Best of the Britcoms From Fawlty Towers to Absolutely Fabulous

by Berman, Garry

• ISBN13: 9780878331604
• ISBN10: 0878331603
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-10-01
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing

Summary

Presents informative, entertaining listings of the most noteworthy situation comedies ever to cross the pond.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix	(2)
Acknowledgments	xi	(2)
Preface	xiii	(2)
Introduction: The Case for the Britcom	xv	(4)
A Thumbnail History of British Television	xix
PART I "I didn't get where I am today..." Britcoms of the 1970s	3	(34)
Dad's Army	3	(3)
The Last of the Summer Wine	6	(2)
Are You Being Served?	8	(3)
Rising Damp	11	(3)
Fawlty Towers	14	(4)
Good Neighbors (The Good Life)	18	(3)
Open All Hours	21	(3)
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin	24	(3)
Bless Me, Father	27	(2)
Butterflies	29	(2)
Shelley	31	(1)
To the Manor Born	32	(5)
PART II "Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once..." Britcoms of the 1980s	37	(42)
British TV in the 1980s	37	(2)
Hi-De-Hi	39	(1)
Yes, Minister/Yes, Prime Minister	40	(4)
Only Fools and Horses	44	(2)
The Bounder	46	(3)
The Young Ones	49	(2)
The Black Adder	51	(5)
Don't Wait Up	56	(2)
No Place Like Home	58	(1)
'Allo, 'Allo!	59	(4)
Three Up, Two Down	63	(2)
Hot Metal	65	(2)
Executive Stress	67	(2)
The Two of Us	69	(1)
Red Dwarf	70	(4)
Colin's Sandwich	74	(2)
May to December	76	(3)
PART III "I don't believe it!..." Britcoms of the 1990s	79	(48)
British TV in the 1990s	79	(2)
One Foot in the Grave	81	(4)
The Piglet Files	85	(2)
Waiting for God	87	(3)
Keeping up Appearances	90	(3)
The Brittas Empire	93	(4)
As Time Goes By	97	(2)
Side by Side	99	(2)
Absolutely Fabulous	101	(3)
Chef!	104	(2)
The Detectives	106	(2)
Goodnight Sweetheart	108	(3)
The Vicar of Dibley	111	(2)
Nelson's Column	113	(2)
The Thin Blue Line	115	(12)
PART IV Short Takes	127	(6)
Transatlantic Trauma: American Versions of Britcoms Don't Measure Up	127	(4)
Britcoms on Video	131	(2)
Bibliography	133	(2)
Index	135