I'm Alan Partridge
Blackadder
IT Crowd / Father Ted (Linehan rules)
Only Fools & Horses (perhaps slightly over-rated at the same time though)
The Mighty Boosh
Worst / most over-rated ones:
My Family
Vicar of Dibley
After You've Gone
Any American sitcom (Friends, Seinfield etc)
Also a lot of today's 'alternative' stuff - Little Britain, The Office, Gavin & Stacey, etc.
Then there's the bland batch of 'comedies' which inexplicably keep getting recommissioned - The Green Green Grass, After You've Gone, My Family.
How could I have overlooked "Little Britain"? :eek:
Maybe because it's so dire that I was trying to block it out? :eek: :eek:
In any case yes - that's also a complete and utter pile of pants, and seriously overrated.
"Green, Green Grass?" Not so sure that's 'overrated' - the general concensus seems to be that it's pretty dire. I've never actually heard anyone have a good word to say about it, and I've certainly never heard of it being held up as a 'comedy masterpiece' in the same way that dross like "Little Britain" and "The Office" are.
But as you say, it does seem to keep getting recommissioned very inexplicably.
I'm very surprised that no-one has mentioned "Keeping Up Appearances" yet in this thread.
I'm Alan Partridge
Blackadder
IT Crowd / Father Ted (Linehan rules)
Only Fools & Horses (perhaps slightly over-rated at the same time though)
The Mighty Boosh
The Boosh is massively over-rated, and I'M Alan Partridge is only brilliant for series one. Series two is fairly good.
And, I'll argue to my grave (and beyond if possible) that only Blackadder II deserves the plaudits the whole run receives. One was OK but different to the others. 3 & 4 are so over-rated it hurts. 'Capt. Darling'? Allo' Allo' would be ashamed of that one.
My Family
Vicar of Dibley
After You've Gone
Any American sitcom (Friends, Seinfield etc)
Something tells me you haven't actually seen much of Seinfeld. Did you find it by accident, realise it was American with a laugh track an switch it off?
On The Buses/Love Thy Neighbour/Are You Being Served/t Ain’t arf ‘ot Mum/ Man About the House/George & Mildred/ Terry and June
The lowest of the low brow – with the last two the nadir of the ‘suburban family’ sit com. There were some fine sitcoms in the 70’s (as there have been since) but these……..:o
Friends – so up it’s own arse it must have hurt. Comparing the overblown attitude when it finished (“How Friends Changed the World”) to the last episode of the far superior “Frasier” show it up badly.
The Office – Yes I did ‘get it’ because ‘it’ was flagged up so clearly it was impossible not to – but ‘it’ still wasn’t any good (and repeated ad naseum – the key word there being nasuem).
I’ve just started watching Gavin and Stacey and can appreciate why some don’t care for it but I think it’s really good. Unlike many sitcoms it’s not played for out and out laughs. It’s a slow burner with some great moments.
The last scene last week with Nessa and Smiffy tip toeing around the possibility/likelihood of having sex was truly superb comedy.
The Vicar of Dibley
Peep Show
Little Britain
The Green Green Grass
The IT Crowd
Blackadder
Dad's Army
I forget that.
Truly awful (whoever told Dawn French she is funny:eek:), and add keeping Up Appearances and 'Allo Allo (which could have been great restricted to two or three series)
Blackadder and Dads Army are about as good, in their own way, as a sitcom could get!
Little Britain is a sketch show (still hate it though)
Sitcoms that seem to become part of some kind of canon of 'classic comedy' which I don't like are (I hate the term 'overrated'):
- Dad's Army and every other Perry & Croft co-creation (Hi-de-Hi! etc.) or Croft & Lloyd or Spendglove co-creation (like 'Allo 'Allo!)
- Keeping Up Appearances and the other Roy Clarke monstrosity, Last of the Summer Wine (I quite like Open All Hours, but that is because of the talents of David Jason and Ronnie Barker; without David Jason, Only Fools & Horses would have flopped)
- Dinnerladies & Acorn Antiques; Victoria Wood does my head in.
- Birds of a Feather. Yeuch; can't believe that Marks & Gran co-wrote The New Statesman and this.
Basically, there seems to be an entire genre of polite, genteel, and/or inoffensive (meant in the literal sense; I don't expect comedy to be offensive) sitcoms that I can't stand.
