A Conversation for Ask h2g2
The best sit-coms of all time
Mu Beta Posted Sep 20, 2002
GWL and seeker - your choices have been added to A824681.
The big new this week is that Red Dwarf has overtaken Fawlty Towers into second place. For shame...
B
The best sit-coms of all time
Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Sep 20, 2002
Well, yes. Completely unfunny alleged SF series replaces comedy classic.
He said controversially, sucking a sugarlump.
The best sit-coms of all time
Mu Beta Posted Sep 20, 2002
I wouldn't say it's _completely_ unfunny.
It's over-rated, though.
Oh, and Buffy certainly does not count as a sitcom.
In my world, it just about qualifies as porn.
B
The best sit-coms of all time
Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Sep 20, 2002
Buffy rocks, but it ain't no sitcom. Red Dwarf made me laugh.
Once.
The best sit-coms of all time
Kerr_Avon - hunting stray apostrophes and gutting poorly parsed sentences Posted Sep 20, 2002
All I can say to that Master B, is your world is clearly lacking in proper porn 
(lost moment as brain suddenly flips into a world where Buffy really is produced as porn..... drool....)
The best sit-coms of all time
Otto Fisch ("Stop analysing Strava.... and cut your hedge") Posted Sep 20, 2002
Is it too late to vote?
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Red Dwarf
Father Ted
Spaced
Drop the Dead Donkey
Nightingales
Dad's Army (gentle and dated, perhaps, but beautifully written)
Young Ones
Malcolm in the Middle
Actually, I don't know about M in the M as a sitcom. The BBC (stupidly, IMO) marketed it as a live-action Simpsons. But I don't see it as being primarily *funny* but a really beautiful piece of television. I think it's really well constructed and put together, and there's a lot of excellent ideas. I have to say that I rarely laugh out loud at it, though. One episode in particular struck me: the boys went bowling with their friends, but early on, their parents can't decide who's going to take them. The narrative divides in two and follows the different (though parrallel) stories of what happens depending on who drives them to the bowling alley.
Otto
Likes indie-style TV.
The best sit-coms of all time
Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like Posted Sep 20, 2002
>Dad's Army (gentle and dated, perhaps, but beautifully written)<
And still, probably, the best ensemble cast in the history of british television.
The best sit-coms of all time
Mu Beta Posted Sep 20, 2002
Rest assured that updates are upgoing until I get a job, or at least something worthwhile to do with my life.
B
The best sit-coms of all time
Dr E Vibenstein (You know it is, it really is.) Posted Sep 20, 2002
I chanced upon a repeat of "Hippies" the other night on some obscure cable channel or other. Another series I wasn't all that impressed with at the time but laughed myself silly at on seeing it again. Why is that? 
The best sit-coms of all time
Otto Fisch ("Stop analysing Strava.... and cut your hedge") Posted Sep 20, 2002
Is is anything to do with expectation, do you think? Whenever there's a new sitcom on the main UK channels, I usually have high expectations if it has a good cast. But if it's a one-series wonder, on UK Lead Balloon, then perhaps expectations are lower?
Otto
The best sit-coms of all time
Smij - Formerly Jimster Posted Sep 20, 2002
One of the funniest scenes in 'Friends' (shut up, lots of people like it) was where Phoebe discovered her sister was making vampire porno films under the banner of 'Buffay the Vampire Layer'
The best sit-coms of all time
26199 Posted Sep 20, 2002
Red Dwarf has been a favourite of mine since I first watched it as a li'l kiddie... there just aren't any other sci-fi sitcoms... (the books are well worth reading, too).
The best sit-coms of all time
Minister Of Black. The Knight of Night, Lord of the High Tower Posted Sep 20, 2002
My fave moment in Friends is where Ross gets trendy and buys a pair of leather trousers to go out on a date. He ends up overheating, sneaks off to "Powder his nose" pulls them down in order to cool off and can't get them up again.
Empathy man.... been there done that - regularly, but that's what being a Rock Bass Player is all about.
