, The Royle Family and The Office were still quite fresh and didn't have that element of classic about them then, and so these made no impact in the top ten. But ten years on I think these and one or two others would fair much better.

Of the 21st century sitcoms I'd like to see Still Game and Peep Show get a place in the list.

Quote: whatkindoffoolami @ 2nd August 2014, 8:53 PM BST

In 2004, sitcoms such as I'm Alan Partridge, The Royle Family and The Office were still quite fresh and didn't have that element of classic about them then, and so these made no impact in the top ten. But ten years on I think these and one or two others would fair much better.

Of the 21st century sitcoms I'd like to see Still Game and Peep Show get a place in the list.

I dunno about that. 2004 was the height of The Office hysteria, and The Royle Family had already been on and off air and highly praised for a good few years. It's true some such titles might climb a little, but given the quality of those in the top 20, I wouldn't expect them to leap.

I'll never forget how Carol Vorderman cynically went for the female vote by saying that VOD was the only one in the top ten with a woman leading character. She turned it into a battle of the sexes and successfully secured its ill deserved 3rd place, disgraceful. High time for a new vote in my opinion, but this time it should be a poll among writers instead of the general public.

Quote: TBone @ 4th August 2014, 6:40 PM BST

I'll never forget how Carol Vorderman cynically went for the female vote by saying that VOD was the only one in the top ten with a woman leading character. She turned it into a battle of the sexes and successfully secured its ill deserved 3rd place, disgraceful. High time for a new vote in my opinion, but this time it should be a poll among writers instead of the general public.

I hope this is a spoof post, but I fear it's entirely genuine...

Quote: Aaron @ 4th August 2014, 7:12 PM BST

I hope this is a spoof post, but I fear it's entirely genuine...

I'm still waiting to hear your argument.

Quote: TBone @ 4th August 2014, 6:40 PM BST

I'll never forget how Carol Vorderman cynically went for the female vote by saying that VOD was the only one in the top ten with a woman leading character. She turned it into a battle of the sexes and successfully secured its ill deserved 3rd place, disgraceful.

That was kind of the layout of the programme, though, Z-list celebrities fighting their corner. Barry Bethel spoke for On the Buses, as I recall?

Quote: TBone @ 5th August 2014, 7:41 AM BST

I'm still waiting to hear your argument.

No particular argument, just surprised you think it was turned into a "battle of the sexes" and that probably the 1990s' most enduringly popular sitcom was only voted highly accordingly.

Not to mention the notion that competing writers should have any voice over favourite artistic creations of the public.

Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 5th August 2014, 8:08 AM BST

That was kind of the layout of the programme, though, Z-list celebrities fighting their corner. Barry Bethel spoke for On the Buses, as I recall?

Yes, and Johnny Vaughan for Porridge. What a great sitcom...what a great big eejit.

Apart from Armando Ianucci with Yes Minister and John Sergeant with Blackadder the list of advocates was terrible. What about people like Victoria Wood, Humphrey Lyttleton, maybe Brucie?

Jack Dee advocating Fawlty Towers] was hardly terrible.

Quote: Aaron @ 5th August 2014, 11:25 AM BST

No particular argument, just surprised you think it was turned into a "battle of the sexes" and that probably the 1990s' most enduringly popular sitcom was only voted highly accordingly.

Not to mention the notion that competing writers should have any voice over favourite artistic creations of the public.

I just think she should have argued on VOD's merits rather than the fact that the lead was female. As for the public vote question, when the public decides on what the top ten or hundred of something is, the results are usually ludicrous. If we had a public vote on the top 100 British bands of all time, 1 Direction would probably be number 3. An example of a sensible, and in my view accurate, vote was when Channel 4 did the top hundred TV dramas. It was based on writers' and actors' opinions and it came up with The Sopranos at number 1, where it should be.

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