Top 10 Sit-coms and why

Okay I don't know many Brit sitcoms but of the ones I do know I love: Ab Fab I can't not go on enough about how fabulous I think Jennifer Saunders is Father Ted- the best in any country Barbabra- Hilarious! Now as for American sitcoms I definitly have more favorites: In no particular order Everybody Loves Raymond (I just mentioned this to someon this morning so its at the top of my head) Cheers Scrubs Family Guy that 70's Show The Jeffersons All in the Family Girlfriends

Funny, I thought your post said 'unique titless'. I need a drink.

Fergal, I'm very uncormfortable with this public exhibition concerning my 'supposed psyche' - you are talking about someone I do not know, you are talking about your own construction, someone living in your own mind. Obviously you are imaginative but it is important to know when to put the brakes on. So I propose that this be an end to it and that we sort this out via email. However, realising how boring and irrelevant this is to everyone else I am still compelled to fight my corner on a few things. I will not apologise for being proud of my weightloss. I did it by not following any faddy diet, but by changing my diet and habits. More exersize, healthy food. It's been four years now and I'm very pleased with the results, I'm healtheir and happier and I want to pass that on. It was a hard, yet with hindsight, easy thing to acheive. It took a readjustment of mental outlook. That's what I'm all about, looking at things differently, not accepting the 'common view', challenging 'convention'. As for me 'being a woman', I was neither - my nickname is Liz, short for Lizard. Forums are very male/female prejudiced, I prefered my comments to be androgenous, neither admitting to either. But after meeting others from ABC and because of a personal, autobiographical submission, it was something that I have not kept up. I've really got better things to do than bang on anymore about this. It's irrelevant nonsense. It WAS supposed to be a light-hearted thread about Sit-Coms...so let's get back to that.

Absolutely, kj. So, let's start with another classic I forgot - The Royle Family! Brilliant!

Married with children and Black Adder 2 and 4.

may I ask something? is The Benny Hill Show considered a Sit-com?

Yes, Minister (and Yes, Prime Minister)

Peep Show, which I really wanted to like, was too cringe-making to watch. I tried a few times but had to switch over on all the really 'embarrassing bits', I loved the POV, and all the disparate charcaters, and the underlying 'sadness' of the make psyche, but it was too much. Totally forgot about the 'Young Ones' - the most brilliant and amazing, groundbreaking show on telly at the time but it hasn't dated well. We used to class everybody by the main charcaters - were you a Viv, Rik, Mike or worst of all, a Neil. I won't say who everyone thought I was. The Royle Family was a great show but marked the trend towards Comedy-drama - scripted and filmed without an audience. Most sit-coms are done this way these days. I think I prefer it with the actors in front of an audience, gives the comic actors more of an edge. Having said that, 'HELP' recently with Paul Whitehouse and Chris Langham was superb. Not really laugh out loud comedy, but wonderfully observed. Having loved Brass Eye (one of the most challenging TV series ever) I was looking forward to Nathan Barley - did anyone see this? I watched about 4 episodes but it was an effort. Chris Morris not at his best.

George and Mildred Fawlty Towers Ab Fab

anyone remember Nightingales, I used to love that

I thought Nighty Night was absolutely hilarious.

The Brittas Empire? Don't make me laugh.

nighty night was funny (despite starring angus deayton)

Yes Nighty Night was excellent, in a watching behing your fingers sort of way. Definitely the best grotesque character I've seen. The jogging in the underwear was priceless. Coupling's a funny one, I think it started badly, very self-conscious, and trying too hard, but I reckon it got better. When I first caught sight of it, I just couldn't get passed how dreadful a comic actor the guy from 'This Life' was, but as it went on I began to warm to the other characters, particularly Jeff and the scarey Ex. So I watched it more often. By the time Susan had the baby, I admit I was a fan, if only for that scene with the epidural. 'This Life' guy's acting never got any better though. (Btw - I thought it was a UK attempt at Friends at first, but funnily enough when it ended here the US tried to make their own version of Coupling over there. Sit-com tennis.) [%sig%]

Oh yeah, Dan. I remember Nightingales. Didn't see it much, it was always on late, never got a decent slot. I quite liked it though. It was rather surreal wasn't it? Probably a bit of a slow burner. [%sig%]

dont make me laugh either, dire. fawlty towers was tops. I have also tittered at one foot in the grave, and patricia routledge is brilliant in that doodah whatsamacallit, but I wouldnt class either of them as good sitcoms. Spaced was good.