My fave bit in Red Dwarf was when they were emulating being chased in a car, but were only wearing holo goggles and sat on packing cases. Plus any programme that can come up with it's own totally new insult that the whole of the population adopt can't be all bad now can it SMEG HEADS 
Bassman 
The best sit-coms of all time
Bright Blue Shorts Posted Sep 20, 2002
The best ones are those that have stood the test of time AND repeats.
Where I would once have said that "Only Fools & Horses" was the best, I wouldn't anymore. There are probably a few episodes that are, but not many. Most are dated.
The sitcoms that really jump off the page as standing the test of time & repeatability (ie you can watch them over and over again) are:
Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, Porridge, Sorry!, Young Ones, Reggie Perrin, Red Dwarf.
BBS 
PS Just joking about Sorry!
PPS Anyone mentioned Terry & June yet?
The best sit-coms of all time
sdotyam Posted Sep 20, 2002
Fawlty Towers
Friends
Blackadder 2/3/4
Only Fools & Horses
MASH
Cant think of ten best situation comedies, just these few!
The best sit-coms of all time
Otto Fisch ("Stop analysing Strava.... and cut your hedge") Posted Sep 20, 2002
Reggie Perrin ... Leonard Rossiter .... forgot Rising Damp!!!
Otto
The best sit-coms of all time
Mu Beta Posted Sep 20, 2002
Ooo-ooo-ooh, Miss Jones...
Terry and June has not been mentioned yet - at least it's not in my list (74 nominations now).
B
The best sit-coms of all time
Galaxy Babe - eclectic editor Posted Sep 20, 2002
Moonlighting.
The best episode of that was when Dave {Bruce Willis} threw a "bachelor party" {stag night} for the new husband of Maddie {Cybill Shepherd}.
Bert moonlighted as a stripper.
Dave paid for passers-by to attend the wedding so the church would be full.
Terri went into labour.
The Royal Order of the Yellow Napkinheads was born.
I also vote for M.A.S.H. and "V" - "Mouseeeee......"
The best sit-coms of all time
Granny Weatherwax - ACE - Hells Belle, Mother-in-Law from the Pit - Haunting near you on Saturday Posted Sep 20, 2002
Citizen Smith
Soap
Agony
The Young Ones
Solo - the only good thing Carla Lane's written
Open All Hours
Rising Damp
Hancock's Half Hour
Open All Hours
Peter Kaye's Phoenix Nights - my elder son had his wedding reception there!!
The Royle Family
Up Pompei!
OK OK I can't count either
Key: Complain about this post
The best sit-coms of all time
- 101: Mu Beta (Sep 20, 2002)
- 102: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Sep 20, 2002)
- 103: Mu Beta (Sep 20, 2002)
- 104: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Sep 20, 2002)
- 105: Kerr_Avon - hunting stray apostrophes and gutting poorly parsed sentences (Sep 20, 2002)
- 106: Otto Fisch ("Stop analysing Strava.... and cut your hedge") (Sep 20, 2002)
- 107: Blues Shark - For people who like this sort of thing, then this is just the sort of thing they'll like (Sep 20, 2002)
- 108: Mu Beta (Sep 20, 2002)
- 109: Dr E Vibenstein (You know it is, it really is.) (Sep 20, 2002)
- 110: Otto Fisch ("Stop analysing Strava.... and cut your hedge") (Sep 20, 2002)
- 111: Smij - Formerly Jimster (Sep 20, 2002)
- 112: CMaster (Sep 20, 2002)
- 113: 26199 (Sep 20, 2002)
- 114: Minister Of Black. The Knight of Night, Lord of the High Tower (Sep 20, 2002)
- 115: Bright Blue Shorts (Sep 20, 2002)
- 116: sdotyam (Sep 20, 2002)
- 117: Otto Fisch ("Stop analysing Strava.... and cut your hedge") (Sep 20, 2002)
- 118: Mu Beta (Sep 20, 2002)
- 119: Galaxy Babe - eclectic editor (Sep 20, 2002)
- 120: Granny Weatherwax - ACE - Hells Belle, Mother-in-Law from the Pit - Haunting near you on Saturday (Sep 20, 2002)
More Conversations for Ask h2g2
Write an Entry
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."