Cyberyeti Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Please note I am not knocking FT..I am knocking not having lucy on your list.. again so I love lucy has no quality. I mean you dont even bother to put it on a list of greatest sitcoms ever.. Or do you just dismiss all of the sitcoms from the 1950's A show that defined the word sitcom..A show with more than more than a hundred quality episodes not on your list..a show that could barely make 12 shows does.. any show watched by hundreds of millions or more fans, that was the number one show on tv for 4 years.... popular bad....almost never seen show...great.... A tv show 50-60 years later still on tv in over 40 countries ..not worthy of being on great sitcom list...I love Lucy may well be wonderful, I just haven't seen enough of it to know (I wasn't born till the mid 60s and we didn't have a TV till well into the 70s), I've seen maybe 2 part episodes. The decision to only make 12 shows is fairly common over here, means you don't have to spread the ideas thinly and can use them up without having to worry about how you fill the next series. And while Fawlty Towers may be almost never seen in the US, it was hugely watched in the UK, have been trying without success to find the audience figures, but 12 million or around a quarter of the population at that time (not sure if it was shown in Scotland) watched it IIRC at one point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Exactly, any list without Fawlty towers in the top 3 is not worthy of attention. Basil would suppose the german conspiracy behind this mis..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_20686 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 All these British sitcoms being mentioned, just thought I'd through a shout out for my favorite, Red Dwarf. They have just started a new season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberyeti Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Basil would suppose the german conspiracy behind this mis.....Don't mention the war ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Guys if you are going to make a list called the greatest ever sitcoms I would think you would at least watch all the major contenders or simply not make a list. Sort of like making a greatest movie list of all time but you have only seen 100 movies in your lifetime :) I mean do you make a list of greatest bridge players ever and only include the ones you played against :) Now if the list is all about you and your favorites ok....no problem.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwar0123 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I mean do you make a list of greatest bridge players ever and only include the ones you played against :) Hell, I only include players who have played with ME! That is a basic requirement to be a great bridge player. At least to me :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billw55 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 And while Fawlty Towers may be almost never seen in the US, it was hugely watched in the UK, have been trying without success to find the audience figures, but 12 million or around a quarter of the population at that time (not sure if it was shown in Scotland) watched it IIRC at one point.This is something that makes no sense to me about British television. If it is wildly popular, why not make more episodes? Fans enjoy, producers and broadcasters profit, what's not to like? This would never happen in the US, unless perhaps a critical performer left the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macaw Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 What about "Soap" from the 1970's? Love that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barmar Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Anyone know who is responsible for the latare.com website? The main page seems to be just a collection of "video of the day". There doesn't seem to be an "About Us" page. And the descriptions of the shows in this "top 10" collection don't even explain why they think those shows are superior. They give a brief synopsis of the show, a few honors and quotes from entertainment magazines or Emmy awards, and some production notes (including the theme song writers of several of them). It looks like it might be just one guy's personal favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberyeti Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 This is something that makes no sense to me about British television. If it is wildly popular, why not make more episodes? Fans enjoy, producers and broadcasters profit, what's not to like? This would never happen in the US, unless perhaps a critical performer left the show.Connie Booth became a virtual recluse after separating from Cleese and was tempted out for the second series, also the episodes were written and edited VERY slowly, which didn't sit well with recommissioning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time is TV Guide's list of the 50 most entertaining or influential television series in American pop culture. It appeared in the May 4–10, 2002 issue of the magazine Top 10 1.Seinfeld (NBC, July 5, 1989 – May 14, 1998) 2.I Love Lucy (CBS, October 15, 1951 – May 6, 1957) 3.The Honeymooners (CBS, October 1, 1955 – September 22, 1956) 4.All in the Family (CBS, January 12, 1971 – April 8, 1979) 5.The Sopranos (HBO, January 10, 1999 – June 10, 2007) 6.60 Minutes (CBS, September 24, 1968 – present) 7.Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, August 30, 1993 – present) 8.The Simpsons (Fox, December 17, 1989 – present) 9.The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, October 3, 1960 – April 1, 1968) 10.Saturday Night Live (NBC, October 11, 1975 – present Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassedOut Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I'd have to put Jeeves and Wooster on any top 10 list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberyeti Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 I'd have to put Jeeves and Wooster on any top 10 list.I agree, wonderful, but adapted from a well known set of books, not originally a TV show. Not sure if that matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vampyr Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 All these British sitcoms being mentioned, just thought I'd through a shout out for my favorite, Red Dwarf. Have you been watching the new series Red Dwarf X? