THE SIMPSONS     10/10

Began as a 5-min animated slot in a US variety show, and became the definitive sitcom. The 350+ misadventures of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson in their manic hometown of Springfield, USA, are cherished the world over, and rightly so. Timeless.

 

BLACKADDER      10/10

The sharpest British sitcom in history - and was quite literally in history, in its perfect satire of four different historical periods, centering on the sneering, cynical antihero Edmund Blackadder (a career-defining portrayal by Rowan Atkinson) and his pea-brained servant Baldrick. Probably has the most poignant ending ever seen in a sitcom.

 

THE OFFICE      9/10

An instant modern classic, the spoof fly-on-the-wall documentary set in Slough followed the life of Ricky Gervais's monstrous manager-from-hell, David Brent and his miserable, repressed employees. Cringe comedy at its best; painfully funny, heartbreaking, it won countless awards.

 

FRIENDS      9/10

Fantastic, super-charming show for the 90's featuring six dysfunctional yet inseparable friends living in New York City, and following their lives as they grow up, have relationships, develop careers and occasional get into difficult escapades. Launched the stellar careers of its excellent cast. Perfect entertainment.

 

RED DWARF    9/10

Groundbreaking and hilarious sci-fi sitcom set aboard the Earth-based intergalactic mining vessel Red Dwarf three million years into the future, and following the adventures of its small crew of miscreants: the last human being alive, a sycophantic hologram, a narcissistic cat and a neat-freak android. Wonderful one-liners and intelligent plots - in short, classic stuff.

 

THE VICAR OF DIBLEY     8/10

The political correctness brigade did produce a quality sitcom - Geraldine Granger, the new female vicar of a rural Oxfordshire village, ingratiates herself with her bizarre parishioners and their disapproving, conservative Council chairman. From the mind that made Blackadder comes some wonderful character comedy and a marvellous central performance by Dawn French.

 

ALAN PARTRIDGE     9/10

The superb creation of comic Steve Coogan was eventually given his own sitcom - from a single series of his failed chat show Knowing Me, Knowing You to two series of the fly-on-the-wall style series I'm Alan Partridge. The results were hysterical. Outspoken, arrogant, deluded and self-absorbed Partridge is now considered an all-time classic sitcom monster. A-ha.

 

SCRUBS          9/10

There aren't enough good things to say about this show - on a par with Friends and Frasier as one of the finest ever US sitcoms. Sacred Heart Hospital is the setting, with action told from the viewpoint of Zach Braff's newly-qualified, neurotic junior doctor John "J.D." Dorian, as he goofs through his job with best mate Turk and suppresses his feelings for friend/former love Elliott. The show's best characters are undoubtedly John C. McGinley's superb Dr. Cox and Ken Jenkins' bitter, no-nonsense Dr. Kelso, particularly when they're facing off... Witty, fast-paced with good music and great characters, it's absolutely magic.

 

FATHER TED      8/10

Considered the definitive religious comedy by many, it centered on the lives of three disgraced priests and their insane housekeeper living on a remote island off the Irish coast was very funny in an inexplicable way, popularising the words "feck" and "arse" to a silly extent.  Daft and hilarious, but cut short after three series by star Dermot Morgan's untimely death.

 

THE YOUNG ONES      7/10

Very much of its time, anarchic comedy from the early 80's was considered part of the backlash against Thatcher Britain. Four students, headed by Bottom duo Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson, basically indulged in messiness, loud noises and gratuitous violence. Before meeting their comical end in a bus explosion. Quite amusing, though somewhat dated.

 

YES, MINISTER      8/10

Suave and razor-sharp political satire, known legendarily as "Margaret Thatcher's favourite show"; a faultless triumvirate grouping of Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds as the British Prime Minister, his devious advisor and his wry secretary respectively. At its peak of popularity, Eddington was actually asked to run for the real Prime Minister (naturally he declined). Classy lines and even better performances.

 

PORRIDGE     7/10

One of legendary comic Ronnie Barker's two sacred cows - most would rate this higher, featuring his glovelike performance as Norman Stanley Fletcher, troublesome inmate at Her Majesty's Pleasure. His central pastimes involved winding up riled prison warden Mr Mackay, and concocting unsuccessful schemes of escape assisted by bunkmate Godber. Sharp, funny, and oozing charm.

