Britain's Best Sitcom | |
---|---|
Genre | Documentary |
Written by | See list of episodes |
Directed by | See list of episodes |
Presented by | See list of episodes |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 12 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Producers | See list of episodes |
Running time |
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Production company | BBC Manchester |
Original release | |
Network | BBC Two |
Release | 10 January – 27 March 2004 |
Britain's Best Sitcom is a 12-episode documentary series that BBC Two transmitted from 10 January to 27 March 2004. It was part of a nationwide media campaign and opinion poll conducted by the BBC in 2003 and 2004.
The BBC asked television viewers to select their favourite British situation comedies from a list of 100, with the option to supply one write-in candidate. In the first poll, conducted in August 2003, viewers could vote via telephone or the BBC's website; the second, conducted January–March 2004, added the option of voting by text message. This second poll coincided with the television programme, which celebrated the top 50 sitcoms from the first poll, and urged viewers to vote their preference from the top 10.
In the three-hour premiere episode, Jonathan Ross summarised the progress of the poll, and presented video clips from the bottom 40 of the 50 sitcoms that received the most votes. [2] Each of the next ten weekly episodes, one hour in length, focused on one sitcom. [3] [2] In each episode, a different presenter advocated a particular sitcom, delivering 20 reasons why it deserved viewers' votes. [3] [2] The sitcom's writers and actors, as well as celebrity viewers, also shared their own perspectives and memories. In the 90-minute finale, transmitted live, Jonathan Ross announced the top sitcom to be Only Fools and Horses .
Britain's Best Sitcom was preceded by the BBC Two programmes Great Britons (2002) and The Big Read (2003), each of which was also based on national opinion polls.
Before the opening the poll, the BBC compiled a list of 100 "top [British] sitcoms" based on input from "sitcom writers and TV comedy experts". [4] This list constituted the nominees for the first of the two rounds of votes solicited from the public.
The BBC posted a homepage and ballot web page for the Britain's Best Sitcom poll to the BBCi website on 28 July 2003. In August, they advertised the poll in the Radio Times magazine, on the BBCi website, and via the national teletext service Ceefax, [2] inviting the public to "have your say" [4] and "play your part in a major television event". [5]
The ballot required voters either to select 10 sitcoms from the list, or to select nine and then nominate a write-in candidate. [4] Voters could not rank their 10 selections by preference. Votes by telephone incurred a charge of 10 pence per minute. [5] On 30 December 2003, the BBC published a press release promoting the forthcoming Britain's Best Sitcom series on BBC Two, and listing the 50 sitcoms that received the most votes. The list was alphabetical; it did not reveal the number of votes that any sitcom received, or its rank in the list. It contained no write-in candidates. [3]
On 10 January 2004, the BBC published another press release to promote the series, which was to begin that night on BBC Two. [2] The press release provided more details about the programme and the vote, including an alphabetical list of the 10 finalists, and a ranked list of the rest of the top 50 sitcoms. The premiere episode of Britain's Best Sitcom began at 9 PM and concluded at midnight. [6] From Goodnight Sweetheart (number 50) to Father Ted (number 11), it counted down the 40 highest-ranked sitcoms that did not receive enough votes to place it in the top 10. [2]
Each of the next 10 episodes of Britain's Best Sitcom was one hour long, and devoted to one of the 10 finalists. The "celebrity advocate" in each episode gave 20 reasons why their sitcom was the best. Their arguments were illustrated by video clips from the sitcom. On-screen messages in the episodes, as well as web pages in the BBC's website, and listings in the Radio Times—informed viewers and readers that they could vote by telephone, by text message (SMS), or online. Voting by text message was only possible in this final round of voting. Votes by telephone were less expensive than in the first round, because they lasted no more than one minute. A vote by telephone cost 10 pence; a vote by text message incurred a charge of 10–12 pence, depending on the mobile network operator. [2] For each of the finalists, online voters had access to an essay about the sitcom (from the BBCi Guide to Comedy), a selection of quotes from the advocate's arguments and from online comments, and an annotated video clip of a scene from one episode. [7]
