No Right Answer: Best British TV Show Ever

[drschplatt]

I've never actually seen a full episode of Dr. Who as the 3 or 4 I tried watching were just boring recycled science fiction shows with bad special effects. I saw them within the last 5 years, so it's possible I may have seen the "bad Dr. Who" instead of the good one. But it didn't seem any different than a slightly goofy version of Sanctuary or Stargate. More like Quantum Leap.


Monty Python though is funny and great no matter which sketch you stumble across. It doesn't rely on bad special effects or recycled science fiction but quality timing and proper writing. Right up there with Black Adder, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Top Gear and Fawlty Towers as great British TV shows.

 

[EeveeElectro]

If I had to pick, I'd say Monty Python. I love Who but it makes me feel stupid because I don't always understand what's happening, whereas MP makes me laugh and amuses me.
Sometimes I watch DW and I'm worried I'll get an aneurism it's so mind bendingly silly, whereas MP is just funny silly and the cast are absolute legends.

 

[bluepotatosack]

Reading through this thread I've found one thing that's bothering me. It is "Fawlty Towers", correct? Not "Faulty".

 

[octafish]

Listen, don't mention the war! I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it all right...

So! It's all forgotten now, and let's hear no more about it. So, that's two egg mayonnaise, a prawn Goebbels, a Hermann Goering, and four Colditz salads.

I have watched Doctor Who for most of my 38 years, and I love it. However Fawlty Towers is the best the British have ever made, yea even unto Only Fools and Horses. Given, Fawlty Towers is distilled comedy and Horses ran for forever, but Fawlty Towers is still the apogee. The yanks even tried to re-make three times! Failed every time of course, but three times!

 

[Kris D'Arienzo]

Reading through this thread I've found one thing that's bothering me. It is "Fawlty Towers", correct? Not "Faulty".

You are correct, Basil. *smacks manuel upside the head*

 

[drschplatt]

Reading through this thread I've found one thing that's bothering me. It is "Fawlty Towers", correct? Not "Faulty".

Two posts before you I said...


"Right up there with .... and Fawlty Towers as great British TV shows."

I'm an American who can spell Fawlty




...but it's still color...

 

[Andrew_C]

You can't discuss the best of British TV without mentioning Spitting Image, Yes Minister or Brass Eye. Or Father Ted, for that matter

 

[Strazdas]

Good choices but i still prefer Top Gear to the two of them. I guess it doesn't really count as it doesnt really have a ravenous fanbase.

top gear is fun but if you dont care about cars it gets boring REAL fast. very limited audience.

Top Gear has a massive ravenous fanbase. The difference is that most of their fanbase rarely have more than 2 braincells, sad to say. I know that makes me come of as a real nob, but seriously, most of the TG fanbase or men (and women) whom watch every week, unaware so much is staged, drooling over cars they will NEVER own, and genuinely think Clarkson is an awesome guy.

Well Clarkson does own quite a few nice cars. of course no miltimillion crap or such. he seesm to have devoted his life to that thing though, his holyday consists of making private car movies and writing car books. the guy is obsessed with cars. not glorifying it or anything, but hes head above the Brainiac guy (brainiac was a show the hamster used to run) or captain slow.

 

[Hutzpah Chicken]

Damn straight, Monty Python's Flying Circus. I always enjoy the absolute silliness.

Thinking about all the British TV I watch, there is:
Top Gear
Mr. Bean
Red Dwarf
James May's (whatever you want to put into here, go ahead)
Blackadder
The IT Crowd

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

I took me a couple of seasons to get used to Matt Smith's run. But with Tennant, 1 episode in and I was hooked.

I heard there was an American version of I.T Crowd, and that it sucked colossal monkey balls.