US sitcoms that had limited or no showing in UK

With the way ITV was 15 separate companies years ago I have heard that a number of ITV stations showed certain US comedies that weren't networked. I have heard of a comedy called Gilligan's Island (that wasn't meant to be the best US sitcom) and I am not sure if this was shown in the UK. I live in the ITV Central region (formerly ATV, of course) and apparently Mister Ed was never shown on ATV.

I am pretty sure that by the 80s most US shows were networked over here, such as Diff'rent Strokes and Family Ties. But back in the 60s and 70s I am pretty sure there were quite a few US sitcoms that weren't networked. I think The Beverly Hillbillies was, but not Petticoat Junction.

Mister Ed was on Sky 1 (I think...) in the early/mid 1990s.

Mister Ed was on TV when I was little, I remember watching it. He's a horse of course.

It was ace.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ February 1 2011, 7:40 PM GMT

Mister Ed was on TV when I was little, I remember watching it. He's a horse of course.

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I can remember Mister Ed on Sky One (I think), although I know it was also shown on Channel 4 in the late 80s. Sky One (and the sadly short-lived Comedy Channel) showed many US shows in the early 90s, some classic, some good and others not so good. It was the first time Green Acres was shown more or less in full (I still think they missed out a few episodes) and they also showed some quite recent comedies like Designing Women and Doctor, Doctor which I don't think are very well-known over here.

I think Petticoat Junction aired on the Paramount Channel back when it first launched as a general entertainment channel.

I can never quite get over that one. Just, fabulous.

Quote: Matt79 @ February 1 2011, 5:39 PM GMT

I have heard of a comedy called Gilligan's Island (that wasn't meant to be the best US sitcom) and I am not sure if this was shown in the UK.

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Often confuse Gilligan's Island with Fantasy Island, one or t'other starred the midget from James Bond, I think.

Herman's Head http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman's_Head

Had a limited run on C4 in 1993/4. It was atrocious.

Quote: Tim Walker @ February 4 2011, 1:22 AM GMT

Herman's Head http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman's_Head

Had a limited run on C4 in 1993/4. It was atrocious.

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A lot of morons liked it!, my mum in law particulary.

Quote: Tim Walker @ February 4 2011, 1:22 AM GMT

Herman's Head http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman's_Head

Had a limited run on C4 in 1993/4. It was atrocious.

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Compared to stuff like Family Ties, Who's the Boss, Perfect Strangers and Full House, Herman's Head was not so bad, mainly because it co-starred Lisa Simpson.

As for US sitcoms never shown in the UK, did you get That's My Bush?

The Beverley Hillbillies was screened widely in Northern Scotland at around the teatime slot in the late 60s. MR ED was also shown on Saturday mornings at some point in the mid-70s.

Bizarrely, the Johnny Carson Show was screened in this same region in the very early 80s: however, the 'heeeeeer'es Johneeeeeeee!' type of brash 'humour' never translated well to dour, earthy Scots, the majority of whom more than likely dubbed this enterprize 'shite' and the transmissions were pulled before too long.

Quote: Kenneth @ February 4 2011, 7:00 AM GMT

Compared to stuff like Family Ties, Herman's Head was not so bad

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Bit harsh that, lumping in Family Ties with Herman's Bonce. Ties is an '80s classic.

I have never heard of Herman's Head. One very strange US sitcom I remember seeing in the mid-80s (it seemed quite freaky to me then as I was only around 6!)was Small Wonder about a robot who looked like a little girl...it was so weird. I live in the Central region and I can imagine that all US comedy shows were networked by then. Small Wonder is said to be one of the worst sitcoms ever...

Quote: Griff @ February 3 2011, 11:31 PM GMT

About a guy who's Mum dies and comes back as a car.

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Presumably it was this show that inspired two (better) comedy moments...?

a) The Fast Show's spoof b&w US sitcom, featuring a (talking) corpse in a box as a main character.

b) The Simpsons's episode featuring ideas for spin-off sitcoms, one of which was where the spirit of a dead Grandpa Simpson haunted the 'Love Tester' machine in Moe's Tavern.