TV Comedy
Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting. The situation comedy, or sitcom, has been the most common, successful and culturally significant type of television comedy. As the name suggests, these programs feature recurring characters placed in humourous situations. Since the early 1950s with "I Love Lucy" in the US and "Hancock's Half Hour" in Britain, sitcoms have always had a special place in the hearts of viewers and gathered highly devoted followers, as the familar characters often become beloved. Below you may scroll though time to your fondly remembered telly programs. For Alice's motherlode of Television, stay with "Television Shows".
Pictured: Ricky Gervais as The Brentster in the BBC's brilliant 'The Office'.
The Last Detective: Series 3 & 4 (2005)
7.8/10
Starring: Sean Hughes, Emma Amos, Peter Davison
Peter Davison returns for the complete third and four series as the offbeat detective 'Dangerous' Davies whose gentle nature makes him the Last Detect... Read more
The Last Goon Show Of All (1972)
8.2/10
Starring: Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan
From 1952 to 1960, 'The Goon Show' played the airwaves. For the BBC's 50th anniversary in 1972, Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan reform... Read more
The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000)
7.4/10
Director: Gillies MacKinnon
Starring: Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Leslie Caron, Olympia Dukakis, Cleo Laine, Joan Sims, Bill...
Recent widow, Elizabeth (Judi Dench), begins playing her tenor sax again, remembering back to when she was in an all-girl (almost) swing band back in... Read more
The League of Gentlemen: Christmas Special (1999)
8.4/10
Director: Steve Bendelack
Starring: Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith
It's Christmas Eve in Royston Vasey and the Reverend Bernice receives an unexpected guest. Charlie Hull is haunted by a 'cheese-dream' in which wife S... Read more
The League of Gentlemen: Series 1 (1999)
8.4/10
Director: Steve Bendelack
Starring: Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith
Set in a fictitious village in the north of England called Royston Vasey, which may look like every bleak provincial town you've ever seen, but it's t... Read more
The Librarians: Series 1 (2007)
7/10
Starring: Robyn Butler, Roz Hammond, Heidi Arena, Stephen Ballantyne, Keith Brockett, Bob...
The humble suburban library takes on a whole new meaning in this Australian comedy-drama series. The six-part series centres on the trials and tribula... Read more
The Librarians: Series 2 (2008)
7.3/10
Starring: Bob Franklin, Heidi Arena, Kim Gyngell, Stephen Ballantyne, Roz Hammond, Wayne H...
Frances O'Brien, devout Catholic and panic disorder sufferer, is back in charge of the library. And breathing harder into her paper bag than ever. Her... Read more
The Life and Legacy of Spike Milligan: I Told You I Was Ill (2002)
6.9/10
Director: Dominic Brigstocke
Starring: Kathy Burke, Harry Enfield, Eddie Izzard, Spike Milligan, Michael Palin, Eric Sy...
Aired just six month's after the last goon passed away, this funny and touching tirbute reveals Spike to be the ultimate tortured genius, treading a t... Read more
The Likely Lads (1976)
6.7/10
Director: Michael Tuchner
Starring: James Bolam, Rodney Bewes
Returning to their TV roles after several years, Rodney Bewes (Bob) and James Bolam (Terry) play a pair of funny Northern Englishmen with the usual 't... Read more
The Likely Lads: All Surviving Episodes (1964)
6.7/10
Starring: James Bolam, Rodney Bewes, Sheila Fearn
One of the very best and most popular British TV sitcoms, starring James Bolam as Terry, and Rodney Bewes as Bob, two working-class lads living in the... Read more