Worst 10 British sitcoms ever??

[James]

I’m sorry I just had to post this link

http://board.sitcom.co.uk/thread/11773

NO WAY!!

Topic

[Carlito]

I can’t say “the worst 10 British sitcoms of ALL TIME” because if a show doesn’t appeal to me, I don’t tend to watch it therefore it would be harsh to judge. However I’ll throw in my two cents for the worst British sitcoms I’ve ever actually sat and watched an episode or two of (from the top of my head, so certainly not definitive even to me):

Sunnyside Farm
Days Like These
Heartburn Hotel
Holding the Baby
Babes In The Wood
Let Them Eat Cake
Dark Ages (sorry, Rob Grant!)
A Perfect State

I can only think of 8 for now…. As for critically mauled/unpopular (low rated) sitcoms I actually enjoyed which nobody else seemed to:

Operation Good Guys
Pilgrim’s Rest
All About Me
Beast
Chalk
Keeping Mum
How Do You Want Me?
Satellite City
The Peter Principle

[Carlito]

Another for worst: Hyperdrive(l)

Another for underrated: Small Potatoes

[Carlito]

That Eddie Izzard sitcom Cows was a pile of wank too… but don’t think that made it past one episode, if I remember correctly.

[Carlito]

How bout Baddiel’s Syndrome on Sky?

[Carlito]

Captain Butler could fit in either category! Yikes. Worst for giving its title character the hilarious catchphrase “oh bollocks!” (I think anyway… been a while).

[Ian Symes]

You do know that just because you see a text box at the bottom of the page, it doesn’t mean that it’s compulsory to use it?

[Carlito]

Then why is it there?

It is a text box. It exists to submit text. It is the text box’s raison d’etre. It submits texts, therefore it is.

Leave the text box alone, Ian. It enjoys doing the tasks I give it. It makes it happy.

[Carlito]

As we speak, Gimme Gimme Gimme is on G.O.L.D. and I may have to add this atrocity to my Worst list too.

[Pete Part Three]

Wow, this thread is like a magic eye picture.

[ChrisM]

>As we speak, Gimme Gimme Gimme is on G.O.L.D. and I may have to add this atrocity to my Worst list too.

Gimme Gimme Gimme is great. For some reason, the word ‘atrocious’ DOES seem to apply… but not in that way. The characters are atrocious*. The situations they get into are atrocious. But put them all together….

Gimme Gimme Gimme is a triple fried egg sandwich with chilli sauce and chutney.

*Which doesn’t make them dislikable or any less brilliant.

[locusceruleus]

>As we speak, Gimme Gimme Gimme is on G.O.L.D. and I may have to add this atrocity to my Worst list too.

I concur.

“I’m in distress”

“I’m in this dress”

*cue gales of laughter*

Hardy motherfucking ha.

[Ian Symes]

But on the other hand:

“I need a man who’s strong, not someone who’s so far in the closet they’re in FUCKING NARNIA!”

[ChrisM]

That was a good one (of many).

( My above post. Please translate dislikable=unlikable. Thank you kindly.)

[Tarka Dal]

Blue Heaven. Frank Skinner’s pre-Fantasy Football series on Channel 4. It’s probably not bad or underated, it just sprung to mind after a few of the other shows above were mentioned.

[Tanya Jones]

The worst sitcoms are rarely remembered, because they aren’t successful enough. Therefore most lists of this type are wrong, and simply reflect the writer’s opinion (which is rarely that well-informed).

And GGG is great, although the title sequence probably doesn’t help it.

[si]

I enjoyed Blue Heaven. Frank sung the theme tune, didn’t he, under the belief – following Three Lions – that he could sing.

“There’s a Blue, Blue Heaven in the corner and I…” something, something, something, something.

Unforgettable.

[Ian Symes]

I enjoyed Blue Heaven. Frank sung the theme tune, didn?t he, under the belief – following Three Lions – that he could sing.

Following Three Lions, yet made five years earlier? Impressive. Are you thinking of Shane, his more recent sitcom?

[si]

Oh Fuck off Symes, you pedantic bastard. I just don’t happen to have an encyclopedic knowledge of sitcom dates. I assumed it’d be after his assault on the pop charts, that’s all.

[Anonymous]

>”The worst sitcoms are rarely remembered, because they aren?t successful enough.”

