What a flash back ...being 44 now.. I remember watch some of these as a kid.Some played on Sundays evenings....then when it was finished...bedtime and that school feeling.
I used to love middle class situation comedies when I was a kid. No idea why, I think it must have been the escapism. We lived on a council estate in Salford so none of them were remotely relatable. Thanks for another great vid.
I lived in a tower block in Sheffield. Nobody I knew or met lived in the sort of 3 bed-semi sitcom land house and had a working man's job (think Love thy Neighbour or On the Buses. My dad just passed it off as TV land or 'shut up or leave' depending on the sort of day he'd had. That was before we moved to the paper bag in the middle of the road after the miner's strike...
Absolutely loved Dear Ladies! I saw Hinge and Bracket several times live in theatre, they were incredible. Also loved Fresh Fields, especially the dotty neighbour "It's only Sonia!"
I am actually watching "Ever Decreasing Circles" for the first time at the moment. If it has been forgotten it doesn't deserve to be. Excellent series.
Some of those sitcoms will never be forgotten because they were brilliant. Me and My Girl was brilliant with a really good mix of cast members and most high school boys had such a crush on Joanne Ridley. and Watching was abit like Liver Birds with that wonderful fast Liverpudlian wit and it never disappointed as every other line was a fast witty one liner. And Emma Wray was very cheeky but so cute she got away with it.
Anyone remeber a very funny but quite short lived sitcom called The Ritz about a nightclub that was on around 87? Used to love that programme as a kid but don't remember too much about the story..
I wish I could forget it.. although I rather liked it, being called John, one of my friends at school used to sing the theme tune at me repeatedly for most of the years we were there :-/
Dear John was also a John Sullivan series. One of the last things that we saw Ralph Bates in before his untimely death in 1991. They remade this series in America starring Judd Hirsch and it ran for 4 series. I'm not sure why, it lacked all the charm and awkwardness of the UK version because Judd Hirsch couldn't play pathetic loser like Ralph Bates.
To those who aren't old enough to remember these, it must seem like there were only about a dozen actors all hopping from sitcom to sitcom, (i.e. Richard Briers, Thora Hird, Joan Sanderson, Geoffrey Palmer..)
This takes me back. It was the video that led me to this channel. I remember most of these classic (and not so classic) sitcoms as well as others like It Takes A Worried Man, The Happy Apple and Chance In A Million.
Well Chance In A Million was actually good. I own it on disk, and have watched it a good few times. I can't say that the shows in this video seemed particularly appealing to me. I have seen a few episodes of some of them, mostly with disappointment. Girls On Top was ok, though still a bit underwhelming, given the talent involved.
I remember a lot of these, the odd one or two, genuinely no memory. I would consider some of these, if not big beasts, maybe mid-size beasts of UK sitcoms. A lot of good memories, I'm gonna have to come back for another look.
And responsible for the future horrorshow of the F&S career which never got a faint titter out of me.Ditto Tracey Ullman.Ruby Wax i always have time for.
John Sullivan was one of the greatest tv writers ever. but he is only remembered for Only fools and horses these days. he wrote all his shows himself. citizen smith, just good friends, only fools is one hell of a cv
@@markdaly1903 Trigger: Oh well, you live and learn... So what’s Dave, a nickname ‘like? Rodney: No! You’re the only one who calls me Dave, everybody else calls me Rodney - and the reason they call me Rodney, is because Rodney is my name.👍
JGF had a dark theme running through it. In later episodes it came out about why Vince jilted Penny. Her snobbish mum hated Vince with a vengeance and just before the wedding she said he was a waste of time and if he really loved Penny he'd let her go and marry someone better. He did and she did to a man who mentally abused her causing her to have a breakdown. They divorced and that's where the story about them meeting up again begins. I remember the scene where Penny tries do decorate the living room and just loses it and goes mad with the brush. John Sullivan was good with bringing the laughter to a screeching halt. Remember Rodney bursting into tears in the lift after Cassandras miscarriage? Genius.
Great video (weird that I do actually remember a good few of these being born in 1979) but showing longer clips for each entry would have made it much better in my opinion. Thanks for the nostalgia hit :)
I watched far too much TV in the 80s - Remembered all of these (and the theme tunes, haha) Thanks for bringing back the memories. Golden era of sitcom.
I was on a course years ago a we had Jim Hitchmough (Watching) in to give us a talk. He was a wonderful man, he died not long after, he left some fine work ❤️
Joan Sanderson made a very good career for herself playing battleaxe's in various sitcoms. Also could anyone forget her guest role in the classic Fawlty Towers episode " Is this a piece of your brain !! " As for Bottle Boys...that show was about as funny as a trip to the dentist's.
Her brain was “over there, between the land and the sky” (along with the sea!) 😂 My favourite episode of any tv show. Joan was just perfect! “Fawlty? What’s wrong with him?” 😬
B - Blott on the Landscape. C - Constant Hot Water - Only 6 eps, With Prunella Gee and Pat Phoenix based around a B&B E - Educating Marmalade H - Hardwicke House. Banned by ITV after 2 episodes. M - Metal Mickey - Classic. Say no more.
Ever Decreasing Circles actually gets quite a few repeats on GOLD. And I personally find it underated. Richard Briers even said he prefers the character of Martin over Tom from 'The Good Life'.