The poll opened at 9 PM on 10 January 2004 (when the Britain's Best Sitcom premiere began). The voting rules allowed up to five people per household to vote. After the transmission of each weekly episode, viewer's had an opportunity to change their vote. [8] [9] The BBC collected demographic profile data as part of the poll. It required online voters to answer three market segmentation questions: whether they are male or female; which region of the UK they live in, and which age group they belong to. [7] [8] Voting closed on the night of 27 March 2004. [8]
Near the end of the live, final episode of Britain's Best Sitcom, Jonathan Ross announced Only Fools and Horses to be the top sitcom by popular vote. After the programme's conclusion, the BBC published a ranked list of all 100 sitcoms on their website, along with the official vote tally for the top 10. [10] [11] [12]
No. | Title | Presented by [1] [2] | Directed by [1] | Written by [1] | Produced by [1] | Original release date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Launch" | Jonathan Ross | Andy Devonshire | Robin Ince, Steve Punt, Lloyd Stanton | Shirley Hunt Benson, Will Bryant, Stephen McGinn, Cybele Rowbottom [13] | 10 January 2004 [2] [6] | |
Jonathan Ross recaps the 50 top British sitcoms, as determined by an electronic poll conducted in 2003. | |||||||
2 | "Blackadder" | John Sergeant | Garry John Hughes | Phill Jupitus | Garry John Hughes | 17 January 2004 | |
John Sergeant advocates Blackadder , a series of historical farces that premiered in 1983 on BBC1. | |||||||
3 | "Fawlty Towers" | Jack Dee | Matt O'Casey | Jack Dee | Matt O'Casey | 24 January 2004 | |
Jack Dee advocates Fawlty Towers , a comedy set in a dysfunctional hotel that premiered on BBC2 in 1975 and ran for two series. | |||||||
4 | "The Good Life" | Ulrika Jonsson | Becky Martin | Robin Ince, Richard Webber | Mark Turnbull | 31 January 2004 | |
Ulrika Jonsson advocates The Good Life , a sitcom about a middle-class English couple who make an attempt at farming at their house in the southwest London suburb of Surbiton. It premiered on BBC1 in 1975. | |||||||
5 | "Yes Minister" | Armando Iannucci | Andy Devonshire | Armando Iannucci | Verity Newman | 7 February 2004 | |
Armando Iannucci advocates Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister , a political satire that premiered on BBC2 in 1980 and its sequel. | |||||||
6 | "One Foot in the Grave" | Rowland Rivron | Elaine Shepherd | Lloyd Stanton | Elaine Shepherd | 14 February 2004 | |
Rowland Rivron advocates One Foot in the Grave , a dark comedy about the trials of an elderly curmudgeon and his longsuffering wife. It premiered on BBC1 in 1990. | |||||||
7 | "Porridge" | Johnny Vaughan | Stephen Franklin | Johnny Vaughan, Steve Punt | Stephen Franklin | 21 February 2004 | |
Johnny Vaughan advocates BBC1's Porridge (1975–1978), about two men—one middle-aged, the other a young newcomer—serving time in a British prison. | |||||||
8 | "Only Fools and Horses" | David Dickinson | ? | ? | Gerard Barry | 28 February 2004 | |
David Dickinson advocates Only Fools and Horses , which centres on an ambitious Cockney market trader called Del Boy. It premiered on BBC1 in 1981. | |||||||
9 | "Open All Hours" | Clarissa Dickson Wright | Andrew Nicholson | ? | Andrew Nicholson | 6 March 2004 | |
Clarissa Dickson Wright advocates Open All Hours , which premiered on BBC2 in 1973. It concerns a South Yorkshire shopkeeper and his wistful nephew. | |||||||
10 | "The Vicar of Dibley" | Carol Vorderman | Karina Brennan | Stuart Maconie | Karina Brennan | 13 March 2004 | |
Carol Vorderman advocates The Vicar of Dibley , in which Geraldine, the buxom new vicar of a small village in Oxfordshire, lives among a colourful cast of characters there – and encounters some opposition. BBC1 premiered The Vicar of Dibley in 1994. | |||||||
11 | "Dad's Army" | Phill Jupitus | Norman Hull | Andre Vincent, Phil Wilding | Norman Hull | 20 March 2004 [14] | |
Phill Jupitus advocates Dad's Army . Set during the Second World War, it introduces viewers to an unlikely group of Home Guard volunteers on England's south coast. The series ran from 1968 on BBC1. | |||||||
