John Cleese on TV comedy today Page 2

I agree 100% with John Cleese's comments.

In my opinion nowadays ITV have virtually given up on sitcoms whilst in their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s they were a conveyer belt for what are now seen as classic sitcoms such as Bless This House, On The Buses, Man About The House, Rising Damp, Please Sir!, George And Mildred and lots lots more.

Further evidence for me is that over the last five years I cannot think of one new sitcom that would make it into the 'classic category' and the BBC have even resorted to remaking a hit 1970s comedy in Reggie Perrin. In recent years the best sitcoms have been Still Game and The Green Green Grass, which are good but that is it - and don't get me started on My Family.

Quote: Craig @ May 11 2009, 9:39 AM BST

I agree 100% with John Cleese's comments.

In my opinion nowadays ITV have virtually given up on sitcoms whilst in their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s they were a conveyer belt for what are now seen as classic sitcoms such as Bless This House, On The Buses, Man About The House, Rising Damp, Please Sir!, George And Mildred and lots lots more.

Further evidence for me is that over the last five years I cannot think of one new sitcom that would make it into the 'classic category' and the BBC have even resorted to remaking a hit 1970s comedy in Reggie Perrin. In recent years the best sitcoms have been Still Game and The Green Green Grass, which are good but that is it - and don't get me started on My Family.

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Not really sure about what your definition of 'classic sitcom' is. On The Buses and several of the other shows that you mentioned are hardly thought of as classics now. And I could suggest dozens of shows from this decade that I would consider to be superior to them...

Quote: Craig @ May 11 2009, 9:39 AM BST

In recent years the best sitcoms have been Still Game and The Green Green Grass, which are good but that is it -

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Well I've managed to find lots of funny stuff over the last five years; and Peep Show feels pretty classic to me.

Nothing like putting on a pair of rose tinted glasses, is there?!

Plenty of good comedy on TV 'these days'. I'm not going to list them. We all know what they are.

Likewise, there's always been plenty of crap on as well. Maybe TV execs have become more attuned in recent years to the stuff that might be crap and don't bother with it. Granted, this is a bad thing if it means they don't try at all, but ITV (as they've been mentioned) have had some recent success in the area (Moving Wallpaper, Benidorm).

Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 11 2009, 1:40 PM BST

Nothing like putting on a pair of rose tinted glasses, is there?!

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I wonder if there's any companies that sell actual rose tinted spectacles. They'd clean up.

Martin Clunes has waded in. He has some decent points. Pity his Reginald Perrin is so bloody boring.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article2425696.ece