British Comedy Faves
by davidroberts-71264 | created - 23 Feb 2020 | updated - 02 Jul 2020 | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012)
TV-14 | 45 min | Comedy
The wild misadventures of Edina "Eddy" Monsoon and her best friend Patsy Stone, who live in a nearly constant haze of drugged, drunken selfishness.
Stars: Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield
Votes: 21,547
2. A Bit of Fry and Laurie (1987–1995)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
Comedians Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie perform a variety of comedy skits and the occasional musical number.
Stars: Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Deborah Norton, Geoffrey McGivern
Votes: 9,921
3. Blackadder (1982–1983)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
In the Middle Ages, Prince Edmund the Black Adder constantly schemes and endeavors to seize the crown from his father and brother.
Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Brian Blessed, Elspet Gray, Tim McInnerny
Votes: 41,102
Including all other Blackadder series.
4. Black Books (2000–2004)
TV-PG | 25 min | Comedy
Bernard Black runs a book shop, though his customer service skills leave something to be desired. He hires Manny as an employee. Fran runs the shop next door. Between the three of them many adventures ensue.
Stars: Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, Tamsin Greig, Paul Beech
Votes: 61,954
5. Bottom (1991–1995)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
Two perpetually bored and broke flatmates waste their days in a futile struggle to get laid, earn cash, and not kill one another.
Stars: Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Steven O'Donnell, Christopher Ryan
Votes: 14,213
6. Brass Eye (1997–2001)
TV-MA | 25 min | Comedy
Controversial spoof of current affairs television, and the role of celebrity in the UK.
Stars: Christopher Morris, Mark Heap, Kevin Eldon, Doon Mackichan
Votes: 11,561
7. The Brittas Empire (1991–1997)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
Gordon Brittas is the manager of the Whitbury-Newtown Leisure Centre. Despite his good intentions, everything seems to go wrong when he's around, despite the best efforts of the center staff and his long-suffering wife, Helen.
Stars: Chris Barrie, Harriet Thorpe, Michael Burns, Tim Marriott
Votes: 3,798
8. Come Fly with Me (2010–2011)
TV-MA | 29 min | Comedy
This is a parody of shows about the inner workings of an airport.
Stars: Matt Lucas, David Walliams, Lindsay Duncan, Sally Rogers
Votes: 9,870
9. Dad's Army (1968–1977)
30 min | Comedy, War
A ragtag group of Home Guard volunteers prepare for an imminent German invasion during World War II.
Stars: Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn, John Laurie
Votes: 7,242
10. The Day Today (1994)
204 min | Comedy
A spoof of the British style of news broadcasting - including ridiculous stories, patronising vox pops, offensively hard-hitting research and a sports presenter clearly struggling for metaphors.
Stars: Christopher Morris, Steve Coogan, Patrick Marber, Doon Mackichan
Votes: 5,554
11. The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–1979)
30 min | Comedy
He story concerns a middle-aged middle manager, Reginald "Reggie" Perrin, and is driven to bizarre behaviour by the pointlessness of his job at Sunshine Desserts.
Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Pauline Yates, John Barron, Sue Nicholls
Votes: 2,180
12. Father Ted (1995–1998)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
Three misfit priests and their housekeeper live on Craggy Island, not the peaceful and quiet part of Ireland that it seems to be.
Stars: Dermot Morgan, Ardal O'Hanlon, Frank Kelly, Pauline McLynn
Votes: 43,835
13. Fawlty Towers (1975–1979)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
Hotel owner Basil Fawlty's incompetence, short fuse, and arrogance form a combination that ensures accidents and trouble are never far away.
Stars: John Cleese, Prunella Scales, Andrew Sachs, Connie Booth
Votes: 100,228
14. Hale and Pace (1986–1998)
30 min | Comedy
Hale and Pace is a sketch-based British comedy show. The terms "Good Taste" and "Politically Correct" are obviously totally unknown to the writers.
Stars: Gareth Hale, Norman Pace, Melanie Kilburn, Regina Freedman
Votes: 592
15. Harry Enfield and Chums (1994–1999)
40 min | Comedy
The BBC sketch show that while continuing to show the misadventures of a series of popular characters now introduces a slew of new oddballs and misfits, including Tory Boy and The Lovely Wobbly Randy Old Ladies.
Stars: Harry Enfield, Kathy Burke, Paul Whitehouse, Louisa Rix
Votes: 3,455
16. Harry Enfield's Television Programme (1990–1992)
30 min | Comedy
Popular BBC sketch show that introduced a whole host of memorable characters such as Tim-Nice-But-Dim, the Slobs, Smashie and Nicey, The Old Gits and teenagers Kevin and Perry. The show spawned a slew of spin-off series and films.
Stars: Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse, Kathy Burke, Jon Glover
Votes: 1,990
17. I'm Alan Partridge (1997–2002)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
A failed television presenter, now presenting a programme on local desperately tries to revive his broadcasting career.
Stars: Steve Coogan, Simon Greenall, Felicity Montagu, Phil Cornwell
Votes: 21,983
Including all other Alan Partridge series.
18. It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1981)
30 min | Comedy, War
The comic adventures of a group of misfits who form an extremely bad concert party touring the hot and steamy jungles of Burma entertaining the troops during World War II.
Stars: Windsor Davies, Melvyn Hayes, Donald Hewlett, Don Estelle
Votes: 1,792
19. Keeping Up Appearances (1990–1995)
TV-PG | 60 min | Comedy
A snobbish housewife is determined to climb the social ladder, in spite of her family's working class connections and the constant chagrin of her long suffering husband.
