5 Best (& 5 Worst) British Sitcoms Of The ’90s

Over the last 50 years, there have been a lot of iconic and memorable British sitcoms. The ’80s provided the world with some comedy gold, with the likes of Only Fools and Horses, Blackadder, and ‘Allo ‘Allo still watched by millions today. The noughties also provided a lot of hilarious material too with the likes of Peep Show and The Office (UK) achieving critical success. But what about the ’90s?

The sitcoms that the public saw in the ’90s were just as memorable as all the other decades. However, it was not always for the right reasons. In fact, a lot of them should have never been commissioned in the first place. Here are just a few examples of the best and worst British sitcoms in the ’90s.

10 Worst: Men Behaving Badly

Starring Neil Morrisey and Martin Clunes, Men Behaving Badly is a sitcom that isn’t as fondly remembered now as it was in the ’90s. Set in West London, the sitcom mainly follows the lives of Gary Strang (Clunes) and his flatmates who spend most of their time doing stereotypical “manly” things.

The show was also deemed to be politically incorrect by many fans, who believed that its portrayal of lad culture promoted irresponsible and invasive behavior (especially towards the women). It’s one of those sitcoms that hasn’t aged well.

9 Best: The League of Gentlemen

One of the most iconic sitcoms in the 1990s was The League of Gentlemen, which starred and was written by Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss, and Reece Shearsmith. While dark comedies are not to everyone’s taste, this sitcom did prove a hit with the British public as the viewers enjoyed the wickedly twisted humor.

A lot of fans also praised the writers for coming up with situations and characters that were quite innovative and inventive. Although the show would be deemed highly controversial if it was aired now, Pemberton, Gatiss, and Shearsmith style can be witnessed in Inside No. 9 and Psychoville…

8 Worst: Dinnerladies

Dinnerladies is also another tv series that was prominent in the ’90s. Starring Victoria Wood, Maxine Peake, and Julie Walters, the sitcom mainly focuses on the lives of the canteen workers who work at the fictional factory, HWD Components. As the show goes on, the viewers see friendships and romances blossom between the staff and grow stronger.

Unfortunately, there are mixed feelings on the sitcom. Those who weren’t familiar with Wood’s work didn’t know what to make of the bittersweet humor that was littered throughout. Some also thought the characters were a little dull. It just depends on the viewers’ taste…

7 Best: The Fast Show

Starring Paul Whitehouse, Mark Williams, and Caroline Aherne, the ’90s found another hit series in The Fast Show. Mainly containing a series of sketches, each episode provided a situation and character that depicted a stereotype of British society.

The series was an immediate hit with the public as the viewers managed to find the characters relatable in some form or another. The writing is funny, the execution of jokes is perfectly timed and the performances are quite memorable too. It’s another must-see show…

6 Worst: Birds Of A Feather

One sitcom that hasn’t been as popular as the other entries on the list is Birds of a Feather. Starring Linda Robson, Pauline Quirke, and Lesley Joseph, the show focused on the lives of two sisters, who are shocked to discover that their husbands have been arrested for armed robbery. They are then forced to move in together and adapt to their newfound lives.

While the show is still going presently, many people believe the magic went out of the show decades ago. Although the series’ protagonists give strong performances, the show lacks in writing and storylines. The jokes are also very predictable too. It would have been more iconic if it ended in its prime…

5 Best: Goodnight Sweetheart

Goodnight Sweetheart is also another sitcom that proved to be a hit in the ’90s. Starring Nicholas Lyndhurst, the show followed the life of Gary Sparrow, a time-traveler who finds himself living a double life when he stumbles upon a portal leading to 1940s London.

In both time-periods, the viewers get to meet some iconic characters and duos. Viewers loved watching Ron and Yvonne butt-heads, and the friendship blossomed between Reg and Gary. Despite hating his adulterous nature, viewers did look forward to seeing what adventures Gary got up to as well. It’s worth a watch if someone hasn’t seen it yet…

4 Worst: The Piglet Files

Although Lyndhurst found success with Goodnight Sweetheart, he did feature in another 90s sitcom that wasn’t as successful. Set in the early 1990s, the show focuses on Peter Chapman (Lyndhurst), who finds himself recruited by MI5 after they ask him to join their technology division. Since he had lost his job, Peter jumps on the opportunity.

The only problem was that he had to hide his new job from his wife. Unfortunately, the sitcom didn’t last very long as many thought the writing was dull and dry. To this day, not many people remember it particularly well.

3 Best: Knowing Me, Knowing You With Alan Partridge

Another sitcom that was a hit in the ’90s was Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge. Starring Steven Coogan, the series follows the life of verbose talk show host Alan Partridge, who often gets himself into awkward and troublesome situations.

Scripts, which were written by Coogan too, received a lot of praise amongst the public, who thoroughly enjoyed the dry and cringe humor. It was also well received with critics, with The Austin Chronicle calling it “the most hilarious satirical comedies in recent memory.” The show was so popular that Coogan went on to create several more series with Alan Partridge at the center.

2 Worst: Heil Honey, I’m Home

Most people will agree that Heil Honey, I’m Home was the worst sitcom to come out of the ’90s. Starring Neil McCaul and Denica Fairman, the show centered on the lives of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, who find themselves living next door to a Jewish couple.

Already, one would be able to tell that the controversial show wasn’t well-received among the British public, who rightfully deemed it “distasteful and offensive.” The public outcry would have got even bigger if one looks up what was planned in the future episodes. It wasn’t surprising that the network executives decided to cancel it altogether. How this got commissioned in the first place is anyone’s guess…

1 Best: The Royle Family

By far, the best sitcom of the ’90s has to be The Royle Family. Set in Manchester, the sitcom mainly focused on the Royles, who spend most of their time watching television and discussing everyday events. Starring the likes of Ricky Tomlinson, Susan Johnston, and Caroline Aherne, the series rose to fame due to its relatable characters and humorous storylines.

The show also accrued critical fame due to the chemistry between actors, particularly the rivalry between Jim (Tomlinson) and Nana, which had audiences in tears most of the time. This show is still just as popular with the viewers in the U.K. as it was in the ’90s.

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