Dad's Army?
Please Sir?
Hancocks half hour, Steptoe and son etc etc etc. hang your head in shame young lady in shame I tell you!
Importance of watching comedies. Page 2
Quote: Marc P @ 3rd August 2014, 10:39 PM BSTPlease Sir?
We're still on comedies Marc, not musicals, though Oliver Twist did have it's lighter moments 
Quote: Marc P @ 3rd August 2014, 10:40 PM BSTHancocks half hour, Steptoe and son etc etc etc. hang your head in shame young lady in shame I tell you!
Swot!
Look.
If you are ever lucky enough to meet a Commissioning Editor and he asks you what you think of the latest comedy, and you say you haven't seen it, you'll look a bit of a dick.
As to being influenced by other comedy - you should be so lucky.
Watch as much as you can - of everything.
Quote: Lazzard @ 3rd August 2014, 10:43 PM BSTLook.
If you are ever lucky enough to meet a Commissioning Editor and he asks you what you think of the latest comedy , and you say you haven't seen it, you'll look a bit of a dick.
I think that's the best argument yet! 
In the same way I try to keep up to date in my day job, I will now do so in my hobby job. Only one show of each series though. And still no Will mellor.
Yeah he said what I said but used green crayon 
Keep up with the day job meanwhile. That sounds like good advice to yourself.
Quote: Tiggy @ 3rd August 2014, 10:23 PM BSTI worship Graham Lin...the Father Ted and IT Crowd writer. The Goodies, Are You Being Served, Young Ones, pantomimes, basically I'm a big fan of silly/family/anarchic/surreal shows.
You could post a thread in the Sitcom Forum, asking for recommendations of similar shows, so that at least you've made sure you've watched all the key ones of this type, or know which ones to check out next. Then at least you'll be a bit of an expert within this particular field. Or maybe you already are?
Quote: Tiggy @ 3rd August 2014, 10:46 PM BSTI think that's the best argument yet!
In the same way I try to keep up to date in my day job, I will now do so in my hobby job. Only one show of each series though. And still no Will mellor.
Not sure why you only want to watch one of each? I think watching excellent comedy (which is where I'd put the ones you mention) is a joy not a chore. And I'd suggest that although they have a style you would miss a lot of subtleties and nuances by watching only one. Seinfeld, for example has shows which major on individual characters (although an ensemble piece for the most part) so a George episode has a somewhat different tone to a Kramer one. The difference may be subtle in some cases but subtlety is what makes for great writing.
surely if you like comedy you would enjoy watching them? You should watch peep show, the office and seinfeld just because they're great
Quote: Shandonbelle @ 3rd August 2014, 10:37 PM BSTI don't think it would stifle your creativity but neither do I think it's that necessary or important.
The rise of decent sitcom's (in my opinion) started in the 70's, 'Some Mothers', 'Are You Being...', 'Rising Damp', 'Reginald Perrin' etc, what were the writers of those watching?? There wasn't a great deal around, not that I know of anyway...maybe someone can enlighten?
Likely Lads.
Quote: Marc P @ 3rd August 2014, 10:40 PM BSTPlease Sir?
I used to love Please Sir. One of the few ITV sitcoms I could bear.
If you want to write sitcoms for the BBC you should probably watch sitcoms that are on the BBC. If you want to write humourous articles for the Huffington Post then you should read a lot of humourous articles published in the Huffington Post.
Having said that, I definitely think a point has been reached where comedy writers are now all writing using the same style and vocabulary that they've learned through years in front of the TV. The format of Modern Family is a mockumentary but that doesn't even make sense - why would anyone be filming this family?? But it's what the viewer is used to seeing so they just accept it.
A sitcom character says something like "Well, bada-bing bada-boom!" and the rhythm sounds right for comedy and the laugh track provides social proof its funny so the audience laughs.
You need actual life experience to produce something new and real. So I would recommend getting out of your comfort zone.
And don't bother with Seinfeld - it's shite.
I watch at least one episode of everything, as painful as that can sometimes be (I'm looking at you, Mrs Browns Boys). With the older shows that are regarded as 'classics', you can find plenty of 'Top 10 Episodes of Seinfeld/Cheers/MASH/etc' on sites like AVClub or Buzzfeed for the longer running US shows, and something like The UK Office you can get through in an afternoon. I'm always baffled when I meet people who tell me they're aspiring comedy writers and they haven't seen Arrested Development.
From a purely practical perspective, you should watch lots of comedy shows simply to ensure that what YOU are currently writing or thinking of writing isn't already on TV under another name and being written by somebody else.
If you accept the wisdom of that, you should extend it to cover all comedy shows in living memory.
There are very few certainties in the comedy-writing business but one thing is for sure: producers like new ideas a lot more than they like old ones.
It's also useful to read the scripts if you can get hold of them.
New ideas. But not necessarily new formats or set ups.
What they really like is old ideas that look like new ideas...