Stars: Patricia Routledge, Clive Swift, Geoffrey Hughes, Judy Cornwell
Votes: 17,891
20. Little Britain (2003–2006)
TV-MA | 29 min | Comedy
Matt Lucas and David Walliams, the creators of this character-comedy sketch show, delight in all that is mad, bad, quirky and generally bonkers about the people and places of Britain.
Stars: Matt Lucas, David Walliams, Tom Baker, Paul Putner
Votes: 26,152
21. British Men Behaving Badly (1992–2014)
TV-14 | 45 min | Comedy
Two early thirties best friends live together while having completely different personalities. While their girlfriends try to help them take on more responsibilities the boys seldom respond well and usually end up drinking together.
Stars: Martin Clunes, Caroline Quentin, Leslie Ash, Neil Morrissey
Votes: 8,657
22. Mr. Bean (1990–1995)
Not Rated | 25 min | Comedy, Family
Bumbling, childlike Mr. Bean has trouble completing the simplest of day-to-day tasks, but his perseverance and resourcefulness frequently allow him to find ingenious ways around problems.
Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Matilda Ziegler, Robin Driscoll, Matthew Ashforde
Votes: 133,812
23. Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
The original surreal sketch comedy showcase for the Monty Python troupe.
Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle
Votes: 78,835
24. The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968–1977)
Comedy
The Morecambe & Wise Show was a long running and massively popular sketch series starring British comedy duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, plus a string of top-name international celebrity guests (of a bygone age), like André Prévin.
Stars: Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise, Ann Hamilton, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen
Votes: 1,057
25. Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979–1982)
TV-PG | 25 min | Comedy
British sketch comedy starring the likes of Rowan Atkinson and Mel Smith.
Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith, Pamela Stephenson, Griff Rhys Jones
Votes: 2,805
26. The Office (2001–2003)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
The story of an office that faces closure when the company decides to downsize its branches. A documentary film crew follow staff and the manager David Brent as they continue their daily lives.
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook, Lucy Davis
Votes: 123,241
27. One Foot in the Grave (1990–2001)
TV-PG | 90 min | Comedy, Drama
Victor Meldrew is a retiree who attracts bad luck. If he's not driving his long suffering wife Margaret crazy with his constant moaning, he's fighting with neighbours.
Stars: Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle, Owen Brenman
Votes: 7,327
28. Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003)
TV-PG | 95 min | Comedy
Comedy that follows two brothers from London's rough Peckham estate as they wheel and deal through a number of dodgy deals and search for the big score that'll make them millionaires.
Stars: David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Roger Lloyd Pack, Buster Merryfield
Votes: 56,751
29. Open All Hours (1976–1985)
30 min | Comedy
Arkwright is a miserly and eccentric shopkeeper with a stammer, who longs to marry his lifelong love Nurse Gladys. He runs a small town grocery store along with his errand boy and nephew, Granville and a particularly dangerous till.
Stars: Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron, Barbara Flynn
Votes: 5,960
Including "Still Open All Hours".
30. Porridge (1974–1977)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Crime
The prison life of Fletcher, a criminal serving a five-year sentence, as he strives to bide his time, keep his record clean, and refuses to be ground down by the prison system.
Stars: Ronnie Barker, Brian Wilde, Fulton Mackay, Richard Beckinsale
Votes: 6,844
Including "Going Straight".
31. Red Dwarf (1988– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
The adventures of the last human alive and his friends, stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf.
Stars: Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn
Votes: 37,318
32. Rising Damp (1974–1978)
30 min | Comedy
Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly, racist landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long-suffering tenants.
Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Don Warrington, Frances de la Tour, Richard Beckinsale
Votes: 2,825
33. Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973–1978)
30 min | Comedy
Accident-prone Frank Spencer fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby.
Stars: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Jessica Forte, Dick Bentley
Votes: 4,173
34. Spitting Image (1984–1996)
25 min | Comedy
A satire show using puppets that are caricatures of major public figures.
Stars: Steve Nallon, Kate Robbins, Chris Barrie, Jon Glover
Votes: 2,484
35. Steptoe and Son (1962–1974)
TV-PG | 45 min | Comedy
British sitcom about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in London. The intergenerational divide between the miserly Steptoe and his ambitious son results in comedy, drama, and tragedy.
Stars: Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H. Corbett, Frank Thornton, Tim Buckland
Votes: 3,428
36. The Thin Blue Line (1995–1996)
30 min | Comedy, Crime
Various mishaps at a police station in an English town. The main character is the anachronistic, yet charming and funny Inspector Fowler. CID foil to Fowler, Inspector Grim is a bumbling, seething idiot.
Stars: Rowan Atkinson, Mina Anwar, James Dreyfus, Serena Evans
Votes: 7,956
37. Till Death Us Do Part (1965–1975)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
A working-class Cockney bigot with a biased and experienced opinion of everything shares them bluntly and carelessly.
Stars: Warren Mitchell, Anthony Booth, Una Stubbs, Dandy Nichols
Votes: 1,017
Including "In Sickness and Health".
38. The Two Ronnies (1971–1987)
Comedy
This long-running BBC comedy show consisted of sketches and humourous musical routines.
Stars: Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, The Fred Tomlinson Singers, John Owens
Votes: 3,594
39. Yes Minister (1980–1984)
TV-PG | 679 min | Comedy
The Right Honorable James Hacker has landed the plum job of Cabinet Minister to the Department of Administration. At last he is in a position of power and can carry out some long-needed reforms, or so he thinks.
Stars: Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds, Diana Hoddinott
Votes: 16,568
Including "Yes Prime Minister".
40. The Young Ones (1982–1984)
TV-14 | 35 min | Comedy
The crazy and sometimes surreal comedic adventures of four very different students in Thatcher's Britain.
Stars: Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan
Votes: 16,469
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