 

OPEN ALL HOURS     7/10

Here lies the second sacred cow! Barker moulded perfectly into Arkwright, the gruff and confuddled owner of an urban corner shop. David Jason made his sitcom debut as the dim-witted but well-meaning assistant Granville (he also popped up occasionally as Blanco in Porridge). Again, enjoyable and charming in a nostalgic way, but never found it rip-roaring myself. Special bit of trivia: the outside scenes were filmed in Balby, Doncaster!!

 

ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES      7/10

David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst in immortal sitcom pairing as the wheeler-dealing cockneys Del and Rodney Trotter.  It's charming in its own way, there are some good lines, and you can't deny it its classic moments, but controversy alert -it seems to me that most of its humour is built around the word "plonker" and the characters aren't as enduring as in, say, Blackadder or Red Dwarf. Always watchable, but nothing special.

 

DAD'S ARMY     7/10

A mixed bag of men thrown into the chaos of World War II, led by pompous Captain Mainwaring and permanently riled Sergeant Wilson. A lot of pertinent social commentary in here too. Often really funny, with the "Don't tell him, Pike" moment probably a contender for funniest sitcom moment ever, but again, much better appreciated in the era and context it was in.

 

FAWLTY TOWERS      9/10

A true classic - still appeals universally to all generations for its pure slapstick, farce and frustrated anarchy. Hard to believe there were only twelve episodes ever made. John Cleese's peerless performance as pressured Torquay hotelier Basil Fawlty bounced perfectly off the characters around him - his dominating wife, subservient maid and inept Spanish waiter. Absolutely hysterical viewing.

 

ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE     9/10

Hilarious sitcom which allows us, in a fashion, to laugh at old people - or one in particular, the excellent Richard Wilson's grumbling, accident-prone Victor Meldrew. Annette Crosbie's under-acknowledged performance as long-suffering wife Margaret is equally pivotal to the comic timing of the series' most joyous moments. Ended finally with Victor unexpectedly the victim of a hit-and-run accident. When it's funny, it's unmatched.

 

3rd ROCK FROM THE SUN      8/10

Grossly underrated US sitcom centering around the Solomon family from Rutherford, Ohio -  But this is no ordinary family... they're aliens, on an assignment to discover more about this strange planet Earth. Headed by the magnificent John Lithgow as High Commander Dick; reluctant "woman" Sally, teenage information officer Tommy and dim transmitter Harry worked under orders from their ruler The Big Giant Head. (who turned out to be William Shatner!) Marvellous, particularly Lithgow.

 

PETER KAY'S PHOENIX NIGHTS      8/10

Recently swept the British comedy awards as the new phenomenon. The burgeoning Bolton comedian Peter Kay wrote, directed and starred in this acidly funny show centering on wheelchair-bound social club owner Brian Potter and his mishap-prone staff, led up by the nervy Jerry St. Clair (Dave Spikey). Two excellent series were made, with ridiculous scenarios the order of the day, although the staunchly Northern humour may not enrapture all.

 

THE GOOD LIFE      8/10

Hugely charming and idealistic 70's sitcom in which downtrodden advertising executive Tom Good decides he's had enough of the "system" and enters a life of self-sufficiency with his wife Barbara in urban Serbiton, much to the chagrin of their snobbish neighbour Margo Ledbetter and her subservient husband Jerry (Yes, Minister's Paul Eddington). Fabulous cast and sharp writing ensured a classic comedy ride.

 

CHEERS      9/10

Legendary do-nothing sitcom is one of the best-loved in history, and fully deserving of that praise. The Boston bar where everybody knows your name provided buckets of laughs as we watched its owner, womanising ex-football player Sam Malone, laugh the days away with surly waitress Carla, layabout barflies Cliff and Norm, and dim-witted bartender Woody among others. Utter brilliance, yet nearly surpassed by its hyper-successful spin off show...

 

FRASIER      9/10

...this one! Pompous and pedantic, Harvard-educated psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane, after being a regular on Cheers, moved to Seattle to start a new life and a call-in psychiatric radio show. Accompanied by his gruff disabled ex-cop father Martin and his dog Eddie, ditzy British physical therapist Daphne, fellow psychiatrist/bitter rival/younger brother Niles and his maneating producer Roz, he confuddled his way through a strange and hilarious life. Fantastic farce, one-liners, and character comedy. Sitcom gold.