Was Ever Decreasing Circles the one that had a couple always wearing matching jumpers as side characters? I remember they moved to Oswestry in last episode because, if you live in Shropshire, a mention of anywhere within the county on TV is noticeable.
Funny story about Emma Wray from "Watching". Would have been 1999/2000, one late Saturday night me and a mate were having an acoustic jam session at his apartment in Castlefield, Manchester, after *ahem* one or two beers. Next minute, there's someone banging on the door, and our first thought was pissed off neighbour about to tell us to shut the fuck up. When I opened the door, it was Emma Wray and another actress, the very tidy Clare Perkins (who went on to Eastenders and a decent movie career). Emma Wray was carrying a guitar in one hand and the biggest bag of weed I'd ever seen in the other, and she announced she'd just moved in to the apartment next door; they'd heard us playing and decided to join in. Cue the goofiest jam session in history, as we all got fucked up on the weed, and me and my mate took the piss out of them nonstop. I had my eye on Clare, but my mate being the shark that he is (he's better looking and a better singer, to be fair) had her in his bedroom before long. Leaving me with a bit of a dilemma; I didn't fancy Emma Wray (she's really short; about 4ft 10. Not my thing at all), but after some beer and some puff my standards become a little more flexible.....and just to add insult to injury she just fucked off back to her apartment, leaving me with blue balls and dented pride. Happy days.
I was recently watching... umm... Watching. lol. I can remember the show being on when I was a kid, and I never really watched it because I was far too young for it, but the theme tune most certainly stuck in my head for eons. Even years and years after I hadn't heard it for ages. So I decided to watch the show out of curiosity and so far it's very engaging.
Yes, I did the same over the summer. Some of the acting was a bit ropey, but I enjoyed the chemistry between Brenda and Malcolm and the scripts weren't bad ;-))
Malcolm said the line `If it wasn`t for Venetian Blinds it`d be curtains for all of us` in the show . A line I`ve used quite a lot since to some peoples bemusement
I remember it being popular at the time. But strangely enough it often doesn't make lists when mainstream TV makes retrospective shows about the 80s. One of those things which was popular but as the video correctly lists is largely forgotten about.
one you didn't mention that i feel is worthy of this list is chelmsford 123. not only was it funny it had a factual backstory to it, and the cast was brilliant, yet it kind of went under the radar for most people. channel 4 was still a young channel back then lol. but thanks for some happy memories, i had indeed forgotten about ever decreasing circles, although i had watched it i remember the good life more but it was just as good.
I actually remember “after Henry” and “fresh fields” now you’ve reminded me. And I never forgot “ever decreasing circles” and “only when I laugh”, they were actually rather funny. And I also never forgot “me and my girl”, although I recall it being a bit cheesy.
I remember After Henry on the radio (BBC radio 4) and loved it. Probably in the 90s. Which doesn't make sense 'cos usually comedy goes from radio to TV. I have absolutely no recollection of it on TV.
Do you remember Dear John? I recall listening to my parents watching it and hearing the soundtrack filter through the floorboards up to my bedroom. I always wondered what it was about as my mum loved Dear Ladies and my eight-year-old brain thought the two must in some way be connected. How wrong I was!
@@kimmarievan-ever6599 Yeah, I liked that show. I remember the medallion man in the white suit who really lived a lonely life. I later learned that it was dropped by BBC programme makers and Red Dwarf benefitted from the comedy black-hole that Dear John left in its wake. Ralph Bates was a very good actor. I also well remember Just Good Friends which was very popular.
@@KebabMusicLtd I bought my dad the DVD set some years ago. When he passed I kept it and we re-watched it recently. Still funny, Kirk is epic and is Ralph with an honourable mention to Louise who ran the 1-2-1 club. Really needed to be wrapped up with John finding a new partner but it was cancelled before that.
Sorry, The Bounder, Home to Roost, Brass, Duty Free, Hi-de-Hi! Bread, Brushstrokes some of my faves as a kid. Or maybe they were my grandparents/parents faves can't remember now.
Heck yeah - I remember Duty Free: I didn't see it then but I definitely do now what the main 4 characters were up to. ......okay put me on the naughty step for that sort of thinking.
I remembered Ever Decreasing Circles and Just Good Friends, I didn't particularly watch them more they were just on in the background as it were. I did watch Me and My Girl, Only When I Laugh, and Fairly Secret Army though, and saw some episodes of Shelley, with its acerbic central character. Probably my favourite of the crop discussed was Girls on Top, as stated it was like a female Young Ones, my favourite 80s sitcom, indeed probably my favourite of all time (which did a take on The Good Life in one episode as I recall), and you could hardly fail to remember it. On the more conventional sitcom front I did watch Watching, but couldn't recall what it was called, the title obviously less memorable than even the show to my mind.
I re-watched an episode of 'Sorry' featuring Ronnie Corbett as Timothy Lumsden and realised had rubbish it was. Sink or Swim was one I never saw, but it had Peter Davison in it while he was the Doctor.
