Upstaged by a Dog

I’m always curious about your British TV opinions, so I recently threw out the question: which sitcoms do you absolutely love, or maybe hate? And among the fantastic suggestions that poured in, one name kept popping up: ‘Derek’!

This unique British series is the brainchild of Ricky Gervais – he wrote, directed, and starred as the kind-hearted Derek Noakes. If you’re a fan of ‘The Office,’ you’ll recognise the mockumentary style instantly. ‘Derek’ is a show that really got people talking and feeling, so let’s try to unpack what viewers loved, and perhaps what made them feel a little differently about it.

I asked you all: which British sitcoms are your absolute favourites, and which ones just rub you the wrong way? And amidst all your brilliant suggestions, ‘Duty Free’ popped up time and time again!

This ITV classic, which ran from 1984 to 1986, was an absolute phenomenon, with up to 18 million viewers every week! It was pure holiday escapism, packed with sun, sea, sangria, and even a memorable Christmas special.

So, what was it about this Spanish holiday sitcom, that had viewers tuning in in their millions, while others just weren’t convinced? Get your passport and boarding card ready, we’re about to find out what people felt was right (or very wrong!) with ‘Duty Free’!

I recently threw out the question to all of you: what are your most loved (or perhaps most hated!) British sitcoms? And from the dozens of fantastic suggestions, ‘To The Manor Born’ definitely made the cut!

This beloved classic, originally airing from 1979 to 1981 (plus a special in 2007), gave us the unforgettable duo of Penelope Keith as the wonderfully dignified Audrey fforbes-Hamilton and Peter Bowles as the smooth, self-made millionaire, Richard DeVere. The story begins with Audrey having to sell her grand family estate, only for it to be snapped up by the very charming (and very ‘new money’) DeVere. It’s a premise that feels so quintessentially British and, dare I say, harmless! So, what could possibly be controversial or disliked about a show like this? Let’s dive in and find out!

I recently asked: which British sitcoms do you absolutely adore, or, let’s be honest, totally can’t stand? And out of the hundreds of replies I got, one title stood out: ‘Sorry!’

This classic BBC One sitcom, broadcast from 1981 to 1988, starred the legendary Ronnie Corbett as Timothy Lumsden – a 41-year-old librarian who’s sharp as a tack, witty… but also incredibly shy and just a little bit awkward, especially when it comes to love.

So, what was the real deal with ‘Sorry!’? Let’s dive in and find out what people loved and, perhaps, what they didn’t quite forgive!

I asked you: what British sitcoms do you absolutely love or totally despise? Out of hundreds of replies, one show kept popping up: ‘Allo ‘Allo!

This classic British sitcom, that aired on BBC One back in 1982 and ran for nine hilarious (and sometimes controversial) seasons, transported us to Nazi-occupied France during World War 2. Created by the brilliant minds of David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, it’s famous for its unforgettable characters and incredible cast. But let’s be real, it also gets a lot of flak for its over-the-top stereotypes and making light of a pretty serious time in history.

In this video, we’re going unpack all of it – what made you laugh, what made you cringe, and why this show still sparks so much debate!

We’ve already looked at the top British sitcoms that had terrible American re-makes, but because that list was voted for by a contemporary audience, many of them might have forgotten – or never seen – some of the really good classic British sitcoms from the 1970s and 1980s.

To make up for that, in this video we’re going to have a look at some popular sitcoms from that period that were re-made for American audiences. We’re going in chronological order that the original British shows were first broadcast.

So far, we have seen how American re-makes of 19 of the best all-time British sitcoms have been terrible flops. Now it’s time to see what happened to the sitcom voted number one by visitors to the Ranker.com website, when America tried to re-make it.

Your number one sitcom is ‘Fawlty Towers’.

Fawlty Towers might just be a perfect example of British humour, and the original series has enjoyed enormous success outside the UK and has been shown in more than 60 countries.

So why did anyone need to make an American version?

But this isn’t the end of the series; don’t miss the bonus episode next week!

So, across the pond in the good ol’ U-S of A, they’ve certainly taken a shine to some of our brilliant British telly over the years, haven’t they?

But while some adaptations have become absolute smash hits, like ‘The Office’, there are others that… well, let’s just say they didn’t quite capture the same magic. Today, we’re diving into the story of three more British sitcoms that made the leap to American screens with big expectations, only to sadly, spectacularly, flop!

This video covers the sitcoms in 9th, 7th, and 2nd places of the best-ever British sitcoms, according to the Ranker.com website.

Don’t miss the next episode, with the many re-makes of the British number 1 sitcom, and a bonus video a week later!