Britcoms

Had to do Christmas with mom and brother early this year because they're heading Down Under to visit sis and her family for three weeks.

Li'l Bro shelled out a few bucks (more than I'm worth) on the 18-disc box set of the BBC comedy Red Dwarf (an entire season is only six or eight episodes, but there's a load of extras). Gifts the past couple of years have been complete DVD sets of Fawlty Towers and Black Adder.

I got hooked on watching these shows when I lived close enough to Dallas to get KERA, the PBS channel, which has aired British programs on weekend nights for nearly three decades. Not having BBC America on the local cable system and having never sprung for a satellite dish, DVDs are about the only way I have of watching these shows anymore.

It's kind of odd how many American shows were based on British series, All in the Family and Sanford and Son being among them.

There are a few other British series I'd like to get, like As Time Goes By and Goodnight Sweetheart. Any other recommendations, or should I just wait for American versions?

 

The Office... obviously.

 

I'll second that, and Mr. Bean.

 

Fawlty Towers and the original BBC series of The Office are the funniest shows I've ever seen, by a pretty wide margin.

 

Am I the only one who just loved The Vicar of Dibley? Such a funny show.

Of course, there aren't any American shows being made out of it. But funny just the same.

 

The Vicar is funny, also "Are You Being Served" and the "Last of the Summer Wine." If you want to see a bunch of old geezers do childish things, that show is the one to watch.

And of course, don't forget Benny Hill.

 

The American version bit ass, but wasn't the British version of Coupling pretty good?

 

Little Britain.

Hilarious, as is Footballers' Wives.

 

Absolutely Fabulous is a must.

 

The British version of "Coupling" is excellent, especially the first three seasons. The key to it was they got good comedy actors, unlike the American version, which was terrible.

 

Do Shut Up

 

Jeeves and Wooster
A Bit of Fry and Laurie
The Goon Show