Battle of the Sitcoms - Round One (Heat 16)

[Jedi Shrimper]

Rising Damp was good but to my mind Frasier is superb, one of if not THE finest American Sitcom ever, an absolute classic. The brothers Crane are hilarious.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Quite astounded when people say "they don't like American humour."

Surely comedy is comedy - if it makes you laugh who cares if it comes from a suburban setting in Pinner or a Seattle coffee house?

What's not to like with Frasier? It's incredibly well written with excellent characters (ok, bar the dodgy English ones such as Daphne's brother). For a supposed cerebral comedy it has incredibly funny slapstick.

Remember Frasier was an offshoot of Cheers, a highly successful sitcom in it's own right and sadly missing from this competition.

For me, Frasier was a staple must-see of Friday night on Channel 4.

And that's the problem here for me, Cheers, in my opinion, was far better than Frasier. Am I alone in finding Niles and Daphne slightly annoying? I mean, what was that accent supposed to be? Cheers would have got my vote here, and as no-one seems to be prepared to voice an argument for Rising Damp then I suppose I'd better do that.........

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

and as no-one seems to be prepared to voice an argument for Rising Damp then I suppose I'd better do that.........

Nice one Kay .. i was hoping somebody would :clap::clap:

 

[MK Shrimper]

And that's the problem here for me, Cheers, in my opinion, was far better than Frasier. Am I alone in finding Niles and Daphne slightly annoying?

Yes. When Niles secretly lusted after Ms Moon it was pure comedy gold.

Cheers was good, can't deny that, but Frasier was a more all round, polished sitcom.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Rising Damp, an unusual beast in that it was a Yorkshire TV produced sitcom - they do have humour in Yorkshire! Starring Leonard Rossiter as the bigoted Rupert Rigsby, this sitcom was adapted from the stage play the Banana Box and worked around the theme of seedy landlord Rigsby renting out shabby rooms to tenants. It also starred Frances de la Tour as Rigsby's love interest Miss Jones and Richard Beckinsale as Alan, both tenants. The series began with the arrival of a new tenant, the intelligent and charming Phillip, played by Don Warrington, who was ostensibly the son of an African Prince. There were also a few other tenants over the years because of work commitments of the main characters - notably Peter Bowles as Hillary.

Probably this would be another of those old sitcoms which would fail the PC credentials these days because Rigsby's blatant bigotry towards Phillip, not just because of his skin colour but also because of Miss Jones' attraction to the younger man, would surely be unacceptable today.

There were only 26 episodes made, in 4 series, plus the original pilot episode and a Christmas special in 1975. It's all explained well here in this clip from the 100 greatest sitcom programme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0YOaH5n2x0&feature=related

another little snippet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR4IgZ6TqSY&feature=related

and an excuse to show this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICmjZXf3lto&feature=related

 

[Napster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dptd6Hh5DHs

 

[Yer Blues]

*sits back and watches this unfold with a sly grin*

 

[osymandus]

This one was very tought , both excellent comedies , brilliant acting , but i went for Fraiser in the end. Just edging it for me.

 

[Uncle Leo]

I should add that I really like Rising Damp - Rigsby was a fantastic character. But Frasier is right up there as an all-time great sitcom.

 

[Andy_S]

Frasier. Truly brilliant and I still love watching them all on Paramount now.

 

[Firestorm]

IIRC Frasier was a spin off from Cheers...

Rising Damp led Rossiter to do Reggie Perrin
Beckinsale to Porridge

A vote for RD from me, as I would go out of my way to watch RD when it first showed , but I didn't make any effort to watch Frasier (unlike Cheers which was another must watch)

 

[Napster]

Frasier: You know how hard it is to lie to someone's face.
Roz: Oh no, it's easy for someone as bright and charming and articulate as you.
Frasier: Well, then perhaps you're right.
Roz: See how easy it is.

Niles: [about Roz's suggestions for a dates for Daphne] Why not just lather Daphne up with baby oil and hurl her over the wall of a prison yard!
Roz: [indignant] Excuse me, but I've dated all these guys.
Niles: Well, where do you think I came up with the imagery.

Bulldog: Hey Roz, you know what's over my head?
Roz: Almost any clever remark.
Bulldog: What'd she mean by that?

Daphne: Do you suppose a dog psychiatrist could be the answer?
Frasier: Only if the question is "What is the most asinine thing we could possibly do?"

Man at Airport Luggage Terminal: Been waiting long?
Frasier: Time has no meaning here in the seventh circle of hell, where even despair dies.

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Frasier: How was I today?
Roz: Let's see, you dropped two commercials, you left a total of twenty-eight seconds of dead air, you scrambled the station's call letters, you spilled yogurt on the control board, and you kept referring to Jerry, with the identity crisis, as "Jeff."


Daphne: I was just about to step right out of this dress and embarrass poor Dr Crane to death.
Niles: Well, we all have to die of something.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

*sits back and watches this unfold with a sly grin*

Hmm .. i hope your apparent self confidence isn't misguided, only 5 votes in it remember

 

[canveyshrimper]

Hmm .. i hope your apparent self confidence isn't misguided, only 5 votes in it remember

4 now Lee as I've just opted for Rising Damp. I much preferred Cheers to Farsier, and as someone has pointed out it's a shame that Cheers didn't make the cut.

Apologies to ACU but I wasn't able to find a nude photo of Miss Jones.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Ooh Ms Moon! Now I hope you can see while Niles was obsessed!

 

[Vange Shrimper]

Rising Damp for me.

 

[HUTTON]

Rising Damp also for me

 

[OldBlueLady]

Well done Vange and Hutton, some youngsters approving of Mr Rigsby and bringing us back to level scores!

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Ooh Ms Moon! Now I hope you can see while Niles was obsessed!

I think this picture could gain Frasier a few votes ;)