Best of the Britcoms: From Fawlty Towers to The Office

by Garry Berman

With crisp dialog, outrageous characters, and an absurd sense of humor, it's no wonder British sitcoms are so well-loved! Best of the Britcoms covers the most noteworthy situation comedies ever to cross the pond. Each entry combines a show summary with descriptions of standout episodes and behind-the-scenes details, plus gives you production data and full cast listings. And now, the revised edition of this Britcom classic contains seven new chapters on programs that have aired in the U.S. since the original edition was published, such as The Office, Extras, and My Family. Fans of old-school Britcoms won't be disappointed either, as the revised edition also includes the later developments of older series' storylines and detailed information on specials and cast reunions that have occurred in the intervening years. Pick up this book, kick back, and get to know a Britcom!

Genres: Nonfiction

374 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 1999

Reviews

[Joe Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does exactly what he sets out to do which is to cover the history of the British Sitcom. He is generally positive, maybe bit too positive for grumpy old me, and often summarizes the show and also gives an example or two of some of the better episodes. This might spoil a few shows so maybe skip the episode descriptions of shows you mean to watch in the future.

Well worth the read if you are a Britcom fan especially one from America. Sometimes in my watching, I don't quite 'get' what is going on and this book helps to put shows in perspective.

[Barry Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A large format paperback, reviews a wide range of britcoms, sorted by decade from the 70’s to the 90’s, with interesting background info, availability on dvd/vhs, etc.

A really fun read. I knew of many of the shows, some not seen in years - Butterflies, Reginald Perrin, The Good Life, Solo, Rising Damp, etc.

Includes a pretty extensive cross reference section as well.