Four Underrated British Sitcoms To Stream
British comedy is well known in the USA, from the likes of Monty Python to The Office and Shameless, both of which have enjoyed revisions in the country, while of course there are many more too. However, some sitcoms have never really made their way onto our TV screens so if you’re looking for something new to watch they are well worth streaming.
There’s something glorious about the Great British sitcom, and down the years there have been some real classics with the likes of Outnumbered, Fresh Meat and Cold Feet all being popular in parts of the country. There are also many that are underrated though and below you’ll find our top picks for the most underrated British sitcoms to stream…
Eyes Down
The boom of bingo has been huge in recent years and most of our smartphones now have a bingo app you can play, such is its popularity. The game is also a British institution and back in the early 2000s a sitcom was created based upon a bingo caller at a bingo hall in Liverpool. The sitcom starred Sheridan Smith, who has gone on to star in a number of hit shows in the UK and US, and it really reflects what British bingo halls were like at the time. There are only 15 episodes and the show was relatively short-lived, but it’s certainly one to look out for.
Friday Night Dinner
Friday Night Dinner follows the regular Friday evening meals of a Jewish family in Britain and has comfortably cemented itself as one of the very best Britain has to offer over the six seasons it has been broadcast. Starring Tamsin Greig, of Episodes fame, and the late great Paul Ritter, the show is barmy, hilarious and yet warm and loving at the time, and is likely relatable no matter where you live in the world.
There has, of course, been a US pilot of the show but it has never been commissioned into a full series.
Count Arthur Strong
Count Arthur Strong started life as a radio show on BBC Radio Four, but was transformed into a TV show back in 2013, running for three seasons. The show follows the life of the eccentric Count Arthur Strong, a former music hall performer who is now elderly and out-of-work. His clumsiness, malapropisms, and tics create for some rather incredible situations, much to the dismay of Michael, a man following Arthur in order to write a book about his Dad, and former partner of Count Arthur.
Lead Balloon
Lead Balloon ran for four seasons and many of those episodes can currently be found on YouTube. Written by and starring legendary English comic Jack Dee, the show follows character Rick Spleen, a cynical and misanthropic comedian through his life, a life full of petty squabbles, misdemeanours and embarrassing situations.
The show was a big hit for the BBC when it first aired, and it is often compared to Curb Your Enthusiasm, and perhaps is the closest you will find to a British equivalent of the show.