I remember: After Henry, Ever Decreasing Circles, Fresh Fields (and yes, French Fields...), Hallelujah, In Loving Memory, Just Good Friends, Keep It In The Family, Me and My Girl, No Place Like Home, Only When I Laugh, Girls on Top, Shelley, Three Up Two Down, Up The Elephant and Round the Castle, Watching and Executive Stress,. I watched too much t.v in the eighties, and too many TH-cam videos now.😆. Watching was my favourite, but I also loved Michael Elphick in Three Up, Two Down and Thora Hird was always good for a laugh. It's amazing how many had the same themes 'empty nest' or adult kids returning home .
Chance in a million, Dear John, Sorry, Waiting for God, Kit Curran... Amazing how many shows were crammed into the 80's especially given we only had 4 channels. Grew up watching the vast majority of these along with the 'Newer' stuff like Chelmsford 123 and the Imperious Nightingales.
I remember back in the 90s, our local PBS station here in Iowa showed Take A Letter, Mr Jones. Very funny, but, of course, John Inman was the best part of it.
Seeing these old British Comedies again always make me wonder: "How dare we claim that the British Sense of humour is the best in the world?" To me, they are all on a par with The Bottle Boys. Everyone is shouting as if microphones didn't exist. The stories are as bland as sago pudding. The jokes are recycled more often than a Raleigh Chopper. I almost envy those who like this stuff. It just wasn't made for me.
TV humour is not a reflection of a national character, but the bankruptcy of the programme writers. And belive me the humour of other nation's TV is no better.
Peter Eagan gives his support for my favourite charity... Chaldon Animal Sanctuary...look at the amazing Liz... her care, & commitment to animals... that no one else wants to take on.I don't know if you''ll see this,Liz...but you know how much I love everything about you.
I loved: Ever Decreasing Circles Just Good Friends Birds Of A Feather Dinnerladies 3 Up 2 Down Bread Keeping Up Appearences There are a few more that I remember, didn't watch, would happily binge-watch if I can get hold of them! Plus, a really good drama that I'd LOVE to get hold of, but Channel 4 seems to have completely lost it: I'LL FLY AWAY
I watched many of those you listed except for 'Birds Of A Feather' which I never liked. I believe I only watched 3up 2down because Lysette Anthony was in it. I know 'Ghosts Of Motley Hall was a 70s series, but I recently saw the first series again for the first time in 45 years and found it thoroughly entertaining.
Now I do remember Ever Decreasing Circles, Fresh Fields, though I can’t recall ever seeing it, same with the one with Thora Hurd in it. Me and My Girl I did actually watch, and the sanguine humour of Only When I Laugh. Now I did like Girls On Top and recall some parts of it and Shelley was quite good. I watched Watching only for the young lady in it. The scouse one. Fairly Secret Army was a spin off with a character from Reginald Perrin as I recall
This Yank lived in England, 1985-1990. Didn’t watch much television, but I do remember Bottle Boys and Up The Elephant & around The Castle. Vaguely remember Ever Decreasing Circles.
I was in my mid 20's back at the start of the 80's and hated most of these but I wasn't at home very often, most sitcoms were aimed at the over 50's at that time.
Yank here! I remember Take A Letter Mr. Jones! It was played on my PBS station back in the 90s, because Are You Being Served? had been such a hit with viewers. So they decided to get the rights for that obscure show that also had John Inman on it. Yep!
I was born in 1978 I watched alot of TV growing up and I can honestly say the only one I remember from your video is watching. That being said I would have had to watch what my parents watched I did get my own TV in 1986 for my 8 th birthday so I probably watched different programmes from then on.
I'm happy to say I don't remember half these at all even though I turned 10 in 1980. There were just so many sitcoms then many just passed you by.Now you do well to see one.
I don't know we are also getting good portions of Porridge, Dads Army, Are You Being Served, My Hero, Outnumbered, Summer Wine, The Green Green Grass etc. 😉 Not bad. Not on the BBC of course they prefer celebrity game shows these days.
I remember most of these. Roll Over Beethoven was a shitcom, I only watched it because Nigel Planer from The Young Ones was in it, but The Young Ones it was not. There was an episode where Planer's character sees a disabled pensioner in a wheelchair and calls him a "dalek".
Only when I laugh was great, I liked Shelley too, I've been trying to think of the name of the sitcom with Simon Callow and Brenda Blethyn for the past year! Thanks to another commenter for reminding me 😄
I was born in 1980 and watched so much TV as a kid and still do. I remember a lot of these, but some I really don’t. I loved Bottle Boys, Fresh Fields, Girls On Top, Shelley, Up The Elephant And Round The Castle, and Watching. My family always watched those and I remember them well. Here’s another 1 I loved as a kid that you might not remember for S, Slinger’s Day. It starred Bruce Forsyth as a Supermarket Manager. It was a spin-off from Tripper’s Day, which starred Leonard Rossiter before he died, which you could’ve also done for T. And 1 that I don’t remember, but found recently, for O, was Odd Man Out, starring John Inman running a Fish and Chip Shop in Blackpool.
