Favourite TV comedies - 70/80’s

[chillipickle]

Moved from the Ivor the engine thread to keep it on topic. C_T.


Some classic comedies from the 70/80’s
to name a couple, porridge , faulty towers, on the buses only fools etc etc.... just to many to name! Hardly a swear word to be heard

some of the junk they put out these days is just cringe worthy.

 

[Mr_S_Jerusalem]

I always liked The Good Life. Might watch the Christmas one again this Christmas. And the one with the pea pod wine lol

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Open all hours used to crack me up, brilliant.

I never got into faulty towers I get why people did but it didn't to it for me.

 

[foxy]

Black and White Minstrel Show.

 

[xozzx]

I think the best comedy has to be arrested development, other than the final season which should never have been released. For easy watching while on the brew my choice is It's always sunny in Philadelphia.

 

[Nidger]

Still game, league of gentlemen and monty python are probably my top three.

Enjoyed the goodies as a kid.

 

[thesteve]

Men Behaving Badly. Superb.

 

[Clint]

Alf Garnet. On the Buses.

 

[Doive]

Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister - a parody of the Westminster machine, and scrupulously apolitical.

The Young Ones, Bottom, Filthy Rich & Catflap, The New Statesman. All works of genius.

Porridge & Open All Hours. You contemptuous nerk.

The Fast Show. Smoooooth.

Father Ted. That would be an ecumenical matter.

 

[MickDundee]

I think the best comedy has to be arrested development, other than the final season which should never have been released.

TBF the final series is worth it just for the clip of Trump on the telly talking about building the wall, and Lucille (I think) shouting “that was our idea” at the TV. I actually also think I’m alone in thinking that season 4 had some cracking moments too - the “Daddy’s got to get his rocks off” scene in particular had me wetting myself with laughter.

I think Father Ted and the Inbetweeners will always be my favourites.

More recently, “Life in Pieces” was criminally under rated - very well written with a great set of characters and very funny. At times like the characters Greg and Jen were a little too real - at some points they basically were me and my wife.

 

[strange-steve]

As much as I love British comedies (Blackadder, The Office, The Inbetweeners...) I think we can be a little unfair on US comedies sometimes. Rick & Morty is wonderful and my all time favorite is Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David is my personal hero.

 

[Graz]

Obviously all the old classics, Two Ronnies being an early childhood memory and then growing up, Young Ones, Bottom, Mary Whitehouse Experience, Fast Show, anything Reeves and Mortimer, Father Ted, League of Gentlemen, Fist of Fun / This Morning with Richard Not Judy, Blackadder, and many more I can't think of.

More recently IT Crowd (same writers as Father Ted), Mighty Boosh, Upstart Crow, Inbetweeners, and most recent discovery What We Do in the Shadows which is just hilarious.

 

[Pezza24]

Obviously all the old classics, Two Ronnies being an early childhood memory and then growing up, Young Ones, Bottom, Mary Whitehouse Experience, Fast Show, anything Reeves and Mortimer, Father Ted, League of Gentlemen, Fist of Fun / This Morning with Richard Not Judy, Blackadder, and many more I can't think of.

More recently IT Crowd (same writers as Father Ted), Mighty Boosh, Upstart Crow, Inbetweeners, and most recent discovery What We Do in the Shadows which is just hilarious.

Listened to the Richard Herring podcast with Stewart Lee recently and they talked a lot about this morning, very very good pod.

Peep Show, Inbetweeners (not that awful reunion show) and especially Taskmaster for me. Anything with Bob Mortimer in.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

There are dozens of excellent old sit coms but slightly more recently, I think the first one/two series of Lee Mack’s Not Going Out were absolutely amazing. In an interview once Lee Mack said the key to writing a good sit com is to have a gag on every page, but he put one in every other line!

 

[MickDundee]

There are dozens of excellent old sit coms but slightly more recently, I think the first one/two series of Lee Mack’s Not Going Out were absolutely amazing. In an interview once Lee Mack said the key to writing a good sit com is to have a gag on every page, but he put one in every other line!

It all went a bit poor when Tim left, and even worse when he married Lucy and moved out to the suburbs. But I agree that the early days were very good - it’s probably the only funny thing Miranda Hart has ever been in.

 

[Clint]

Agree on Bottom,Father Ted,The Young Ones,Fast Show,Men Behaving Badly.
Father Ted was epic...kicking bishop Brennan up the arse...stuck in the largest lingerie section...when Ted held the netting to show he wasn't a fascist...Pat Mustard the milk man..just so funny!

 

[LesTom]

All the Blackadder series, but especially Blackadder Goes Forth. Absolutely superb comedy.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

It all went a bit poor when Tim left, and even worse when he married Lucy and moved out to the suburbs. But I agree that the early days were very good - it’s probably the only funny thing Miranda Hart has ever been in.

Yes, it went downhill when they married. Him trying to get with her was a big part of the success. The show made Miranda’s career.

 

[Appleyard]

Hm. Reggie Perrin? Big Jim & the Figaro Club?

 

[obscure]

As has being mentioned Yes Minister, and if we are looking for something a bit more recent In The Thick of It or Absolute Power (although the radio series was in my view far superior).

@Graz Yes have to second the IT Crowd, Black Books was also a favourite of mine.

Monkey Dust when BBC Three had just launched and was willing to give more experimental shows a chance can’t see them making a three series animated series now.