The Inaugural TV Cup - Round Nine: Best British (or Irish) Sitcom

First topic message reminder :

And our favourite Soap Star of TV History have been decided, and the winner was the original charmer Frank Butcher. 

We move into our penultimate round and a very strong one; Best British (and Irish) Sitcom.

The choices are varied and wonderful, with a little bit of everything in there from across the years. David Brent, Manuel, Moss, Kryten, Darling and Captain Mainwaring come face to face in a battle to the death. 

Frank Butcher/Rowley 12
Dot Cotton/Hero 10
JR Ewing/Julius 10
Karl Kennedy/Me 10
Den Watts Sr/Adam D 6
Fred Elliot/Superflyweight 6
Steve McDonald/CJB 4
Jack Duckworth/Hulking_Up 4
Joe Mangel/VDT 2
Wellard/Compelling and Rich 2
Tina McIntyre/Kenny 2



THE FINAL ROUND HAS ARRIVED - 

Best Fictional Moment in TV History 

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Azzy Mahmood wrote:If someone had nominated Phoneshop, that would have had my vote.

I love Phoneshop.

The third series has so far been brilliant.  The White Mans Reggae Club and Ash leading his ex's dog on by accidentally brushing his balls!

That episode had me in stitches, more so because a friend of mine's dog once had the hots for me, it would get 'very happy' to see me every time I walked in the house

Union Cane wrote:

bhb001 wrote:Nobody nominated Brass Eye either, which is a bit of an oversight. Superb series that really cut it close.

No Terry and June though was it...

Another plus that!!

Azzy Mahmood wrote:

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Azzy Mahmood wrote:If someone had nominated Phoneshop, that would have had my vote.

I love Phoneshop.

The third series has so far been brilliant.  The White Mans Reggae Club and Ash leading his ex's dog on by accidentally brushing his balls!

That episode had me in stitches, more so because a friend of mine's dog once had the hots for me, it would get 'very happy' to see me every time I walked in the house

"a friend of mine's dog"?

You keep telling yourself that, Azzy.

Union Cane wrote:

bhb001 wrote:Nobody nominated Brass Eye either, which is a bit of an oversight. Superb series that really cut it close.

No Terry and June though was it...

Brass Eye isn't a sitcom.

I am gutted there is no option for On The Buses.

Hero wrote:

Union Cane wrote:

bhb001 wrote:Nobody nominated Brass Eye either, which is a bit of an oversight. Superb series that really cut it close.

No Terry and June though was it...

Brass Eye isn't a sitcom.

Accepted. Apologies for bringing it up. I'll get my coat.

CaledonianCraig wrote:I am gutted there is no option for On The Buses.

Haha.
For those not aware, CC has written a book about On The Buses.

Come on guys, my comedy has Bill Bailey and Dylan Moran in it! What's not to love?

ChequeredJersey wrote:Come on guys, my comedy has Bill Bailey and Dylan Moran in it! What's not to love?

Bill Bailey and Dylan Moran  

"right now i'm eating scrambled egg, with a comb, out of a shoe" 

some cracking ones in the list, went for the office and royal family. although special mentions to phoenix nights, only fools, partridge and father ted also

i also like that i got points on the last round for a dog! prove that soaps really are a pile of crap

Got to say comedy is obviously an area of subjectivity. Like Azzy, I love half and really really really "don't get" half of this list, with a bare few in the middle (OFAH and Father Ted are meh).

I'm really surprised at the popularity of The Office. Admittedly I've never seen it but I've seen plenty of shows with Ricky Gervais in them and he's about as funny as haemorrhoids.

IMO of course.

He also has the dubious honour of starring in the only film I've switched off part way through as I just couldn't see the point in continuing "The Invention of Lying"- great premise, tedious film which messed up what could have been quite a nice critique on Religion

The Special Juan wrote:I'm really surprised at the popularity of The Office.  Admittedly I've never seen it but I've seen plenty of shows with Ricky Gervais in them and he's about as funny as haemorrhoids.  

It can make you laugh if you tickle them.

JuliusHMarx wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:I'm really surprised at the popularity of The Office.  Admittedly I've never seen it but I've seen plenty of shows with Ricky Gervais in them and he's about as funny as haemorrhoids.  

It can make you laugh if you tickle them.

(It's working already!!)

ChequeredJersey wrote:He also has the dubious honour of starring in the only film I've switched off part way through as I just couldn't see the point in continuing "The Invention of Lying"- great premise, tedious film which messed up what could have been quite a nice critique on Religion

Funnily enough ( ) I liked that film. I agree it had great premise and could have been done much better but I thought it was enjoyable enough to watch all of it. However, I know someone who's a huge fan of Ricky but hated the film.

I really liked that film and really like Ricky Gervais. I think he gets a hell of a lot of stick for a normal guy. Although I had to stop following him on twitter, I'm not religious but atheists bore my jubblies off.

He gave the world Karl Pilkington. I have listened to those old XFM shows and podcasts about 50 times around and love them the same every time.

The Special Juan wrote:I'm really surprised at the popularity of The Office.  Admittedly I've never seen it but I've seen plenty of shows with Ricky Gervais in them and he's about as funny as haemorrhoids.  

 
Great point you make then.
 
Gervais has been going downhill since, for me. The Office was brilliant. Extras less so, but at the time didn't seem a big deal that it wasn't as good. Not much could top The Office and his next project after Extras would surely be good, right?
 
Unfortunately, in hindsight, Extras seemed to be the start of an irreversable decline that took us down through An Idiot Abroad and now leaves us (hopefully bottomed out) with the horror of "Learn Guitar with David Brent".
 
By the way, anyone remember Brent making a video for 'If You Don't Know Me By Now', in the Office Christmas Special was it? And people said Gervais should release it as a single in the real world. He said he wouldn't, saying things along the lines of it would be a cheap stunt, a sell out, and he was better than that.
 
Now we have a video for Equality Street, a song that Brent originally mentioned in an episode of The Office about 10 years ago. :picard:For charity I accept, but still. How the mighty have fallen.

Il Gialloblu wrote:
 
Now we have a video for Equality Street, a song that Brent originally mentioned in an episode of The Office about 10 years ago. :picard:For charity I accept, but still. How the mighty have fallen.

There is a pretty funny sketch which accompanies the video.

These are the lyrics to Equality Street, I put my favourite bit in bold - I don't think you can accuse him of selling out, just of continuing the p1ss-taking celebration of talentlessness and incompetence:

Let me take you down Equality Street
You never know the people you meet
At the end of the street is a golden gate
It let in love, it don't let in hate, no

Walk with me down Equality Street
Do unto others and life is sweet
Books have no covers, just look right in
You're judged by your words, not the colour of your skin

Oh dayo, dayo, dayo, me say dayo
Biddly biddly biddly biddly biddly biddly bong yo...

Yo, I'm like John Lennon
Except I do imagine there's a heaven
Somewhere, everyone is welcome
All my multicultural brethren
Where, hate is outdated
Today love's the word
Even for people from Luxembourg
Or maybe like some other countries that you might ignore
Tonga, never thought of in my life before
But if I met a guy from Tonga then we stop and we speak
In fluent Tongalese on Equality Street
Yep acceptance, see that Kenyan guy with mental eyes
He might be totally normal, you can't generalize
Black people aren't crazy, fat people aren't lazy
And dwarfs aren't babies
You can't just pick 'em up, they got rights
And anyway don't assume you could, they're not light
I learnt the hard way
Don't give a damn if you're Russian or you're Spanish
The comrades compadres
You could be a half gay woman with a dark face
One leg, no legs, long as you've got a heart
Hey, transgender, gay, straight, lesbians, whatever, whoever
Hey mate, let's be friends, we're just friends
I want you to be, where you're properly free
Obviously, it's Equality Street, believe
You know the deal there
Everything is real fair
Take a ride on my equal opportunity
Wheelchair yeah

Come with me down Equality Street
You never know the people you meet
At the end of the street is a golden gate
It lets in love, it don't let in hate, no
Equality Street
Equality Street
Equality Street

Don't get the Gervais criticism. Thought Derek had one of the greatest lines ever when Karl's character describes his baldness.

I really like Ricky Gervais, I do think the radio shows with Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington are the funniest things he's done but I actually rate Extras as funnier than The Office. Perhaps that's my age, having never experienced ever working in an Office, but I think Extras was not only funnier but had more heart as well. I was disappointed in Life's Too Short but it was better on second viewing without the huge expectation. I love An Idiot Abroad but I'm not sure that comes in that group.

Haven't really watched Derek.

I am with those who consider pretty much everything Gervais has done since the Office as on a downward trajectory. That is not a criticism of what has gone since per se but tribute to how good The Office was, beautifully observed and with characters you could actually believe in and care about. Could not get into Extras, am a huge Curb Your Enthusiasm fan as is Gervais and could just see its influence too much in Extras. However were Curb gets stars in you always got the impression they were playing how you imagined them to be in real life, whereas this was rarely the case in Extras.

Also don’t care for An Idiot Abroad, may be me being an over sensitive whiny liberal but found his lack of empathy or understanding of other people’s cultures and unwillingness to participate in things that were important to others really grating after a while.

Rowley wrote:
Also don’t care for An Idiot Abroad, may be me being an over sensitive whiny liberal but found his lack of empathy or understanding of other people’s cultures and unwillingness to participate in things that were important to others really grating after a while.

I thought that would be right up your street as a Yorkshireman.

We just don't interact with other people or cultures Sean. It is all part of our built in belief that we are already superior to everybody else.

The Office had to be the pinnacle of Gervais' career for me. Extras was ok, but a bit meh and not one I would really care to watch again, where as I could go home tonight and happily sit through every episode of The Office again.

His film career has been pretty poor too. Cemetary Junction wasn't bad, but the rest (Ghost Town, The Invention of Lying) were terrible.

