Sitcoms

[Anthony]

So, I'm a fan of funny tv. Here's a list of the stuff I love:

Arrested Development
Peep Show
The Office
Anything Armando Iannucci
Flight of the Conchords
Curb Your Enthusiasm

Well, recently I started watching How I Met Your Mother, which has surprised me by being kind of brilliant. I tend to get over excited by stuff when I first get into it, but maybe it's the best American sitcommy canned laughter type sitcom.

[sjjames]

Try 'It's always sunny in Philadelphia' it is both funny, repulsive, compulsive and a little sick. '30 Rock', 'American Dad' and 'Family Guy' are good too.

[helen]

You have to give it to Friends. I love Friends and I'm not ashamed to admit it. The series that's on E4 at the moment is brown poo and it just keeps getting brown pooier from here on out, but series two is well mint.

I keep forgetting about the goshdarn word list! Criminy.

[darry]

Arrested Development is just too good to be true. Three series of absolute perfection! I have to say, I agree with pretty much everything on this thread.

[helen]

My friend stole my series 1 DVD of Arrested Development two years ago and now we are growing apart, I feel like I have to make the effort to become better friends with her again so I can get it back. It's quite trying.

[cooperking]

I have a genuine fondness for the 90s sitcom Step By Step, with Suzanne Somers and Patrick Duffy,

[mcilwaine]

May 27, 2009 18:18:50 GMT 1 cooperking said:

I have a genuine fondness for the 90s sitcom Step By Step, with Suzanne Somers and Patrick Duffy,

Patrick Duffy is tops! I used to love that show when I was younger but haven't seen it in a while.

It used to be on ITV during the school holidays after a programme about a girl who's dad was an alien and she could pause time by touching her index fingers together. Theme tune was went along the lines of "would you like to swing on a star / carry moonbeams home in a jar"

What was it called?

I have nothing more to add to the sitcom list though, they're all side splitters

[Jon]

Family Guy and American Dad are terrible. Well, they're not, they're fine, but there's nothing worse than that thing people do where they talk about Family Guy and the Simpsons, and compare the two as though they are somehow almost equal. It taints any enjoyment I could ever get from Family Guy.

I've never seen HIMYM, but I'm sure Friends is the best American sitcom with laughter. Although it's not canned laughter. Does HIMYM have canned laughter? Some people don't appreciate the difference between canned laughter and a live audience.

[pixietubs]

If you paste Anthony's list in here you will save us both time and money, which is something you should think about in this time of recession and decreasing allotted time.

I also love 30 Rock, and have recently begun watching Californication which has surprised me by being really good. HIMYM and Friends are both very enjoyable, and I could list many more because I watch too many boxsets...

[darry]

I've been meaning to give 30 Rock a go, I've heard good things. Maybe that should be next.

[pixietubs]

I think it should. Season 3 just ended so you could probably watch all 3 before the next one starts, if you were so inclined.

[darry]

Hmm... Maybe. Criminally though, I still haven't watched The Wire, and I think if I don't do it soon, the incessant pestering of people who swear it's better than Jesus, sex and steak might just drive me to insanity or gratuitous public violence.

[pixietubs]

I haven't either! I've been meaning to for ages but I told myself I'd finish Sopranos first and then banned myself from watching it because it stopped me doing anything outside. Like going to lectures or having friends.

[Anthony]

May 28, 2009 0:53:32 GMT 1 Jon said:

I've never seen HIMYM, but I'm sure Friends is the best American sitcom with laughter. Although it's not canned laughter. Does HIMYM have canned laughter? Some people don't appreciate the difference between canned laughter and a live audience.

Some of it is filmed in front of an audience, some is recorded then shown to an audience. You'd definitely love it. It's Friends for the AD generation, with its narrator, foreshadowing, callbacks and things that make you go ha ha.

[partylikearockstar]

Is it really though? Really? I saw some and it was pretty bad.

[Jon]

You think virtually all good sitcoms are bad. By which I mean Flight of the Conchords.

[darry]

Flight of the Conchords was much better on the radio. Discuss.

[Jon]

Your mum was much better on the radio. Diss/cuss.

In real answers, I didn't know it was ever a radio show. Was it, or are you tricking us all? Was it the same as the TV series?

[Anthony]

I'd forgotten it was a radio show. I had the first two episodes on my mp3 player for a while. I'll say the tv series is better, because I'm kind of against radio shows.

[darry]

There is a better sport than javelin. Discus.

[sjjames]

There is a special on at the brotherl. Dic us.

[Anthony]

So, what's good nowadays in sitcom form? Eastbound and Down is good. As is Bored to Death. I've answered my own question.