 

M*A*S*H      8/10

Phenomenally successful and still popular wartime sitcom set in the 4077th medical unit in Korea. Alan Alda created an enduring sitcom great in wisecracking, womanising surgeon Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce, along with partner-in-jokes "Trapper" McIntyre, nervy Colonel Blake, incompetent Frank Burns, prim Major "Hotlips" Hoolahan, and sycophantic corporal Radar O'Reilly. Sharp scripts, superfast one-liners and a dark, underlying satirical message propelled this into the stratosphere. Quality.

 

WILL AND GRACE     7/10

From the makers of Cheers and Frasier came a sitcom for the new generation - it follows the up-and-down lives of two New York flatmates, gay lawyer Will Truman and heterosexual babe-o-rama designer Grace Adler. The series' best double act, though came from their sponging friends - Will's uber-camp do-nothing friend Jack McFarlane and Grace's secretary (of sorts), outspoken socialite Karen Walker. Admirably sharp and mostly enjoyable but sometimes a little too smartarse for its own good....

 

THE BRITTAS EMPIRE      7/10

The excellent Chris Barrie of Red Dwarf fame was given his own sitcom in 1990, starring as the fearfully inept and bull-spouting Gordon Brittas, manager of Whitbury Newtown Leisure Centre. Brittas wreaked havoc through the lives of his comical staff and long-suffering wife Carol. Impressionist Barrie often carried the show all by himself, which was no bad thing. Remains underrated despite its considerable 90's success and seven-series run.

 

'ALLO, 'ALLO      7/10

Wartime sitcom set in, of all places, a French cafe, which dealt daily with its daffy regular customers and members of the Resistance. Centering on stressed owner Rene and his prudish wife, the humour was almost entirely based on innuendo and double entendre (from Rene principally) but was often amusing if only for his excellent timing.

 

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES     7/10

Following the plight of status-seeking Hyacinth Bucket ("It's Bouquet!") and long-suffering husband Malcolm as they attempt to impress their judgemental neighbours.... with great difficulty and most often, complete chaos. Patricia Routledge made the role her own, but a great deal of the laughs were gotten from that catchphrase and the farce was not nearly as polished as it could have been. Nevertheless, watchable.

 

LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE     7/10

At 23 series, it's the longest-running sitcom in British history, and fittingly has probably the oldest cast in any sitcom around. Set up in rural North Yorkshire, it traces the lives and japes of a group of old men, who are basically girl-chasing kids at heart; led by eminently lovable Compo, who left us after the death of Bill Owen, who played him; and Peter Sallis (the distinctive voice of Wallace in Wallace and Gromit) as cheeky Clegg. Lots more innuendo and toilet humour here, and not exactly youth-orientated...

 

BOTTOM      6/10

Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson obviously liked the setup of The Young Ones so much, they'd thought they'd do it a bit more. Loserish London flatmates Richie and Eddie indulge in messiness, loud noises and gratuitous violence. Sound familiar? I used to like this more than I do now, as there's really not much to it - once you've seen one you've seen 'em all. Amusing in places but not worth buying multiple seasons of!

 

THE ROYLE FAMILY      7/10

I'll be nice to this, mostly because I worship Caroline Aherne, as one of the few British female comics I find genuinely funny. After leaving The Fast Show, she co-wrote and starred in this with Craig Cash which became notorious for being about absolutely nothing. A family of working-class Mancunians slumped in front of the telly, chatting idly amongst themselves. It doubtlessly benefited from having likeable characters and good cast members in Ricky Tomlinson as the flatulent patriarch, Sue Johnston as the fussing mother, and Aherne and Cash themselves as wide-eyed twenty-something newlyweds. We'll gloss over Ralf Little. Strangely compelling.

 

SOME MOTHERS DO 'AVE 'EM     7/10

Some of the best slapstick ever seen on British television came from the evidently masochistic Michael Crawford's performance as hapless Frank Spencer in this 70's classic. Watched over by his long-suffering wife Betty, Frank muddled his way through numerous jobs before disaster inevitably struck. Some fantastic visual gags here, but unfortunately it seems a bit of a one-joke pony. Crawford, impressively, performed all his own stunts in the show...

