The Top 10 Comedies of all Time

First topic message reminder :

I know lists can be subjective and debated.

But then again, other people are idiots and I am right - and so is this list!

I thought I would give a run down of my top 10 comedies of all time - I have also included a link to some classic scenes if you havent seen them.

I know that there are some great comedies that wont have made the list, but I thought I would go for those that have a body of work (ie had more than 2/3 seasons to them.)

So here we go - straight in at number 10.

10) Malcolm in the Middle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxp9BaH3BSw&feature=related

A tale of Hal and Lois facing everyday trials and tribulations with their 4 sons.. The series started off with the pair having 4 sons and continued all the way through to the birth of another one. Consistently funny due to some great performances from the leads (especially Brian Cranston as Hal) and some great secondary characters, such as Greg and Otto.

The show thankfully never jumped the shark and got out at the right time. It also featured the breaking of the fourth wall not seen since Saved By the Bell.

Very clever and very funny.


9) The Simpsons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zVCN6SFFzg&feature=related

The longest running sitcom on TV. And although the stories have got a little far fetched, and maybe not as funny anymore, when at its peak, the show had very few that could match it. Once again, a disfunctional family are the centre point of the laughter, with Homer getting the most laughs along the way. The show is made all the funnier by an amazing supporting cast of characters (ralf and chief Wiggum being my faves)

Some great cameos over the years have made this a witty, cutting edge satire that transcends the cartoon format. Best episode - Homer's Phobia

8.) Scrubs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl9ZZsUX00s

The story of John Dorian who starts to work at a hospital with his friends, Turk and Elliiot. The show once again benefited from a great supporting cast of characters such as the Janitor and Doctor Cox, who was never far away with a verbal tirade for JD (or Esther/Janice/ Julie etc).

The show followed the cast through their first years in the hospital all the way up to them getting married and having children together. Even the Janitor found happiness.

It may have been higher on the list were it not for the ill advised spin off, after one of the greatest finales in TV history.

7) Fawlty Towers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78b67l_yxUc

The only show that didnt have a long running backlog of episodes. A real trail blazer that set the way for shows like the Office to be made possible (ie the cringeworthy lead protagonist). John Cleese excelled as the Torquay hotel owner, who in just 12 episodes, changed the face of sitcom history.

6) Curb Your Enthusiasm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGjElvt4nP8

Larry David, the genius behind Seinfeld, creates an improvised show with some of his friends which takes the cringeworthyness of Basil Fawlty and puts a added realism to it. Larry manages to get himself into all kinds of unbelievable situations that always seem real and deeply disturbing. A true hero of tactlessness!

5) The Office: An american Workplace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRuaeK3R08k

The spin off from Ricky Gervais' UK comedy. Now into its 7th season in the US, the show has exceeded the original by giving the characters real depth, that the original only touched on. A truly great show with awesome characters that gets better and better.

4) Married With Children

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISfdjN1aTE4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ5HAts3yFc&feature=related

The original dysfunctional family. The Shoe salesman father who has a wife who does nothing, a daughter who sleeps around and a son who is a borderline sex pest. Way ahead of its time in that it took clever, smutty humour and made you genuinely feel sorry for Al Bundy. Once again, a great supporting cast and a series that got better as the seasons rolled on.

After a casting change half way through, the show went from strength to strength.

3) South Park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYmnP7VOyo4

The tale of 4 friends (sort of) and the town of South Park. Always topical, and always lewd, this series has gone from quite an innocent show to one of the funniest, most vulgar shows on television. But it always does it with wit and intelligence. In the last series alone, topical stories such as The BP oil spill, Tiger Woods affair and the US's obsession with Jersey Shore were covered.

And unlike the Simpsons, this has maintained its cutting edge.

2) Seinfeld

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKsUlf20DF0

The sitcom about nothing. The characters were hollow, self indulgent rogues but that was the point. No learning. No character development, just a brilliantly woven tale of excrutiating situations. The four main leads were incredible (although Gerry Seinfeld himself was the mjost boring):

Elaine - a bit of a whore around town
George - angry and workshy with over bearing parents
Kramer - the loony next door neighbour
Gerry - stand up comic who was the moral centre of the show

Brilliantly cast and the only reason why it was kept off the top spot is that the 2 part finale was absolutely terrible.