- Extras. I love The Office and I think Gervais & Merchant are decent writers, but I think they allowed their newly found fame/success to get the better of them in this (especially the second series). I quite like it (and there are several moments of brilliance; like Gervais' character being exposed as totally not-a-catholic and Dame Diana Rigg with a condom on her head), but I don't think it is as good as The Office.
I hate the Green Green Grass and can only watch My Family because of its decent cast, but I wouldn't argue that these sitcoms are 'overrated' either. They don't aspire to/make claims to greatness and everyone knows that Green Green Grass is shit and that My Family is a British version of a typical US-style sitcom with loads of writers and a constant stream of jokes (or attempts at jokes if you hate it).
Now, is anyone else going to justify their choices or are you all just going to post a long list and say incredibly insighful things like 'The Office is shit'?
(I think Gavin & Stacey is great, but it too is in danger of becoming a victim of it's fame/transition into the mainstream [Rob Brydon's character's obsession with James Blunt is hilarious])
- Extras. I love The Office and I think Gervais & Merchant are decent writers, but I think they allowed their newly found fame/success to get the better of them in this (especially the second series). I quite like it (and there are several moments of brilliance; like Gervais' character being exposed as totally not-a-catholic and Dame Diana Rigg with a condom on her head), but I don't think it is as good as The Office.
Not just me then. I keep hearing how the second series was even better than the first, and it simply wasn't!
And the lowest point was Andy Millman's fear of looking gay in a play. Absolutely abysmal stuff.
That or the lack of any comedy writing in scenes such as Racist Cheggers or Drug Taking Corbett. They seemed to think that the idea of them being racist or a junkie was funny enough on it's own. Compare it to Jean Luc Picard as a pervert in the first series. They wrote him some actual jokes.
That or the lack of any comedy writing in scenes such as Racist Cheggers or Drug Taking Corbett. They seemed to think that the idea of them being racist or a junkie was funny enough on it's own. Compare it to Jean Luc Picard as a pervert in the first series. They wrote him some actual jokes.
The second series (although I did enjoy the one with Daniel Radcliffe & Diana Rigg) deteriorated into formula very quickly; it was like playing a game of 'spot the black, ethnic, cripple etc. that is going to embarrass Andy this week'. The comedy of embarrassment became an embarrassment in itself.
The second series (although I did enjoy the one with Daniel Radcliffe & Diana Rigg) deteriorated into formula very quickly; it was like playing a game of 'spot the black, ethnic, cripple etc. that is going to embarrass Andy this week'.
Only Fools got such high ratings and became such a media juggernaut that it inevitably became overrated
Which is a shame because I think the earliest series of Only Fools (not that I have anything against Albert as a character) are seriously good tragicomedy (Rodney really does suffer because of Del).
Have to agree with the vicar of dibley, sure i dont mind the odd episode, but it became very boring quickly and always had a tendency to go too far...like the 'final' xmas episode was good, but then we didn't need another one on newyears.
Keeping up appearances is another thats ok in small doses, but the plot is the same in every episode.
havent ever got My family, curb your enthusiasm, gavin in stacey...though to be fair ive not watched many of their episodes.
Which is a shame because I think the earliest series of Only Fools (not that I have anything against Albert as a character) are seriously good tragicomedy (Rodney really does suffer because of Del).
I really like the early series,even if most people aren't fond of them and it was ripoff of Minder in someways (I've only realised lately how much John Sullivan borrowed from Minder).
I feel that the quality of the show seriously diminshed when it became so iconic (in the 90's)
The Vicar of Dibley
Peep Show
Little Britain
The Green Green Grass
The IT Crowd
Blackadder
Dad's Army
What? I know it's all subjective and everything, but
Peep Show is one of the greatest comedy series of the last decade. In my opinion.
The IT Crowd is a great show, doesn't quite hit the heights of Father Ted, but it's still one of the funniest shows on TV at the moment, and is underrated if anything.
Blackadder and Dad's Army are perhaps not quite as perfect as their untouchable status suggests, but still very good.
Why do people keep mentioning Little Britain? Very overrated, yes, but not a sitcom.
Overall I think the most overrated sitcom of all time was The Vicar of Dibley, it won the "best sitcom ever" poll, which is a pretty good acheivement for something that isn't funny.
