Where is the "none of the above" option?

Why not just ask readers to write down their thoughts, rather than tick boxes? Tiny children can do that.

Because the broad spread of public opinion that would reveal might force them to repeat some shows we've not seen hundreds of times before. Back to the "Comedy Canon" theory.

Why is Please Sir in the best sitcom list, and Chef in the worst? I can think of much more dire shows, Are You Being Served for a start.

I'm sure Lenny Henry graced a RT front cover in full chef get up, anyway.

>Why is Please Sir in the best sitcom list,
>and Chef in the worst? I can think of much
>more dire shows, Are You Being Served for a
>start.

The worst sitcoms of all the time are the ones we can't remember the names of, I feel. I've been sorting through old videos (recorded between '87 and '91), trying to find old eps of 'Spitting Image' that my parents recorded by accident (started out trying to find 'Who Shot Alan B'Stard?', which I'm sure I've got somewhere, but just can't find). Came across some utter bollocks from Marks and Gran called 'So You Think You've Got Troubles'. A nice version of Alf Garnett, in Dublin (or Belfast). Does anyone remember this?

Thoughts:

It's nice to see 'The New Statesman' mentioned. Usually unfairly overlooked, that one.

There's a photo from 'Blackadder', but it isn't actually offered as a choice anywhere. Not even in the 80s sitcom category. But 'Just Good Friends' is there.

'The League of Gents' is not a sitcom. Perhaps a sketch show, but not quite that really. But, of course, it had to pigeon-holed.

'That Peter Kay Thing' is listed as both a sitcom and a satire. How irksome for RT that they couldn't pigeon-hole it more, like everything else.

Usually, when they do these "pick your favourite, from our nominations", they give details of the judges. Experienced, intelligent, professional individuals whose opinions could at least be said to count for something. Here, it just seems to be Alison Graham.

And she tells us is was incredibly hard work, and they knew they weren't going to please everybody. So, as others have said, why not do a write-in poll, or even just write-in categories?

I wonder if the fact that this is celebrating UK Gold's "Feast of Fun", that many of the shows mentioned are on UK Gold during that "feast", and that the winners will be screened as part of a 'RT readers comedy night' on UK Gold, is at all significant. "For fuck's sake, Alison, don't pick anything we haven't already bought the rights to and shown three dozen times."

And she never said "let's see those pens", Alison, you objectionable no-mark.

The idea of getting viewers to pick from a list is clearly silly and not representative of the public's (or in this case, the readers of RT's) real view.

However I see it as like The TV Week Logie Awards (Australian TV awards ceremony voted for by the readers of TV week). I used to vote for that every year. Most of my choices (you could pick your own in this vote, not chosen from a list) never even got in the top 5 but at least I'd sent in my opinion. None of the parties I vote for ever win in elections either, but at least I voted and therefore I have a right to complain.

What I'm saying is this, let's all send in our votes, even if we do have to pick from 5 options. At least in that case there'll be a slight trend towards intelligence.

If UK Gold decide to show TW3 I'll be frankly astonished.

A pointless poll and, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Alison Graham only watch soap operas? It's the only area she seems to know anything about.

>If UK Gold decide to show TW3 I'll be
>frankly astonished.
>
>A pointless poll and, correct me if I'm
>wrong, but doesn't Alison Graham only watch
>soap operas?

Oh yes. But she heard of some of these. UK Gold gave her their schedules, and some hastily written notes, and she picked the titles she recognised.

And it was very hard. She told us so.

OK, it's been a bad day. I work too hard. Brain is jelly.

Do you think that if we all voted for Thompson as Biggest Let Down, it might actually get screened for the first time since 1988? It would be nice to be allowed to make up one's own mind.

Incidentally, nice of Alison to conclude her unbiased overview with a LoG reference. That should help it along in the final tally....

>Incidentally, nice of Alison to conclude
>her unbiased overview with a LoG
>reference. That should help it along in
>the final tally....

But, as I pointed out, it wasn't actually a proper quote. It was a "well, someone told me there was something about pens in there, so I'll say something about pens" kind of thing. If she'd actually watched 'LoG', and liked it for the good comedy it is rather than because she's been told to like it, I could have some level of respect. Well, respect is too strong a word, but... I wonder hate her so passionately.