At least once every 2 years one of the middle-market tabloids runs a piece on exactly that subject.

This implies that they used to be. For every Dad's Army or Fawlty Towers there were 10 crappy forgettable shows. Same today. For every One Foot in the Grave there are a myriad of As Time Goes Bys.


On the subject of crappy forgettable sitcoms, what was that John Sullivan one about the woman who said "Phenomenal" all the time? Jon? Do you know.

God knows. Was it "Honey For Tea"? I never saw it, but folks round here say it was bad.

Honey for Tea was the Felicity Kendall American "accent" debacle one, wasn't it? I think the one I mean might have been "On the Up". Hang on. I'll check on that comedy database thing.

>At least once every 2 years one of the middle-market tabloids runs a piece on exactly that subject.

So? Doesn't mean she doesn't need help. God, you're one of the most miserable, snide characters I've encountered on this forum.

>Honey for Tea was the Felicity Kendall American "accent" debacle one, wasn't it? I think the one I mean might have been "On the Up". Hang on. I'll check on that comedy database thing.


The John Sullivan one was called "Sitting Pretty" (1992-93ish). Not very good, proven by its non-existence even on UK Gold.

> So? Doesn't mean she doesn't need help. God, you're one of the most miserable, snide characters I've encountered on this forum.

And with such competition! Jon, you must be *so* proud!

>>Honey for Tea was the Felicity Kendall American "accent" debacle one, wasn't it? I think the one I mean might have been "On the Up". Hang on. I'll check on that comedy database thing.
>
>
>The John Sullivan one was called "Sitting Pretty" (1992-93ish). Not very good, proven by its non-existence even on UK Gold.
>

Justin, of course! Sitting Pretty! Couldn't find the bloody site I was after anyway. I would say "You're a star", but people who say that are cunts so instead I'll just say "Thank you very much".

>Justin, of course! Sitting Pretty! Couldn't find the bloody site I was after anyway. I would say "You're a star", but people who say that are cunts...

What would that make Pol Pot, though? The language has its limits.... :0)

>...so instead I'll just say "Thank you very much".

Pleasure, Baby C.

>What would that make Pol Pot, though? The language has its limits.... :0)


As my mum would say: "That Pol Pot, he was a right idiot."

">At least once every 2 years one of the middle-market tabloids runs a piece on exactly that subject.

So? Doesn't mean she doesn't need help. God, you're one of the most miserable, snide characters I've encountered on this forum."

Er, I was just pointing out that there have been loads of articles about whether sitcoms are getting worse, and the subject comes round every few years. Which is relevant to the question, but you have to think about it.

Nikki,

"Spaced, The League of Gentleman and the Royle Family" are innovative, but I wouldn't say LOG was a sitcom and anyway there are plenty of conventional ones still getting made, eg. that thing about the car park, and One Foot In The Grave (most successful sitcom ever), and several others.

One Foot In The Grave is the perfect example of an established sitcom with a catchphrase that means that people feel they don't need to discuss it anymore. But it is subversive in all sorts of ways, and quietly innovative in its own way. After all, the central character is going to die at the end of this final series. Many of the subjects tackled in One Foot (abuse in care homes, suicide, cancer scares, to name only three) are rare for mainstream sitcom - I would argue One Foot is a more fertile programme to discuss than the over-analysed Royle Family (good as it is).

Black Books is good too. And Kiss Me Kate (which always seems to be repeated on Uk Gold)...the scripts are very sharp for an 8.30 sitcom.

I've never watched One Foot In The Grave.

>I've never watched One Foot In The Grave.

Well, you should, Jon. It's great.

>I've never watched One Foot In The Grave.

I don't believe it!

Nikki, what's your email?

You'll probably get more sense out of us that way.

It's an interesting idea that League of Gentlemen might be considered a sitcom, isn't it? With its recurring characters, central setting and storylines then it IS closer to a sitcom than a sketch show. Maybe it is actually a sketch-com? Opinions anyone?

I used to like the early series of The Upper Hand. But now I realise the errors of my ways.
And to actually answer the question, some are, some aren't. As ever. Have to say I'm not a massive fan of The Royale Family though. Spaced was good though, and I've so far managed to miss all the Black Books, through the lure of drink, though it looks acceptable enough. I'll try this week.

