Iconic British sitcoms

Hi everyone, I'm Allie! I'm 29 and work in London as a marketing manager. I have two cats (Waffles and Pancake) and way too many houseplants!

I grew up in the US and moved back over here just before the pandemic. I spent loads of lockdown watching Live at the Apollo and now I'm working on British sitcoms - I didn't even know there was a UK version of the Office, but I enjoyed it way more than the American one!
There are so many it's hard to know where to start - so I'm wondering if anyone here would recommend any classics that are a must-watch?

Welcome

Quote: Allie Blue @ 22nd October 2021, 12:44 AM

I didn't even know there was a UK version of the Office, but I enjoyed it way more than the American one!

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That says so much.......................

Quote: Allie Blue @ 22nd October 2021, 12:44 AM

There are so many it's hard to know where to start - so I'm wondering if anyone here would recommend any classics that are a must-watch?

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Where do I start - I suggest you just dive in and fill yer boots. Whatever I say others will have different opinions and vice versa - it's so subjective and down to personal taste.

**EDIT
Here you go, check this thread out - it would make a great start for you. 20 pages worth. Enjoy!

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/11765/

And just for balance, here is 24 pages of "Worst 10 British sitcoms ever"

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/11773/24/

Thank you so much Hercules, these threads look like a good place for me to start! I totally know what you mean about comedy being objective, but I do think it's useful to hear what other people think too! I feel like I have several years worth of cultural education to catch up on.
Hope you have a good weekend!

Must see ...

Fawlty Towers
Blackadder (not series 1)
Father Ted
I'm Alan Partridge
Only Fools and Horses (mainly the first 6 series)
Porridge
Some Mothers Do Ave em
Bottom

I envy you that you have hours of brilliant legendary comedy like this to watch still!

Of course, there is a top 50 list here

The IT Crowd (UK version )

In case they haven't been mentioned, Spaced, The thick of it, Peep Show, Motherland and Fleabag are all great.

Quote: Allie Blue @ 22nd October 2021, 12:44 AM

Hi everyone, I'm Allie! ... would recommend any classics that are a must-watch?

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If I'm to recommend only one sitcom (for somebody to start, or as a game, or as a memory first pop up), I'd choose "Red Dwarf".

Bottom is utter crud. Stick with The Young Ones and, if you find it, Happy Families.
Too many but definitely Fawlty Towers, Porridge and I'm Alan Partridge. Also The Inbetweeners if you like scenes of teenagers masturbating in OAPs' homes.

Young ones was a rough draft, a first attempt- some of it worked, some of it didn't

Bottom is the finished article - honed to perfection

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 24th October 2021, 11:28 AM

Bottom is utter crud. Stick with The Young Ones ...................

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Quote: lofthouse @ 24th October 2021, 12:03 PM

Young ones was a rough draft, a first attempt- some of it worked, some of it didn't
Bottom is the finished article - honed to perfection

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Monkhouse or Lofthouse?

There's only one way to find out................FIGHT!!

Quote: lofthouse @ 24th October 2021, 12:03 PM

Young ones was a rough draft, a first attempt- some of it worked, some of it didn't

Bottom is the finished article - honed to perfection

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Is this a joke? The Young Ones to Bottom is Let It Be to Wings Wild Life. TYO is strong, creative and massively influential; Bottom is middle aged, formulaic, unfocussed bullshit that was probably knocked out in a wankend with a crate of John Smith's and a packet of B and Hs for company. No comparison. I actually laugh at Bottom for the wrong reasons - I can't believe how shit it is, and I'm amazed the Beeb let it through at all. Of course they wouldn't've without the pure, unadulterated, f**king awesome Young Ones.
I'm not a violent person, but this is Jihad.

Allie, you may find our Comedy Rewind column of interest!

https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy-rewind/

I did and Bottom was number four.
No comment.

I don't wanna repeat myself or clog up this thread with linx to other sites, but I summed up my love for TYO here and over a decade later, I stand by every word. End of. https://www.chortle.co.uk/correspondents/2008/07/14/7057/once_in_every_lifetime,_comes_a_love_like_this...

And in 2010, Adrian Edmondson, who played violent skinhead Vyvyan, told The Scotsman: "You watch The Young Ones now and really, it's not very funny."