Television Top 10 British Comedy TV Series

[Tony247]

For me it is:
Are You Being Served
The Office
Friday Night Dinner
Vicar of Dibley
Allo Allo
Yes Minister
Only Fools and Horses
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Dad's Army

It was a tough choice leaving Father Ted, The Inbetweeners, On The Buses, Mr Bean, Keeping Up The Appearances, Jeeves and Wooster, IT Crowd, The Thick Of It, Last Of The Summer Wine etc.

I am omitting skits like Two Ronnies or Monty Python's Flying Circus. Focusing on just series rather than shows.

What is yours?

 

[Eckers99]

I'm Alan Partridge
Brass Eye
Fawlty Towers
Spaced
Black Books
Father Ted (if Ireland's allowed!)
The Day Today
The Office
The League of Gentlemen
The Thick of it

 

[Tony247]

Father Ted (if Ireland's allowed!)

Father Ted was a british show. Irish setting but british.

 

[Sweet Square]

Father Ted was a british show. Irish setting but british.

 

[choccy77]

For me i'd say

Two Ronnies
Porridge
Are You being Served
Open All Hours (Original)
Black Adder
Fawlty Towers
Only Fools & Horses
Allo Allo
Mr Bean
Bottom * Amended my original choice.

 

[Eckers99]

Father Ted was a british show. Irish setting but british.

Irish setting, with Irish characters, Irish actors, Irish writers and Irish directors.

You're pulling a reverse Jack Charlton here!

 

[M15 Red.]

For me it is:
Are You Being Served
The Office
Friday Night Dinner
Vicar of Dibley
Allo Allo
Yes Minister
Only Fools and Horses
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Dad's Army

It was a tough choice leaving Father Ted, The Inbetweeners, On The Buses, Mr Bean, Keeping Up The Appearances, Jeeves and Wooster, IT Crowd, The Thick Of It, Last Of The Summer Wine etc.

I am omitting skits like Two Ronnies or Monty Python's Flying Circus. Focusing on just series rather than shows.

What is yours?

No Peep Show, anywhere?

 

[Tony247]

Irish setting, with Irish characters, Irish actors, Irish writers and Irish directors.

You're pulling a reverse Jack Charlton here!

I know, but technically still British made series.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Ted

Father Ted is a sitcom created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews and produced by British production company Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4.

 

[Tony247]

No Peep Show, anywhere?

Peep Show, Plebs, Green Wing, The Royle Family... there are few more. Difficult choice to choose top 10. But that's the list for me.

Oh I even enjoyed Come Fly With Me too. Bad they had to cancel the show.

 

[groovyalbert]

In no order

The Office
Fawlty Towers
Father Ted
Black Adder
The Thick of It
Fleabag
Black Books
Dad's Army
Peep Show
Phoenix Nights

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

My favourites, in no order:

Peep Show
I'm Alan Partridge
Extras
Green Wing
The Office
Father Ted
Black Books
Brasseye
Spaced
That Mitchell & Webb Look

 

[JP77]

Top 3:
Only Fools and Horses
Bottom
The Young One's

The Rest:
On The Buses
The Office
League Of Gentleman
Inside No. 9
Mr Bean
Fawlty Towers
The Inbetweeners

On a different day I'd probably have Porridge and Blackadder in there. Men Behaving Badly too. There's too many. My top three will always be my top three, nothing touches Fools and Horses and Bottom for me in particular.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

People are forgetting
Mind Your Language and Love Thy Neighbour. A nod to PC

 

[choccy77]

Peep Show, Plebs, Green Wing, The Royle Family... there are few more. Difficult choice to choose top 10. But that's the list for me.

Oh I even enjoyed Come Fly With Me too. Bad they had to cancel the show.

Come Fly With Me was on on backup list that didn't make top 10. It's very difficult to choose just 10 really. 15 would have been slightly better.

 

[horsechoker]

The Irish trying to steal our shows?

You lot have got your Mrs Brown's Boys, don't be stealing our shows now you hear?