1) Frazier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_saJankLNHc

Originally a spin off from Cheers, this followed the titular Dr Crane moving to Seattle to look after his widowed father who had just been shot in the hip. It introduced a great supporting cast in Daphne (the fathers psychic physiotherapist), his Brother Niles (who was as snobby as Frasier) and Roz, Frasiers radio producer.

The show built some fantastic running arcs (such as Frasiers quest to find the perfect woman, and Niles' attraction to Daphne). The show mixed very high brow comedy (amazing bearing in mind its American target audience) but was never afraid to employ pure slapstick, as seen in the great episode of the ski lodge.

The series dipped around season 8 but came back for 3 brilliant seasons before bowing out with a wholly satisfying finale.

The show ran longer than friends, unbelievably, but unlike that other American sitcom staple, this has aged brilliantly and still raises many a smile every episode.

So there you have it, my top 10. The top 10! If you have never had the opportunity to see any of these, please track them down.

invincibleILeak (CL-6WF) wrote:Ramilas, you won't be happy but apparently $h*! My Dad Says has been cancelled by CBS.

He can post it on the unfairly pulled TV thread....

In no particular order:

Family Guy.

Bottom.

Max and Paddy's Road To Nowhere.

Operation Good Guys.

Married With Children.

Mighty Boosh. (The live DVD is an absolute mess though)

Only Fools and Horses.

Porridge.

Red Dwarf.

'Orrible (does anybody remember this?)

still game
only fools and horses
inbetweeners
mr bean
celebrity juice[does that count]
married with children
how not to live your life
bottom
early doors
father ted

I really enjoyed 2012 on BBC4 but I think I was the only one who watched it.

The Office meets The Brittas Empire.

This is mine

1) Only Fools and Horses
2) The Simpsons
3) Father Ted
4) Open All Hours
5) The Mighty Boosh
6) The Young Ones
7) Red Dwarf
8) Phoenix Nights
9) The Office
10) Family Guy

1. Only Fools and Horses
2. Still Game
3. The Big Bang Theory
4. How I Met Your Mother
5. The Inbetweeners
6. Frasier
7. Two and a Half Men
8. Married With Children
9. Outnumbered
10. Fawlty Towers

Special mention to Bottom, Blackadder, Cheers, 8 Simple Rules, My Family, Modern Family and Everybody Loves Raymond oh and According to Jim

the-gaffer wrote:1. Only Fools and Horses
2. Still Game
3. The Big Bang Theory
4. How I Met Your Mother
5. The Inbetweeners
6. Frasier
7. Two and a Half Men
8. Married With Children
9. Outnumbered
10. Fawlty Towers

feck me how did a forget about still game

Still Game, nothing will ever top that. I really wish they'd bury the hatchet and make another series!

Get Smart
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Mind Your Language
Love Thy Neighbour
The Simpsons
BargeArse...
Good Times
Welcome Back Kotter
The Young Ones

in no particular order
southpark
still game
family guy
Seinfeld
The office UK
The office USA
The thick of It
Friends
Spaced
The Inbetweeners

Did they get Still Game in England?

Good comedy IMO must be just about believable so

Spitting Image
Dads Army
Only Fools and Horses
Father Ted
Still Game
Ever Decreasing Circles
2012
Fawlty Towers
Brittas Empire
Monty Python [OK I know, not believable but a very nice show]

Has to include
Father Ted
Porridge
Open All Hours
Fawlty Towers
Dads Army
Red Dwarf - Best line ever "suck my thermos"
Up Pompeii
Till Death - The early ones
Steptoe - Again the early ones
The young ones

Nothing is funnier than The Inbetweeners!

Dx Dan. wrote:Nothing is funnier than The Inbetweeners!

I thought the third series was seriously downhill compared to the first two.