12 | "The Top 50 Countdown" | Jonathan Ross | Alex Hardcastle | ? | Alex Hardcastle | 27 March 2004 [15] | |
Rank | Title | Years transmitted (as of 2003) | Channel | Number of votes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Only Fools and Horses | 1981–1993, 1996, 2001–2003 [i] | BBC1 | 342,426 |
2 | Blackadder | 1983–1989, 1999 | BBC1 | 282,106 |
3 | The Vicar of Dibley | 1994–2000 [ii] | BBC1 | 212,927 |
4 | Dad's Army | 1968–1977 | BBC1 | 174,138 |
5 | Fawlty Towers | 1975–1979 | BBC2 | 172,066 |
6 | Yes Minister | 1980–1982, 1984 | BBC2 | 123,502 |
Yes, Prime Minister | 1987–1988 | |||
7 | Porridge | 1974–1977 | BBC1 | 93,902 |
8 | Open All Hours | 1976–1985 | BBC1 | 67,237 |
9 | The Good Life | 1975–1978 | BBC1 | 40,803 |
10 | One Foot in the Grave | 1990–2000 | BBC1 | 31,410 |
11 | Father Ted | 1995–1998 | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
12 | Keeping Up Appearances | 1990–1995 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
13 | 'Allo 'Allo! | 1982–1992 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
14 | Last of the Summer Wine | 1973–2003 [iii] | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
15 | Steptoe and Son | 1962–1974 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
16 | Men Behaving Badly | 1992–1998 | ITV (series 1–2) BBC1 (series 3–7) | Undisclosed |
17 | Absolutely Fabulous | 1992–1996, 2001–2003 [iv] | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
18 | Red Dwarf | 1988–1999 [v] | BBC2 [v] | Undisclosed |
19 | The Royle Family | 1998–2000 [vi] | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
20 | Are You Being Served? | 1972–1985 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
21 | To the Manor Born | 1979–1981 [vii] | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
22 | Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em | 1973–1978 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
23 | The Likely Lads | 1964–1966 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? | 1973–1974 | BBC2 | ||
24 | My Family | 2000–2003 [viii] | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
25 | The Office | 2001–2002 [ix] | BBC2 [ix] | Undisclosed |
26 | Drop the Dead Donkey | 1990–1998 | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
27 | Rising Damp | 1974–1978 | ITV | Undisclosed |
28 | dinnerladies | 1998–2000 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
29 | As Time Goes By | 1992–2002 [x] | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
30 | Hancock's Half Hour | 1956–1961 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
31 | The Young Ones | 1982–1984 | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
32 | Till Death Us Do Part | 1965–1975 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
33 | Butterflies | 1978–1983 | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
34 | The Thin Blue Line | 1995–1996 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
35 | The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin | 1976–1979, 1982 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
36 | Phoenix Nights | 2001–2002 | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
37 | Waiting for God | 1990–1994 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
38 | Birds of a Feather | 1989–1998 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
39 | Bread | 1986–1991 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
40 | Hi-de-Hi! | 1980–1988 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
41 | The League of Gentlemen | 1999–2002 | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
42 | I'm Alan Partridge | 1997–2002 | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
43 | Just Good Friends | 1983–1986 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
44 | 2point4 children | 1991–1999 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
45 | Bottom | 1991–1995 | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
46 | It Ain't Half Hot Mum | 1974–1981 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
47 | The Brittas Empire | 1991–1997 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
48 | Gimme Gimme Gimme | 1999–2001 | BBC2 (series 1) BBC1 (series 2–3) | Undisclosed |
49 | Rab C. Nesbitt | 1988–1999 [xi] | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
50 | Goodnight Sweetheart | 1993–1999 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
51 | Up Pompeii! | 1969–1970, 1975, 1991 | BBC1 ITV (1991 special) | Undisclosed |