 

[Salt Bailly]

Office
Mighty Boosh
I'm Alan Partridge
Ali G / Borat (UK edition)
Brass Eye
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Toast of London
The Fast Show
Harry Enfield and Chums / Harry and Paul

I'm sure I'm forgetting something but these are all up there.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

My favourites, 10th to 1st...

Man About The House
Don't Wait Up
Father Ted
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
George & Mildred
Fawlty Towers
Ever Decreasing Circles
Only Fools & Horses (first 6 series, before the longer, comedy-drama eps).
Dad's Army
Porridge

I'm only early 40's but I love most of the older sitcoms that I've watched most of my life. There's very few 21st century sitcoms that I've enjoyed. And none that I can watch again and again and still find funny like the ones above. Most British comedy shows I watch nowadays are panel shows. My absolutely favourite current show is Taskmaster - and I find that far warmer and funnier than any of the modern sitcoms I've seen.

 

[diarm]

In no particular order:

Peep Show
Green Wing
Father Ted
Only Fools & Horses
Black Books
The Thick Of It
Fawlty Towers
The Office
I'm Alan Partridge
Gavin & Stacey

 

[Tony247]

A small sample, but still, so far Fawlty Towers, The Office, I'm Alan Partridge, Only Fools & Horses and Black Books are most common. The Office is the most widely acknowlded 7 out of 9 respondents included in their list! To be honest given a choice I prefer The Office US version ovet the original. It's jucier and longer!...[that's what she said]

Wonder why Allo Allo is not that popular!

This is classic "Pierre is enjoying his new bicycle!" from Allo Allo. Always has me in stitches

 

[Tony247]

My favourites, 10th to 1st...

Man About The House
Don't Wait Up
Father Ted
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
George & Mildred
Fawlty Towers
Ever Decreasing Circles
Only Fools & Horses (first 6 series, before the longer, comedy-drama eps).
Dad's Army
Porridge

I'm only early 40's but I love most of the older sitcoms that I've watched most of my life. There's very few 21st century sitcoms that I've enjoyed. And none that I can watch again and again and still find funny like the ones above. Most British comedy shows I watch nowadays are panel shows. My absolutely favourite current show is Taskmaster - and I find that far warmer and funnier than any of the modern sitcoms I've seen.

I share your feeling. Same here. I like classics the most. That said we have some good ones like The Office, The Thick of it in last two decades.

By the way, Bertie Wooster, how come you don't like Jeeves and Wooster in top 10! It is a very well made series with Fry and Laurie. I think it is a good tribute to Wodehouse. I like it, although not my top 10.

 

[The Boy]

In no particular order

Blackadder seasons 2 and 3
Father Ted
Peep Show
Derry Girls
The Thick of It
The Inbetweeners
Absolutely Fabulous
Butterflies (only because I loved it when I was young and my Mum watched it all the time!)
Red Dwarf
The Good Life
Yes Minister
The IT Crowd

Sorry 12 not 10 and I could loads more!

 

[AaronRedDevil]

Severe lack of respect for IT Crowd. One of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen.

 

[Old Ma Crow]

In no particular order:

Have I Got News For You
Fawlty Towers
Goodness Gracious Me
Blackadder
The Ali G Show
Father Ted
Yes Minister
Yes Prime Minister
Only Fools and Horses
One Foot In The Grave

 

[Tony247]

Severe lack of respect for IT Crowd. One of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen.

First season of IT crowd was very good and had funny IT anecdotes. But later it just strayed off. Just my personal opinion.

 

[Adcuth]

Blackadder is the best thing ever made. Nothing compares

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Every list should contain Fleabag

 

[Ali Dia]

IT Crowd
Fr Ted
Peep Show
The Office // Extras
Thick of it
Inbetweeners
Black Books
Blackadder
Alan Partridge
Only fools and horses
Honourable mention for Teachers which i think is underrated.
First couple of seasons of Shameless were great too but it got really really bad.

