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“Dad’s Army” follows the adventures of a Home Guard platoon based in the south of England during World War Two. Much of the humour came from the mix of social classes arising from the situation, and from the characters themselves who, in their civilian lives came from distinct and varied backgrounds. Among others, the platoon consisted of a coffin maker, a vicar, an ex public school boy and a “mummy’s boy”. Many of the actors became so identified with their Dad’s Army roles that their other achievements were almost forgotten. The show was filmed on location in Norfolk and ran from 1968 until 1977 and had 80 episodes in all.
“Fawlty Towers” is probably one of the best known British sitcoms with the first series being broadcast in 1975 and the second in 1979. The action takes place in a hotel on the south coast of England run by Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) and his wife Sybil. John Cleese wrote the scripts together with his real life partner Connie Booth who plays the role of the Polly, the maid. Another popular character is Manuel, a bell boy from Barcelona who understands very little English. The humour comes from the characters themselves and the contrast between Basil’s dark sense of humour and his wife’s snobbery. Misunderstandings arise from crazy situations involving guests; a health inspector, a deafwoman who refuses to use her hearing aid, a psychiatrist and even a pet rodent.
“Only Fools and Horses” was one of the nation’s favourite sitcoms during the eighties. The series ran from 1981 until 1996 and each programme has been repeated again and again by popular request. Set in a working class area of London, the main cast is made up of Delboy and his younger brother Rodney who live in a small flat with their grandfather. Delboy is a typical Cockney “wheeler and dealer”. He is always trying to make money from bright ideas that are usually on the wrong side of the law. The naive Rodney is an unwilling participant in his brother’s dodgy dealings.
“Absolutely Fabulous”, or “Ab Fab” as it has become known, caused a sensation when it hit British Screens in 1992. The series follows the exploits of two women. The first is a highly neurotic and trendily dressed single mother called Edina. She is spoilt, petulant and is still trying to live a sixties hippy lifestyle. Meanwhile, in a classic case of role reversal, her conservative daughter Saffron is responsible, mature, studious and motherly. The second major character is Edina’s best friend Patsy; glamourous, overdressed, larger than life, desperate for a man and usually to be found with a cocktail in her hand.
“Little Britain” started life as a radio sitcom but it soon became so popular that the writers decided to transform it into a television series. Little Britain is an attempt to explore life as it is lived in Britain today. A narrator takes viewers on a tour around this alternative Britain and introduces us to a cast of lunatic characters including Gary, a teenage boy with an unhealthy interest in his best friend’s Granny, a slimming expert, a not very good transvestite, a hypnotist, a romantic novellist and everybody’s favourite Welsh man, Dafydd, who prides himself on being “the only gay man in the village” and wants to keep it that way. A new series has just started on the BBC.
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Dad's Army
Fawlty Towers
Only Fools and Horses
Absolutely Fabulous
Little Britain
Situation comedy : Wikipedia
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