In no particular order

South Park
Arrested Development (can’t believe nobody mentioned it yet)
Modern Family
The Simpsons
The Office (the original)
Family Guy
Brass Eye
Father Ted
Police Squad
Trailer Park Boys

two and a half men is easily the most formulaic show I’ve ever seen. It’s atrocious. The fact that it was the biggest show on US TV and Arrested Development was canned after 3 series is a blight on modern society.

no Particular order

Only fools and horses
Father Ted
Family Guy
The Royle Family
An Idiot Abroad
Vicar of Dibley
Everybody loves Raymond
The King of Queens
The Simpsons
Faulty Towers

Also like to add mentions for Early Doors, Phoenix nights and Max and Paddy, Ricky Gervais Show (for Karl Pilkington) and Frasier

In no order-

Father Ted
Steptoe & Son
Fawlty Towers
Futurama
The Simpsons
Mr Bean
One Foot in the Grave
The Young Ones
'Allo 'Allo
Rise & Fall of Reginald Perrin (original with Leonard Rossiter)

Fawlty Towers
Outnumbered
Dave Allan at Large
Q series Spike Milligan
The Goons
Steptoe and Son
The Goodies
Not the Nine O'Clock news
Porridge
Open All Hours

8 from gb
only fools and horses
yes (prime) minister
fawlty towers,
not going out
dads army
porridge
blackadder
office

4 from the us
frazer
friends
everybody hates chris
simpsons

My list of favourite comedies would have to include, in no particular order,

The Inbetweeners
Phoenix Nights
The League of Gentlemen
Pulling
Kath & Kim (series 1 & 2)
Modern Family
The Big Bang Theory
Friends
Will & Grace
The Office - An American Workplace
My Name Is Earl (seasons 1 & 2)

Oops that's 11 already! And probably some others I can't think of, off the top of my head (I'll be kicking myself).

One Foot In The Grave.

Buggerit. I said there'd be more.

Dad's Army
Sgt. Bilko
Hi Di Hi
You Rang M'Lord
Flintstones
'Allo 'Allo
Fawlty Towers
Porridge
Two Ronnies
Blackadder

I recently rewatched all of Malcolm in the Middle and was surprised how well it held up.

When I looked back at this thread a few years ago, I thought I had maybe misjudged how good Malcolm was but it really is a fantastic show.

When I look at the list now, I am still quite happy with the placement of my picks with possibly only Modern Family coming close to breaking the top 10.

I hadn't seen this thread before Adam. It's f*cking horrifc. It's so bad that even your list isn't the worst one.

Its all subjective.

Its all american comedies on this list although I grew up watching the likes of the Young Ones and Blackadder which are fantastic but for me do not measure up.

For me, one of the biggest factors in my list is the sheer body of work from the ones on my list. Fawlty Towers had 12 episodes. Blackadder had 24?

I am not condoning quantity over quality but quantity AND quality is my main deciding factor, which puts American sitcoms above most British stuff for me.

If I was picking a UK top comedies, I would have gone for something like Fawlty Towers, Blackadder (2 being the best possibly), Extras (superior to the Office in my opinion) being the highlights for me. The Inbetweeners was excellent too and is holding up well for the time being.

I would also say that The Phil Silvers show was incredible too, but that was obviously American too.

I actually have very few problems with your original list, Adam. I never liked Scrubs or Married with Children and the American Office is so inferior to the original office in almost every way possible. Otherwise, there's some good stuff there.

I f*cking love lists.

These are my top 8 favourite lists:
20 favourite novels
10 favourite Coen brothers films
3 favourite Winona Ryder body parts
5 favourite 606v2 posters
25 most hated movie stars
20 unfunniest comedians
10 favourite lists
35 favourite painful things to potentially befall Jack Whitehall

Drop The Dead Donkey
Friends
Only Fools And Horses
Allo Allo
The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air
Alf
Whose Line Is It Anyway
Dennis Pennis
Different Strokes
Bottom

In no order.

Bottom
Spaced
Green Wing
Black Books
Frasier
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Peep Show/Mitchell and Webb
Brass Eye/The Day Today
Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Family Guy/America Dad/Cleveland Show

in no order

peep show
the office (UK)
phoneix nights
friends
simpsons
family guy
the royal family
south park
big bang theory
cheers

superflyweight wrote: the American Office is so inferior to the original office in almost every way possible.

Objection. Cos you're wrong.

Top ten? Oh my, I can easily do a top five:

1) Steptoe and Son
2) Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
3) Fawlty Towers
4) Peep Show
5) Only Fools and Horses

No 'Till death do us part'?