I was a fan of his hosting of the Golden Globes though. Tickled me to see the discomfort caused.

Rowley wrote:We just don't interact with other people or cultures Sean. It is all part of our built in belief that we are already superior to everybody else.

All these years since I've left perhaps this is why my missus thinks i'm autistic? Do you struggle with a fake laugh?

I struggle with any kind of laugh Sean, and levity or fun in general.

seanmichaels wrote:

All these years since I've left perhaps this is why my missus thinks i'm autistic?

I doubt that your Yorkshire roots are what makes her think you're autistic, seany.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

seanmichaels wrote:

All these years since I've left perhaps this is why my missus thinks i'm autistic?

I doubt that your Yorkshire roots are what makes her think you're autistic, seany.

You're very chirpy now your bessies with big Wlad. You'll be offering LJ out in a short while.

Rowley wrote:We just don't interact with other people or cultures Sean. It is all part of our built in belief that we are already superior to everybody else.

Yes, you don't need to rub it in, do you. Far more class than that.

seanmichaels wrote:

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

seanmichaels wrote:

All these years since I've left perhaps this is why my missus thinks i'm autistic?

I doubt that your Yorkshire roots are what makes her think you're autistic, seany.

You're very chirpy now your bessies with big Wlad. You'll be offering LJ out in a short while.

Steady on, sean. I am not that brave yet.

As an aside, what was Wlad wearing? I'm thinking red trousers and blazer?

seanmichaels wrote:As an aside, what was Wlad wearing? I'm thinking red trousers and blazer?

No, actually, he was relatively trendy looking and it was about 37 degrees so trousers and blazers would just be silly. Pair of blue, knee length shorts, a white, loose fitting shirt and a pair of sunnies propped on his head. Don't recall what he had on his feet.

He didn't look anywhere near as cool as me, but few do.

You had the Panama and beige linen suit on then?

seanmichaels wrote:You had the Panama and beige linen suit on then?

I did have a rather awesome Panama hat on actually. But, it had a chequered pattern rather than the bog-standard cream ones. Takes a certain style and confidence to pull it off. I will try and teach you one day.

I didn't have a beige linen suit on though as I had no desire to look like Hannibal Lector at the end of Silence of the Lambs.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

seanmichaels wrote:You had the Panama and beige linen suit on then?

I didn't have a beige linen suit on though as I had no desire to look like Hannibal Lector at the end of Silence of the Lambs.

Briefly met Geoff Boycott outside the Oval last year. He was sporting the Lecter look and was in a rush because he was having a friend for dinner..........

How is Yes, Minister (or Yes, Prime Minister) not on this list?

Probably the cleverest and best cast sit-com(s) ever.

Ive never even heard of Yes Minster/Prime minister  

Im surprised Citizen Smith didnt get a shout from one of our more politically motivated rebels.

One thing about Gervais I would say is that he gets how to be heartfelt but not make things disturbingly, sickly, romantic. I dont think you'll get many edgy sitcoms in this country and havent for a long time that can really tell a love story like The Office without it being grating, and a revolution of spirit like in Extras. 

Extras was pointedly more "sitcom-y" to me than The Office. Not in setting, but in use of gags. And the use of celebrities was purposefully trite, clever but enough to take you out of who these people are whilst of course the humour in what they really are as people. 

Having just started watching the Office (US) I think its notable how much more sympathetic Brent is to their Michael Scott. Both are idiots and awkward, but I dont think the Americans do the shame and pity as well.

Dolphin, stick with the US office. I am a big fan and have watched it through to the death. As the show lasted a lot longer than the UK one they get to go different places with the characters. The first series is a bit of a pale imitation of the UK one but the Michael Scott character becomes a lot more likeable as the series progresses.

Rowley wrote:Dolphin, stick with the US office. I am a big fan and have watched it through to the death. As the show lasted a lot longer than the UK one they get to go different places with the characters. The first series is a bit of a pale imitation of the UK one but the Michael Scott character becomes a lot more likeable as the series progresses.

Couldnt agree more.

Also the supporting cast is much better in the US one.

Dwight is much more developed, funny and unlikeable than Gareth.

Creed is my favourite character though - I dont think there was a British version of him.

There could only ever be one Creed Adam. I like Erin. She has that whole child like innocence thing but then can be proper brutal, the episode where she dumped Gabe in front of everyone at the Dundees is hilarious. She is also lovely as well.

I'm enjoying it. I like US sitcoms, these days they are far better than British ones, I think they are a little less embarrassed about using sentiment but also better at being surreal.

Erin is indeed lovely and I really was hoping that her and Andy get back together (I am watching it on Paramount so I dont know yet!)

Really struggling with the next round!

Strange to see Only Fools struggling when it ran away with an earlier vote against similar competition  

All it takes is a few people to prefer another on this list that wasnt on the other, cos people who didnt vote before wont vote for it now

I'm struggling with my choice for the next round and I've known it was coming for weeks. I am now just going over series I like and putting "best moments of..." into YouTube