Awwww what a glorious list , I’m a huge fan of Girls on Top and Dear Ladies , plus some shows like Fresh fields Ever decreasing circles hallelujah. In loving memory, Just Good Friends still feel I’ve seen every episode . BUT really don’t remember Goodbye Mr Kent , and Valentine Park , Fairly secret army was about to say my only obscure one I can think of for you is Kinvig sci Fi sitcom which only last of the season but I guess Agony and That’s my Boy are quite mainstream again , but just seen there’s a a follow-up video of 10 more British sitcoms, so that might be on your next list :) Can’t wait pressing play! Awwww some lovely memories
Nicely put together but most of these are hardly forgotten, most are readily available on dvd and some streaming sites, if you really want forgotten sitcoms have a look at Nostalgia Central site, ridiculous amount of forgotten gems that never get aired or have a dvd release.
What a flash back ...being 44 now.. I remember watch some of these as a kid.Some played on Sundays evenings....then when it was finished...bedtime and that school feeling.
I used to love middle class situation comedies when I was a kid. No idea why, I think it must have been the escapism. We lived on a council estate in Salford so none of them were remotely relatable. Thanks for another great vid.
Same I used to love ever decreasing circle's no realation to my life I think some of it was because my home life was just so boring
Or funny.
Funny, I despised them for the same reason
@@BlookbugIV I used to like them until I 'got political' and now I won't give them the time of day for that reason.
I lived in a tower block in Sheffield. Nobody I knew or met lived in the sort of 3 bed-semi sitcom land house and had a working man's job (think Love thy Neighbour or On the Buses. My dad just passed it off as TV land or 'shut up or leave' depending on the sort of day he'd had. That was before we moved to the paper bag in the middle of the road after the miner's strike...
Absolutely loved Dear Ladies! I saw Hinge and Bracket several times live in theatre, they were incredible. Also loved Fresh Fields, especially the dotty neighbour "It's only Sonia!"
Shelley was outstanding but another forgotten gem was Chance in a Million with Simon Callow and Brenda Blethyn.
Both superb :)
The early days of channel 4 if I’m not mistaken……
I’m pretty sure this was on the first night of Channel 4 if I remember.
I thought “get some in”might pop up. It was a sitcom about national service.
@@spendor9377 70s I think.
I am actually watching "Ever Decreasing Circles" for the first time at the moment. If it has been forgotten it doesn't deserve to be. Excellent series.
best sitcom ever, Paul is wonderful.
I used to love it as well
Where are you watching it it nexflix?
@@gingernutpreacher BBC4
@@gingernutpreacher Yes BBC4 have been repeating it for a while now, must be near the end sadly. I hope to invest in a DVD box set though.
with the Inimitable Emma Wray I found all the episodes of Watching online and was delighted by them all and was left wanting more!
They’re often repeated on Forces TV
Loved the mother turning the kettle on then listening for the electricity to come through.
I agree. Emma Wray and Lisa Tarbuck made that a total "much watch" series for me.
Truly terrible!
I absolutely adore this series. Great writing, acting and sets.
Some of those sitcoms will never be forgotten because they were brilliant. Me and My Girl was brilliant with a really good mix of cast members and most high school boys had such a crush on Joanne Ridley. and Watching was abit like Liver Birds with that wonderful fast Liverpudlian wit and it never disappointed as every other line was a fast witty one liner. And Emma Wray was very cheeky but so cute she got away with it.
I was a big fan of Watching, and I actually enjoyed the theme tune, a very memorable one, though I can see why some would find it irritating.
Anyone remeber a very funny but quite short lived sitcom called The Ritz about a nightclub that was on around 87? Used to love that programme as a kid but don't remember too much about the story..
I’ve got one you’ve almost certainly forgotten. Dear John with Ralph Bates. Two series 1986. - 1987.
I wish I could forget it.. although I rather liked it, being called John, one of my friends at school used to sing the theme tune at me repeatedly for most of the years we were there :-/
Dear John was also a John Sullivan series. One of the last things that we saw Ralph Bates in before his untimely death in 1991. They remade this series in America starring Judd Hirsch and it ran for 4 series. I'm not sure why, it lacked all the charm and awkwardness of the UK version because Judd Hirsch couldn't play pathetic loser like Ralph Bates.
any sexual problems ?
@@johnd6487 Haha, me too!
Didn't Ralph play George Warleggan, Poldarks nemesis in the original series?
To those who aren't old enough to remember these, it must seem like there were only about a dozen actors all hopping from sitcom to sitcom, (i.e. Richard Briers, Thora Hird, Joan Sanderson, Geoffrey Palmer..)
Anyone else remember ‘Clarence’ starring Ronnie Barker?
Yes, I believe the character had poor eyesight.
@@stephenderbyshire7849 - That’s the one! A running joke stretched a little too thinly in my opinion. Only one series made.
Trying to forget that. Not one of Ronnie's best.
@anthony6076 They didn't complain (much) about Arkwrights st st stutter though dddid they?
@@fus149hammer5 - Good point.
This takes me back. It was the video that led me to this channel. I remember most of these classic (and not so classic) sitcoms as well as others like It Takes A Worried Man, The Happy Apple and Chance In A Million.
Well Chance In A Million was actually good. I own it on disk, and have watched it a good few times. I can't say that the shows in this video seemed particularly appealing to me. I have seen a few episodes of some of them, mostly with disappointment. Girls On Top was ok, though still a bit underwhelming, given the talent involved.
Loved chance in a million back in the day.
Does anyone remember 'Dear John...'?