1 Blackadder 3 2 The Office 3 Porridge 4 Black Books 5 Father Ted 6 Blackadder 4 7 Fawlty Towers 8 Spaced 9 Dinnerladies 10 Blackadder 2 If we were talking American, that would be a different matter.

For American sitcoms, I thought Seinfeld might have to come in at Number One, but I've never watched a single episode of any sitcom all the way through since the early 90s or late 80s, even. Married with Children was excellent. Welcome Back, Kotter. Errrr..... *draws a blank*

1. Brittas Empire 2.Sorry 3.My Hero 4.Are You Being Served 5.As Time Goes By 6.Mind Your Language 7.Allo Allo 8.Hi-De-Hi 9.Duty Free 10.Last Of The Summer Wine. Beat that suckers.

me too, it had Robert Lindsay as a night security man. I liked it, it was a bit strange but it was funny. there is, of course, BOTTOM. oh where would the world be without a little bottom?

Brittas Empire starring the fine Chris Barrie was brilliant, off-the-wall and totally original!! Anyway, it's not a popularity contest, it's what we think are our favourites (okay then, it was a bit pants, but I loved it). Dinnerladies - the 'genius' of Victoria Wood, or the most annoyingly awful hammed up overplotted rubbish - difficult one that. I never watched Seinfeld, I was watching Frasier and Friends, and that's more than enough USA telly for any normal brain. Scrubs is great as well

1. Father Ted (surreal!) 2. Fawlty Towers 3. Red Dwarf (best one -liners)

housemate number one has just bought every single bloody episode of coupling on dvd. I like it I suppose, but kinda felt ukgold were already broadcasting it enough for any sane individual.

tim you've almost listed the all time WORST there: the best sitcom was Blackadder 2 bit OFAH and FT are classics.

in the order they tumble out of my head... Fawlty Towers Blackadder Ab Fab Father Ted Spaced Kath & Kim Married with Children Still Game Hancock The Young Ones

Oh, I did like Father Ted. 'Ahhh, FECK!'.

Hey Ferg...how goes it?....(way down the thread I am now, and off topic to boot) I've Been on travels and fishing on the Deleware Bay. Been improving my skills I might add. When this sunburn gets better, I may be able to concentrate.

Ely, I do my best.

I quite liked that one with Tony Hancock and Sid James

Hancock's Half Hour - can you remember that far back Jude?

Radio, somewhere on the BBC website is a picture of the biggest effin' catfish these eyes ever did see. Caught in the Mekong, where the wild things swim...

British television sounds more boring than American television, which I never watch anyway. The only television series tha I can even remember characters names is the 60's American tv show, Combat. With Vic Morrow and Rick Jason.

Oh! That reminds me. I liked M*A*S*H. But that wasn't really a sitcom, per se.

I correct myself. It was Yahoo, after all. Typical.

I was fishing for Flounder and Croakers. One night out on the bay last week, we hooked at least 350 Croakers in about 2 hours. Was up until 3 AM filleting the damn things. I caught a really nice shark too. Catfish are poop eaters.

Can you believe the Americans watched M*A*S*H with a canned laughter track! But they did. RD - I think British comedy is more original and groundbreaking than USA not that USA comedies are not very funny. They are consistent and clever but they are rarely dark (unlike M*A*S*H which was both), they tend to be 'safe', usually written by a team of writers not too keen to rock the boat. The sit-coms listed so far from Britain were written by 1 or a regular duo/small group. And I think are better for that reason. I don't know if you have seen 'The League of Gentlemen' but it is a wonderfully sick and hilarious, dark show. Very peculiar indeed. Father Ted when it came out was such an outlandish idea and yet, brilliant. Red Dwarf?