The Royle Family. I tried really hard to like this because everybody else I knew at the time did. Can’t stand it and would change the channel rather than suffer the tedium.

[si]

I hate Ricky Gervais, and all that is associated with him, so I’ve never even let The Office poison my eyes.

[Jonathan Capps]

> I hate Ricky Gervais, and all that is associated with him, so I?ve never even let The Office poison my eyes.

Where as I’m tempted to say that you’re missing out on some good comedy from series 1 of The Office, I’m finding it hard to fault your policy.

[Tarka Dal]

> Oh Fuck off Symes, you pedantic bastard. I just don?t happen to have an encyclopedic knowledge of sitcom dates. I assumed it?d be after his assault on the pop charts, that?s all.

Um. There was a not so subtle clue in my original post ;-)

[Phil]

Oh Fuck off Karl, you pedantic bastard. He just doesn?t happen to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the post two above his. He assumed it?d be nothing worth reading, that?s all.

[pfm]

It makes me feel good to know that a lot of people either don’t like or have never seen The Office. That’s because that immediately makes me better than them. The Canterbury Tales, of Chaucer…and Shakespeare.

[Ian Symes]

Oh Fuck off Karl, you pedantic bastard. He just doesn?t happen to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the post two above his. He assumed it?d be nothing worth reading, that?s all.

To be fair, that is a reasonable assumption when it comes to Karl’s posts.

[Tarka Dal]

It’s funny because it’s true :(

[Tarka Dal]

Another one for the underated pile.

Brush Strokes. I used to love this as a kid, and a couple of Xmas’s ended up watching a load of it with my Dad. It’s certainly not a classic, but it was a reminder of a time when at least there was a batch of watchable sitcoms.

[ChrisM]

I remember Brush Strokes. Vaguely. The end theme song sticks in my mind.

“Because of you, a wooby-dooby-doo*….,
Because of you. Because of you.
Something something….”

Unforgettable.

Accompanied to the bloke painting with a roller over.. stuff (the end credits, I think).

*I never could quite make out all the lines.

[hummingbird]

Theme song sung by Kevin Rowland, if I remember correctly.
Says it all, really.

[Pete Part Three]

>The Royle Family. I tried really hard to like this because everybody else I knew at the time did. Can?t stand it and would change the channel rather than suffer the tedium.

The Royle Family is genius. Well, it was. The Christmas special was bloody awful.

I wish they wouldn’t bring back TV shows just to fuck them up.

Ho hum.

[Carlito]

Thing is when they brought The Royle Family back in 2007 after a long absence, it was very good. Gave me confidence in the Christmas special, thinking “they still fookin’ got it!”

Then the Christmas special turned out to be probably the worst episode ever. Had its moments, but a crushing disappointment.

[Carlito]

Anyone remember Watching? I barely remember the show, but I remember the theme tune. “… the question should be, what does he… see in meeeeeeeeeeee?”.

Same with Men of the World too… I know I watched it, but I only remember the song. “How can I… hold my head high… avoiding the cracks in the pavement?”

Nelson’s Column? The shows pretty much a blank (I know it was set in a newspaper office, starred the geezer from Gregory’s Girl and the fat guy from Bottom… was it Dave Hedgehog, or Dave Hedgehog’s mate?), but I can still hear “Extra! Extra! Read all abaaaaht it!” in my head.

A little quick research informs me that Men of the World actually starred John Simm! And instantly I recognise this fact (“ohhh yeah, and it did!”), despite the fact I never associated the show with him before. (Also the dude from Shameless but I don’t watch it so that matters not to me.)

[Carlito]

The High Life, now there was a show that was popular with my mates when I was in school, and its popularity baffled me. I was only about 12 probably so I may feel differently if I watched it today, but I know that I found it bloody appalling at the time.

[Seb Patrick]

Anyone remember Watching? I barely remember the show, but I remember the theme tune. ?? the question should be, what does he? see in meeeeeeeeeeee??.

Same with Men of the World too? I know I watched it, but I only remember the song. ?How can I? hold my head high? avoiding the cracks in the pavement??

Nelson?s Column? The shows pretty much a blank (I know it was set in a newspaper office, starred the geezer from Gregory?s Girl and the fat guy from Bottom? was it Dave Hedgehog, or Dave Hedgehog?s mate?), but I can still hear ?Extra! Extra! Read all abaaaaht it!? in my head.