 

HAPPINESS      7/10

The post-Fast Show project of co-creator/star Paul Whitehouse was not something I was relishing, but it turned out fairly respectable. Whitehouse wrote and starred in this amusing coming-of-age sitcom as Danny, a middle-aged voice actor experiencing a midlife crisis... Ample comic support from Fiona Allen and Johnny Vegas meant this could have been much worse than it was, and the second series was a vast improvement on the fairly average first. It featured regular cameos from fellow ex-Fast Show members, and there were even rare appearances by Bob Geldof and Ricky Gervais. Nothing classic, but again, nothing terrible.

 

BLACK BOOKS      7/10

Highly rated in cult circles, acclaimed C4 sitcom stars Irish comic Dylan Moran as the proprietor of a second-hand bookstore who hates his customers, and anarchy inevitably ensues, assisted ably by shop assistants Tamsin Greig and Bill Bailey. Its esoteric humour makes it only spasmodically funny, really, with a deliberately unconventional approach not always succeeding. Saved most of the time by Bailey's spot-on performance as the insane Manny, easily its best character.

 

SPACED       8/10

Another C4 cult fave here, featuring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson as Tim and Daisy, two mopers who are pretending to be a couple in order to get a flat. Although I've only seen it once, the ep I saw was quite funny - spied on by their paranoid and sycophantic neighbour Brian, who appears to be in love with Daisy's yoghurt-eating fashion designer friend, Twist. Get the picture? This one also has Bill Bailey in it, as a comic book store owner!  Maybe I need to watch more, but what I saw was well above average anyways.

 

MY FAMILY        7/10

It's all in the title, I guess - this is designed as a completely family-orientated show, and as a result, provides gentle laughs that will almost certainly fail to enrapture the elitists. Its undoubtedly talented cast - Robert Lindsay, Zoe Wanamaker, and Kris Marshall - couldn't always save the writing from being just mildly funny. Its best comedy asset was Marshall, whose wickedly funny teenage geek had the broadest appeal and was later extemporised in Richard Curtis's film Love Actually. There are much better Brit sitcoms than this, but also much worse.

 

MY HERO           6/10

In a gentle Superman-type spoof, Father Ted's Ardal O'Hanlon plays a superhero called Thermoman sent to Earth in the guise of everyman George Sunday. Living with long-suffering human partner Janet, his other associates on Earth include Janet's parents, the couple's weird neighbour Tyler, and New York cafe owner Arnie. It's a nice idea but just somehow it isn't always that funny. The fault of the writing rather the cast, methinks - proven by the show's saving grace, the marvellous Hugh Dennis as Janet's sleazy boss Piers.

 

COUPLING          7/10

Above average Brit sitcom from the book of Friends, centering on three guys and girls exploring relationships with other people and each other. Central couple Jack Davenport (who played the Commodore in Pirates of the Caribbean)and Sarah Alexander (later in Green Wing) made a credible job of their roles but it was Richard Coyle's useless Jeff that stole the show. My favourite episode was the truly farcical Giselle/Dick Darlington fiasco, but generally it remains merely good. Guess it depends on your experience with relationships really... *huddles into a corner and sobs gently*

 

FUTURAMA        8/10

I quite enjoyed this while it was on, and for all those of you who are expecting me to give my usual blurb about how it'll never match The Simpsons - well, here it is, just for you. Matt Groening (genius) produces second animated comedy centering on pizza delivery boy Fry and his adventures 1000 years into the future with one-eyed babe Leela, alcohol-bingeing robot Bender and a host of others. Funny, funny, funny, trademark Groening. But sorry, predictability haters, IT AIN'T THE SIMPSONS!

 

FAMILY GUY       7/10

I want to like this more. And given time, maybe I will. But for now I just can't see past the astonishing abundance of rip-off elements of The Simpsons within this. Suburban American family the Griffins, centers on fat, bumbling father Peter as he struggles for his family's affections. Hmm.... It's funny, no doubt about that, but highly derivative. Wins points for the baby Stewie, who is hilarious and the best character, but even he's been taken from the book of Mr. Burns! Oh, and I HATE the teenage girl with a passion. I could happily buy a series, though; maybe I'll grow into it....

