Don't know if there's been a thread on this or not. But I'd be interested in hearing about any stuff that's not so well known, or forgotten or you consider underrated but good. Doesn't have to be top of the picks but you must consider it at least good. Of course, it is all very subjective, but please don't post just anything that comes to mind or you think might be fogotten. You've got to at least think it rates as 'good' if not 'excellent'.
- YOU RANG, MY LORD?
Underrated excellent sitcom for me is You Rang, My Lord?. It's one of those you don't appreciate fully till you've watched it right through back to back I think - as it's a bit of a drama/soap as well as a comedy. Production standards are excellent, in my view. I think the longer episodes probably made it harder for people to get in the swing of and it probably stopped repeats? It's one of my top favourites. Quite a bit is satire.
- HI-DE-HI!
Not exactly forgotten but undervalued. Hi-De-Hi!, while successful in its day, is often criticised. But again - when you watch the lot in order you appreciate it more. Although it's still valued by many I don't think it deserves the negative criticism it sometimes get from a number, so I'd call it underrated. Up there with Dad's Army in my opinion. It's from an era where TV was to comfort not ONLY poke fun at - which so much of today's stuff seems to be limited to.
- EXECUTIVE STRESS.
Watched all three series recently. Stars Penelope Keith, Geofery Palmer and Peter Bowles. (Scuse poor spelling.) My kind of comedy. It was quite successful in its time - the 1980s. But I'd say is largely fogotten. I'd rank it as very good to excellent. Although the themes are dated they are very strong so still make for good stories. Peter Bowles replace Palmer after the first series - but this transition is forgotten after an episode or so. I think the transition might have been even smoother if Bowles has lost the moustache - a bit too 'Manor Bornish' - but forgivable. Everything Keith has done has been good. So it's not surprising this is good too. I'd call this a forgotten gem - but some probably wouldn't call it a gem because of its limitations of the humour and because themes have dated. Although this didn't bother my taste.
I'll post some more if I think of them and if this thread develops.