Dante_Lockhart Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 19 hours ago, jim said: Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if mentioned but Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister is up there for me. The Minister shows were brilliant, and so on the nose. There was an episode where they spent a fortune on a new hospital wing - all the top tech, clean, welcoming. He asked where the patients were and the response was it's too good to allow sick people in. I likened it to the Nightgale spots during COVID which were never used. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichfield Dean Posted May 1 VT Supporter Share Posted May 1 Every episode of those shows is still somewhere relevant today. There are episodes that perfectly encapsulate the whole Brexit fiasco, there are episodes that deal with striking, and obviously interdepartmental committees, and basically everything you see playing out in the news still today. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 Last Gavin and Stacey announced for next Christmas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 3 Moderator Share Posted May 3 There's a shameful lack of Leonard Rossiter in here lads. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 On 30/04/2024 at 13:27, jim said: Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if mentioned but Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister is up there for me. Yes, they were genius. Not so much the modern reboot though (as is usual in these things). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 3 Moderator Share Posted May 3 Just now, sidcow said: Yes, they were genius. Not so much the modern reboot though (as is usual in these things). I actually find the Yes Minister, Prime Minister 'shorts' that pop up on my SM feed as being as completely relevant today as they were back then. No reboot needed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichfield Dean Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 3 hours ago, BOF said: I actually find the Yes Minister, Prime Minister 'shorts' that pop up on my SM feed as being as completely relevant today as they were back then. No reboot needed. Everybody here should watch the episode "The Middle Class Rip-Off" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 (edited) On 25/04/2024 at 16:23, Rds1983 said: Have I missed anything major? I suspect, but mostly from the 20th century: Everybody Hates Chris: A very rare sitcom that absolutely works for the whole family, from tweens to gramps. Only Fools and Horses: Somehow, an 80s English show that reminds me of a 1970s American show, Sanford and Son, that's based on another English 1960s show (Steptoe and Son) Andy Griffith: One of the best-written and sweetest sitcoms of all time with influential performances by West Virginian Don Knotts that were copied by countless comedians for years to come. All In The Family (unusually, improved a British sitcom, Till Death ...): Fearless, still relevant, offensive, at times heartbreaking, hilarious. Curb Your Enthusiasm: Seasons 1-5, after that it fades, but smartly written and improvised. Good Times: Not sure if this ever reached the UK. Mid-1970s family sitcom about a working class black family in the Chicago projects. SpongeBob Squarepants: Incredible and sometimes surreal, another show that plays to completely different age groups at once. A perfect show for younger parents to watch with their kids. Flight of the Conchords: So funny. Barney Miller: Probably the most realistic comedic TV depiction of 1970s police work. Totally captures 70s New York. Still, love your list. Edited May 3 by Marka Ragnos 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 3 Moderator Share Posted May 3 15 minutes ago, Marka Ragnos said: SpongeBob Squarepants: Incredible and sometimes surreal, another show that plays to completely different age groups at once. A perfect show for younger parents to watch with their kids. You'll laugh, and hey Pat, hey good hey serious question is is mom OK right now? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nor-Cal Villan Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 (edited) 2 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said: I suspect, but mostly from the 20th century: Everybody Hates Chris: A very rare sitcom that absolutely works for the whole family, from tweens to gramps. Only Fools and Horses: Somehow, an 80s English show that reminds me of a 1970s American show, Sanford and Son, that's based on another English 1960s show (Steptoe and Son) Andy Griffith: One of the best-written and sweetest sitcoms of all time with influential performances by West Virginian Don Knotts that were copied by countless comedians for years to come. All In The Family (unusually, improved a British sitcom, Till Death ...): Fearless, still relevant, offensive, at times heartbreaking, hilarious. Curb Your Enthusiasm: Seasons 1-5, after that it fades, but smartly written and improvised. Good Times: Not sure if this ever reached the UK. Mid-1970s family sitcom about a working class black family in the Chicago projects. SpongeBob Squarepants: Incredible and sometimes surreal, another show that plays to completely different age groups at once. A perfect show for younger parents to watch with their kids. Flight of the Conchords: So funny. Barney Miller: Probably the most realistic comedic TV depiction of 1970s police work. Totally captures 70s New York. Still, love your list. Great stuff! All in the Family, absolute classic, and it launched the hits shows The Jefferson’s and Maude I feel like an idiot for omitting The Andy Griffith Show from my list. They will revoke my North Carolinian card for that I can watch that show anytime anywhere. So many great characters Good Times Edited May 3 by Nor-Cal Villan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 2 hours ago, BOF said: I guess puppets are out, too? Smiling Friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 On 25/04/2024 at 16:46, T-Dog said: Seinfeld - In the bin. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nor-Cal Villan Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 2 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said: I suspect, but mostly from the 20th century: Everybody Hates Chris: A very rare sitcom that absolutely works for the whole family, from tweens to gramps. Only Fools and Horses: Somehow, an 80s English show that reminds me of a 1970s American show, Sanford and Son, that's based on another English 1960s show (Steptoe and Son) Andy Griffith: One of the best-written and sweetest sitcoms of all time with influential performances by West Virginian Don Knotts that were copied by countless comedians for years to come. All In The Family (unusually, improved a British sitcom, Till Death ...): Fearless, still relevant, offensive, at times heartbreaking, hilarious. Curb Your Enthusiasm: Seasons 1-5, after that it fades, but smartly written and improvised. Good Times: Not sure if this ever reached the UK. Mid-1970s family sitcom about a working class black family in the Chicago projects. SpongeBob Squarepants: Incredible and sometimes surreal, another show that plays to completely different age groups at once. A perfect show for younger parents to watch with their kids. Flight of the Conchords: So funny. Barney Miller: Probably the most realistic comedic TV depiction of 1970s police work. Totally captures 70s New York. Still, love your list. Are you in the U.S. also? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 7 minutes ago, Nor-Cal Villan said: Are you in the U.S. also? Yes. I'm non-specifically "East Coast." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nor-Cal Villan Posted May 3 Share Posted May 3 9 minutes ago, Marka Ragnos said: Yes. I'm non-specifically "East Coast." born & raised in NC, living in Northern California since 1996. Know the east coast like the back of my hand, all those Grateful Dead tours took me everywhere. My wife is from Rhode Island 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted May 3 Moderator Share Posted May 3 8 hours ago, BOF said: There's a shameful lack of Leonard Rossiter in here lads. I pointed this out up thread 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 3 Moderator Share Posted May 3 7 minutes ago, bickster said: I pointed this out up thread You didn't get where you are today by not noticing things like that 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
il_serpente Posted May 3 VT Supporter Share Posted May 3 47 minutes ago, BOF said: You didn't get where you are today by not noticing things like that 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted May 4 VT Supporter Share Posted May 4 I heard this musing before and it’s prompted by the mention of Bread in the worst sitcom thread. But I’ll be nice and post it here. If you were to name female sitcom writers, I’m guessing you would think Jennifer Saunders, Sharon Horgan, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Victoria Wood, Caroline Aherne…all of these are also actors where they largely have written something as a vehicle to star in themselves. Carla Lane is (was) kind of an exception to that. “Just” a writer. There are plenty of famous male equivalents who just write and there plenty who write and perform. But Carla Lane is nearly the only example I can think of who is a successful sitcom writer whose female and doesn’t also perform in her work (Susan Nickson who wrote “Two Pints of Lager…” is another one. But they are weirdly few and far between). I don’t know if that’s just something about the industry or whatever. But I find it kinda curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted May 4 VT Supporter Share Posted May 4 36 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said: I heard this musing before and it’s prompted by the mention of Bread in the worst sitcom thread. But I’ll be nice and post it here. If you were to name female sitcom writers, I’m guessing you would think Jennifer Saunders, Sharon Horgan, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Victoria Wood, Caroline Aherne…all of these are also actors where they largely have written something as a vehicle to star in themselves. Carla Lane is (was) kind of an exception to that. “Just” a writer. There are plenty of famous male equivalents who just write and there plenty who write and perform. But Carla Lane is nearly the only example I can think of who is a successful sitcom writer whose female and doesn’t also perform in her work (Susan Nickson who wrote “Two Pints of Lager…” is another one. But they are weirdly few and far between). I don’t know if that’s just something about the industry or whatever. But I find it kinda curious. Yes, I suspect it is something to do with the industry. Probably a lot harder for them to get ahead unless they've already established themselves as a performer in their own right making it easier to get a hearing. That and the fact that women just aren't funny of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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