SEINFELD       7/10

Another shameful admission here, that being I haven't seen that many episodes of this show (it was on at some really stupid late time on BBC2) but what I did see seemed respectable enough. Viewed by many as the greatest sitcom ever, due to the fact that "nothing really happens in it" which doesn't seem a particularly logical analysis to me. When you see the show it's as funny as anything else contemporary to it. Just daft conversations and antics perpetrated by eponymous star Jerry Seinfeld and his fictitious cohabitants. By no means as world-beating as the hype would suggest.

 

SPIN CITY       8/10

Clever, endearing US political sitcom based in the offices of the Mayor of the intentionally named Spin City. Back To The Future star Michael J. Fox brought his natural talent and oozing charisma to the central role as chief spin doctor, playing off the talented supporting cast of miscreants who simper round the mayor, desperately trying to control their own lives in the process. Fox was  later replaced by Charlie Sheen when his problems with Parkinson's disease sadly meant he could no longer continue to star. In Fox's era the show was top class, although creator Bill Lawrence would go on to better it with a little show called Scrubs.

 

EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND       7/10

Oddly amusing, mildly eccentric sitcom which has a massive US fanbase and has made its star, Ray Romano, the world's highest-paid sitcom actor, usurping the Friends cast and Kelsey "Frasier" Grammer with $1.3m an episode. Romano is Raymond, average American living with his "family" of sorts - wife and gorilla-like best buddy -  with doting mother and scapegoat father living across the street (the latter played hilariously by well-known character actor Peter Boyle, of Young Frankenstein and Taxi Driver). Gentle stuff to watch in the mornings, and certainly doesn't try to be anything it ain't.

 

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM         8/10

This is funny stuff from the co-creator of Seinfeld, Larry David, and succeeds in being much funnier than that show. Maybe I'm just a sucker for tragicomedy. David writes and plays a version of himself in the show, emerging as an Alan Partridge-esque "comic monster" broadcaster, prone to mishap and disastrous failure despite his best efforts to retain favour with his contemporaries. Well-executed, v. entertaining and clever, though I would argue that us Brits indisputably hold the crown when it comes to this particular brand of "tragic sitcom".

 

TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A PACKET OF CRISPS      4/10

One of the very worst sitcoms I ever had the misfortune to encounter. Some of my more argumentative friends have attempted feebly to defend it - "parts of it are OK" - but no. They're not. They're bad. Just accept it. Apparently the original script was the degree coursework of a media student who was told she'd never get something like that on telly - so she took it to the BBC and they put it on. What a surprise. With a cast including Ralf Little - the most pointless actor in Britain - and Coronation Street's Beverley Callard, it plummeted the reputation of yoof/pub culture to an all-time low. STAY AWAY.

 

GREEN WING         7/10

Newest UK sitcom hit on the block presents itself as kind of a British Scrubs, as in quirky, fast-paced, production-gimmick hospital comedy. Boasting a wealth of hot youthful sitcom talent (including ex/current stars of Black Books, The Office, Coupling and Spaced) the show takes on an almost sketch-show like format in displaying rhe crazy everyday lives and sexual mishaps of its doctor/nurse/clerical population. Chuckleworthy in parts, but again for now I can only use the dreaded cliche 'hit and miss' to describe it, as some of the writing just falls flat - and the fast-slow camerawork seems art for art's sake and unnecessary.

 

THE FAST SHOW        10/10

The only one I feel compelled to give a perfect 10. Quickfire, surreal, creative genius - 25 sketches in 30 minutes on average. The marvellous Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson are of course at the writing/producing helm, conjuring such classics as the Suit You tailors, Rowley Birkin QC, Ted and Ralph, Monkfish, Swiss Toni, Bob Fleming, That's Amazing!.... the list is endless. And it's even better live - trust me! Truly flawless.

TRIGGER HAPPY TV        9/10

A new breed of sketch show sees prankster Dom Joly play hidden camera tricks on an unsuspecting public. Nearly every sketch works to perfection and it has spawned its own classic, the infamous "HELLO??" mobile phone routine, as well as favourites the Russian Spy, the Ice-Cream Man and the Swiss Tourist. Its eclectic and beautiful soundtrack, too, is nearly as revered as the show itself. Despite being at the expense of others, it's hysterical!

NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS      9/10

A wonderful piece of topical satire from the late 70's that replaced Fawlty Towers in the schedules the week after it finished, and launched the varied careers of its stars, Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones and Pamela Stephenson. Classics number Gerald the Gorilla (I was choking the first time), the shockingly clever "Life of Christ" interview, Question Time, Game For A Laugh, and the brilliant spoof songs at the expense of ABBA, The Specials and Status Quo amongst others. Absolutely, incontrovertibly hilarious.

HARRY ENFIELD'S TELEVISION PROGRAMME        8/10

The original "workplace" of Whitehouse and Higson before they left for greater pastures was a quality sketch show in its own right. Enfield was responsible for pioneering that style of hyper-exaggerated pastiches, with his best being repulsive couple Wayne and Waynetta Slob, Radio 2 relics Smashie and Nicey, upper-class twit Tim Nice-But-Dim (created by Ian Hislop!) and incomprehensible footballer Julio Geordio. Always funny but not up to The Fast Show's stellar standards.

THE DAY TODAY         9/10

Truly brilliant, scarily accurate news satire, which qualifies essentially as a sketch show due to its skittish format. It was "presented" by then-radio prankster Chris Morris in an absolutely spot-on impersonation of a Paxman-style anchorman. One Steve Coogan also starred in, amongst several guises, the TV debut of now-famous sportscaster Alan Partridge. Created inspired characters like witless business reporter Peter O'Hanraha'hanrahan and demented finance analyst Collatalie Sisters, alongside some superb sketch work including the hysterical MTV spoof and the entire "WAR" episode. Morris and the rest of the team would part their separate ways afterwards, but they left behind six episodes of deadly realistic satire brilliance.

THE TWO RONNIES       9/10

Legendary, classic, timeless, all words that firmly apply to two of telly's great institutions in their finest hour. Ronnie Barker and pintsized partner Ronnie Corbett made a fine job of this show, famously introduced, ended and punctuated by their quality spoof news inserts. Most memorable moments include "Four Candles", the Mastermind sketch and the Two Men on the Phone. Interestingly, a parody of them on Not The Nine O'Clock News made them decide to pack it in a few years later. But while it lasted, it was golden.

THE MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOW      9/10

The other great duo of British comedy history, whom many rate as the finest ever; sadly neither of whom are with us any longer, but during their TV tenure produced some of the finest moments ever seen. More of a variety show than a genuine sketch show, but still must be included for their quality skits like the Breakfast Time routine and the wonderful Singin' In The Rain spoof. Often famously featured such celebrity guests in their sketches as Glenda Jackson and Angela Rippon! Nothing more or less - genius.

NOT ONLY.... BUT ALSO.....       8/10

Pete and Dud, eh? A couple of British legends, again sadly both now departed, but whose show was considered groundbreaking in its day. Cambridge undergraduates Peter Cook and Dudley Moore started off in Footlights, like fellow comedy pioneers Monty Python, and emerged with a quality sketch show which has been surpassed today to some extent, but is always watchable for its classics which include the famous "bloody Greta Garbo" routine, and the One-Legged Man dialogue. Innovative, influential and high class. 

SMACK THE PONY        6/10

A slightly weaker, though award-winning sketch show effort from contemporary Britain, the brainchild of comics Fiona Allen (who starred in Happiness), Doon MacKichan and Sally Phillips (both key players in Alan Partridge). Featured mostly sketches which played off female stereotypes and some witty song spoofs. The team are clearly good comics but the writing is, to excuse the pun, sketchy... though there were a few gems like the Dating Videos, and I enjoyed the "Just Wanna See Your Tits" sketch. Ahem.

ALISTAIR MCGOWAN'S BIG IMPRESSION       8/10

Topical impressionist sketches, exploiting the considerable talents of relative unknowns Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona. Very daft but also entertainingly accurate, McGowan managed to emulate, among others, Parkinson, David Beckham and Louis Theroux superbly. I always found Ancona to be fairly limited, although her Posh Spice and Ruby Wax were spot on... Some bizarre crosseover ideas such as Theroux with Harry Potter and Kevin Keegan with Sex and the City (??) made sure that the surreal undertones stayed high. Lots of fun.