Yes
I'm American, and I've watched 10 of these on PBS! I thought I'd be lucky to have seen 5. Expected to have seen 2 or 3. So happy.
I remember a lot of these, the odd one or two, genuinely no memory. I would consider some of these, if not big beasts, maybe mid-size beasts of UK sitcoms. A lot of good memories, I'm gonna have to come back for another look.
Loved watching,was my favourite programme! Think I was about 8 when I saw it.pamela and David always seemed so old!
The Girls on top theme tune was written by Difford & Tilbrook who are the two mainstay members of Squeeze
And responsible for the future horrorshow of the F&S career which never got a faint titter out of me.Ditto Tracey Ullman.Ruby Wax i always have time for.
Glen and Chris
Just Good Friends was real quality. Vince and Penny, a touching love story of the time.👍
John Sullivan was one of the greatest tv writers ever. but he is only remembered for Only fools and horses these days. he wrote all his shows himself. citizen smith, just good friends, only fools is one hell of a cv
@@markdaly1903 Trigger: Oh well, you live and learn... So what’s Dave, a nickname ‘like?
Rodney: No! You’re the only one who calls me Dave, everybody else calls me Rodney - and the reason they call me Rodney, is because Rodney is my name.👍
One of my favourite comedies
@@markdaly1903 ....another forgotten gem IMO was Dear John which starred Hammer's Ralph Bates.
JGF had a dark theme running through it. In later episodes it came out about why Vince jilted Penny. Her snobbish mum hated Vince with a vengeance and just before the wedding she said he was a waste of time and if he really loved Penny he'd let her go and marry someone better. He did and she did to a man who mentally abused her causing her to have a breakdown. They divorced and that's where the story about them meeting up again begins. I remember the scene where Penny tries do decorate the living room and just loses it and goes mad with the brush.
John Sullivan was good with bringing the laughter to a screeching halt.
Remember Rodney bursting into tears in the lift after Cassandras miscarriage?
Genius.
Great video (weird that I do actually remember a good few of these being born in 1979) but showing longer clips for each entry would have made it much better in my opinion. Thanks for the nostalgia hit :)
David Thewlis's first TV appearance was in Only Fools & Horses in 1985 in the episode It's Only Rock And Roll
I watched far too much TV in the 80s - Remembered all of these (and the theme tunes, haha) Thanks for bringing back the memories. Golden era of sitcom.
I actually love Watching. One of my all-time favorites!
So did I, and the theme song. "So the question should be what does 'e... SEE IN MEEEEEEEEE?!"
Emma Wray was 🔥 and so was Lisa Tarbuck before she became circular.
ITV's best ever sit-com imho.
Great comedy
@@fus149hammer5 yeah Emma Wray was stunning. one of my first crushes.
I was on a course years ago a we had Jim Hitchmough (Watching) in to give us a talk. He was a wonderful man, he died not long after, he left some fine work ❤️
Joan Sanderson made a very good career for herself playing battleaxe's in various sitcoms. Also could anyone forget her guest role in the classic Fawlty Towers episode " Is this a piece of your brain !! " As for Bottle Boys...that show was about as funny as a trip to the dentist's.
Her brain was “over there, between the land and the sky” (along with the sea!) 😂 My favourite episode of any tv show. Joan was just perfect! “Fawlty? What’s wrong with him?” 😬
"Herd's of wilderbeasts sweeping Majestically across the plain"
She played a teacher in Please Sir 1968-1972
She also turned up in Rising Damp playing pretty much the same character.
@@tentringer4065 I'd put money on her having more sitcom appearances than anyone else during that era.
B - Blott on the Landscape.
C - Constant Hot Water - Only 6 eps, With Prunella Gee and Pat Phoenix based around a B&B
E - Educating Marmalade
H - Hardwicke House. Banned by ITV after 2 episodes.
M - Metal Mickey - Classic. Say no more.
Ever Decreasing Circles actually gets quite a few repeats on GOLD. And I personally find it underated.
Richard Briers even said he prefers the character of Martin over Tom from 'The Good Life'.
Was Ever Decreasing Circles the one that had a couple always wearing matching jumpers as side characters? I remember they moved to Oswestry in last episode because, if you live in Shropshire, a mention of anywhere within the county on TV is noticeable.
@@Gmackematix Yes, Howard and Hilda were the cosy jumper wearers.
It’s repeating now on the Drama channel.
It's been on BBC Four, so it's on iPlayer at the moment.
It's been on BBC4 too recently. It's incredibly funny.
Funny story about Emma Wray from "Watching". Would have been 1999/2000, one late Saturday night me and a mate were having an acoustic jam session at his apartment in Castlefield, Manchester, after *ahem* one or two beers. Next minute, there's someone banging on the door, and our first thought was pissed off neighbour about to tell us to shut the fuck up. When I opened the door, it was Emma Wray and another actress, the very tidy Clare Perkins (who went on to Eastenders and a decent movie career). Emma Wray was carrying a guitar in one hand and the biggest bag of weed I'd ever seen in the other, and she announced she'd just moved in to the apartment next door; they'd heard us playing and decided to join in. Cue the goofiest jam session in history, as we all got fucked up on the weed, and me and my mate took the piss out of them nonstop. I had my eye on Clare, but my mate being the shark that he is (he's better looking and a better singer, to be fair) had her in his bedroom before long. Leaving me with a bit of a dilemma; I didn't fancy Emma Wray (she's really short; about 4ft 10. Not my thing at all), but after some beer and some puff my standards become a little more flexible.....and just to add insult to injury she just fucked off back to her apartment, leaving me with blue balls and dented pride. Happy days.