Never seen it. Quite like 'Love Thy Neighbour', however - mind you, the core anti-racism message that the show delivered and the underlying theme that, indeed, one should love their neighbour, went over most people's heads.

Mr Sidney Poitier.

You see that movie last night with Denzil Washington?

In no real order

1) Red Dwarf
2) Father Ted
3) Dark Place
4) The Day Today
5) Porridge
6) Police Squad
7) Brooklyn 99
8) South Park
9) The Phil Silvers Show
10) The Simpsons

I have missed out a few that I could easily put in there but these were the first 10 that came into my head

And how in the name of F**k has Mrs Brown's boys been voted best sitcom of the 21st century.

Reminds of the comment, "How can Caitlin Jenner be voted 'Woman of the Year'. She hasn't even been a woman for a whole f*cking year yet!"

In no order –

Phoenix Nights
The Office (UK)
I’m Alan Partridge
Eastbound and Down
The Thick of It
Early Doors
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Peep Show
The Day Today
Moulin Rouge
Red Dwarf (1st series only)
Allo Allo
Game On
Brass Eye
Inbetweeners
Dads Army

Does Have I Got News For You count? That makes me l*l out loud and p*sl out loud.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:In no order –

Phoenix Nights
The Office (UK)
I’m Alan Partridge
Eastbound and Down
The Thick of It
Early Doors
Blackadder
Fawlty Towers
Peep Show
The Day Today
Moulin Rouge
Red Dwarf (1st series only)
Allo Allo
Game On
Brass Eye
Inbetweeners
Dads Army

Does Have I Got News For You count?  That makes me l*l out loud and p*sl out loud.

If anyone else had asked I've have told them to take a flying f*ck at a rolling doughnut, but as it's you I'm willing to let it slide. I also enjoy the show although Merton's insistence on repeating his "funny" bits to the point of Bob Monkhouse levels of milking does tend to grate

Far too many unfunny American comedies being mentioned here; Family Guy is the biggest crock of sh1te there is, inane incoherent randomness is not funny and the target audience like the show is scraping the barrel of stupidity.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:Far too many unfunny American comedies being mentioned here; Family Guy is the biggest crock of sh1te there is, inane incoherent randomness is not funny and the target audience like the show is scraping the barrel of stupidity.

Go deepthroat a cactus!!!!!!!!!!!!!

westisbest wrote:Drop The Dead Donkey
Friends
Only Fools And Horses
Allo Allo
The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air
Alf
Whose Line Is It Anyway
Dennis Pennis
Different Strokes
Bottom

In no order.

FINALLY! Someone mentioned the great Eddie and Richie. Can't have a Top 10 of comedy series without them...and no, you can't argue!

Mine as follows (based on average laughs per episode ):

1. Blackadder (all of them)
2. Bottom
3. Fawlty Towers
4. Red Dwarf
5. Allo Allo
6. Scrubs
7. Frazier
8. The Big Bang Theory
9. My Name Is Earl
10. Men Behaving Badly

Honourable mentions to The Fast Show, Little Britain AND 2 Broke Girls...

dyrewolfe wrote:

westisbest wrote:Drop The Dead Donkey
Friends
Only Fools And Horses
Allo Allo
The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air
Alf
Whose Line Is It Anyway
Dennis Pennis
Different Strokes
Bottom

In no order.

FINALLY! Someone mentioned the great Eddie and Richie. Can't have a Top 10 of comedy series without them...and no, you can't argue!

Mine as follows (based on average laughs per episode ):

1. Blackadder (all of them)
2. Bottom
3. Fawlty Towers
4. Red Dwarf
5. Allo Allo
6. Scrubs
7. Frazier
8. My Name Is Earl
9. Men Behaving Badly
10. The Simpsons

Honourable mentions to The Fast Show and Little Britain...

by DAVE667 on Fri Aug 05, 2016 11:01 am

.



Bottom
Spaced
Green Wing
Black Books
Frasier
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Peep Show/Mitchell and Webb
Brass Eye/The Day Today
Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Family Guy/America Dad/Cleveland Show

You blind c*nt!

Should've gone to Specsavers!

Also edited my top 10 to include the amazing Big Bang Theory.

"I have given you a red hot tip"

"I know...and there's nothing I can do about it now, is there?!"