Hello all - apologies if this has been posted elsewhere. Just read it and thought it was worth sharing?
Who killed the sitcom?
"Last night, I stumbled on a brilliant repeat of an old show on ITV3. It was charming, funny, yet extremely moving. It's called Goodnight Sweetheart - and Laurence Marks and I wrote it. "
Slightly big headed remark there! 
I'd like to see an interview with a succesful writer of yesteryear where they don't bitch and moan about the state of modern comedy and television.
Ricky Gervais.
Marks and Gran followed by Simon Nye.
Could've picked a show less entertaining than The Apprentice to attack.
This is the funniest thing I've ever read by yer man though.
I don't think it is dead. It is not as good as it was, but every year you'll always find at least one good sitcom worth watching.
Quote: Jack Massey @ May 18 2009, 7:25 PM BSTI don't think it is dead.
If it is, someone should tell the writers of The (American) Office, The IT Crowd, The Inbetweeners, 30 Rock, Lead Balloon, The Big Bang Theory, Peep Show, Moving Wallpaper, etc. Especially of etc, that's a great show. There are still a lot of good shows being made, it's just, in this multi-channel age, you're not going to get fifteen million people watching each episode. It's true that not as many are made these days though, I think.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 12 2009, 2:41 PM BST"Last night, I stumbled on a brilliant repeat of an old show on ITV3. It was charming, funny, yet extremely moving. It's called Goodnight Sweetheart - and Laurence Marks and I wrote it. "
Slightly big headed remark there!
Maurice Gran has always had an oversized ego. Anyone woul think he wrote Fools and Horses. And chances are he didn't pen that episode of Goodnight Sweetheart he saw.
Quote: Dave @ May 19 2009, 2:00 PM BSTMaurice Gran has always had an oversized ego.
All writers do. It's what keeps them plodding on through the rejections and other shit associated with the writers life.
I do get increasingly bored with people harping on about a 'golden age' of British Sitcom. It occurs to me that some people seem to think that it was a 'golden age' purely because there were a lot being made. It's all these bloody 'list' programmes encouraging us to think in terms of defining eras all the bleedin' time. It doesn't matter.
Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 19 2009, 2:20 PM BSTI do get increasingly bored with people harping on about a 'golden age' of British Sitcom. It occurs to me that some people seem to think that it was a 'golden age' purely because there were a lot being made. It's all these bloody 'list' programmes encouraging us to think in terms of defining eras all the bleedin' time. It doesn't matter.
That's life, though, isn't it? We continually romanticise the past, even if it wasn't so great?
Quote: chipolata @ May 19 2009, 2:24 PM BSTThat's life, though, isn't it? We continually romanticise the past, even if it wasn't so great?
My Rose-tinted glasses need a wipe, I think!
Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 19 2009, 3:02 PM BSTMy Rose-tinted glasses need a wipe, I think!
Yeah, sorry about that. It's the thought of Smile TV 2 back on my digi-box! 
Quote: chipolata @ May 19 2009, 3:03 PM BSTYeah, sorry about that. It's the thought of Smile TV 2 back on my digi-box!
Bloody hell, that's an impressive reach. Did you know there's also a similar channel on freeview channel 50 called Partyland, which is rather similar? Think that starts at 1am though.