DEAD RINGERS         8/10

Extremely popular Radio 4 topical sketch show gets a transfer to the small screen (to the chagrin of some of its fanbase). Possibly Britain's best impressionist, Jon Culshaw, leads a talented team including Jan Ravens (Spitting Image) and Phil Cornwell (DJ Dave Clifton in Alan Partridge), in some spot-on skit stuff, undertaking a surreal tone in a similar vein to AMGBI. Although their ideas don't always work as well, they are more talented impersonators than McGowan and Ancona - some of Culshaw's babies are Tony Blair and Tom Baker's Doctor Who, while Cornwell brilliantly converges Michael Caine with former BBC Director General Greg Dyke. Talent quota high, but writing not always consistent.

BREMNER, BIRD AND FORTUNE         7/10

One of Britain's most prominent impressionists of the last 20 years still works to this day - along with fellow radio survivors John Bird and John Fortune, one Mr Rory Bremner has always had some form of political agenda in his work, and not more so than in this topical show in which they satirise just about every politician under the sun (something which McGowan has vowed never to do on TV) and immaculately at that. Bremner doesn't have Culshaw's range, in my view, but his Blair will always be far and away the best. Another vaguely surreal format here, although less so than its two contemporaries, ensures quality entertainment - and a royal arse-kicking for the great and good.

A LITTLE BIT OF FRY AND LAURIE        7/10

I love both Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, admittedly mostly due to Blackadder, but it should be obvious to anyone that these two natural theatre luvvies are not only born to entertain, they're also intimidatingly intelligent. (Though I think you have to be in the right mood to watch Fry's latest TV venture, QI) Saw one or two eps of this repeated a few years ago, their venture into the sketch show phenomenon, and while nothing groundbreaking it seemed like there were just about more hits than misses. No regulars, although amongst my favourites were the Yuppie Businessmen sketch and a great one with Hugh Laurie in a grocery shop attempting to buy a Jason Donovan single...quietly... Certainly worth a look if it ever comes back on.

SPITTING IMAGE        8/10

Pretty much the breeding ground for British comedy talent in the 90's, this fantastically irreverent sketch show, featuring ridiculous puppets in place of people, broke several taboos on its emergence in the mid 80's, amongst them being the first show to lampoon the Royal Family (and cruelly at that). It even spawned a No.1 single in The Chicken Song, and rock group Genesis memorably used the puppets in the video for their hit single Land of Confusion. Its stellar voicing cast included Rory Bremner, Chris Barrie, Harry Enfield and Steve Coogan; amongst its writers were Rob Grant and Doug Naylor (Red Dwarf) and Ian Hislop. A key influence on the genre as well as a factory of talent that effectively produced it, the style hasn't particularly dated either. Great stuff.

BRASS EYE          8/10

This really is not going to be for everyone and I think even the writers know that. If you get it, however, it makes for rewarding viewing. Prank-based comedy pre-Trigger Happy TV and with an added moralistic, satirical bite. The follow-up to his success with The Day Today, Chris Morris took his no-holds-barred satire into dangerous, taboo-encrusted territory with some of the pranks he pulls on celebrities and public figures - culminating in a massively controversial 2001 special about paedophilia. Morris's offbeat sense of humour is always there "They don't need punishment....They need GUNISHMENT" but his principle purpose is to expose the hypocrisy and hyperbole in the media, by any means necessary. To an extent, it works. If you're anything like me, sometimes you're not sure what to think of it.

LITTLE BRITAIN           7/10

The latest sketch show sensation in the UK is the brainchild of writers/stars Matt Lucas (formerly crazed drummer George Dawes on Shooting Stars) and partner David Walliams. Gradually I'm getting to like this more, but for now it still seems very hit and miss to me. Some of it is acidly hilarious, such as Vicki Pollard the cocky schoolgirl "Yeah-but-no-but-yeah", and The Only Gay In The Village (which happens to be in Wales). Certainly these have further enhanced the playground quotability catalogue. Some of it, though, seems overdone and executed in not-as-funny-as-it-could-be style. This is clearly a minority view, however. Kudos to them for attempting to keep the format alive.