British Comedy Guide

Favourite ITV sitcom Page 4

Be interested to know if the Galton and Simpson Playhouse is available on DVD. Seem to remember Paul Merton made a respectful remake of some of them but when you consider original stars included Leonard Rossiter and Arthur Lowe I doubt if it was bettered.

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ August 26 2009, 10:33 AM BST

Auf Weideresehen Pet.
Although that may come under a different category I suspect.

Oh yeah. I'd vote for that if it's allowed. I used to laugh at Chance in a Million. Wasn't that an ITV show?

Catweazle. Geoffrey Bayldon is woefully underappreciated on this site and elsewhere. Followed by Only When I Laugh, Love Thy Neighbour, Bless This House and George & Mildred.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 26 2009, 11:27 AM BST

Oh yeah. I'd vote for that if it's allowed. I used to laugh at Chance in a Million. Wasn't that an ITV show?

Great show, if only for the weid way the central character spoke.

Quote: Jack Massey @ August 25 2009, 11:09 AM BST

Yes, probably the worst British sitcom of all time.

It actually got worse than Fresh Fields, with the follow-on sitcom French Fields.

Quote: chipolata @ August 26 2009, 11:33 AM BST

Great show, if only for the weid way the central character spoke.

Yeah. Simon Callow. I have never seen it since it was first aired mind.

Quote: Kenneth @ August 26 2009, 11:38 AM BST

It actually got worse than Fresh Fields, with the follow-on sitcom French Fields.

I didn't mind either of those shows, and I can think of far, far worse. They were gentle, and Anton Rodgers has a likeable charm.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 26 2009, 11:39 AM BST

Yeah. Simon Callow. I have never seen it since it was first aired mind.

I don't think it's been repeated, and am not sure if it got a DVD release. It ran for three series, though. It also had Brenda Blethyn in. Not sure who the writer was, or if he did anything else of note.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 26 2009, 11:27 AM BST

Oh yeah. I'd vote for that if it's allowed. I used to laugh at Chance in a Million. Wasn't that an ITV show?

I'm think it was a Channel 4 show.

Wasn't it a kind of a spoof of a sit-com in which Tom Chance would be placed into ridiculously contrived situations (a long lost relative of Curb your Enthusiasm?).

Can anyone remember any episodes?

Quote: youngian @ August 26 2009, 11:50 AM BST

I'm think it was a Channel 4 show.

Wasn't it a kind of a spoof of a sit-com in which Tom Chance would be placed into ridiculously contrived situations (a long lost relative of Curb your Enthusiasm?).

Can anyone remember any episodes?

I have a feeling it pre-dates Channel 4. Definitely ITV. I guess there are similarities with Curb, plot wise, although the dialogue was obviously much stagier and not in any way naturalistic.

Quote: youngian @ August 26 2009, 11:11 AM BST

Be interested to know if the Galton and Simpson Playhouse is available on DVD. Seem to remember Paul Merton made a respectful remake of some of them but when you consider original stars included Leonard Rossiter and Arthur Lowe I doubt if it was bettered.

[p=http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/8079117/The-Galton-And-Simpson-Playhouse-The-Complete-Series/Product.html]

I've just checked.
Chance in a Million was Channel 4.
Broadcast in 1984 & 1986

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ August 26 2009, 12:58 PM BST

I've just checked.
Chance in a Million was Channel 4.
Broadcast in 1984 & 1986

Ah. Who wrote it? My brother and I spent a week annoying everyone talking like Simon Callow's character Tom(was it?) Chance.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 26 2009, 1:00 PM BST

Ah. Who wrote it? My brother and I spent a week annoying everyone talking like Simon Callow's character Tom(was it?) Chance.

Fegen and Norriss wrote it I believe. They later created The Brittas Empire of course.

Quote: youngian @ August 26 2009, 11:11 AM BST

Be interested to know if the Galton and Simpson Playhouse is available on DVD. Seem to remember Paul Merton made a respectful remake of some of them but when you consider original stars included Leonard Rossiter and Arthur Lowe I doubt if it was bettered.

Product artwork - buy at Amazon
See Amazon product listing
[p=http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/8079117/The-Galton-And-Simpson-Playhouse-The-Complete-Series/Product.html]
[h=917306]

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 26 2009, 11:27 AM BST

I used to laugh at Chance in a Million. Wasn't that an ITV show?

Channel 4. But having adverts, they're more or less the same, so I'll allow it. :)

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 26 2009, 11:39 AM BST

Yeah. Simon Callow. I have never seen it since it was first aired mind.

Peculiar show. It's alright, but I don't think it's really fared as well over time as some of its contemporaries.

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ August 26 2009, 12:58 PM BST

I've just checked.
Chance in a Million was Channel 4.

Sadly, I didn't need to check. :(

Quote: Aaron @ August 26 2009, 3:18 PM BST

Channel 4. But having adverts, they're more or less the same, so I'll allow it. :)

It isn't the same because I think Channel 4 have produced better sitcoms than ITV.

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