Overrated sitcoms? Page 6

Quote: zooo @ May 22 2013, 3:37 PM BST

I think hardly any sitcoms are rated at all by normal people, in order to be overrated. Unless you mean overrated by comedy fans, which might be a different issue.

I actually love The Office, I think it's brilliant, but I still think it's overrated. It seems like every house in the country has a copy of the DVD, but I bet most of them don't rewatch it. It feels like something that should have been a cult hit rather than such a mainstream one.

If that makes any sense at all.

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This.

I expect a bit of a firing for this, but I'd go for Gavin & Stacey. It's not particularly bad and it has some good moments, but given that many people regard it as the seminal TV sitcom of the last 10 years or so and yet it rarely had me in raptures, that sounds to me like it fits the overrated mould.

I would agree with zooo's observation. One thing that irks the hell out of me is the patronizing way that some stations in North America latch onto a series and keep repeating it over and over, calling it a classic and what not, whilst completely ignoring the current sitcoms being produced. An example is Monty Python, for a long time when I was in highschool all the drama kids knew was Monty Python because that was what was available to them. They saw Monty Python as the be-all-and-end-all. There was no comprehension of some of the other greats like Black Adder, French & Saunders, Benny Hill, 'Allo 'Allo!... (enter sitcom of your choice). That idea that overratedness is created is very astute.

Another major example is PBS, which every year has a fundraising drive where they beg for your money. Our local one, WNED-Buffalo-Toronto, used to bring in a rotation but now the schedule is non-stop As Time Goes By (I exaggerate a bit, but it is almost guaranteed to return every year). Every year without fail the same TV personalities come on during the drive and try to flog the audience an overly priced 'scrapbook of memories' from the show and in a, what I can only describe as, obsessive way describe in minute detail all of their favourite moments from the show. I like that our comedy is so popular in North America, I just wish there was more of it known about.

I'd have to say Only Fools and Horses. Continually up there in the best of all time list. Continually failing to ever make me laugh, just doesn't work for me, for whatever reason.
But you know, (Only Fools and) Horses for courses and all that.

And I wouldn't say this next one was massively overrated except for everyone at my school who wouldn't shut up about it, so I'm putting it here just based on that small demographic.
Bottom. I've never found violent slapstick that funny and without that all you have is 2 guys competing to out-do each other in sad disgustingness...no thanks.

And another vote for The Big Bang Theory. Characters like Sheldon Cooper, who the entire show seemingly is based around, just get right on my nerves rather than tickle my funny bone.
It also shows up how unrealistic it is too, as if you had someone like that in real life he would be impossible to work with so wouldn't be holding down his job, however brilliant, and his "quirks" would mean people found it impossible to live with him too.
It's basically a sitcom ridiculing people with Aspergers or other various personal conditions, nice going America.

Six pages and nobody's mentioned Miranda (except to contextualise the popularity of Outnumbered) yet? Annoying comedy world, dubious central character, some good plot premises wasted and the worst of seventies comedy gimmickry thrown in... and the most popular thing on TV and respected by critics a lot more than populist shows like My Family that were generally funnier.

Are You Being Served wasn't nearly funny enough to deserve repeats decades later either.

Another vote for Big Bang Theory. The whole 'nerds aren't like other people' schtick isn't exactly new and it's been much better by the likes of The IT Crowd and Community.

Some of my choices may upset a few but hey it's all about opinions.

The Office and Extras. Watched a few episodes and my God they are dreadful.

OFAH now this was funny but having been on a constant loop on UK Gold for past 7 years or so it's lost its magic.

On The Buses, is just cringeworthy and a programme very much of its time.

Peep Show has its moments but generally unfunny.

Gavin & Stacey, although to be fair, is this really a sitcom?

In defence of Peep Show I think it really is the best written British comedy I've ever seen, or at least the best contemporary one in recent years. I think we have a bit of Jez and Mark in all of us, or at least I do anyway and I find some of the things they think and talk about easy to relate to - it's almost as if they are two sides of the same person.

The writing is highly intelligent as well but it is counter-balanced nicely by the right amount of 'crude' or 'low-brow' humour. Also, the show has a sort of dark edge to it where you never quite know what will happen next.

Definitely gotta agree that Derek was erm....okaaaaayy. Overrated definitely.

Big Bang Theory is very silly and not smart at all. I feel it's just too goofy American funny and not my cup of comedy tea. Overrated.

Fawlty Towers. Definitely. It was funny during certain episodes but not all the time.

Love Judi Dench but As Time Goes By wasn't funny ha-ha as it was hyped to be.

Quote: enigmatic @ 6th September 2013, 2:02 PM BST

Six pages and nobody's mentioned Miranda (except to contextualise the popularity of Outnumbered) yet? Annoying comedy world, dubious central character, some good plot premises wasted and the worst of seventies comedy gimmickry thrown in... and the most popular thing on TV and respected by critics a lot more than populist shows like My Family that were generally funnier.

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Preach!

I'm struggling to think of a genuinely good "vehicle" sitcom, which Miranda clearly is. Such a shame that Patricia Hodge is tainted by it.

Two shows that I cannot watch are Miranda and Outnumbered. Absolute tripe. Outnumbered is so yuppy it makes me gag, and Miranda is the biggest pile of unfunny I have ever seen on my TV. Typical modern day BBC pigswill.

Quote: comical masterpiece @ 7th January 2014, 4:38 PM GMT

Two shows that I cannot watch are Miranda and Outnumbered. Absolute tripe. Outnumbered is so yuppy it makes me gag, and Miranda is the biggest pile of unfunny I have ever seen on my TV. Typical modern day BBC pigswill.

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Yuppy? Really? Middle class perhaps but then so many people are.

Outnumbered is one of the best sitcoms of the last decade for sure.

Quote: comical masterpiece @ 7th January 2014, 4:38 PM GMT

Outnumbered is so yuppy

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What has that got to do with whether it is funny?

Besides since when did forty something schoolteachers qualify as young urban professionals?

When I say yuppy, I kind of mean it has a yuppy feel to it, pretentious like. Either way it's not my bag. Lol.

Quote: ashleybrownmedia @ 23rd November 2013, 12:47 PM GMT

In defence of Peep Show

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No defence needed, it's been one of the best UK sitcoms of the last decade.