Top 50 sitcoms

smuckers · 01-10-2003 9:20am #1

Brit rates 'Phil Silvers' as best-ever sitcom
By The Associated Press
October 1, 2003

LONDON - It's just one man's opinion, but a new British publication rates "The Phil Silvers Show," the saga of the work-shy, money-grubbing Sgt. Bilko, as the greatest sitcom ever.

"The Phil Silvers Show" beat "Seinfeld" at the top of the list in the new edition of the "Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy." The Radio Times is a weekly magazine published by the British Broadcasting Corp.

The list was compiled by author and TV historian Mark Lewisohn.

While "The Phil Silvers Show" ended in 1959 after four years, late-night reruns continued for years on British television. It also was known as "Sgt. Bilko" in syndication.

" 'Sgt. Bilko' is sitcom's high-water mark. In 2005 it'll be 50 years old, and yet it's still hilarious - with great scripts and magnificent performances week after week by Phil Silvers," Lewisohn said. "The crazy thing is, the show has been buried and forgotten in America, while in Britain it is still revered."

Other U.S. shows on the list: "Frasier" (No. 6), "M*A*S*H" (No. 7), "The Larry Sanders Show" (No. 11), "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (No. 12), "Cheers" (No. 17), "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (No. 18) and "The Simpsons" (No. 20).

What I don't understand about this is I got a Radio Times Guide to Comedy about 3 years ago and Mark has Sein as no 1 in Britian and The US.

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 01-10-2003 6:55pm

Hmm, not bad. Suprised Frasier didnt top it.

Not becuase I like Frasier per se, but anytime I talk to ppl about American Sitcoms thats all they rave about!

In fairness though I would watch Sgt. Bilko all day long!!

smuckers · 02-10-2003 9:25am

Untill Daphene and Niles got together Frasier was sublime stuff it all went downhill from there.

smuckers · 08-10-2003 12:44pm

Fraiser has also become too serious there was a recent ep I saw and Niles was having bypass surgery that kinda plot you'd get in The Cosby Show but not Frasier.

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 11-10-2003 12:55pm

I went off Kelsey Grammer after knowing he very publicy donated to and supports George Bush. Cant be having that!!

smuckers · 25-10-2003 2:41pm

I saw a programme about Kelsey Grammer on the bio channel the man has had a shocking life when he was 18 both his parents were murdered by a burgular his olny companion was a sheepdog and his girlfriend stole him from him, then he became severely depressed and became a coke addict.

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 26-10-2003 3:52pm

Hmmm...
Ok I'll go easy on him then!!

Interesting you talk about the bio channel. Here in NY there are huge adverts downtown advertising a new series of programms including Jerry.

Heres a cool pic of him and also the link to his piece on www.biography.com

http://search.biography.com/print_record.pl?id=23097

Top 50 sitcoms

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