Sitcom Showdown

Eric Chappell is the subject of our first 'writer special' in which we talk about his methods and the many sitcoms he penned including Rising Damp, Home to Roost and others. Steve selects an episode of 'Fiddlers Three' to investigate.

Black Books gets a second nomination from Jeffers for the series 2 epsiode 'Blood', where Bernard's new bookshop restaurant, Manny's high-street ambition and Fran's relatives all go into the cooking pot to make Sitcom Luxury Pie. But will Steve find it tasty enough for the Hall of Fame?

Black Books stars Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey and Tamsin Greig. Bllood was written by Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil, with Dylan Moran.

The short-lived 'Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer' is brought in by Steve, to compare this USA-made historical comedy to its earlier UK rival Blackadder. Did Desmond's adventures deserve to be cancelled?

It sure didn't harm the actors' careers much, as Jeffers and Steve find out when they investigate.

Does Niblett hold a candle to Baldrick? Is Desmond as quick-thinking and cunning and vindictive as Edmund? And how good is Booger as a guest star?

The Goodies' classic 1977 Christmas episode 'Earthanasia' is nominated by Jeffers for a Hall of Fame spot. Will the doomsday-scenario adventures of Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor be hilarious enough to convince Steve? And in any case, will the Muppets suffer?

Twitter: @SitcomShowdown

Theme tune 'Billy Blues' by texasradiofish (c) copyright 2015. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license.

Blackadder the Third gets its inevitable nomination from Steve, who claims that the episode 'Amy and Amiability' is the greatest sitcom episode of all time!

It's hard to argue against that when you look at the talents of Rowan Atkinson, Ben Elton, Richard Curtis, Miranda Richardson, Tony Robinson and Hugh Laurie all combining to create a classic masterwork.

The Young Ones 1984 episode 'Nasty' is the Halloween special for 2021 in the Sitcom Showdown Hall of Fame. We enjoy some scares with Rik, Vyvyan, Neil and Mike, but hold a grudge against Alexei Sayle for crimes against live comedy!

Twitter: @SitcomShowdown

Theme tune 'Billy Blues' by texasradiofish (c) copyright 2015. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license.

AP Bio is nominated by Steve for the Hall of Fame. Will this modern school-based sitcom graduate into the big leagues? It all depends on the quality of the teaching!

Twitter: @SitcomShowdown

Theme tune 'Billy Blues' by texasradiofish (c) copyright 2015. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license.

Ted McGinley is nominated for the Sitcom Showdown Hall of Fame, giving us a chance to chat about his work in Happy Days, Married With Children, Hope & Faith, The Love Boat and more!

Geoffrey Palmer is inducted into the Sitcom Showdown Hall of Fame in this 'actor spotlight' special! The star of Butterflies and Executive Stress also had a terrific role in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, which Steve investigates.

Trial and Error, the 2017 sitcom and murder mystery mockumentary, is nominated by Jeffers for the Hall of Fame. Will Judge Steve rule favourably on the case? Any sitcom with John Lithgow and Sherri Shepherd (plus Jayma Mays and Steven Boyer) should be just fine, surely?

Twitter: @SitcomShowdown

Theme tune 'Billy Blues' by texasradiofish (c) copyright 2015. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license.