Britcoms

Funny you should mention the Goons, you can get old shows on the BBC's webradio. It can be a pain to find at times, but well worth it. Throw in "I'm Sorry I'll read that again" (Early John Cleese and others), "I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" (Fake quiz show with comedians, bad puns, large amounts of innuendo) and "Around the Horne" (Raging 1950-60's innuendo), there's a lot of fun to be had.

 

Blackadder

 

Good call on As Times Goes By. It took a while to grow on me, but now it's one of my favorites.

Other suggestions:

Father Ted
'Allo, 'Allo
My Family
Spaced (if you liked Shaun of the Dead, you'll like this)
My Hero

 

I'll second the recommendation for "Are You Being Served?" ... classic from the 70s/80s ... got hooked when I was a teenager and nothing else on late Sunday nights.

 

The Young Ones, starring a very young Hugh Laurie.

ANSWER THE DOOR RIC!!!

ANSWER THE DOOR NEIL!!!

 

I agree with GB on the British "Coupling." The Yankee version lasted three episodes it was soooooooooooooooooooo bad.

Gutter, outside of George Michael's Sports Machine, AYBS was the only other thing worth watching on Sunday nights.

I'll add "Keeping Up Appearances" with Patricia Rutledge and "To The Manor Born" which is another classic 70's/80's Britcom.

 

Actually, The Young ones was a young Rick Mayall, Adrian Edmondson and others. If Laurie appeared, it wasn't as a regular. Don't remember him on the BBC until A bit of Fry and Laurie.

 

there are a couple montey python boxsets on the market--i would invest in one of them. My first real intro to comedy when i was a kid (my father loved the show and would watch it as often as it was aired in the US).

the Brit version of the office is great too....

 

"Coupling" has my endorsement, too. The first three seasons were brilliant. The fourth, and so far final, was excellent, but not as good as the previous rollouts.

Little Britain, seasons 1-3, is hilarious and still makes me laugh.

Another one, which I hope to find beneath the tree this year, is Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps!