Which is the best sitcom ever? Do you have a favourite? I can’t pin it down to just one, I have a mix of favourites, from the golden oldies to newer stuff.
Today marks 50 years since Fawlty Towers first appeared on British screens. I wasn’t around to see it back then, but I caught up with it in my youth and it still makes me laugh today.
Comedy has definitely changed since those days. Many older shows wouldn’t get a slot on TV now. Back then, people found them funny because they weren’t so easily offended.
A recent YouGov survey asked Brits to name their favourite sitcom. With such a huge list to choose from, 54% said they had a favourite.
Friends tops the list, even 21 years after its final episode, with 14% of the vote. Close behind is Only Fools and Horses on 12%. These were the only two shows to hit double digits which is not surprising when 137 sitcoms were mentioned overall.
In third place was The Big Bang Theory with 6%. Half a century after it first aired, Fawlty Towers still does well, tied for fourth place with Gavin & Stacey, The Office, Modern Family, and Not Going Out, all on 3%.
The rest of the top ten is six shows tied on 2%: British classics Dad’s Army and Friday Night Dinner, plus American hits Brooklyn Nine-Nine, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Frasier, and the US version of The Office.
Best sitcom ever: Generational differences
Friends is particularly popular with Millennials, taking 25% of their votes. Gen Z is split, with Friends sharing the top spot with Modern Family at 13%. Gen Xers favour Only Fools and Horses (17%), followed by Friends (13%). For Baby Boomers, Only Fools and Horses is king (18%), with Dad’s Army (7%) and Fawlty Towers (6%) close behind.
There’s also a gender gap. Women clearly love Friends, 23% named it as their favourite, compared to just 4% of men. Men are more likely to go for Only Fools and Horses (16%) versus 7% of women.
British vs American sitcoms
Overall, 58% of people picked a British sitcom as their favourite, and 41% chose an American one. Younger Brits, however, lean heavily towards US shows: 85% of Baby Boomers went for British sitcoms, 69% of Gen X, but only 36% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z.
There is also a clear link between age and era: most Gen Zers (54%) favour shows from the 2010s, while two-thirds of Boomers (66%) stick to favourites from the 70s, 80s, or 90s.
Even after 50 years, Fawlty Towers remains a shining example of British comedy at its best. Happy 50th, Fawlty Towers!
Can you pick a favourite comedy show? Are the oldies really the best, or do the newer ones give them a run for their money?