52 | Ever Decreasing Circles | 1984–1989 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
53 | On the Buses | 1969–1973 | ITV | Undisclosed |
54 | Coupling | 2000–2002 [xii] | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
55 | George and Mildred | 1976–1979 | ITV | Undisclosed |
56 | A Fine Romance | 1981–1984 | ITV | Undisclosed |
57 | Citizen Smith | 1977–1980 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
58 | Black Books | 2000–2002 [xiii] | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
59 | The Liver Birds | 1969–1996 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
60 | Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps | 2001–2003 [xiv] | BBC2 (series 1) BBC Choice (series 2) BBC Three (series 3 onward) | Undisclosed |
61 | The New Statesman | 1987–1994 | ITV BBC1 (1994 special) | Undisclosed |
62 | Sykes | 1972–1979 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
Sykes and a... | 1960–1965 | |||
63 | Please Sir! | 1968–1972 | ITV | Undisclosed |
64 | Dear John | 1986–1987 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
65 | Barbara | 1995–2003 | ITV | Undisclosed |
66 | Spaced | 1999–2001 | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
67 | Bless This House | 1971–1976 | ITV | Undisclosed |
68 | Love Thy Neighbour | 1972–1976 | ITV | Undisclosed |
69 | Man About the House | 1973–1976 | ITV | Undisclosed |
70 | Desmond's | 1989–1994 | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
71 | Duty Free | 1984–1986 | ITV | Undisclosed |
72 | All Gas and Gaiters | 1966–1971 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
73 | Happy Ever After | 1974–1979 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
Terry and June | 1979–1987 | |||
74 | Only When I Laugh | 1979–1982 | ITV | Undisclosed |
75 | Brass | 1983–1990 | ITV | Undisclosed |
76 | The Rag Trade | 1961–1978 | BBC1 (series 1–3) ITV (series 4–5) | Undisclosed |
77 | Sorry! | 1981–1988 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
78 | Kiss Me Kate | 1998–2000 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
79 | Doctor in the House | 1969–1970 | ITV | Undisclosed |
Doctor at Large | 1971 | |||
Doctor in Charge | 1972–1973 | |||
Doctor at Sea | 1974 | |||
Doctor on the Go | 1975–1977 | |||
Doctor at the Top | 1991 | BBC1 | ||
80 | I Didn't Know You Cared | 1975–1979 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
81 | Shelley | 1979–1992 | ITV | Undisclosed |
82 | Nearest and Dearest | 1968–1973 | ITV | Undisclosed |
83 | Fresh Fields | 1984–1986 | ITV | Undisclosed |
French Fields | 1989–1991 | |||
84 | The Army Game | 1957–1961 | ITV | Undisclosed |
85 | Robin's Nest | 1977–1981 | ITV | Undisclosed |
86 | The Dustbinmen | 1969–1970 | ITV | Undisclosed |
87 | Whoops Apocalypse | 1982 | ITV | Undisclosed |
88 | My Wife Next Door | 1972 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
89 | Never the Twain | 1981–1991 | ITV | Undisclosed |
90 | Nightingales | 1990–1993 | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
91 | Early Doors | 2003 [xv] | BBC2 | Undisclosed |
92 | Agony | 1979–1981 | ITV | Undisclosed |
93 | The Lovers | 1970–1971 | ITV | Undisclosed |
94 | Father, Dear Father | 1968–1973 | ITV | Undisclosed |
95 | Hot Metal | 1986–1989 | ITV | Undisclosed |
96 | ...And Mother Makes Three | 1971–1973 | ITV | Undisclosed |
...And Mother Makes Five | 1974–1976 | |||
97 | Life with The Lyons | 1955–1960 | BBC1 / ITV | Undisclosed |
98 | Marriage Lines | 1961–1966 | BBC1 | Undisclosed |
99 | A Sharp Intake of Breath | 1977–1981 | ITV | Undisclosed |
100 | No Problem! | 1983–1985 | Channel 4 | Undisclosed |
Britain's Best Sitcom was BBC Two's third television programme based on nationwide opinion polls between 2002 and 2004. It was preceded by the The Big Read (18 October – 13 December 2003) and Great Britons (20 October – 24 November 2002). [16] The Big Read was based on a poll asking for readers' favourite novels; Great Britons was based on the 100 Great Britons poll, which asked members of the public to nominate people who were born in or lived in the British Isles (including Ireland), and who "played a significant part in the life of the British Isles."
All three polls were conducted during the tenure of Jane Root as controller of BBC Two. [2] [17] [18] [19] Root served as the channel's controller (executive director of programming) from 1999 until 2004, when she left the BBC to head Discovery Networks in the United States.