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulg Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 This is something that makes no sense to me about British television. If it is wildly popular, why not make more episodes? Fans enjoy, producers and broadcasters profit, what's not to like? This would never happen in the US, unless perhaps a critical performer left the show.Traditionally British sitcoms have a very small team of writers, normally one or two. This is the limiting factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeh Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Traditionally British sitcoms have a very small team of writers, normally one or two. This is the limiting factor.In addition to the effect that the breakup of the Cleese - Booth relationship had, I remember either reading or watching an interview with Cleese in which he explained the extraordinary level of attention to detail that went into every script and every performance. The series was written, iirc, entirely by Cleese and Booth, whereas most (all?) US sitcoms have teams of writers. I almost forgot, and this may be off-topic, but one of the truly greatest 'sitcoms' of all time wasn't a television programme at all. BBC did a radio show back, I think, in the late 1970s by a then young man who had tried to follow in the footsteps of the Pythons, and had in fact been a writing partner of Graham Chapman during one of the Python dry spells. It was called The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The later attempts to make it a book (very successful), a television programme (not as good) and a movie (dreadful) should not obscure the utter brilliance of the original radio broadcasts, that can still be found if one is diligent. I had it on vinyl but then found the complete set of all episodes and a long interview with Douglas Adams on an 8 cd set. I think the imagination can be a wonderful source of entertainment, and radio can involve the listener far more intensively than can television if done properly, and HHGTTG was and remains in my opinion the best ever. I'd rather listen the adventures of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect than watch any of the listed sitcoms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vampyr Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 In addition to the effect that the breakup of the Cleese - Booth relationship had, I remember either reading or watching an interview with Cleese in which he explained the extraordinary level of attention to detail that went into every script and every performance. The series was written, iirc, entirely by Cleese and Booth, whereas most (all?) US sitcoms have teams of writers. Similarly, The Office was written entirely by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. With, I believe, the same kind of attention to detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paua Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 This is something that makes no sense to me about British television. If it is wildly popular, why not make more episodes? Fans enjoy, producers and broadcasters profit, what's not to like? This would never happen in the US, unless perhaps a critical performer left the show. Beacause the British know when to stop. Americans just drag an idea out for as long as it is marketable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vampyr Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Beacause the British know when to stop. Americans just drag an idea out for as long as it is marketable.A good example of this is The Office. The Tim/Donna story ended with their first kiss; it was perfect. I was bawling like a baby while I watched that. In The Office: An American Workplace, their counterparts have got married, bought a house, and were expecting a child, who has probably been born. The thrill, at least from the viewers' perspective, is gone. Also, I heard that the David Brent character has left -- yet they are carrying on. It seems the show would be pointless without him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenberg Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Beacause the British know when to stop. Americans just drag an idea out for as long as it is marketable. I completely agree with this. A five year old does something and his parents laugh. So he does it again. And again. And again. This is much the way I see American tv. If the Brits don't do this, I congratulate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I completely agree with this. A five year old does something and his parents laugh. So he does it again. And again. And again. This is much the way I see American tv. If the Brits don't do this, I congratulate them. Darn those Americans for trying to maximize profits...why oh why cant we be more like the Brits. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenberg Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Darn those Americans for trying to maximize profits...why oh why cant we be more like the Brits. :) Oh, I know. You can't blame a guy, or a network, for going after the buck. But it is not a very good way to go after mine.The current laff line seems to be "boobs". Someone says boobs, the audience laughs, the ratings go up, and so it's boobs, boobs, and more boobs. If it makes a buck, it makes a buck. Which reminds me: How much does it cost for a pirate to get his ears pierced? Answer: A buc an eer That's at least as funny as boobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberyeti Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Darn those Americans for trying to maximize profits...why oh why cant we be more like the Brits. :)On a more serious note, there is more truth than I'd like in that being the difference between the US and UK in the past. US - does it make money ? yes, let's do itUK - does it make money ? yes, is it the right thing to do ? no - OK, let's not do it Unfortunately the UK is now going the way of the US and hence a lot of scandal with people exploiting laws that were not tightly enough drafted, but where everybody understood what their intent was and kept to the spirit of them in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 On a more serious note, there is more truth than I'd like in that being the difference between the US and UK in the past. US - does it make money ? yes, let's do itUK - does it make money ? yes, is it the right thing to do ? no - OK, let's not do it Unfortunately the UK is now going the way of the US and hence a lot of scandal with people exploiting laws that were not tightly enough drafted, but where everybody understood what their intent was and kept to the spirit of them in the past. Ya where manners and good taste mattered...now we can joke and sing about rape and laugh... and in some cases make a boatload of money..spirit of the law? As Ken put it boobs and more boobs.....heck with sexual assualt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelandakh Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Guys if you are going to make a list called the greatest ever sitcoms I would think you would at least watch all the major contenders or simply not make a list.Have you watched every sitcom ever made? Naturally lists are centered around the taste of the person making it. Noone has seen everything. Perhaps some Brazilian sitcom should be on the list - I have no idea. And neither do you. On other topics, perhaps we should define exactly what is meant by sitcom (and no, I do not mean in the ILL sense suggested earlier). I would not have considered HHG a sitcom personally. And Dr Who? Really? I know some of the older episodes look pretty funny now but honestly, how to insult a large proportion of British science fiction fans in a single swoop! As for the list in the link, I looked through it, considered it a joke and moved on. It was clearly just cobbled together in a few minutes in an attempt to get visitors to the website. Let's at least start from a sensible basepoint if we are going to have this discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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