The IT Crowd is still a bit culty/too much of a non-mainstream thing to be considered overrated to be honest; the reason why Father Ted probably didn't make the top ten on that sitcom poll was possibly due to being relatively unknown compared to the top ten (which is something I've never understood; I don't care what channel something is on as long as it is good, so why should something get less viewers because it isn't on BBC1 or ITV1?)
Even if you think it is overrated, how can this not make you laugh (even a bit)?
MOST to be completely honest!.
The two that immediately spring to mind are
The Young Ones, childish,crude,stupid,exagerated
toilet humour.
Friends, sickly, sugary sweet, tippex teethed, 30 somethings, acting like SILLY teenagers,
all struggling to get their laboured catchphrase/punchline heard.
TRULY AWFUL (both of 'em).
Comments
I'm Alan Partridge
Blackadder
IT Crowd / Father Ted (Linehan rules)
Only Fools & Horses (perhaps slightly over-rated at the same time though)
The Mighty Boosh
Worst / most over-rated ones:
My Family
Vicar of Dibley
After You've Gone
Any American sitcom (Friends, Seinfield etc)
Speaking of I'm Alan Partridge, I found this interview with Steve Coogan from last month where he sounds quite positive about doing another series: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/entertainment/newsid_7714000/7714011.stm
Name a sitcom better than any of them.
How could I have overlooked "Little Britain"? :eek:
Maybe because it's so dire that I was trying to block it out? :eek: :eek:
In any case yes - that's also a complete and utter pile of pants, and seriously overrated.
"Green, Green Grass?" Not so sure that's 'overrated' - the general concensus seems to be that it's pretty dire. I've never actually heard anyone have a good word to say about it, and I've certainly never heard of it being held up as a 'comedy masterpiece' in the same way that dross like "Little Britain" and "The Office" are.
But as you say, it does seem to keep getting recommissioned very inexplicably.
I'm very surprised that no-one has mentioned "Keeping Up Appearances" yet in this thread.
- Eric
The Boosh is massively over-rated, and I'M Alan Partridge is only brilliant for series one. Series two is fairly good.
And, I'll argue to my grave (and beyond if possible) that only Blackadder II deserves the plaudits the whole run receives. One was OK but different to the others. 3 & 4 are so over-rated it hurts. 'Capt. Darling'? Allo' Allo' would be ashamed of that one.
One of the greatest comedies ever , i roar with laughter at it.
The lowest of the low brow – with the last two the nadir of the ‘suburban family’ sit com. There were some fine sitcoms in the 70’s (as there have been since) but these……..:o
Friends – so up it’s own arse it must have hurt. Comparing the overblown attitude when it finished (“How Friends Changed the World”) to the last episode of the far superior “Frasier” show it up badly.
The Office – Yes I did ‘get it’ because ‘it’ was flagged up so clearly it was impossible not to – but ‘it’ still wasn’t any good (and repeated ad naseum – the key word there being nasuem).
I’ve just started watching Gavin and Stacey and can appreciate why some don’t care for it but I think it’s really good. Unlike many sitcoms it’s not played for out and out laughs. It’s a slow burner with some great moments.
The last scene last week with Nessa and Smiffy tip toeing around the possibility/likelihood of having sex was truly superb comedy.
The Vicar of Dibley
Peep Show
Little Britain
The Green Green Grass
The IT Crowd
Blackadder
Dad's Army
I forget that.
Truly awful (whoever told Dawn French she is funny:eek:), and add keeping Up Appearances and 'Allo Allo (which could have been great restricted to two or three series)
Blackadder and Dads Army are about as good, in their own way, as a sitcom could get!
Sitcoms that seem to become part of some kind of canon of 'classic comedy' which I don't like are (I hate the term 'overrated'):
- Dad's Army and every other Perry & Croft co-creation (Hi-de-Hi! etc.) or Croft & Lloyd or Spendglove co-creation (like 'Allo 'Allo!)
- Keeping Up Appearances and the other Roy Clarke monstrosity, Last of the Summer Wine (I quite like Open All Hours, but that is because of the talents of David Jason and Ronnie Barker; without David Jason, Only Fools & Horses would have flopped)
- Dinnerladies & Acorn Antiques; Victoria Wood does my head in.
