British Comedy Guide

Ab Fab vs Birds Of A Feather

Okay, so Birds Of A Feather started in 1989 and Ab Fab had some episodes in the Noughties, but which "90s" female-dominated sitcom did you prefer?

I liked both, but I preferred Birds Of A Feather because of its more down-to-earth humour. :)

Hmm.
Impossible!
I loved them both, and they're so massively different.
They're both very rewatchable too, although some of the humour in some episodes of Ab Fab can feel a bit dated, as it was more 'of its time'.

Absolutely Fabulous all the way for me - both had characters with depth, but I loved Ab Fab's brittle, unsentimental tone.

I think Birds Of A Feather. I've got nothing against Ab Fab - it's entertaining in its own way but Sharon, Tracey and Dorien provide more laughs for me.

Quote: ToddB @ February 27 2011, 2:47 PM GMT

Absolutely Fabulous all the way for me - both had characters with depth, but I loved Ab Fab's brittle, unsentimental tone.

Really? You surprise me.

They're both quite Fag Haggy shows. I suppose Ab Fab is technically the better show, although I grew to hate all those self-satisfied celeb cameos that became a substitute for good writing.

Birds Of A Feather, no contest.

Ab Fab, easy. I did love Birds Of A Feather at the time though. I haven't seen it since it was on.

Birds Of A Feather without a question of a doubt!

I'd say this was a little bit like asking which way would you prefer to be killed, if I was in one of my less generous moods, but I'll give this one a draw. If it's one or two episodes I'd definitely choose early Ab Fab, but if you're saying the whole series then I think the other one.

M&G's writing style suits the long narrative arc type series they specialise in, it does have a nice roundedness to it which is rare in sitcoms, few more so than Ab Fab, if any, which was a particularly narrow kind of thing, but very funny at times too. As has been said, quite different beasts indeed.

I did like Birds of a Feather but I always felt Linda Robson was a useless actress. Pauline Quirke carried her as an old friend. I'm surprised she hasn't turned up in EastEnders.

I didn't dislike Ab Fab although the jokes were stretched a bit too far and should've finished earlier.

And of course Ab Fab had the gorgeous Joanna Lumley.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ February 27 2011, 11:08 PM GMT

I'd say this was a little bit like asking which way would you prefer to be killed

Calm down dear. It's only television! Rolling eyes

Quote: Chappers @ February 27 2011, 11:19 PM GMT

And of course Ab Fab had the gorgeous Joanna Lumley.

Do you, perhaps, like "A Class Act" and "Sensitive Skin"? She really proves her chops as a comic actress standing alone from her comic mentor, Jennifer Saunders.
She is also funny in "Dr. Willoughby" - although this series may not have been the hit that the other two were.

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