Communisto
Condottiere
Come to think of it, Malcolm in the Middle was hilarious too
Favourite sitcom of all time
- Thread starter StittsvilleJame
- Start date
My list:
The Simpsons - I know everyone complains that it's not as good as it used to be, but it's still brilliant and really it sweeps all other sitcoms before it. It's one of those programmes that, on paper, shouldn't have really worked, but somehow did. It's kind of the TV equivalent of Peanuts in that it's not just a set of comic characters but a whole comic world that is endlessly adaptable and versatile.
Hancock's half-hour - not quite the first sitcom but the first great one. It was doing post-modern self-awareness "nothing happening chic" while Jerry Seinfeld was a toddler.
Red Dwarf - was consistently brilliant until one of the writers left and it went sharply downhill. The best thing about it was that it looked like a sci-fi show but was really character-driven - the best episodes were ones in which nothing really happened.
One foot in the grave - I think this was really the first mainstream sitcom to mix in sharp dashes of very black humour and genuine cruelty into what looked like it was going to be a gentle suburban comedy. The writing was just so clever. I thought at the time the author should write a detective series, and then he did.
Spaced - I didn't see this at the time, but only later, but it's still kind of era-defining. Generation-defining, perhaps, no matter when you actually saw it.
Fraser - the most effortlessly cool show of all time. This programme shouldn't have worked, for so many reasons, but it did.
Malcolm in the middle - I always loved this, just brilliantly done. Hal is one of the great "comedy dads" of all time.
30 Rock - only recently discovered this but I really, really like it. It just has a friendly sort of feel to it.
Outnumbered - only just discovered this too but I think it will be an enduring classic. This programme is basically a long ad for contraception. The expression on Hugh Dennis' face all the time is priceless.
I have only seen a few early episodes of Seinfeld, a couple of years ago, and I thought it looked brilliant and not dated at all, but I'd have to see more to judge. That's a programme I'd really like a complete box set of.
The Simpsons - I know everyone complains that it's not as good as it used to be, but it's still brilliant and really it sweeps all other sitcoms before it. It's one of those programmes that, on paper, shouldn't have really worked, but somehow did. It's kind of the TV equivalent of Peanuts in that it's not just a set of comic characters but a whole comic world that is endlessly adaptable and versatile.
Hancock's half-hour - not quite the first sitcom but the first great one. It was doing post-modern self-awareness "nothing happening chic" while Jerry Seinfeld was a toddler.
Red Dwarf - was consistently brilliant until one of the writers left and it went sharply downhill. The best thing about it was that it looked like a sci-fi show but was really character-driven - the best episodes were ones in which nothing really happened.
One foot in the grave - I think this was really the first mainstream sitcom to mix in sharp dashes of very black humour and genuine cruelty into what looked like it was going to be a gentle suburban comedy. The writing was just so clever. I thought at the time the author should write a detective series, and then he did.
Spaced - I didn't see this at the time, but only later, but it's still kind of era-defining. Generation-defining, perhaps, no matter when you actually saw it.
Fraser - the most effortlessly cool show of all time. This programme shouldn't have worked, for so many reasons, but it did.
Malcolm in the middle - I always loved this, just brilliantly done. Hal is one of the great "comedy dads" of all time.
30 Rock - only recently discovered this but I really, really like it. It just has a friendly sort of feel to it.
Outnumbered - only just discovered this too but I think it will be an enduring classic. This programme is basically a long ad for contraception. The expression on Hugh Dennis' face all the time is priceless.
I have only seen a few early episodes of Seinfeld, a couple of years ago, and I thought it looked brilliant and not dated at all, but I'd have to see more to judge. That's a programme I'd really like a complete box set of.
Communisto
Condottiere
It really did used to be an animated sitcom, instead of the crazy sideshow its become now. When it was good, no one could touch the writing.
StittsvilleJame
Warlord
I'm really surprised that no one mentioned Cheers. I haven't seen it in years, but last time I did watch an episode, I clearly remember being amused. The best ones were the ones with Woody though, much better than the ones with Coach, imho.