<David Quantick voice> neandercarl just lives to do the theme tune. He’s like a one man pub quiz DVD machine. </David Quantick voice>

[John Hoare]

The High Life, now there was a show that was popular with my mates when I was in school, and its popularity baffled me. I was only about 12 probably so I may feel differently if I watched it today, but I know that I found it bloody appalling at the time.

I love it, and I appreciate it even more now I’m older. The original Network release which I have is out of print (a casualty of Network now only releasing ITV shows due to a nice juicy contract), but it’s getting a re-release in May. Well worth you giving it a second chance!

[si]

I’ve *always* associated Men of the World with John Simm. Yet it’s never mentioned in the bios you get about him. It’s all Life on Mars and Doctor Who. Meh.

What was that one called with Dylan Moran and the late Charlotte Coleman? I enjoyed that one (and yes, I know this is supposed to be bad sitcoms).

[Carlito]

How Do You Want Me?

That was on my “underrated” list above.

[Jonathan Capps]

> How Do You Want Me?

Still got that shrink wrapped on my shelf. Really must get round to watching it.

[Carlito]

I got as far as unwrapping, and watching series 1.

Don’t think I ever even saw series 2 when it aired, must get round to watching that soon.

[Anonymous]

>”The Royle Family is genius.”

It certainly is. It’s the only enduringly popular sitcom that has found my comedy blind spot.

Seriously, how is it genius? I’m not picking a fight or anything but I’m genuinely mystified by this show and it’s popularity. The best explanations I’ve heard have revolved around the, “It’s really good, just watch it again.” theory. Tried that and I still think its a bag of wank.

[Tarka Dal]

Watching.
Men of the World
Nelson’s Column.

Yep I watched all of those. Although the last one wasn’t very good.

> Royal Family

Never ever managed to get into it. Maybe it’s just that I can’t relate to it or that I much prefer traditional sit-com. Much like the Office is just never clicked for me.

[si]

Men Behaving Badly aside (obviously), has Caroline Quentin ever appeared in a funny sitcom?

[Tarka Dal]

Oh thank you.

That reminds me ‘Life of Riley’. What have they bloody done with the theme tune? That clearly isn’t the original version.

[Anonymous]

>”Never ever managed to get into it. Maybe it?s just that I can?t relate to it or that I much prefer traditional sit-com. Much like the Office is just never clicked for me.”

Pretty much the same here. I don’t mind the Office; it’s watchable and it does have some great moments (Fray Bentos for example), but to me it comes across more like a soap than a sitcom.

[hummingbird]

Can anyone remember a truly dire sitcom, possibly early eighties, where the main characters were two advertising execs? It was dreadfully unfunny, but can’t for the life of me remember what it was called.

[Pete Part Three]

>Seriously, how is it genius? I?m not picking a fight or anything but I?m genuinely mystified by this show and it?s popularity.

Just extremely well observed comedy with three-dimensional characters. It was rarely laugh-out-loud stuff, but I’d tend to watch it with a permanent grin on my face.

The Christmas 2008 Special is probably a good example of how bad it would have been if ITV had done it from Day One.

[Carlito]

>Can anyone remember a truly dire sitcom, possibly early eighties, where the main characters were two advertising execs? It was dreadfully unfunny, but can?t for the life of me remember what it was called.

Ahhhh… did it star the original Angelo from Mike & Angelo? I remember him in a sitcom years ago which may have been about ad execs (can’t remember)… Fiddler’s Three I think it was called…

[Carlito]

Little research tells me that one was about three accountants, so maybe not.

[si]

I remember a dire sitcom pilot starring Chris Barrie, on BBC3 a couple of years ago, called ‘The Scum Also Rises’.

The official blurb was:

“‘Stealing Happiness’: Set in the successful ad agency HHH&H, the series focuses on creative Billy, who is suffering from writer’s block, a hapless account executive and a neurotic producer.”

Awful, just awful.

[Carlito]

Remember Blind Men? That crap ITV sitcom from the late 90s. The Baldy Man… Duck Patrol… Christ, ITV have had some shit in their time. That Rik Mayall one too… Believe Nothing I *think* it was called.

[Author]

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