The
Even Bigger List of Known, With thanks to my newly discovered British "cousin," George Hudson, who pointed out that I had missed a classic or two. Here is a list of many, many British comedy programmes from the past. I have just alphbetized them, not placed them in order of preference or anything... I just took delivery of a couple tapes from the "It Ain't Half Hot Mum" series and from "Mind Your Language." I had never seen any of the first, but found myself suddenly remembering the second one from its short run on my local PBS station about 10 years ago. Neither is politically correct given the over-sensitiveness that has hit broadcast television both in the UK and here in the US. Several of you have lamented how the shows just arent as good today as they were 20 years ago. I have to agree. Just look at the "1 joke, 1 scenario. 2 many seasons" of FRIENDS. That show ceased being clever of funny about 1998. "It Ain't Half Hot Mum" features the absolutely brilliant Windsor Davies as Sgt. Major Shut-up Wilson. It is one of those roles and one of those protrayals that makes you wonder if anyone else could have done it right. I doubt it! By the way, thanks to the folks who have been contributing to my list (our list, below). Some of the shows I either never knw about or forgot to add — can you imagine how silly I felt when it was pointed out to me that I forgot to add Fawlty Towers to my list???!!!. I have started a new table with their suggestions and names below the big list. Check them out. PLEASE
READ MY "NOW YOU, TOO, CAN ENJOY BRITISH COMEDIES" With all these shows being suggested, I may need to split off a new page with programs you suggest for the list. If you have a 3-4 sentence description, or at least a list of the top 2-3 actors in it (British sitcoms only, please... no "but Emmerdale Farm is just the greatest..." blah, blah, blah, or "Keeping Up Appearances" either) I'll post it and give you credit. And, I'll try to remember to color the latest shows that get added to both lists. My latest additions are in green.
AND, thanks to some of you (named blow) for your suggestions of:
Thanks go out to: John C, Virginia, Paul, Doris, Karen, Walter, Michael J, Mark, Daniel, Eljay, Robert W, Arcadia, Carolyn, Kevin, Mike (from New Zealand), Kathy, Nikki; and most recently, Lawrence (from Canada). Keep those suggestions coming. Yes... I know that there are many, many others, but you have to remember that you're getting this from someone who lives in the US and hasn't always had access to BBC, ITV, Channel 4, LWT and others on an ongoing basis. One set of comedies that I have recently had pointed out as missing are the "Ealing Comedies" of the 40's and 50's. These were mostly low budget comedies but featured great actors and comedians such as Peter Sellers, Alec Guiness, Norman Wisdom, Alistair Simms and the great Will Hay. Thanks to John C for reminding me of them. And for those of you who tell me that Keeping Up Appearances is missing, I have to tell you that it is not. It isn't on the list... true, but it isn't one of my favorites. I love Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift... I just don't like Hyacinth Bucket. At all. Sorry. I really, really love Roy Clarke's other long-running series, Last Of The Summer Wine, just not KUA. If you are looking for a couple of resourses for looking up shows - or movies - try www.imdb.com (the Internet Movide Data Base). You might also try the cross-reference site www.tnelson.demon.co.uk If you know of others that should be on this list, email me. Of course, no listing of classic British comedy would be complete without mentioning the Carry On films. |