Best (cid:1) BRITCOMS Best (cid:1) BRITCOMS FROM FAWLTY TOWERS TO THE OFFICE REVISED EDITION Garry Berman TAYLOR TRADE PUBLISHING Lanham · New York · Boulder · Toronto · Plymouth, UK PublishedbyTaylorTradePublishing AnimprintofTheRowman&LittlefieldPublishingGroup,Inc. 4501ForbesBoulevard,Suite200,Lanham,Maryland20706 http://www.rlpgtrade.com EstoverRoad,PlymouthPL67PY,UnitedKingdom DistributedbyNationalBookNetwork Copyright©2011byGarryBerman Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedinanyform orbyanyelectronicormechanicalmeans,includinginformationstorage andretrievalsystems,withoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublisher, exceptbyareviewerwhomayquotepassagesinareview. BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationInformationAvailable LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Berman,Garry. BestoftheBritcoms:fromFawltyTowerstoTheoffice/ GarryBerman.—Rev.ed. p.cm. Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN978-1-58979-566-2(pbk.:alk.paper)— ISBN978-1-58979-526-6(electronic) I.Title. PN1992.8.C66B472011 791.45'6170941—dc22 2010035747 ™ °° Thepaperusedinthispublicationmeetstheminimumrequirements ofAmericanNationalStandardforInformationSciences—Permanence ofPaperforPrintedLibraryMaterials,ANSI/NISOZ39.48-1992. PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica To Karen, whose feelings toward this book have evolved from that of skeptic, to supporter, to advocate. And to Britcom fans everywhere. Contents The Britcoms covered in this book are listed Fawlty Towers 17 below in chronological order according to their Good Neighbors (The Good Life) 21 original air dates in Britain. They have all aired on American television, and most are Open All Hours 25 continually being aired in various markets The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin 28 across the country. The majority are also available on home video. Bless Me, Father 30 Butterflies 32 Shelley 34 Foreword ix To the Manor Born 35 Acknowledgments xi Preface xiii Introduction: The Case for the Britcom xv Part II “Listenverycarefully,Ishallsaythisonlyonce...” Britcomsofthe1980s Part I Overview: British TV in the 1980s 39 “Ididn’tgetwhereIamtoday...” Britcomsofthe1970s Hi-De-Hi 41 A Thumbnail History of Yes, Minister/Yes, Prime Minister 44 British Television 3 Only Fools and Horses 48 Dad’s Army 5 The Bounder 51 The Last of the Summer Wine 8 The Young Ones 53 Are You Being Served? 11 The Black Adder 55 Rising Damp 14 Don’t Wait Up 59 No Place Like Home 61 Goodnight Sweetheart 110 ’Allo, ’Allo! 62 The Vicar of Dibley 113 Three Up, Two Down 66 Nelson’s Column 117 Hot Metal 68 The Thin Blue Line 119 Executive Stress 69 Father Ted 121 The Two of Us 71 The Peter Principle (The Boss) 124 Red Dwarf 73 Colin’s Sandwich 77 May to December 78 Part IV Britcomsofthe2000s Part III Overview: British TV in the 2000s 127 “Idon’tbelieveit!...” My Hero 129 Britcomsofthe1990s Coupling 132 Overview: British TV in the 1990s 81 My Family 135 The Office 138 One Foot in the Grave 83 Extras 141 The Piglet Files 88 Waiting for God 90 Keeping Up Appearances 93 Part V The Brittas Empire 96 Short Takes 145 As Time Goes By 100 Side by Side 102 Transatlantic Trauma 155 Absolutely Fabulous 103 Britain’s Best Britcom Poll 158 Chef! 106 Bibliography 159 The Detectives 108 Index 161 Foreword If you enjoy watching British television com- tors, we were like a family. We later went our edy, living here in Britain proves wonderfully separate ways to star in other sitcoms, where convenient. Whenever the muse strikes, I can lightning even managed to strike again for simply turn on the telly, sit back and relax, and most of us. You’ve seen Penelope inTo the with a bit of luck, come across either a current Manor Born, Executive Stress, and others. favorite or an old gem. Moreover, as someone Paul became Britain’s top bureaucrat inYes, who has spent a good deal of my careerper- Minister. Felicity has appeared in several com- forming British television comedy, living in edy series, as have I. Britain has proven to be even more convenient Our collective work in television is only than you could imagine! a slice of the pie. For every show likeThe Ah,butthentherearethoseofyouBritish Good Life, with a quiet suburban setting, there comedyfanswhoaren’tsofortunate.You’re have been wild, irreverent shows like The strandedinAmericaorelsewhere,andhaveto Young Ones and Red Dwarf. The best sitcoms makeabitmoreofanefforttofindsomeofour offer their own distinct qualities, and if they funniestsitcomsonyourowntelevisionsta- make us laugh, then they’ve succeeded in their tions.Luckily,youknowthey’rethere,and mission, no matter the route they may take. havebeenformanyyearsnow.Thisgoesto I’ve also seen a lot of rubbish on television showthatwehaveexportedsomethingofvalue here, and you can be thankful that it hasn’t toyousincetheBeatles.Mindyou,we’ve survived the trip overseas to you. The best of enjoyedagoodnumberofcomediesyou’ve what we’ve had to offer has, for the most part, senttous.Isupposeit’sbeenratherlikepen made the journey. And the wonderful reaction palsexchangingamusingletters.Butyoudon’t to British comedy speaks for itself! It’s more needmetotellyouaboutyourownsitcoms.I popular in America now than it’s ever been. do,however,knowathingortwoaboutmany Just the right time for Best of the Britcoms. oftheprogramsincludedinthisbook. Here you can learn a few things about your I have nothing but pleasant memories of favorite comedies that you starring in The Good Life (or Good Neighbors, didn’t know before, and as you know it). I was one star among four— even discover a few series Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith, my dear that you may have missed departed friend Paul Eddington, and I were all the first time around. of equal ability and enthusiasm. The warmth Whichever your and humor among our characters on-screen favorites may be, enjoy, was reflective of how we felt about each other and keep laughing. off-screen. Along with our writers and direc- Richard Briers i x