All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? Posted Sun Oct 1 16:18:55 BST 2000 by 'Jeanette'

I've come up with the following list - probably a mix of what's been repeated most recently & a touch of nostalgia here & there. I'm sure I've forgotten several good shows & that my choices will alter in a couple of months' time when some of the new, promising comedies like Time Gentlemen Please have finished their debut runs.

My Current Top 10 Sitcoms:
1) Black Adder - Clever writing, particularly the historical details. My favourite is Black Adder III (the Regency Period one).
2) One Foot In The Grave - David Renwick always manages to come up with such unusual plot twists.
3) Fawlty Towers - A mixture of rudeness, violence & absolute lunacy from Cleese. Just a joy to watch!
4) Reggie Perrin - I didn't get where I am today without enjoying running gags & catchphrase-driven characters.
5) Open All Hours - Perhaps I chose this over Porridge because I grew up in a shop & we had a till just like that! A well-observed comedy with the perfect pairing of Barker & Jason.
6) Vicar Of Dibley - More from the pen of Richard Curtis. A great variety of quirky characters make this above-average viewing.
7) Ever Decreasing Circles - Repeated recently, it was nice to see the obsessiveness of Briers' character, Martin, Howard & Hilda's matching jumpers - but why did Anne never run off with neighbour Paul!
8) Brittas Empire - Another unlikeable lead character dogged by totally implausible disasters.
9) Chance In A Million - Haven't seen this one for absolute years but I've fond memories of eccentric Simon Chance's life of improbable coincidences.
10) Cheers - At its best one of the few US sitcoms I actually enjoy.

I'd be interested in knowing what other people's choices are & why.


Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Al' on Sun Oct 1 16:38:22 BST 2000:

As usual - no particular order

Seinfeld - best structure, best one-liners of any sitcom I've seen
Only Fools and Horses - best British sitcom ever? And not just coz of Delboy falling through the bar...
Frasier - superb characters, smart dialogue
The Larry Sanders Show - not always laugh out loud funny, but always witty and smart
Porridge - terrific. Barker's finest hour. Downbeat and uplifting, and v. v. funny
Black Adder (esp. II and III) - excellent wordplay. Some fine ensemble performances especially between Atkinson, Richardson, Fry, Laurie and Robinson
The Simpsons - does this count? I hope so. Clever and silly in equal measures.
Hancock's Half Hour - the original and one of the best. The Missing Page is a personal all time fave
The Young Ones - a bit dated perhaps but still terrific
Red Dwarf (first three series) - disappeared up its own behind a bit after series four, but the first three series are excellent

As a controversial honourable mention I'd add Friends. I can see its flaws but when its funny, it's very funny indeed. Again, some razor-sharp one-liners.

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Miffy' on Sun Oct 1 18:27:44 BST 2000:

Here's mine in no particular order:

1. The Simpsons - if we are counting it as a sitcom. Brilliant, intelligent, appeals on many levels.
2. Small Wonder - for nothing more than nostalgia (which is probably very dangerous). Reminds me of being bored on a Saturday afternoon. I mean, the girl was a robot!!? How *zany* is that?
3. Ellen - series 1. When Adam was still there. Before the boring boring Spence arrived.
4. Frasier - Same reasons as everyone else really.
5. Spaced - is this counted as a sitcom?
6. Roseanne - Not always hilarious but good entertainment except the final copout series.
7. Citizen Smith - the earlier episodes.
8. Reginald Perrin - again only the early episodes before he left Sunshine Desserts.
9. Blackadder Goes Forth - Helped me pass my History GCSE and was funny to boot.
10. Cheers - the Diane/Coach years.

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Mon Oct 2 11:06:57 BST 2000:

Here's my little list:

1. Bottle Boys
2. Mind Your Language
3. Full House
4. Duty Free
5. Farrington of the FO
6. Tears Before Bedtime
7. Wyatt's Watchdogs
8. Keep It In The Family
9. Three Up Two Down
10. Executive Stress

Oh hang on, didn't you say 'favourite'? I thought it was 'worst'. Sorry about that. Bet I had you confused for a minute back there, eh?

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Justin on Mon Oct 2 19:51:17 BST 2000:

Jon - did you *really* watch Wyatt's Watchdogs? I didn't think that anyone actually had.

Anyway:

1) Seinfeld (but I've been boring about this on other threads, so no more.)
2) Fawlty Towers (boring choice, like most of these, but there you go)
3) Fall & Rise Of Reginald Perrin
4) The Simpsons
5) One Foot In the Grave
6) Frasier
7) Blackadder The Third
8) The Larry Sanders Show
9) Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?
10) Soap

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Jon on Tue Oct 3 08:18:14 BST 2000:

OK, here you are then:

1. Farrington of the FO
2. Duty Free
3. Wyatt's Watchdogs
4. Tears Before Bedtime
5. Three Up, Two Down
6. Full House
7. Mind Your Language
8. Keep It In The Family
9. Executive Stress
10. Bottle Boys


Ha ha - only kidding!! I really think:

1. Fawlty Towers
2. Steptoe And Son
3. The Young Ones
4. Fr. Ted
5. Only Fools And Horses
6. Dad's Army
7. Spaced
8. Friends
9. Time Gentlemen Please
10. Bottle Boys

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Sam D' on Tue Oct 3 09:34:05 BST 2000:

Was Wyatt's Watchdogs that one featuring Brian "Wyatt's Watchdogs" Wilde? Or was that something else.

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Slightly_outrageous on Tue Oct 3 21:22:53 BST 2000:

I can't do order but

larry sanders
seinfeld
simpsons
league of gentlemen
young ones
fawlty towers
(early) friends
MP's flying circus
taxi
& ermm saved by the bell :-)












Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Matthew' on Wed Oct 4 11:48:26 BST 2000:

You're all wrong. It's like this: -

1. The League of Gentleman - sick, that's just funny
2. Father Ted - Irish halfwits - brilliant
3. Bread - Scousers, hilarious
4. Style and Substance - pathetic, but strangely watchable (probably because it's on in the daytime and I'm a student)
5. Fawlty Towers - manic.
6. We Are The Champions - disabled children, self-satisfying
7. See Hear - programming for the hearing impaired, what more can I say
8. 9 O'Clock News - find out how the world's most powerful idiots have pissed each other off today
9. Only Fools and Horses - solely for the Del-Boy falling through the bar scene.
10. Red Dwarf - Scouser in space.

email me at [email protected]

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Mouse' on Fri Oct 6 19:35:47 BST 2000:

Let's see now............

It's gotta be Frasier,
then
Space
and
Only Fools and Horses,
I'm not sure I can think of 7 more......
I'll get back to you on this one.

Subject: Re: All-time Favourite Top 10 Sitcoms? [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Tamar' on Mon Oct 9 21:38:30 BST 2000:

1. Blackadder
2. Northern Exposure
3. Citizen Smith
4. Frasier
5. The Simpsons
6. Only Fools and Horses
7. Fawlty Towers
8. Young Ones
9. Comic Strip
10.Red Dwarf

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