British Comedy Guide

Sitcoms for grown-ups Page 2

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ May 12 2011, 9:43 PM BST

Well I'd have to put a word in for Carla Lane here, for this thread. An acquired taste in sitcom land for sure, but what she has done is provide a bit more depth to the often shallow, one dimensional studio sitcom. With Butterflies, And Mother Makes Five and Solo in particular, she focused on adult relationships; a preoccupation of many females, perhaps, but it did give the artform a grownup feel it had lacked before.

Then there's The Good Life, a high quality sitcom which was clearly aimed at a slightly older, married, middling type audience. And others like As Time Goes By, Fresh Fields, May To December and few other other middling, relationship based sitcoms. And To The Manor Born.

In short, most grown up sitcoms seem to me to have been aimed at couples or women, so they do have their uses, as it's brought a much needed depth that is too often missing in sitcoms.

They might have dealt with some "adult" themes but I think they were all family shows because there was an eqhal amount of sillyness.

Quote: Chappers @ May 13 2011, 4:00 PM BST

They might have dealt with some "adult" themes but I think they were all family shows because there was an eqhal amount of sillyness.

I agree - just because a sitcom deals with older characters doesn't necessarily make it adult. I always saw "The Good Life" and "To the Manor Born" as family sitcoms - nothing too confronting or challenging really.
I do think "The Thick of It" is a good candidate.

I think "Sensitive Skin", "The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle", "Absolutley Fabulous" and "Rodger and Val Have Just Got In" all class as pretty adult in content.

"Bottom" is actually a self-conscious commentary on immature slapstick. It can be taken at face value, but there are a lot of adult themes there.

Eh?

Quote: ToddB @ May 22 2011, 1:16 PM BST

I think "Sensitive Skin", "The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle", "Absolutley Fabulous" and "Rodger and Val Have Just Got In" all class as pretty adult in content. "Bottom" is actually a self-conscious commentary on immature slapstick. It can be taken at face value, but there are a lot of adult themes there.

Basically, all the sitcoms you like, Todd, are grown up intelligent sophisticated sitcoms. ;)

Quote: chipolata @ May 22 2011, 2:37 PM BST

Basically, all the sitcoms you like, Todd, are grown up intelligent sophisticated sitcoms. ;)

No - I like "Miranda"! :D

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