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The age of the sitcom

Tongs ya bas

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Tongs ya bas

Tongs ya bas

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Has it passed? 

I've been exposed to tv sitcoms since Life With The Lions and The Dickie Henderson Show in the 1950s, and with the odd exception Steptoe for instance have found them either excruciating or blandly unfunny. But they seem very rare these days. The only current british one I can think of is Not Going Out, which seems mainly a vehicle for Lee Mack's one liners

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Futtocks

Futtocks

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You obviously haven't seen 'Citizen Khan'.

Lucky you.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Shadow

Shadow

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I am currently loving the latest incarnation of "The Thick of It", Malcolm Tucker doesn't seem to be in it but they've brought in a blonde buffoon that's played by that bloke who used to be on "Have I Got News for You" and I've no idea who they are basing the Prime Minister on, if any of the actual politicians in parliament could prove it was based on them I'm convinced there would be a case for legal action, she's potrayed as incompetent, weak, vacillating and incapable of maintaining a policy for more than ten minutes all while just making stuff up to justify her increasingly tenuous grip on power. Some of the catch phrases have been Partridge-esque. "Strong and Stable" "Coalition of Chaos" "Yes Arlene, I'm your biatch" 

 

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Tongs ya bas

Tongs ya bas

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1 hour ago, Robin Evans said:

The thick of it was ok

Yes, and outnumbered. Although I'd call the thick of it more of a satire...The lines are blurred: I mean what would you call the fabulous the young ones?

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tim2

tim2

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Mrs Brown's Boys anyone? We are truly in a golden age.

Actually I really like Count Arthur Strong but i can see why it doesn't appeal to everyone. The "Soupover" episode is surreal comedy genius, as you might expect from the co-creator of Father Ted.

(My answer to The Young Ones is that it was very much a sitcom, albeit subverted in some clever ways. Ben Elton acknowledges that he was brought on the classic sitcoms and it was just his and Rik Mayall/Lise Mayer's take on it.)

"I am the avenging angel; I come with wings unfurled, I come with claws extended from halfway round the world. I am the God Almighty, I am the howling wind. I care not for your family; I care not for your kin. I come in search of terror, though terror is my own; I come in search of vengeance for crimes and crimes unknown. I care not for your children, I care not for your wives, I care not for your country, I care not for your lives." - (c) Jim Boyes - "The Avenging Angel"

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Tongs ya bas

Tongs ya bas

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2 minutes ago, tim2 said:

Mrs Brown's Boys anyone? We are truly in a golden age.

Actually I really like Count Arthur Strong but i can see why it doesn't appeal to everyone. The "Soupover" episode is surreal comedy genius, as you might expect from the co-creator of Father Ted.

(My answer to The Young Ones is that it was very much a sitcom, albeit subverted in some clever ways. Ben Elton acknowledges that he was brought on the classic sitcoms and it was just his and Rik Mayall/Lise Mayer's take on it.)

Anything that gives nine below zero a gig can call itself whatever it wants

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Dave T

Dave T

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3 hours ago, Tongs ya bas said:

Has it passed? 

I've been exposed to tv sitcoms since Life With The Lions and The Dickie Henderson Show in the 1950s, and with the odd exception Steptoe for instance have found them either excruciating or blandly unfunny. But they seem very rare these days. The only current british one I can think of is Not Going Out, which seems mainly a vehicle for Lee Mack's one liners

I don't think it has passed, there is plenty of really good stuff out there, and certainly in recent history. I think people get snobby about stuff like this, but when you look back at some of the 'classics' from decades ago I find many of them terrible tbh.

Things like Catastrophe on Channel 4 may not be seen as Sitcoms in the traditional manner but are very good. The Trip is very good, although not laugh out loud stuff. Car Share was excellent.

In recent years we have had Miranda, people get snobby about Mrs Browns Boys, but it is very like the stuff people yearn for from years past and millions watch it. Extras, Derek etc.

The Inbetweeners, Royles, The Office etc will probably go down as classics, whatever your personal tastes are.

I must also admit that I am really enjoying a lot of the American stuff which I find really sharp (Veep and Silicon Valley), or just nice and likeable (Modern Family and The MIddle).

There is rucks of stuff out there. I've probably missed loads.

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Derwent

Derwent

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The BBC have knocked out a few decent modern sitcoms over the last couple of years - the only problem is they tend to be on BBC3 and can only be viewed on the iPlayer so you have to go looking for them.

C4's recent series Loaded was pretty good.

 

I’m not prejudiced, I hate everybody equally

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Dave T

Dave T

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3 minutes ago, Robin Evans said:

Car share got rave reviews. Peter Kay is very popular. The memsahib finds him hilarious live or in sitcom

I'm not a massive fan of Kay, I think he has done some brilliant stuff, but is very lazy in his comedy, but I really liked Car Share. Very nice simple show.

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tim2

tim2

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3 minutes ago, longboard said:

Well now, Father Ted, was a good sitcom.

IMO the greatest ever. Personal taste and all that.

Craig Cash's sitcom about the non-league football club (Rovers) was very good. There was a scene where his character was attempting a fish finger eating challenge that had me in stitches.

Car Share lost the plot in the second series.

"I am the avenging angel; I come with wings unfurled, I come with claws extended from halfway round the world. I am the God Almighty, I am the howling wind. I care not for your family; I care not for your kin. I come in search of terror, though terror is my own; I come in search of vengeance for crimes and crimes unknown. I care not for your children, I care not for your wives, I care not for your country, I care not for your lives." - (c) Jim Boyes - "The Avenging Angel"

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Dave T

Dave T

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4 minutes ago, tim2 said:

IMO the greatest ever. Personal taste and all that.

Craig Cash's sitcom about the non-league football club (Rovers) was very good. There was a scene where his character was attempting a fish finger eating challenge that had me in stitches.

Car Share lost the plot in the second series.

I struggled with Rovers - really wanted to enjoy it and there were nice touches but ultimately Cash was too silly in it.

I liked S2 of Car Share but Kay certainly showed his writing limitations by the end.

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jacksy

jacksy

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26 minutes ago, Tongs ya bas said:

I liked the two cops: stoned out of their brains; "crime won't fight itself"

I believe the quote was ''crime won't crack itself''

Rugby Union the only game in the world were the spectators handle the ball more than the players.

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jacksy

jacksy

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2 hours ago, Tongs ya bas said:

I liked the two cops: stoned out of their brains; "crime won't fight itself"

Joe and Duffy's chit chats always made me laugh..particularly Duffy..to be fair though i do not think there was a weak charachter in it.

Rugby Union the only game in the world were the spectators handle the ball more than the players.

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