 

[Ali Dia]

Every list should contain Fleabag

I’ve never seen this! Watched the first episode twice a few years apart and didn’t keep going for some reason. Must give it a lash again. Spaced was another one I tried to get into once or twice and didn’t follow through

 

[Ixion]

Peep Show and Only Fools are my top 2

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I’ve never seen this! Watched the first episode twice a few years apart and didn’t keep going for some reason. Must give it a lash again. Spaced was another one I tried to get into once or twice and didn’t follow through

For me one of the best shows of the past few years. Short, doesn't overstay its welcome, has all the resolution you need, deep and funny, and Phoebe Waller Bridge is a national treasure. All the "supporting" cast (hard to call some of them supporting given how prominent they are) is amazing too. Really great show.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

I share your feeling. Same here. I like classics the most. That said we have some good ones like The Office, The Thick of it in last two decades.

By the way, Bertie Wooster, how come you don't like Jeeves and Wooster in top 10! It is a very well made series with Fry and Laurie. I think it is a good tribute to Wodehouse. I like it, although not my top 10.

Same here.

I absolutely love the books. And I really like the first couple of series of Jeeves and Wooster with Fry & Laurie - both perfect for the roles. The reason I didn't put it top 10 is I don't enjoy the last 2 series. The US based episodes - 6 of the last 12 - aren't great, and they start taking way too many liberties with the stories in the last series for my liking. But I watch the first couple of series a lot and it was one of the close ones that just missed out on the top 10.

As for modern ones - I only really like light hearted humour without much political satire or anything. The Office and the IT Crowd were decent - but not ones that I watch again and again. And I enjoyed the performances of Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer in As Time Goes By. But none of those would make my top 10.

 

[AaronRedDevil]

First season of IT crowd was very good and had funny IT anecdotes. But later it just strayed off. Just my personal opinion.

I thought the bosses son was hilarious. Keeping it going after that epic exit from the show.

 

[Tony247]

Same here.

I absolutely love the books. And I really like the first couple of series of Jeeves and Wooster with Fry & Laurie - both perfect for the roles. The reason I didn't put it top 10 is I don't enjoy the last 2 series. The US based episodes - 6 of the last 12 - aren't great, and they start taking way too many liberties with the stories in the last series for my liking. But I watch the first couple of series a lot and it was one of the close ones that just missed out on the top 10.

As for modern ones - I only really like light hearted humour without much political satire or anything. The Office and the IT Crowd were decent - but not ones that I watch again and again. And I enjoyed the performances of Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer in As Time Goes By. But none of those would make my top 10.

Precisely why I don't rate the series so high. I am a fan of Stephan Fry and after the series whenever I read Wodehouse I imagine him for Jeeves.

Modern tv series are how do I put it, bit loud for my taste. May be American influence. I too like light hearted humor. Don't know why no more they make series like Vicar of Dibley.

Love Friday Night Dinner though. Event first 3 seasons of Plebs were good.

 

[The Corinthian]

Every list should contain Fleabag

One of the best shows I've seen, but I'm not sure it is a purely British comedy show. It has depth the likes of the shows mentioned here could never get to.

 

[Tony247]

I thought the bosses son was hilarious. Keeping it going after that epic exit from the show.

Totally. Tell you what, Matt Berry actully single handedly kept the series somewhat interesting.

About the exit. Made the immortal GIF

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m20w05vOD81qelnjgo1_500.gif

 

[Tony247]

Every list should contain Fleabag

Yet to watch that one. Added to my to-watch list.

 

[FattyFooty]

British comedy, always been a bit wierd to me.

Benny hill was funny.
Inbetweners too.

 

[Salt Bailly]

I'd class Fleabag as an elite tier dramedy rather than a purely comedy show, so it doesn't make the cut for me.

 

[OleBoiii]

Any list that doesn't contain Peep Show and The IT Crowd are objectively wrong.

 

[The Corinthian]

IT Crowd
Peep Show
The Office
Extras
The Inbetweeners
I'm Alan Partridge
Toast of London

Are the ones that immediately spring to mind.