Comedy greats ?

Jon the Impaler · Post by **Jon the Impaler** » 14 Aug 2007, 15:45

Heard this on Talksport radio today - apparently this is how the vote went to find the greatest British comedy series ever .
1 . Monty Python
2. Only fools & horses
3. Blackadder
4. Little Britain
5. Royal Family
6. Morecombe & Wise
7.Spitting Image
8. The young ones .
9.The office
10. Vicar of Dibbly

Personally - some surprises there . Monthy Python no.1 ? not so sure myself ....its good , but is it that good ?
Little Britain - never seen it . Doesn't appeal to me .
Royal Family - don't find it funny .
Morecombe & Wise - thought this was more cabaret and they did 20 odd years with one joke in my opinion .
Young one's - seems dated to me these days - I preferred the follow up - Bottom .
Vicar of Dibbly - I don't like this whatsoever .
My own top 10 would be something like

1. Blackadder
2. Red Dwarf
3. Fawlty Towers
4. Only Fools & Horses
5. Porridge
6. Steptoe & son
7 .The Office
8. Rising Damp
9. Dads Army
10 . Likely lads/whatever happened to ?

honourable mentions : Bottom , Reggie Perrin , Operation Goodguys , Till death us do part , Extras , Not the Nine o'clock news , Shameless ( minus the last series ) , One foot in the Grave .
Must be a few I've forgotten and also it doesn't take into account US comedy , of which I thought Soap & Cheers were pretty decent .....hate Friends though

Arthur Streeb-Greebling · Post by **Arthur Streeb-Greebling** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:01

Little Britain?
Jeez yeah quite funny but doesn't deserve to be in the top 10.

Fawlty Towers, Alan Partridge, Pete & Dud?

Bear Cage · Post by **Bear Cage** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:15

The problem with any vote is you only get the contribution of those who can be arsed to vote, if it's a lot of kids you wont get anything older than 5 years or their votes will skew the outcome.

Personally, I'd include (no particular order):

Python
Q
Young Ones
Blackadder
Not the Nine O Clock News
Porridge
The Hitchhiker guide to the Galaxy
Fawlty Towers
Spitting Image
Red Dwarf

If we could include Radio, The Goons would definately be in there near the top.

Honourable mentions would include:

Ripping Yarns
Friday/Saturday Night Live
Vic & Bob
Drop the Dead Donkey
Not Only But Also

hicsuntleones · Post by **hicsuntleones** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:33

Monty Python are great but old and after everyone has watched every episode for at least 5 times it gets a bit boring......

not english but irish and a favourite of mine: Father Ted....anyone knows it?

Bear Cage · Post by **Bear Cage** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:41

Father Ted's brilliant, not quite British though.
Python is old but that doesn't stop it being funny first time you see it; some of the episodes are quite dated but there's still normally at least one corker in each which has stood the test of time.

My eldest Daughter is 14 and rediscovering old comedies with her is great.

hicsuntleones · Post by **hicsuntleones** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:46

Bear Cage wrote:Father Ted's brilliant, not quite British though.
Python is old but that doesn't stop it being funny first time you see it; some of the episodes are quite dated but there's still normally at least one corker in each which has stood the test of time.

My eldest Daughter is 14 and rediscovering old comedies with her is great.

haven't watch Python in years but maybe i should! i used to live in ireland for a while and i suppose that's why i like Father Ted so much because some irish people really are like that....

still you are lucky because ín austria there are no funny comedies at all, seems we have lost our humour, the last great one was Helmut Qualtinger IMHO

Jon the Impaler · Post by **Jon the Impaler** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:53

A few I forgot there , I was only watching Drop the dead donkey yesterday as well !!!! Ripping Yarns - one of the most under rated series ever perhaps . Hitch hikers too , how did I forget ?

Bear Cage · Post by **Bear Cage** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:54

You don't need to have lived in Ireland to appreciate Father Ted, it's quality comedy.

Bear Cage · Post by **Bear Cage** » 14 Aug 2007, 16:58

Jon the Impaler wrote:A few I forgot there , I was only watching Drop the dead donkey yesterday as well !!!! Ripping Yarns - one of the most under rated series ever perhaps . Hitch hikers too , how did I forget ?

Both Ripping Yarns & Hitchhikers are avaiable as Budget CD Box sets, the Hitchhikers series is so much better than the Film.

Another good price deal is you can get all of Potty Time Series 1 (2 DVDs) for less than a tenner

philjxn · Post by **philjxn** » 14 Aug 2007, 17:06

1.blackadder
2.fawlty towers
3. open all hours
4. the young ones (especially the ones where alexei sayle aka jertzy ballotski...is the landlord)

If we're including movies

Whithnail and I
How to get ahead in advertising ( a classic)

other odd stuff

Peter Cook hosting Revolver - a priceless gem
Attila the stockbroker in the 80s
Early Alexei Sayle shows

PS. Debated listing The Office - which i loved - but I'm in Canada and don't have to suffer extensive exposure to ricky gervais or the cult of ricky gervais ...if i were back in blighty I am sure i'd grow quickly tired of him.

philjxn · Post by **philjxn** » 14 Aug 2007, 17:07

what about....the boys from the blackstuff

mabus · Post by **mabus** » 14 Aug 2007, 17:17

It was a vote for most Influential British comedy not the best.

Under this criteria Python are very deserving to be top.
Hancock should really be there and the Young Ones should be much higher. The Young Ones paved the way for loads of comedies including Black Adder.
The Office too. It's created a new style of comedy, so deserves a high placing
I Love Little Britain, but it's hardly been around long enough to be very influential.

My personal favs would be Father Ted and The League of Gentlemen. Both would be trumped, though, if Laurel & Hardy were allowed!