So, Pip and Ultimo - Freeze-Frame Radio

MzHartz · Permanent Vacation

So, Pip and Ultimo

MzHartz · Permanent Vacation

The one that's being replaced is Waiting for God. Unfortunately, they've run through the series 3 times now, so they're replacing it, but we love it! I'll be sad to see it go. I love Diana!

Waiting For God

UK, BBC, Sitcom, Colour, 1990

Starring: Stephanie Cole, Graham Crowden, Daniel Hill

The adventures of two geriatric delinquents as they pass their time railing against a world where the young are revered and the elderly are held in contempt.

This OAP onslaught was launched from the Bayview Retirement Village, an old people's estate of luxury bungalows and apartments. In one such dwelling lives the former photo-journalist Diana Trent, a formidable, acid-tongued, bloody-minded, belligerent individual whose motto in life is 'If you're angry you know you're still alive'. And Diana has plenty to be angry about - though in full possession of her faculties and with a razor-sharp mind, people refuse to see beyond the ageing exterior and treat her accordingly. They presume her aggression and stinging ripostes to be the rambling eccentricities of a miserable old biddy unable to fend for herself, not realising that it is born of the frustration at their appalling misconception.

Newly installed in the apartment next to Diana's is Tom Ballard, a gentler, optimistic soul who counters the vagaries of life by living in a fantasy world of his own making. His delusions make him something of a subversive and soon he is spreading unrest in the community hall, the meeting place and dining room for the Bayview residents. Much to the chagrin of Bayview's manager - the morose but ambitious Harvey Bains - Diana views a kindred spirit in her neighbour and soon the two are inseparable, presenting a united front and delivering double jeopardy for all who get in their way. Other regular characters in the series are Tom's weak but well-meaning and terribly boring son Geoffrey with his nymphomaniac, dipsomaniac, harridan of a wife, Marion, and Harvey's doting secretary, Jane.

Finally (in the fourth series), Tom and Diana move in together, delightfully scandalising everyone by 'living in sin' and continuing to wage their war against an uncaring society; the rest of the main players have their own agendas too - Geoffrey tries to leave the awful Marion; Jane spends her years 'trying to fine-tune the less charming sides' of Harvey's character; and Harvey suffers endless frustrations in his attempts to join a local golf club.

MzHartz · Permanent Vacation

The other one we watch is Keeping Up Appearances, which is still good, but not as good as Waiting for God.

Onslow, Daisy, Rose, Richard and Hyacinth.

Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet) is the queen of snobs. Obsessed by perfection, image, etiquette and breeding, she makes peoples existence a total nightmare. She doesn't live for herself but lives to be seen and does everything in her power to give the right impression to the upper social classes. She doesn't miss an occasion to mention her sister Violet who owes a villa with room for swimming pool and pony but dreads being seen around the derelict council house of her slobbish tattooed brother in law Onslow. In her mission to civilize and

educate the socially less fortunate, she controls people, interferes in everyones life and bring chaos everywhere she goes. Her three younger sisters Violet, Daisy and Rose, her neighbours Elizabeth and Emmet or even her postman and milkman all fear her and wonder how her first victim poor husband Richard copes.

Keeping up appearances, very much like Fawlty Towers, is a portrait of a British society ruled by social classes. It is a joke about class embarrassment, about a small obsessive world where some determined snobbish characters desperately try to climb the social ladder. This comedy shows again that greeting situations with derision is one of the strengths of the great legendary British sense of humour we love.

Brilliantly performed by hilarious Patricial Routledge, Hyacinth Bucket is one of the numerous snob antiheroes seen in British comedies. Clive Swift, Josephine Tewson, David Griffin, Judy Cornwell, Geoffrey Hughes, Shirley Stelfox, Mary Millar, Jeremy Gittins and Marion Barron also deliver a great performance and give each character an inimitable charm.

pipsar6 · Chocolate Pip Cookie

Well I am not that big on TV or comedies - being a miserables Sod!!!

So to throw my 2 pennies worth in here goes.

Ballykissangel - never watched it and know little about it but it was incredibly popular and highly thought of over here.

Barbara - I have to confess I have never heard of this one...

My family - now my kids like this and Mark has seen it too. I have watched it...can be amusing - a gentle clean family comedy with Robert Lindsey and Zoe Wannamaker, two very accomplished and well known performers

My Hero - I always say I hate this... and then get caught up in it and even laugh!!! It's a bit corny though...
Thermoman is played by Ardel O Hanlon who was made famous really by another comedy, Father Ted! - an Irish priest skit!

pipsar6 · Chocolate Pip Cookie

Waiting for God - saw some in the early days and found it quite funny at times.

Keeping Up Appearances - makes me cringe - but is quite amusing at times and quite predictable

MzHartz · Permanent Vacation

From the clips, I'm leaning towards My Hero or Ballykissangel.

Yeah, Keeping Up Appearances seems to use the same formula for every show: Invite Liz over for tea, Liz drops the coffee cup. Father goes missing. Hyacinth terrorizes the vicar. Her son calls and asks for money. Rose is being scandalous. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

Ultimo · King of the Ring

I love comedy shows, but to be honest it's all a but mainstream for my taste, but going on what you have liked in the past, you should like all of them, for me though My Family and My Hero are slightly the better two.