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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 440112" data-attributes="member: 23">Excellent stuff.I won't post my own list because it's been a good few years since I last watched, but from memory and discussion coming out of your viewing my ranking would align fairly closely with yours. Waldorf Salad and The Anniversary would be lower down the list, while The Germans and The Psychiatrist would be higher (but still not Top Three). It would also be very close indeed between Communication Problems, Gourmet Night and The Hotel Inspectors.As you've pointed out, even the lowliest-ranked episode would still be worth a rewatch.That's great and I'm sure you may spot new little details as you watch them the second time around (third or fourth in some cases).I generally equate brevity with a purer end product. Almost any longer-running series has filler or recycled material somewhere along the way.The official line has generally been that it was a deliberate choice to ensure it didn't get into the repetition and redundancy of plots you mentioned. I would say both Cleese and Booth genuinely felt this way, even if it wasn't the sole reason.From what I've read, Connie Booth is considered to be a key factor in the decision. More specifically, her unavailability or unwillingness to revisit it. She had been very reluctant to do the second series and while she continued to act, Fawlty was the last time she would write for TV or film.Yes. She and Andew Sachs have died and Connie Booth is highly unlikely to do it  (and if she did, would we really want to see an 85 year old Polly still working for Fawlty).I vaguely recall an interview with Cleese saying it was going to be Basil running a different hotel (possibly in America) with his daughter. For me that just feels like a different animal.I pray you're right about this being all talk, and I suspect Cleese knows deep down that such an endeavour risks diluting - and tarnishing - the series as a whole.The former, for sure. It's widely recognised as the gold standard of British sitcoms.It's good to know there's a little Fawlty still to come.Clockwise (1987)is on my viewing bucket list and seems to be fairly well-regarded. In the US it seemed to be viewed as too niche and "British", so had a restricted release and performed badly. I'm not sure if this is a reflection on the film's quality, but I like what I've seen of it from clips, and it has a good cast (recognisable from the British TV and film landscape, anyway).This is one I've never watched, so I'll be curious to read some of your views on this for different reasons.I think I understand this, but of course I don't know your experience/association when it comes to Atkinson's work. Mr. Bean certainly does a lot of gurning.Based on your comment, you may find the first six episodes a trudge (the first year is generally considered the weakest in most regards). I actually really dislike his characterisation in S1, but there is a significant shift and improvement for S2.I have a strange relationship with Blackadder. It's not exactly love/hate, but I rarely feel any desire to watch (probably in part because I'm not a major  fan of period stuff). Whenever I do watch, though, I invariably find myself thinking that it's funnier and better than memory tells me.From my experience, American mid-century sitcoms have dated better than British ones. Of the ones that haven't been wiped, many British sitcoms from the Fifties and Sixties look very old and are pretty slow.A few have sprung to mind, but I will have a think about others:The Good Life(1975-78, 30 episodes)US title: Good NeighborsI'm sure [USER=27]@Daniel Avery[/USER] will back this one. I'd describe it as gentle-but-grounded.To The Manor Born(1979-1981, 21 episodes)Another gentle one. No really outrageous situations, and probably more of a feelgood factor than belly laughs, but it has a nice story and regularly topped the ratings here when it first aired.One Foot In The Grave(1990-2000, 42 episodes)The setting and tone are very different to Fawlty, but it has a similarly grouchy central character who regularly finds himself in outlandish situations, often through misunderstandings. There is one element of the series that you may find off-putting, but it's not something I can say more about without spoiling the journey. Still, for my money, this regularly delivers some very big laughs if you don't mind your comedy with a little grit.Oh, I'll also throw in... Father, Dear Father(1968-73, 45 episodes)While not the kind of series to make it on to most "best/most memorable/most iconic British sitcom" lists, I include this on the basis that its writer/creators who would go on to create Man About The House (which in turn became Three's Company) so may feel just familiar enough without inviting direct comparison.There are other sitcoms I consider either good or at least favourites of mine which I'd hesitate to recommend for various reasons. Dinnerladies is a great workplace sitcom with only a handful of episodes a great cast and some great dialogue, but may be one to save for a bit of a deeper dive due to the regional accents, the fast delivery and a good number of British cultural references. Open All Hours also has regional accents (albeit delivered more clearly than those in Dinnerladies) and I do wonder if you may find it a little too formulaic. Keeping Up Appearances seems to go down well with American viewers, but you may find the central character's sometimes shrill voice a little too Naugatuck-esque (like Open All Hours, which has the same writer, it's also quite formulaic and revels in the anticipation of certain running gags). Since you're considering Blackadder, there is also The Vicar Of Dibley also by Richard Curtis.</blockquote>

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