I think that Dinnerladies was really subtle and dark, but then again, why would a sitcom mostly about women on low incomes and their hopes and fears and coping mechanisms be of interest to London-by-the-sea blokes who hate fat people and mascarade as women for months on writers websites? The last thing I'm thinking when I'm watching something on TV is, 'Laugh at the cool bits. Laugh at the cool bits. Laugh at the cool bits.' When you're on your own in a room (which I'm not much, because I've more often than not lived with boyfriends/husbands over the years and get to enjoy the pleasure of their company rather than sitting by myself cursing Victoria Wood for being hammy) the last thing that matters is what anyone else thinks. Sheesh. I don't know what it is, but something about your comments in general, kj, really gets my goat. And that is a skill, because as someone said to me the other day, 'You are the walking personification of nice'. Maybe we could make it all right, and get on. Before I used to think you a very unempathetic show-offy-to-blokes woman. Now I just think you're an unempathetic know-all bloke who hates women so much you can't even address them equally, directly or with any kind of connection. You said that some people have met on here and treat each other differently (like you are some kind of King of ABC or something) - well we haven't met, and I'd like you to imagine you had met me, and then you wouldn't pick out things I say to deride or belittle. I couldn't care either way - I come on here and no other websites on the entire internet other than hotmail and the various google or whatever. I don't have a computer at home with web access, precisely because I don't want to live with my eyes at the screen. I like it here because I like the stories, the ethos, and some of my best friends are here too (though less so these days). But I don't like not getting on with people. Whenever I address you directly you ignore what I say (you seem to be only interested in what blokes have to say), or make fun of me. You come across as the sort of person who talks loudly about intellligent things in the hope that someone will hear you and be impressed.

Tell me if I'm wrong, obviously.

Wow. Did I miss something?

No. He just chips away with these sarcastic comments. Maybe I'm paranoid - I don't think he's bothered one way or another about me to be honest - but I'd like him to be polite at least.

My Dad used to Watch re-runs...don't remember when it first came out Can't believe you made that comment Denver! question 8 of the "Are you AMerican quiz" from Viz 8. You fancy a night in watching something funny on TV. What kind of comedy do you choose? (a) A sitcom like Fawlty Towers or Father Ted (b) A sketch show like the Harry Enfield or the Fast Show (c)A thinly disguised morality play set in a massive lounge where the audience whoop for ten minutes every time an overpaid actor with a superglued grin on his face makes an entrance to deliver a lightweight wisecrack.

Woh! Where did that come from? Sounds like you've been seething a way for a while there, Fergal. As to being the 'King of ABC' etc. You are entitled to think what you like. Personal attacks are just so petty, and pointless, particularly when you don't know somebody. My email is on every post, I think you should have emailed me to sort out your 'problems'. This public tirade is just insulting, hurtful, uneccesary and totally out of the blue. You should feel ashamed of yourself. I don't ignore you, but have recognized that you tend to pounce on my comments, and as you always want to turn the conversation around to your favourite agenda - 'body image', I mostly steer clear. I personally think that you should sort out your demons - particularly the ones dealing with your thin and glamourous stepmother who you hated, and by your own admission, now anybody else attractive and thin, or anybody else who might say that being healthy is good, or that being overweight is easily avoidable - which is all I'm guilty of. I expect an apology for this unwanted, nasty outburst. [%sig%]

I only talk about body image in the posts that *other* people start about body image. I think if you look through them you'll find that true. I don't expect anyone to agree with me. I have mentioned my step mother once, maybe twice, three times at a push, which aint bad in a year and a half. My favourite agenda! tee hee. I do like to talk about it when others mention it - I have said it is better to be healthy than fat or thin - I have said that. I have also said that maybe I have a problem with my own food issues that makes me jump at things. I have admitted that, and been open about it. I have never EVER said that I hate people who are attractive and thin. At least not seriously. I often say that I love to look at people who are attractive and thin. In fact, I think they often look lovely and glimmery and I am happy at this time of year when they feel able to walk about in less clothes. Shit - this computer is about to run out of time. but i will be back in about 10 minutes to complete this post...