- Birds of a Feather. Yeuch; can't believe that Marks & Gran co-wrote The New Statesman and this.
Basically, there seems to be an entire genre of polite, genteel, and/or inoffensive (meant in the literal sense; I don't expect comedy to be offensive) sitcoms that I can't stand.
- Extras. I love The Office and I think Gervais & Merchant are decent writers, but I think they allowed their newly found fame/success to get the better of them in this (especially the second series). I quite like it (and there are several moments of brilliance; like Gervais' character being exposed as totally not-a-catholic and Dame Diana Rigg with a condom on her head), but I don't think it is as good as The Office.
I hate the Green Green Grass and can only watch My Family because of its decent cast, but I wouldn't argue that these sitcoms are 'overrated' either. They don't aspire to/make claims to greatness and everyone knows that Green Green Grass is shit and that My Family is a British version of a typical US-style sitcom with loads of writers and a constant stream of jokes (or attempts at jokes if you hate it).
Now, is anyone else going to justify their choices or are you all just going to post a long list and say incredibly insighful things like 'The Office is shit'?
(I think Gavin & Stacey is great, but it too is in danger of becoming a victim of it's fame/transition into the mainstream [Rob Brydon's character's obsession with James Blunt is hilarious])
Not just me then. I keep hearing how the second series was even better than the first, and it simply wasn't!
And the lowest point was Andy Millman's fear of looking gay in a play. Absolutely abysmal stuff.
That or the lack of any comedy writing in scenes such as Racist Cheggers or Drug Taking Corbett. They seemed to think that the idea of them being racist or a junkie was funny enough on it's own. Compare it to Jean Luc Picard as a pervert in the first series. They wrote him some actual jokes.
Friends
My Family
Gavin & Stacey (Uncle Bryn excluded
Two Pints
Grown Ups
The second series (although I did enjoy the one with Daniel Radcliffe & Diana Rigg) deteriorated into formula very quickly; it was like playing a game of 'spot the black, ethnic, cripple etc. that is going to embarrass Andy this week'. The comedy of embarrassment became an embarrassment in itself.
That or 'how will Maggie bollox it up now?'
Completely agree with Friends being overrated;Only Fools got such high ratings and became such a media juggernaut that it inevitably became overrated.
I feel that these sitcoms are overrated too -
Allo Allo
George & Mildred
Vicar of Dibley
To The Manor Born
The Good Life
I could not agree more. Is the biggest pile of shite I have ever seen!!!
Which is a shame because I think the earliest series of Only Fools (not that I have anything against Albert as a character) are seriously good tragicomedy (Rodney really does suffer because of Del).
Of course, it's a matter of opinion and taste (or lack of in this case), but... come on, that's just nonsense
Keeping up appearances is another thats ok in small doses, but the plot is the same in every episode.
havent ever got My family, curb your enthusiasm, gavin in stacey...though to be fair ive not watched many of their episodes.
I really like the early series,even if most people aren't fond of them and it was ripoff of Minder in someways (I've only realised lately how much John Sullivan borrowed from Minder).
I feel that the quality of the show seriously diminshed when it became so iconic (in the 90's)
What? I know it's all subjective and everything, but
Peep Show is one of the greatest comedy series of the last decade. In my opinion.
The IT Crowd is a great show, doesn't quite hit the heights of Father Ted, but it's still one of the funniest shows on TV at the moment, and is underrated if anything.
Blackadder and Dad's Army are perhaps not quite as perfect as their untouchable status suggests, but still very good.
Why do people keep mentioning Little Britain? Very overrated, yes, but not a sitcom.
Overall I think the most overrated sitcom of all time was The Vicar of Dibley, it won the "best sitcom ever" poll, which is a pretty good acheivement for something that isn't funny.
Even if you think it is overrated, how can this not make you laugh (even a bit)?
It's over, April!
The two that immediately spring to mind are
The Young Ones, childish,crude,stupid,exagerated
toilet humour.
Friends, sickly, sugary sweet, tippex teethed, 30 somethings, acting like SILLY teenagers,
all struggling to get their laboured catchphrase/punchline heard.
TRULY AWFUL (both of 'em).
Pity really,as it's probably the funniest thing on tv at the moment.