This was a really enjoyable trip down memory lane, thank you. I remember all bar 2 of these. Blimey, I'm old 😂
Amazed how many of these I remember, or at least recognise! Lovely trip down memory lane.
I'm about to give up 16 mins of my life and it was ... TOTALLY WORTH IT! I miss Watching soooo much.
MALCOLM!
IK was in Watching as an unpaid extra, was shopping and i had to walk past them lol. It was in the old paradise street before it was knocked down.
Fresh fields one of my favourite comedy sitcoms I remember it well
I was recently watching... umm... Watching. lol. I can remember the show being on when I was a kid, and I never really watched it because I was far too young for it, but the theme tune most certainly stuck in my head for eons. Even years and years after I hadn't heard it for ages. So I decided to watch the show out of curiosity and so far it's very engaging.
Yes, I did the same over the summer. Some of the acting was a bit ropey, but I enjoyed the chemistry between Brenda and Malcolm and the scripts weren't bad ;-))
Malcolm said the line `If it wasn`t for Venetian Blinds it`d be curtains for all of us`
in the show . A line I`ve used quite a lot since to some peoples bemusement
@@Battismore-Blue 🙃🤪👍
I remember it being popular at the time. But strangely enough it often doesn't make lists when mainstream TV makes retrospective shows about the 80s.
One of those things which was popular but as the video correctly lists is largely forgotten about.
one you didn't mention that i feel is worthy of this list is chelmsford 123. not only was it funny it had a factual backstory to it, and the cast was brilliant, yet it kind of went under the radar for most people. channel 4 was still a young channel back then lol. but thanks for some happy memories, i had indeed forgotten about ever decreasing circles, although i had watched it i remember the good life more but it was just as good.
Certainly fits in here, it was dreadful.
That character Richard Briars played I EDC... I'm not generally moved towards violence but I could easily punch his smug arrogant face in.
A trip down memory lane. Real comedy performers.
Chance in a Million starring Brenda Blethyn and Simon Callow.
Just Good Friends was a very good sitcom
I actually remember “after Henry” and “fresh fields” now you’ve reminded me.
And I never forgot “ever decreasing circles” and “only when I laugh”, they were actually rather funny.
And I also never forgot “me and my girl”, although I recall it being a bit cheesy.
I love Fresh fields, then they moved to France.... French fields .
@@irenemorley75 You’ve just reminded me of that also!
I remember After Henry on the radio (BBC radio 4) and loved it. Probably in the 90s. Which doesn't make sense 'cos usually comedy goes from radio to TV. I have absolutely no recollection of it on TV.
Me and My Girl also starred the late, great Tim Brooke-Taylor.
I used to enjoy 'Rising Damp' and 'The Good Life' 😊
Do you remember Dear John? I recall listening to my parents watching it and hearing the soundtrack filter through the floorboards up to my bedroom. I always wondered what it was about as my mum loved Dear Ladies and my eight-year-old brain thought the two must in some way be connected. How wrong I was!
I just came to mention Dear John
Yes I remember it..Ralph Bates as John..it was funny
@@kimmarievan-ever6599 Yeah, I liked that show. I remember the medallion man in the white suit who really lived a lonely life. I later learned that it was dropped by BBC programme makers and Red Dwarf benefitted from the comedy black-hole that Dear John left in its wake. Ralph Bates was a very good actor.
I also well remember Just Good Friends which was very popular.
@@KebabMusicLtd I bought my dad the DVD set some years ago. When he passed I kept it and we re-watched it recently. Still funny, Kirk is epic and is Ralph with an honourable mention to Louise who ran the 1-2-1 club. Really needed to be wrapped up with John finding a new partner but it was cancelled before that.
@@gullloverstravels836Me too!
Sorry, The Bounder, Home to Roost, Brass, Duty Free, Hi-de-Hi! Bread, Brushstrokes some of my faves as a kid. Or maybe they were my grandparents/parents faves can't remember now.
Hi De Hi is genius. I got bored of it as it closed in 1988 aged 18 but at 52 I think it is superb. A few years ago I bought the box set.
Heck yeah - I remember Duty Free: I didn't see it then but I definitely do now what the main 4 characters were up to.
......okay put me on the naughty step for that sort of thinking.
Brass was brilliant and had a great cast.
Home to Roost loved that show it was nice seeing John Thaw doing comedy first episode date: 19 April 1985 and ran for 4 seasons
Absolutely adored Watching..remember sitting and watching this with my mom and we just roared with laughter
Memories. I remember most of these. I remember Anton Rodgers as Tom Jenkins in Scrooge and the thank you very much song.