SuperBeaverInc.
Groucho
Arrested Development. Funniest show ever.
shadowplay
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Al Bundy was one of the all-time great characters, but Married...with Children overall wasn't that great a show. Seinfeld was total sitcom perfection. I don't know that any sitcom could ever possibly top it.
Communisto
Condottiere
Leifmk
Deity
This, or Spaced, or Black Books, or Blackadder.
I think the British shows benefit from typically having much much shorter runs than the American ones. Fawlty Towers only ever had twelve episodes, Spaced had 14, etc., and every single episode is golden. None of these shows were around long enough to become overly repetitive or wear out the concept.
American programmes always have long series (or "seasons" as they insist on calling them); this is because of the way they sell advertising, I believe. So it's simply impossible for them to make six-episode series, let alone three-episode mini-series (like the recent Sherlock). I suppose this is why, when British series are sold to the US, they invariably remake them with American actors. Since British TV can accommodate all kinds of formats, American series are very rarely remade for a British audience but just shown as is. Of course it goes without saying that American remakes of British series generally fail to capture what made the original good, the exception being the American Office, which is arguably the equal of the original or even better - though it's not quite the same, being a bit more sitcom-like and not as excruciating.
The other thing that Americans typically do is keep on making a successful TV programme until the ideas dry up and it turns a bit rubbish, rather than end on a high. This is rather depressing. It's very refreshing when, on occasion, they don't do this. I was disappointed when Reaper finished, because it was absolutely superb, but I preferred it to finish while it was good rather than just drag out interminably until it got mercy-killed, as usually happens with American programmes. (A British version of the long-drawn-out death is Only fools and horses, which ended beautifully and was then very unwisely brought back some time later, to spoil the memories of when it was good.)
The other thing that Americans typically do is keep on making a successful TV programme until the ideas dry up and it turns a bit rubbish, rather than end on a high. This is rather depressing. It's very refreshing when, on occasion, they don't do this. I was disappointed when Reaper finished, because it was absolutely superb, but I preferred it to finish while it was good rather than just drag out interminably until it got mercy-killed, as usually happens with American programmes. (A British version of the long-drawn-out death is Only fools and horses, which ended beautifully and was then very unwisely brought back some time later, to spoil the memories of when it was good.)
Fawlty Towers is brilliant. Hilarious all the time. Malcolm in the Middle is another great one, and I agree with Plotinus that Hal is a particular standout. My favourite ever is probably Extras. It was brilliant week after week. I don't know if this has any reach outside of Australia, but Mother and Son (from the 80's) is an absolute classic also. It contains my favourite sitcome scene of all time, but unfortunately youtube doesn't have any of it, so I can't post a link. Kath & Kim (the proper one, not the American one) was also great in its day.
when people say this I always think they probably dont watch it anymore, the last series was really good, the writers change every so often so that probably explains the inconsistent quality
shadowplay
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Plotinus' post reminded me of one more big one that I forgot -the original BBC version of The Office may be the funniest show I've seen in my life. Too bad it only lasted 12 episodes + Christmas special.
Communisto
Condottiere
Meh, im not really that interested in seeing what celebrity they chose to animate this week.
Annex
Tyranny and Mutation
Exactly. Before they had great celebrity guests who would support the storyline of the episode. Now they just use the celebrities as a crutch for their lack of original ideas.
The first 14 or so seasons were great and the movie was ok, but now the show is plain and unappealing.
Chukchi Husky
Lone Wolf
I haven't seen many sitcoms, but out of the few that I seen, I guess my favourite would probably be Father Ted.
I remember watching one of those list programmes on Channel 4 where they got a group of top comedians and comedy writers to find out what they thought the best sitcom of all time was. The one that ended up on top was Frasier.
I remember watching one of those list programmes on Channel 4 where they got a group of top comedians and comedy writers to find out what they thought the best sitcom of all time was. The one that ended up on top was Frasier.
ParadigmShifter
Random Nonsense Generator
Well you should watch Peep Show on 4OD. I don't know if spaced is on there too.
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