>Have to say I'm not a massive fan of The Royale Family though.

Is that the Dutch version?

The Royal Family is an update of Till Death Us Do Part. The bigoted father, the dosy mother, Pretty daughter, the son-in-law (who have a baby halfway through the run). All sitting around in real time in the same room watching television and arguing.

That's good. Hadn't thought of that.

That would explain its current exalted position as a "State Of The Nation" barometer in the papers.

Just like Speight's jobby was in the 60s.

>That would explain its current exalted position as a "State Of The Nation" barometer in the papers.

Especially that encomium by A.A.Gill in the Sunday Times this week. One can't help thinking the reason he loves it is because it reinforces his prejudices about working class life.

A.A.Gill is a twat, simple as that. When his 1st novel got rotten reviews he wrote a petulant article in The Spectator in which he unsuccessfully tried to disparage the literary scene in general, but the seething hurt showed through. I get the impression he'd like to be a shocking reactionary dandy-type person, but just can't write the material for it.

He reminds me of people who claim that P.G Wodehouse is their favourite writer. They are usually phoneys.

It makes me almost piss myself every time I hear the BBC trails twat on about The Royle Family, though. All those attempts by the light entertainment heads to get the show to be filmed in front of a studio audience, and "oh, can't they just go to the pub". And now, funnily enough, it's a big hit. About the only comedy hit, along with One Foot, that the BBC's got.

It's quite good, but you'd have to be a clot like Alison Graham to find it groundbreaking.

It seems groundbreaking only because it's shot on film (or whatever it is that looks like film but isn't), doesn't have a laugh track and never leaves the confines of the house, but I agree, in plot and character terms it's pretty much a conventional sitcom.

of course sitcoms are funny, there was that thing a couple of years ago and more recently that other thing.
It seems that the world is running out of comedy... hang on will start new topic

<That's good. Hadn't thought of that.

<That would explain its current exalted position as a "State Of The Nation" barometer in the papers.

<Just like Speight's jobby was in the 60s.

Thankyou for your comments. But no, it was not a jobby, it was superb. Truthful, honest, dirty and AA Gill would've hated it. Incidentally he's the arrogant twat that slagged off Peter Cook when he died. "He was just a bloke who told jokes" he said, and that "being able to make people laugh is a minor gift." Not exactly an ideal candidate to review comedy shows.

>"He was just a bloke who told jokes" he said, and that "being able to make people laugh is a minor gift."

A minor gift but one he would dearly love to have. It hurts him so.

"After all, the central character is going to die at the end of this final series"

Every sitcom should end this way, so there is no chance of them ever coming back (only Fools and Horses, i'm talking about you) Surely even one foot... was supposed to finish a couple of years ago, but the beeb kept saying, go on david, do us another series. "Right, i'll kill the bastard off then".
This is what destroys sitcoms. oh yes.

Yeah, but the cast of The Black Adder (mostly) died at the end, and that didn't save us from the dome, did it? And don't forget the comeback of Sledge Hammer!. I don't think we've seen the end of Meldrew yet.

Just realised, the dome special broke the trend, didn't it? Non-one died (apart from half the French army).

"Both Feet In The Grave"

"I don't believe it! Victor is dead and has gone to heaven! The week, he encouters Jesus, who Meldrew berates for hanging around on a cloud, thus blocking his view of earth. Jesus then posts shit through Meldrew's letterbox, with the words 'grumpy old bastard' carved into it..."

I'm sure David Renwick would never allow it to continue, surely...?

Well that's cleared up the mystery of whether sitcoms are funny any more...

God it feels good to be back - well, 'till Sunday anyway...

oh yeah, I've got Graphics coursework to do as well. Oh well, I'll just waste another half an hour here then.

I think the structure of the sitcom hasn't changed: always the regular characters, regular settings, something disruptive happens each episode, but there is something changing. Like who they're aimed at: an alternative, less mainstream audience. Look at that terrible excuse for a sitcom on BBC1 'My Family'. Bad isn't the word. Mainstream comedies are dying away, with a few exceptions like the Royle Family. I wouldn't say it was inventive though. Spaced and The league of Gentleman are more interesting, verging into sitcom-drama. A new genre?
My e-mail is [email protected] if anyone has any indepth opinions!