Are These UK Sitcoms Any Good? British TV Comedy Suggestions?

[lordsmurf]

I was looking at somebody's collection list, and saw these:

• Ain't Half Hot Mum
• Fawlty Towers
• Only Fools & Horses
• The Detectives
• The Thin Blue Line

Curious what anybody thought of these?
I like 2000s British comedy, comedy/dramas, dramas, and comedy/scifi, like

• New Tricks
• Doctor Who
• Torchwood
• Law & Order UK
• Dirk Gently
• The Ricky Gervais Show
• An Idiot Abroad

--- But would I like the pre-2000s shows up top?

Weigh in with those opinions, please!

[manthing]

of course it all depends on the individual... but here's my tuppence:

It Ain't Half Hot Mum - so so comedy from the 70s. probably won't tickle your funny bones enough.

Fawlty Towers - it is funny if you like madcap / slapstick sort of comedy. definitely a UK fav from years ago.

Only Fools & Horses - another good comedy show. it is not full-on comedy as it adds a bit of family drama - ie it can pull the heart strings. you might need to understand a bit of cockney to get through the shows.

The Dectectives - hmm, i found it so-so. jasper carrott is better as a stand-up comedian and robert powell is terrible here. he was pretty good as jesus (of nazareth).

The Thin Blue Line - another one i found a bit so-so. despite having rowan atkinson, this isn't as good as blackadder (or even mr. bean).

if you like a bit of political comedy, i recommend "yes minister" and "yes prime minister" from yesteryear and "the thick of it" from more recent times.

[manthing]

the best idea for you is to catch 5 mins worth of each on youtube or similar and judge for yourself.

[grillgoil43]

I love Fawlty Towers...but I also love most anything with a Pythoner in it! I think John Cleese is great as Basil Fawlty.

This one it's on your list but I recently caught a clip of "Mrs. Brown's Boys" on Youtube...I thought it was hysterical--but I get a real kick out of slapstick. I'd really like to get hold of a set of this one if anyone has it available.

[repeatshistory]

I'd have to disagree with you manthing, when it comes to 'Thin Blue Line'. It is SUBSTANTIALLY better than Mr. Bean. Honestly, it really comes off as 'Blackadder V' to me, just with different character names, and no Baldrick.

And as for if you'd like pre-2000s stuff, LS, I'd say absolutely. Fawlty Towers is a classic, the rest are, at worst, entertaining. And if you haven't watched the 'classic' era of Dr. Who you are truly missing out.

[davidflecha17]

I recommend One Foot in the Grave. It's a comedy with senior citizens but its funny and clever.

[manthing]

"to the manor born" is reasonably good - the 2 main characters do carry the show quite well.

[manthing]

few others for you to have a look-see:

Rising Damp
The Young Ones
Bottom
Just Good Friends
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet
The New Statesman
Hot Metal
Rab C. Nesbitt
Desmond's

[SavageAmusement]

the IT CROWD- have you seen this, fabulous. I think right up your alley.
I watched all of the Dirk Gently's as I had read the books, and saw the pilot movie- Liked them all. His quirky ways reminded me gntly of Doctor Who (the current) character/concept.

Torchwood is good, in my opinion..so is Being Human

And have you seen Extras ? speaking of Ricky Gervais...
I was not a fan of thin blue line, but I am assuming you have seen Black Books by now? You must..really.

IT Crowd tho, truly is awesome lol.

[manthing]

Drop the Dead Donkey is quite good - a bit sharp / biting.

The Worst Week of My Life is also funny.
1st series was better than 2nd.

Nighty Night is also worth a look - a dark sitcom.

[James Langford]

Hello: Taste is a very subjective thing. Conversely, Fawlty Towers has been rated the number one British Comedy for decades. It is my absolute favorite along with Blackadder and a few others close behind but I think you'll find Fawlty Towers an amusing series, to be sure.

[manthing]

max and paddy's road to nowhere - starring and written by Peter Kay and Patrick McGuinness - it should be funny/crazy enough to tickle your funny bones.

[heehawnut]

Doctor in the house was a great show, about the same time as Fawlty towers.

[Vintrus]

Here is Vintrus list of suggestions listed by genre

Drama/Action
The Saint

Scifi
Doctor Who Classic series a must
The Prisoner
jekyll

Comedy
Are You Being Served?
Fawlty Towers
The Goodies
Keeping Up Appearances
The League of Gentlemen
Mr. Bean
Python
Red Dwarf
Yes Prime minister & Yes Minister

[manthing]

Coupling is quite good.
The show centres on the dating and sexual adventures and mishaps of six friends in their thirties, often depicting the three women and the three men each talking among themselves about the same events, but in entirely different terms.

[lordsmurf]

Yep, I have Coupling.

This is my full list of British TV Shows:

• Absolutely Fabulous
• An Idiot Abroad
• Body Farm
• Coupling
• Dirk Gently
• Doctor Who
• Doctor Who Confidential
• Exile
• Extras
• Field of Blood
• Hacks
• How TV Ruined Your Life
• Injustice
• Law and Order UK
• Luther
• Monroe
• New Tricks
• Outcasts
• Planet Dinosaur
• Primeval
• Sarah Jane Adventures
• Secret Diary of A Call Girl
• Sherlock
• The Fades
• The Hour
• The Shadow Line
• Torchwood

[Richard]

No one has mentioned "The Darling Buds of May." I have it on 5 DVDs but couldn't get past the first episode.

[wayshway]

What?? No Black Books?
This by far is one of the best BBC comedies EVER!!

The new Sherlock series is excellent too.
Doctor Who Coupling
Jekyll
Red Dwarf