I've just been reminded of a BBC comedy I used to adore back in the day. It was called Us Girls and featured the very talented Mona Hammond as a very opinionated grandmother in the mid nineties I think it was. It may have lasted one or two series and that was that. There aren't many people who remember this sitcom and it's a real shame because it was very funny.
Lots of people talk about Only Fools, Fawlty Towers and Porridge but there were loads of great sitcoms out there that no one even mentions now mainly due to the fact it was hardly given a repeat, so as a result it's been pretty much forgotten about, even by people who may have watched it the first time round. No Problem about a West Indian family in London was also very funny. And I also enjoyed Shelly and Don't Wait Up.
Which sitcom forgotten by most people is still very memorable to you?
I liked Kiss Me Kate and My Family.
I recently finished watching all three series of After Henry with Prunella Scales and Joan Sanderson. I watched the odd episode here and there as a child with my family but never fully appreciated it until now. I thought it was awesome. Watch out for the post!
Does anyone remember a show called Alice? It was set in a Diner, and I'd say it began early eighties maybe. My family loved Alice. It was real funny.
It's not a sitcom but I do remember Three of a Kind with Tracy Ullman and Lenny Henry. It was very funny. It's a shame Tracy opted for a new life in America because we lost that talent over here.
There was a comedy starring Ronnie Barker called Clarence that was very funny. It only lasted one series though, and even though Ronnie Barker is a comedy legend, that is one of his works that everyone seems to have forgotten.
I remember My Two Dads, Step by Step, Blossom and Home Improvements. Definitely the sitcoms that were real popular in America when I was growing up.
Mind Your Language without a doubt. For those of you who know this sitcom about an English language evening class, I think that we can all safely say that it will never see the light of day again or else the easily offended will need urgent medical attention!
Another two I've thought of are Solo and The Mistress both starring Felicity Kendal in the lead role. They were both very blink and you'll miss them but they were great fun and very enjoyable.
Suddenly Susan is one that I don't hear people talk about now but I do remember watching that one. And I know my mom was a big fan of Kate and Allie which I remember and Alice which I don't know too well but I believe it was set in a diner. I also liked Clarissa Explains it All. And while it's not exactly forgotten, I do think that Dharma and Greg was a very underrated show.
I have memories of watching Fresh and then French Fields with my family. We thought it was a lovely little show. It was very popular in the eighties and nineties but seems to be forgotten now. Father Ted was another one that made me howl!
Two that I used to watch whenever I'd come to England were Men Behaving Badly and Kiss Me Kate. While people are still very familiar with Men Behaving Badly, they need a bit of reminding when it comes to Kiss Me Kate.
I used to like Desmonds a lot. It was a sitcom set in a South London barber shop. It was really funny and a lot of the kids in my class used to watch that too. It was very well known at the time, but since the series ended no one really talks about it anymore. There was a spin off called Pork Pie but that seems to be over and done with as well.
And of course we all watched The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I don't know anyone who didn't know the words to the theme song. However that one is still Fresh 😉 in people's minds.
I know this post is in reference to more obscure sitcoms but I'd like to say that sitcoms that have 'comedy classic' status are also on the verge of becoming forgotten. I'm talking about series like To the Manor Born, Yes Minister, Butterflies and the like. When were the last time these were repeated? These sitcoms are only known to those who were around when they were first broadcast, whereas there are young 'uns born well after sitcoms like Friends, Only Fools, and Fawlty Towers ended but know all about them cos of the endless repeats.
Bring back more classics please!