Quote: MIKIE @ November 30 2009, 9:30 PM GMT

Some of my own favourite obscurities are ...

Surgical Spirit - I had such a crush on Nichola McAuliffe as a wee lad <3 !

The Piglet Files - I'll be honest I remember very little about this but seem to have enjoyed it back in the day.

The Two of Us - just fab!

Glad to see Valentine Park and Nightingales has had a mention, Nightingales inparticular was superb, was so chuffed to get this for Christmas a couple of years ago . The Paul Merton Show and Sean's Show were also big faves but seem to have been forgotten about since the stars have gone onto bigger things.

And if we are going to talk about US sitcoms, how about Married With Children? Huge in the US but relegated to regional late night schedules over here, although it did get a tea time Sky One slot a few years ago, albeit hacked to pieces. A perfect example of the British 'loser sitcom', just happened to be made in America, that's all.

I'll give another vote for Colin's Sandwich too, but why no mention of Watching? Love that show and would to see it again.

One last one is A Kind of Living - or at least that's what I think it was called - with Tim Healy and Richard Griffiths. Haven't seen it since I was about 10 but remember it being pretty damn good.

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A Kind Of Living was good, remember watching that. Tim Healy was the best friend of Richard Griffiths's character and Frances De La Tour played his wife.The man who played his neighbour was good as well, called CJ Allen, been in a few things. Also, has any one mentioned the Nicholas Lyndhurst show The Two Of Us, I know the Peter Cook show of the same name has been mentioned

Quote: peter gazzard @ December 4 2009, 9:41 AM GMT

Well I'm pretty sure that's the reason it was axed

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Possible, but as I say, a bit unlikely after making it through 2 series.

That Tim Brooke-Taylor show You Must Be The Husband wasn't bad.

Talking of Tim Brooke-Taylor I dimly remember enjoying a show he did with John Junkin, The Rough with the Smooth or something like that.

What was that other show with TBT in? Me & My Girl? I remember it being very 'family comedy' and enjoying it, but can't remember any of it bar that.

I don't think it was exceptional, but I liked it as a naive little kid, before The Universe of Cynicism enrolled me up to postgraduate level...

Dan

I seem to recall Well Anyway written by and starring John Bird and John Fortune was quality.

And around the same time there was a very odd series called Moving Picture written by and starring John Fortune and John Wells, and directed by Andrew Gosling using his usual blend of live action and animation. I don't remember much about it, other than that the pilot episode was set in the National Gallery and Wells played the groom in Van Eyck's 'Arnolfini Marriage'. I would love to see it again.

Quote: swerytd @ December 5 2009, 12:03 AM GMT

What was that other show with TBT in? Me & My Girl? I remember it being very 'family comedy' and enjoying it, but can't remember any of it bar that.

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Yes, he was. Been dipping in and out of it recently; a fairly good programme.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ December 1 2009, 7:07 AM GMT

Well, alas it was the tragically young death of the great sitcom second man Richard Beckinsale that ended it. Never seen it since, and I doubt very much if it's as good as I remember it to be, but it may have got a second series just because of the characters in it and the success of Porridge. I do remember the theme song well tho, I thought it was really catchy, sung by Ronnie Barker himself, 'I'm goin straight I am, straight as an arra, I've done me time doo doo de doo...'. Ah, nostalgia...

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I'm surprised Richard Beckinsale's last series Bloomers hasnt been released yet

Good to see Operation Good Guys has got a few mentions.
A lesser known police sit-com from the early 90s worth a look is Mornin' Sarge which I remember was funnier than the Thin Blue Line, had loads of good solid character actor in the cast with humour which relied on gentle silly jokes ("I need this Constable in my office," says the Inspector as he takes down a Haywain painting).

Colin's Sandwich featured Mel Smith on top form as an under achieving writer who works in the British Rail complaints office until he can get his big break (bells anyone). Nicely played bitter-sweet comedy that handled a lot of interesting serious themes, like dealing with grief after the death of his father without lurching into slapstick black comedy.

Quick US mention- Bakersfield PD featuring an inner city black cop from DC who moves to a back-woods all white Californian town. Much broader cleverer and funnier then the obvious fish out of water scenario suggests. Very funny and was shamefully axed after one season.

Has anybody mentioned It Takes A Worried Man yet, starred Peter Tilbury, the Shelley creator. I've never seen it but the Wikipedia profile of the show was interesting

I suppose someone on here's already mentioned The Kit Curran Radio Show.

Quote: Bert Bastard @ December 10 2009, 5:04 PM GMT

I suppose someone on here's already mentioned The Kit Curran Radio Show.

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Yes I started a thread on it, it's a few pages back now. I agree with you that it's underrated.

Well, about the It Takes A Worried Man mention last page. It was good or at least I remember it being that way.

Quote: Bert Bastard @ December 10 2009, 5:12 PM GMT

Well, about the It Takes A Worried Man mention last page. It was good or at least I remember it being that way.

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Agreed, I recall the scripts as being very sharp; I remember being a little unsure about Tilbury's central performance, but there were excellent supporting turns from Nicholas Le Prevost and Christopher Benjamin, and Sue Holderness was quite hot back then.

Fear, Stress & Anger. I've just seen an episode on BBC Entertainment and I really liked it. I'm disappointed that the series is not available on DVD.