not many people have said why they chose the sitcoms they did. I'm very disappointed with some of you.

kjh, I don't know how one can compare British comedy with American comedy. They are totally different for the most part. Most Americans I know (plenty...duh), don't like British comedy, considering it too dry and and a bit of a bore. I can't recall a single British sitcom that ever interested me in the least, but I did love Monty Python and Benny Hill (though not a sitcom). American sitcoms on the other hand, are all formula works, done with canned laughter tracks and prompted studio audiences. Seinfeld was probably the best I've seen in recent years. Nothing else is of the least interest to me and quite frankly, I think the more recent shows are total crap with bad writing and bad acting. The writers now tend to be more titilating, which is a waste of effort. I'd rather watch porn, the writing is about the same quality without the censorship, not that I watch either.

1. Love Thy Neighbour 2. Babes in the Wood 3. The Shitass Empire 4. The Rubbish Show 5. The Ironic List of 'Top' Sitcoms 6. I Can't Be Bothered To Do Anymore

i chose my ones because they made me laugh. but had deep moral undertones that reinforced my view of the world and had secret messages about gymnastics.

Ha! Sez he! I too prefer British comedy. Not that I watch a lot. American comedy is a little too 'hyuck-hyuck' for my taste....

I guess I did this in the forum, rather than by a private email, because our dealings with each other have always been on the forum, therefore neither of us have anything to hide. There are various elements of this forum that are flippant and sarcastic - all of us have the potential to be - and then there are some threads that are more tender and we all create a sort of 'safe' place to be. I don't mean in some knitted muesli way, but just where we end up talking about things more deeply. I found that when you were new you ploughed into these things with flippant comments that could have been hurtful (not just to me, I don't get easily offended), but guessed it was because you were new and not yet used to the way it worked. But I have seen you continue to do it. For the April abc event you posted something about it all seeming 'too worthy' - I thought 'Has this woman even read what this site is about, what the ethos behind it is?' I still didn't snap, because I thought your writing interesting, and you were contributing lots to the site. I haven't been seething for a long while, as such. I just get a mild iritation when you post certain comments, but nothing I've thought about gone home time. I don't need to be ashamed. I have done nothing that you haven't done over time. I put loads of posts up about things completely unrelated to weight. Whenever someone starts a thread about it, I feel compelled to add to it because it is something I've thought about, and something I've experienced from both being very thin once and also very fat once (and now I'm in between). If there was a thread about drugs, or drink, or depression, or whatever, I would be just as offended on anyone else's behalf if someone posted sarcastic comments. I guess your politics have annoyed me - and for that I shouldn't have let it because it is a free world - but your 'everyone feels sorry for themselves in today's society' attitude is against everything I believe in. Okay, so debate is good, but you explain your opinion by putting people down. You also then put up posts where you are feeling down and expect people to respond without any ill humour. It's true I don't know you. Any attempt I've made to get to know you on here has been ignored or joked about. When I told you I'd thought you a woman, you never said anything about it. A joke about it, or any sort of comment would have been nice. I can be as sarcastic, cynical and in bad taste as anyone. Feel free to flick through past posts to see just how diverse and non-judgemental my persona on here is. In fact it isn't a persona. I'm pretty much this way in real life and anyone who knows me on here, I'd hope, would back me up on that. If I hurt you, I am sorry. I don't want to hurt anyone. But you have made hurtful comments - not just to me, but to others on here that I know more about than you do in terms of the weight issue - and then act is if it is 'our' problem. The idea that I have an agenda is laughable. If weight was such a big thing to me in reality, then wouldn't my writing be full of stuff about it? It's not though, is it? I would really like to get on with you - as I said above. But I feel you have often made it impossible. Strangely, I thought the above post would bring to your attention the fact I *would* like us to be more friendly... The things you just said in response to mine make me think you have never read another word I've put on here.

1. Debbie Does Dallas 2. Deep Throat 3. The Bang Bus 4. The Queens of Cum er....