Favourite Comedy Series

[valenta]

Hi
Though I would set up a thread where you can suggest and discuss your favourite comedy series.

My vote has to go to Fawlty Towers, the timeless jokes and the priceless acting of John Cleese. My second vote goes to Father Ted, so far fetched, but so incredibly funny!

Any suggestions????

 

[trentside]

I'm a massive television comedy fan. There are so many programmes I love (there was a thread along these lines recently) but if I had to pick one, I would also go for Fawlty Towers. It's a timeless classic.

For me, my second choice would be Blackadder.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Without a doubt, my vote goes to 'Allo 'Allo.

Just look at the sketches with Rene and the waitresses, Edith and her singing, Herr Flick and Helga, the two British airmen, Captain Bertorelli....not forgetting Michelle with the famous one-liner. With a supporting cast of Flying Helmets and Sticks of Wet Celery.

 

[Striker]

Blackadder, Father Ted, The Young Ones, Fawlty Towers, Peep Show are all up there, but for me it has to be The Office. No doubt it will provoke a negative reaction in some people which always happens when something becomes very popular, but for me the writing is finely judged with just the right amount of sublety (often harder to be restrained than over the top), and lots of cringeworthy scenes. I saw The Office during its very first broadcast and wondered why it hadn't had the publicity it so surely deserved. That all changed when they repeated it a short while later. OK, it's not completely original (see Spinal Tap), but it doesn't stop it from being hilarious the whole way through.

 

[valenta]

Blackadder, Father Ted, The Young Ones, Fawlty Towers, Peep Show are all up there, but for me it has to be The Office. No doubt it will provoke a negative reaction in some people which always happens when something becomes very popular, but for me the writing is finely judged with just the right amount of sublety (often harder to be restrained than over the top), and lots of cringeworthy scenes. I saw The Office during its very first broadcast and wondered why it hadn't had the publicity it so surely deserved. That all changed when they repeated it a short while later. OK, it's not completely original (see Spinal Tap), but it doesn't stop it from being hilarious the whole way through.

I agree, The Office is brilliant. Also like Auf Wiedersehen Pet, not the funniest thing ever, it is not intended to be, but I find Barry, the character Timothy Spall plays hillarious!

 

[Popper]

1.'allo 'allo
2. Jeeves and Wooster
3. Fawlty Towers

 

[valenta]

1.'allo 'allo
2. Jeeves and Wooster
3. Fawlty Towers

Oh yes, forgot about Jeeves and Wooster, a brilliantly made programme in all areas, can't help but admire the art deco furnishings!

 

[SS4]

Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once: 'Allo 'Allo

 

[passmore]

Only Fools and Horses..

Enough said.

 

[Striker]

Only Fools and Horses..

Enough said.

Yes, very good despite it being a "mainstream" comedy. But it outstayed its welcome.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The Peep Show is quite good at times, as were OF&H and Porridge.

 

[valenta]

Also like One Foot in the Grave, with the exception of the last episode ad:
What a terrible way to end a great show.

 

[WestCoast]

I have really enjoyed Fawlty Towers, 'Allo 'Allo, The Office, Only Fools and Horses, Father Ted, Dad's Army, The Vicar of Dibley and The Royle Family.

 

[valenta]

I have really enjoyed Fawlty Towers, 'Allo 'Allo, The Office, Only Fools and Horses, Father Ted, Dad's Army, The Vicar of Dibley and The Royle Family.

Dads army is another timeless comedy.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Blackadder, Father Ted, The Young Ones, Fawlty Towers, Peep Show

I would agree to the above, but adding People Like Us, Outnumbered, Getting on, The Thick Of It and Miranda.

 

[valenta]

Mr Bean also has his moments.

 

[Striker]

Also like One Foot in the Grave, with the exception of the last episode ad:
What a terrible way to end a great show.

Yes! I agree about One Foot In The Grave. Very funny and very clever at times with a very dark under current. But I also thought it was a great way to end it too. Often Victor was right and not necessarily being grumpy and miserable.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is a good one to watch too. A bit like One Foot In The Grave. Semi improvised.

 

[HST Power]

Hi
My vote has to go to Fawlty Towers, the timeless jokes and the priceless acting of John Cleese. My second vote goes to Father Ted, so far fetched, but so incredibly funny!

I agree 110%. Father Ted is simply genius and Fawlty Towers is a must watch classic. I'd love to see the consequences if you put Dougal and Manuel in a room together.

 

[ACE1888]

All time Favourite?
Porridge
Honourable mentions:
Bottom
Dads Army
Oh No Its Selwyn Froggitt!

 

[valenta]

All time Favourite?
Porridge
Honourable mentions:
Bottom
Dads Army
Oh No Its Selwyn Froggitt!

Bottom has me in stitches everytime. Such immature humour, yep, that appeals to me!

 

[flymo]

My favourites

British comedies
One Foot in the Grave
Porridge
Dads Army

From across the pond
Seinfeld
Curb your Enthusiasm
Two and a half Men

 

[Tracked]

IT Crowd, Black Books, Red Dwarf (1st 5 Series anyway), The Day Today, Brass Eye, Father Ted

 

[43106]

The O.P. titled this thread as "Favourite Comedy Series". Going by all the posters favourites, it looks like this means 'Favourite Sit-Com'. Well, I'm going against the grain by saying that my favourite Comedy Series of all time is a tie between....
"Drop the Dead Donkey" and "Have I got News for You". Both sent up the personalities of the day, and took a scaffolding pole and rammed it straight up the backside of the Establishment. I don't think it's a co-incidence that both programmes were made by Hattrick, then part owned by comedian Jimmy Mulville, who used to be in "Who Dares Wins" with Tony Robinson & Rory McGrath. Now THAT was a good series.
Honorary mentions go to...
Any series featuring Dave Allen or Jasper Carrott,
"Blackadder" 2 & 3 (1 was weak, 4 had too much pathos, and was also a poor choice of period of history. War and humour doesn't mix well)
"M*A*S*H"
"Auf Wiedersehen Pet", especially the first two series.
"Porridge" - Ronnie Barker's finest moment,
"They Think It's All Over" - dropping this series was criminal.
I've probably missed others. Note I haven't gone for any mainstream sit-coms - that's cos I think they're tame.

 

[Greenback]

You have an interesting view of mainstream! What were Porridge, Blackadder or Auf Wiedershen Pet?! It could be argued that the latter was more of a drama than a comedy anyway!

Generally, when people talk about comedy shows, they do usually mean sitcoms, rather than sketch shows or panel shows. Although it's probably easier to include programmes such as 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' and 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' in the comedy genre than something like 'Would I Lie to You'