Quote: Skoob @ April 6 2011, 1:17 AM BST

Frankly, The Office, Gavin and Stacey, and all that are okay, but they won't endure.

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Not sure I get this, "The Office" was first broadcast nearly 10 years ago and is still seen by a lot of people as a high point of the newer, naturalistic style of sitcom, in fact, like it or loathe it, "The Office" was so successful that it pretty much caused the death of new studio based sitcoms until the last few years.

People just don't watch TV in the same way they did 20, 30 or 40 years ago, so programmes will inevitably be more 'niche' than the big hits of yesteryear, like "Fawlty Towers", "Porridge" or "Steptoe and Son".

Quote: chipolata @ April 6 2011, 12:07 AM BST

I haven't got time to debunk all your theories tonight, Kipper, but Jo Brand has already co-written and starred in Getting On, which made no refrences to either sex or her weight. None of skinny Julia Davis's sitcoms (Human Remains and Nighty Night) have been about sex. And Victoria Wood rarely relied on her weight or sex for the jokes in dinnerladies.

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Seen as yet a couple of episodes only of Nighty Night, and to me it was all about sex. Under the dark surface, it was about sex, surely? And Dinnerladies, while peddling Wood's usual homely northern humour, was set around food, with food references and jokes all over the place, as usual for her. She owes her very soul to the meat and potato pie factory down the road from her local chippy, next door to the department store cafe/restaurant where she spent all her time observing the amusingly homely conversations of women that fascinated her so, aided by the odd slice of gateau. Morning.

Quote: Tony Cowards @ April 6 2011, 1:51 AM BST

Not sure I get this, "The Office" was first broadcast nearly 10 years ago and is still seen by a lot of people as a high point of the newer, naturalistic style of sitcom, in fact, like it or loathe it, "The Office" was so successful that it pretty much caused the death of new studio based sitcoms until the last few years.

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Absolutely correct. Aren't that many sitcoms I've seen since that haven't looked in some way influenced by the style of humour or formula of The Office. Extremely influential, too much so, IMO.

About the same time as The Office was airing Phoenix Nights was on - and I preferred Phoenix Nights!

Himself notwithstanding.

Quote: Skoob @ April 5 2011, 10:42 PM BST

The US version is appalling,

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It's brilliant.

Quote: Skoob @ April 5 2011, 11:29 PM BST

Only on this forum Chip.

Most have forgotten already.

Mention it these days and it generates zero enthusiasm.

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You can't speak for the experiences of everyone on here, just because you yourself don't hear anyone talk about it.

Quote: Skoob @ April 6 2011, 1:17 AM BST

Frankly, The Office, Gavin and Stacey, and all that are okay, but they won't endure.

A fleeting moment in time - revered by those who are somewhat desperate to prove that the modern is as good as the old days.

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You're mistaking your own specualtive opinions for fact.

Quote: Marc P @ April 6 2011, 8:46 AM BST

About the same time as The Office was airing Phoenix Nights was on - and I preferred Phoenix Nights!

Himself notwithstanding.

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I preferred them both!

Oh Alfred, I feel so sorry for you being in your white hetro male minority. I totally understand your bile to the specially treated majorities, like us fat women. I apologise for the years of persecution we have subjected you to, you are right to kick out against it.

Also The Office is a classic in my eyes, but certainly not the last.

Quote: Oldrocker @ April 6 2011, 12:56 AM BST

red shirts with the little gold star . . .

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Not a fan of communism either?

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 6 2011, 7:58 AM BST

And Dinnerladies, while peddling Wood's usual homely northern humour, was set around food, with food references and jokes all over the place, as usual for her. She owes her very soul to the meat and potato pie factory down the road from her local chippy, next door to the department store cafe/restaurant where she spent all her time observing the amusingly homely conversations of women that fascinated her so, aided by the odd slice of gateau. Morning.

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Wow. Even by your standards, that's breathtakingly misogynistic.

Quote: Aaron @ April 6 2011, 11:28 AM BST

Not a fan of communism either?

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No I'm not actually !

Even I have to admit the Great Western Railway was better before it was nationalised !

Quote: Oldrocker @ April 6 2011, 11:32 AM BST

No I'm not actually !

Even I have to admit the Great Western Railway was better before it was nationalised !

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Christ, that is one long memory.

Quote: Aaron @ April 6 2011, 11:28 AM BST

Wow. Even by your standards, that's breathtakingly misogynistic.

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How could he hate women? His mum's one.

I think he was bred in a lab.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 6 2011, 7:58 AM BST

Seen as yet a couple of episodes only of Nighty Night, and to me it was all about sex. Under the dark surface, it was about sex, surely? And Dinnerladies, while peddling Wood's usual homely northern humour, was set around food, with food references and jokes all over the place, as usual for her. She owes her very soul to the meat and potato pie factory down the road from her local chippy, next door to the department store cafe/restaurant where she spent all her time observing the amusingly homely conversations of women that fascinated her so, aided by the odd slice of gateau. Morning.

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I doff my cap to you, sir! You really can distort anything to fit your stubbornly reactionary agenda.

I'd say Peep Show, The Thick Of It and The Inbetweeners should all be given classic status. I guess you could also make a case for Gavin and Stacey, not many shows have that broad an appeal.

Personally I think "Rev" has the potential to be a real, absolute classic, I just hope the BBC can push it a bit more as it deserves a much bigger audience.

Agreeeeeeeed.

The IT Crowd is a classic. I'm sure when it ends it will be looked upon with the sort of goodwill as Father Ted and Black Books are these days. The 'Gay!' episode is the best UK sitcom, err, episode since the one from The Office where Brent gets sacked (IMO).

Peep Show is another contender.

I've always thought that a classic sitcom is one which is still funny on repeat viewing. I've laughed at many sitcoms the first time I've seen them, but then on repeat viewing I don't. The shows I've just mentioned still make laugh out loud after many repeat viewings.