The Ultimate Sitcom

Maybe worth setting the video for this one on Saturday

ENTERTAINMENT: The Ultimate Sitcom
Channel: Channel 4
Date: Saturday 1st September 2007
Time: 22:50 to 00:30 (starting in 4 days)
Duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes.
The Ultimate Sitcom features interviews with TV's top comedy actors, writers, producers and directors as they decide which is the funniest sitcom of all time. From Dad's Army to The Office, Porridge to Steptoe and Son, and The Simpsons to Friends, the programme pays homage to one of TV's finest institutions as it counts down the 20 best-loved UK and US sitcoms of the last 50 years.
(Repeat, Subtitles)

Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.com/?p=1&r=105344

Oo, thanks!

How can they air this, when they haven't made mine yet?

I remember this and I believe this was the programme that introduced me to Spaced. Huzzah!

Thanks Barry.

I've still got this show recorded from when it was first on in Jan 2006 which indicates it's better than your standard countdown affair. It is basically a list show, but it has some above average insights and clips - worth a watch!

For once I found myself generally agreeing with the list order too; I guess because it was compiled by industry experts not the general public who have a tendency to go for the fad of the moment. (The results are here if you want to spoil the surprise)

For the record here's the result of this show:

20. The Young Ones
19. Rising Damp
18. Hancock's Half Hour
17. The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
16. The Good Life
15. Curb Your Enthusiasm
14. Yes, Minister
13. I'm Alan Partridge
12. Cheers
11. Father Ted
10. The Office
09. Spaced
08. Blackadder
07. Dad's Army
06. The Phil Silvers Show
05. The Larry Sanders Show
04. Porridge
03. Seinfeld
02. Fawlty Towers
01. Frasier

On the whole a fairly sturdy list I'd say. Nice to see Fawlty Towers as the UK's number one. Not sure I'd have put Seinfield, The Office or Spaced so high up there mind you.

I think the obvious obmissions are Only Fools and Horses, Friends and The Simpsons. Yes, not everyone is a fan of them but leaving out those three highly successful sitcoms does look a little odd.

I think channel 4 class The Simpsons as a cartoon rather than sitcom. It was an industry insider's list so OFAH wouldn't be on there as its not that popular amongst the insiders. Friends well that is just weird, again its probably because the 'industry insiders' consider it too populist or has too many writers. Nearly all the top 20 were written by individuals or writing partnerships.

And decided by writers, where was Arrested Development?

Quote: Leevil @ September 2, 2007, 12:41 PM

And decided by writers, where was Arrested Development?

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It's a repeat. It was done before AD even aired I believe.

I was going to post about this...then I got distracted

To have Fraser and Cheers on there and not Friends is very odd.

Quote: hotzappa11 @ September 2, 2007, 2:53 PM

It's a repeat. It was done before AD even aired I believe.

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Only from last year surely? AD's been around since '03 I think? Insiders must've been aware of it?

Oh well, I'll live.

I wonder if this is still around?

I was searching for something (in vain) but couldn't find it so you're lubered with all this rubbish.

Quote: Chappers @ 6th October 2023, 11:50 PM

I wonder if this is still around?

I was searching for something (in vain) but couldn't find it so you're lubered with all this rubbish.

View original

Bloody Hell! You are desperate................what's lubered? Is that after you've oiled something?