One of the best Xmas films and songs ever family fave in our house ❤️
I remembered Ever Decreasing Circles and Just Good Friends, I didn't particularly watch them more they were just on in the background as it were. I did watch Me and My Girl, Only When I Laugh, and Fairly Secret Army though, and saw some episodes of Shelley, with its acerbic central character. Probably my favourite of the crop discussed was Girls on Top, as stated it was like a female Young Ones, my favourite 80s sitcom, indeed probably my favourite of all time (which did a take on The Good Life in one episode as I recall), and you could hardly fail to remember it. On the more conventional sitcom front I did watch Watching, but couldn't recall what it was called, the title obviously less memorable than even the show to my mind.
I sang the Watching theme tune half an hour ago now my iphone is showing me Brenda in a thumbnail, coincidence?xox
I re-watched an episode of 'Sorry' featuring Ronnie Corbett as Timothy Lumsden and realised had rubbish it was. Sink or Swim was one I never saw, but it had Peter Davison in it while he was the Doctor.
I watch watching all the time..... love it, I also watch Bread and Mrs Jones and Son.
I remember: After Henry, Ever Decreasing Circles, Fresh Fields (and yes, French Fields...), Hallelujah, In Loving Memory, Just Good Friends, Keep It In The Family, Me and My Girl, No Place Like Home, Only When I Laugh, Girls on Top, Shelley, Three Up Two Down, Up The Elephant and Round the Castle, Watching and
Executive Stress,. I watched too much t.v in the eighties, and too many TH-cam videos now.😆. Watching was my favourite, but I also loved Michael Elphick in Three Up, Two Down and Thora Hird was always good for a laugh. It's amazing how many had the same themes 'empty nest' or adult kids returning home .
I loved shelly..wish they would run the entire series again
Chance in a million, Dear John, Sorry, Waiting for God, Kit Curran... Amazing how many shows were crammed into the 80's especially given we only had 4 channels. Grew up watching the vast majority of these along with the 'Newer' stuff like Chelmsford 123 and the Imperious Nightingales.
nobody here but us chickens
Brush strokes. Genius
I remember back in the 90s, our local PBS station here in Iowa showed Take A Letter, Mr Jones. Very funny, but, of course, John Inman was the best part of it.
Some great theme tunes in the 70's and 80's - then it all got sequenced in the late 80s and that was it :(
Flippin eck...no place like home....i remeber that show but have not thought of it since the 80s.
For Q. You could have actually had the spike Milligan sketch show Q. It ran to 1982 so was In the 80s
I certainly hadn't forgotten most of these, in fact I used to like most of them. There certainly haven't been many as good since.
Ever Decreasing Circles was decent and pretty popular. D could have been 'Dear John' but this was a little more well known.
Anyone around in the eighties is going to remember Ever Decreasing Circles. Dear John on the other hand is a bit more obscure.
@@mwgary Were there any … sexual problems? Sex! Funny! Funny Ha Ha!!!!
@@mwgary
I liked Dear John.
I was 9 when the 1980's started, and I remember watching 24 of those sitcoms. Wish I could forget about 15 of them!
Ever Decreasing Circles was a well remembered show
I was only a child in the 80s. But i still remember watching, I still remember at the end of every episode it would say you have been watching.
Was expecting That’s my boy to be T, loved that too.
Seeing these old British Comedies again always make me wonder: "How dare we claim that the British Sense of humour is the best in the world?" To me, they are all on a par with The Bottle Boys. Everyone is shouting as if microphones didn't exist. The stories are as bland as sago pudding. The jokes are recycled more often than a Raleigh Chopper. I almost envy those who like this stuff. It just wasn't made for me.
TV humour is not a reflection of a national character, but the bankruptcy of the programme writers. And belive me the humour of other nation's TV is no better.
Peter Eagan gives his support for my favourite charity... Chaldon Animal Sanctuary...look at the amazing Liz... her care, & commitment to animals... that no one else wants to take on.I don't know if you''ll see this,Liz...but you know how much I love everything about you.
Peter Skellerns “Me and My Girl” theme, is one of the best ever
I loved:
Ever Decreasing Circles
Just Good Friends
Birds Of A Feather
Dinnerladies
3 Up 2 Down
Bread
Keeping Up Appearences
There are a few more that I remember, didn't watch, would happily binge-watch if I can get hold of them!
Plus, a really good drama that I'd LOVE to get hold of, but Channel 4 seems to have completely lost it:
I'LL FLY AWAY
Half of those you mention are currently on TV now. Thank you Gold!
I watched many of those you listed except for 'Birds Of A Feather' which I never liked. I believe I only watched 3up 2down because Lysette Anthony was in it. I know 'Ghosts Of Motley Hall was a 70s series, but I recently saw the first series again for the first time in 45 years and found it thoroughly entertaining.
Shelly & Watching were both original & worth seeing 😁
Loved Watching as a kid. There's some episodes uploaded on TH-cam.
Watching was also on Forces TV until it stopped broadcasting, great show.
The whole series of Watching is on TH-cam. I enjoy it every day at lunchtime.
Anyone else feel old😄
People will be asking that in years to come when reminiscing about 'today's' comedy shows.
@@stephenderbyshire7849 never a truer word said.
