Britain's Best Sitcom Page 5

Quote: Oldrocker @ 2nd January 2015, 12:58 AM GMT

Sorry, but can I just check please?

You don't rate EDC ?

Brilliant series - Richard Briers at his best.

I definitely like it better than One Foot in the Grave. Not sure it would make my top ten, but it is brilliant.

I agree that EDC, although an excellent series, is an odd inclusion in the top ten. Considering they polled a sample of C5 viewers, this surprises me even more.

Quote: zooo @ 2nd January 2015, 3:17 PM GMT

I definitely like it better than One Foot in the Grave. Not sure it would make my top ten, but it is brilliant.

Would def. be in mine. They missed a chance I thought in not giving Harold and Hilda their own spin off series.

Penelope Wilton in 1968:-

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Hubber! Hubber! Lovey

Quote: lofthouse @ 2nd January 2015, 1:55 PM GMT

EDC is in the top ten sitcoms of all time?

Not in several billion years

Ridiculous ...

Better than One Foot in the Grave?

Cobblers

Not to many viewers who prefer the far more traditional sitcom style of EDC. I thought OFITG was good quality but just not my style of sitcom at all. I found most OFITG eps really hard to get through, they seemed to crawl like the tortoise in the closing credits. And the quirky visual stuff was too contrived for me. Scripts good, style too heavy.

EDC much lighter and warmer and a much easier watch. What is ridiculous is Blackadder making no.1, there's an over rated sitcom if ever there was one. Not saying it isn't good, just nowhere near the best British sitcom of all, much of it's scripted like a dot to dot formula. If that's true sitcom writing then I'm a ... (insert strained jocular cliche)

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 2nd January 2015, 9:03 PM GMT

Not to many viewers who prefer the far more traditional sitcom style of EDC. I thought OFITG was good quality but just not my style of sitcom at all. I found most OFITG eps really hard to get through, they seemed to crawl like the tortoise in the closing credits. And the quirky visual stuff was too contrived for me. Scripts good, style too heavy.

EDC much lighter and warmer and a much easier watch. What is ridiculous is Blackadder making no.1, there's an over rated sitcom if ever there was one. Not saying it isn't good, just nowhere near the best British sitcom of all, much of it's scripted like a dot to dot formula. If that's true sitcom writing then I'm a ... (insert strained jocular cliche)

Hurrah, someone else who doesn't get all the adulation about Blackadder. Back in the 80s, as a teen I found series 2 and 3 amusing in parts though the first series is pants and 4 is way overrated. Watching 2 and 3 again recently I barely raised a chuckle. On the other hand EDC (on Drama)seemed much better second time around. I also find OFITG painfully plodding.

As for a public poll, it's always gonna be skewed towards BBC1 and ITV shows from the 70s -90s when average viewing figures were much higher than today as there were only 4 channels back then. Shows on minority channels, i.e. C4 and BBC3, stand little chance of getting into the top 10.

Top 10 for me; Coupling (1-3), Father Ted, Peep Show (1-7), OFAH (1-5), Black Books, IT Crowd, Toast of London, Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads, Porridge, Dads Army (pre private Cheeseman).

Shocked OFAH wasn't no1, it normally is.

My top 10- Likely Lads, Still Game, Lead Balloon, Good Life, Not Going Out, Phoenix Nights, Porridge, EDC, Yes Minister, The I.T. Crowd

Does Peep Show count as a sitcom? It doesn't have the stupid laughter track and is filmed at real locations rather than studio sets, but it is comedy and is situational.

It is indeed a sitcom. Although it's now filmed mostly in a studio, I'm afraid to tell you!

Quote: Aaron @ 7th February 2015, 12:50 AM GMT

It is indeed a sitcom. Although it's now filmed mostly in a studio, I'm afraid to tell you!

For just the final series?

I think the previous few series have been shot on studio sets, but I'm not entirely sure. I believe it was discussed in the documentary programme Peep Show & Tell.

I also don't think Blackadder is anywhere near as good as its reputation. My own personal list would be:

Marion & Geoff
I'm Alan Partridge
Only Fools and Horses
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Father Ted
Phoenix Nights
Dad's Army
15 Storeys High
Peep Show
The IT Crowd

There are so many great sitcoms that to pick just one is virtually impossible, but if I gauge it on one that I never tire of watching it is Dad's Army, so in my eyes that has to be the best ever.

By the same token, when it comes to radio it has to be Hancock's Half Hour or The Goon Show, both of which I listen to over and over again and again never tire of them.

Although some shows are before my time, I've tried The Goons but.. didn't dislike it or engage with it,sorry. Hancock can be superb, and Round The Horne was delightfully coarse for its time.