Britcoms

[pressboxer]

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?

 

[Columbo]

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.

 

[Perry White]

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.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

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

 

[audreyld]

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.

 

[D-3 Fan]

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.

 

[sportschick]

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

 

[westcoastvol]

Little Britain.

Hilarious, as is Footballers' Wives.

 

[Songbird]

Absolutely Fabulous is a must.

 

[GB-Hack]

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.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

Do Shut Up

 

[ARD]

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

 

[GB-Hack]

Funny you should mention the Goons, you can get old shows on the BBC's webradio. It can be a pain to find at times, but well worth it. Throw in "I'm Sorry I'll read that again" (Early John Cleese and others), "I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" (Fake quiz show with comedians, bad puns, large amounts of innuendo) and "Around the Horne" (Raging 1950-60's innuendo), there's a lot of fun to be had.

 

[slappy4428]

Blackadder

 

[TrooperBari]

Good call on As Times Goes By. It took a while to grow on me, but now it's one of my favorites.

Other suggestions:

Father Ted
'Allo, 'Allo
My Family
Spaced (if you liked Shaun of the Dead, you'll like this)
My Hero

 

[Gutter]

I'll second the recommendation for "Are You Being Served?" ... classic from the 70s/80s ... got hooked when I was a teenager and nothing else on late Sunday nights.

 

[BYH]

The Young Ones, starring a very young Hugh Laurie.

ANSWER THE DOOR RIC!!!

ANSWER THE DOOR NEIL!!!

 

[D-3 Fan]

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.

I agree with GB on the British "Coupling." The Yankee version lasted three episodes it was soooooooooooooooooooo bad.

Gutter, outside of George Michael's Sports Machine, AYBS was the only other thing worth watching on Sunday nights.

I'll add "Keeping Up Appearances" with Patricia Rutledge and "To The Manor Born" which is another classic 70's/80's Britcom.

 

[GB-Hack]

The Young Ones, starring a very young Hugh Laurie.

ANSWER THE DOOR RIC!!!

ANSWER THE DOOR NEIL!!!

Actually, The Young ones was a young Rick Mayall, Adrian Edmondson and others. If Laurie appeared, it wasn't as a regular. Don't remember him on the BBC until A bit of Fry and Laurie.

 

[Eagles1 in London]

there are a couple montey python boxsets on the market--i would invest in one of them. My first real intro to comedy when i was a kid (my father loved the show and would watch it as often as it was aired in the US).

the Brit version of the office is great too....