I'm an accountant. Cost or management? Turf! Cracked me up
Only when I laugh, Shelley and watching 👍👍👍
Now I do remember Ever Decreasing Circles, Fresh Fields, though I can’t recall ever seeing it, same with the one with Thora Hurd in it. Me and My Girl I did actually watch, and the sanguine humour of Only When I Laugh. Now I did like Girls On Top and recall some parts of it and Shelley was quite good. I watched Watching only for the young lady in it. The scouse one. Fairly Secret Army was a spin off with a character from Reginald Perrin as I recall
The theme music to Up The Elephant was written by the great Keith Emerson, who was Jim Davidson's musical hero.
EDC being for my money the ultimate sitcom. So middle class it squeaks
I really enjoyed watching this and I loved the theme tune to the watching tv series
That was great..took me back to quite a few childhood laces in my mind and memories, thanks for putting this together! Sonique
This Yank lived in England, 1985-1990. Didn’t watch much television, but I do remember Bottle Boys and Up The Elephant & around The Castle.
Vaguely remember Ever Decreasing Circles.
I was in my mid 20's back at the start of the 80's and hated most of these but I wasn't at home very often, most sitcoms were aimed at the over 50's at that time.
Watching Was A Favourite Of Mine Never Missed An Episode 😂👍
Yank here! I remember Take A Letter Mr. Jones! It was played on my PBS station back in the 90s, because Are You Being Served? had been such a hit with viewers. So they decided to get the rights for that obscure show that also had John Inman on it. Yep!
I was born in 1978 I watched alot of TV growing up and I can honestly say the only one I remember from your video is watching. That being said I would have had to watch what my parents watched I did get my own TV in 1986 for my 8 th birthday so I probably watched different programmes from then on.
Thanks, you made me realise I had a misspent youth. I remembered all of these!
just good friends one of the funniest series ever
I'm happy to say I don't remember half these at all even though I turned 10 in 1980. There were just so many sitcoms then many just passed you by.Now you do well to see one.
There’s a great back catalogue of TV sitcoms available yet all we ever see is Only Fools, Dibley, god awful Mrs Browns etc
I don't know we are also getting good portions of Porridge, Dads Army, Are You Being Served, My Hero, Outnumbered, Summer Wine, The Green Green Grass etc. 😉 Not bad. Not on the BBC of course they prefer celebrity game shows these days.
For "H" I'd have gone for Help. Three lads on the dole in Liverpool (including one of the McGanns).
My favourite of those was Watching. I even bought (and still have) the boxed set. I think I may have been in love with Emma Wray....
Had a look, she's 59, didn't think she was that ! I enjoyed it too, usually on after Granada news, late Fridays
Fairly secret army is Miles above everything on this list, just my opinion!
Thanks for the compilation.
Based on a true story about a British Army captain who wanted to coup the government in the 70s.
I remember most of these. Roll Over Beethoven was a shitcom, I only watched it because Nigel Planer from The Young Ones was in it, but The Young Ones it was not. There was an episode where Planer's character sees a disabled pensioner in a wheelchair and calls him a "dalek".
I love ‘watching’
Only when I laugh was great, I liked Shelley too, I've been trying to think of the name of the sitcom with Simon Callow and Brenda Blethyn for the past year! Thanks to another commenter for reminding me 😄
chance in a million
@@johnsmith-hr3dz Yh that was it✌️👍😄
I was born in 1980 and watched so much TV as a kid and still do. I remember a lot of these, but some I really don’t. I loved Bottle Boys, Fresh Fields, Girls On Top, Shelley, Up The Elephant And Round The Castle, and Watching. My family always watched those and I remember them well. Here’s another 1 I loved as a kid that you might not remember for S, Slinger’s Day. It starred Bruce Forsyth as a Supermarket Manager. It was a spin-off from Tripper’s Day, which starred Leonard Rossiter before he died, which you could’ve also done for T. And 1 that I don’t remember, but found recently, for O, was Odd Man Out, starring John Inman running a Fish and Chip Shop in Blackpool.
Ever decreasing circles is my all time favourite 80's sitcom.
I absolutely loved Watching, it was fast witty and funny.
Awwww what a glorious list ,
I’m a huge fan of Girls on Top and Dear Ladies , plus some shows like Fresh fields Ever decreasing circles hallelujah. In loving memory, Just Good Friends still feel I’ve seen every episode . BUT really
don’t remember Goodbye Mr Kent , and Valentine Park , Fairly secret army was about to say my only obscure one I can think of for you is Kinvig sci Fi sitcom which only last of the season but I guess Agony and That’s my Boy are quite mainstream again , but just seen there’s a a follow-up video of 10 more British sitcoms, so that might be on your next list :) Can’t wait pressing play! Awwww some lovely memories
Anybody remember the upper hand? Great series 👍
Home To Roost with John Thaw and Reese Dinsdale.
I was born in 1980, of these i grew up watching After Henry, Just Good Friends, Only When I Laugh, Girls On Top, Shelley and Watching.
Back in the mid to late 80s I wanted Emma Wray to have my babies, she was gorgeous!
Some classics in that lot. Not forgotten to me
Nicely put together but most of these are hardly forgotten, most are readily available on dvd and some streaming sites, if you really want forgotten sitcoms have a look at Nostalgia Central site, ridiculous amount of forgotten gems that never get aired or have a dvd release.
You might want to check a few of my more recent videos for some more obscure forgotten sitcoms
Duty Free is my fave 80s sitcom. I've got the dvd box set!