There are lots of brilliant British sitcoms to enjoy, but there are others that are hugely underrated, and audiences definitely shouldn’t be missing out on them. While plenty of viewers all over the world are familiar with some ofthe best British sitcoms of all time, likeFawlty TowersorAbsolutely Fabulous, there are others that fly under the radar.
In fact, a lot of audiences are unaware that manyHollywood stars started in British sitcoms, and have never heard of their breakthrough projects because they’re so underrated. There is an endless list of British sitcoms that you shouldn’t miss out on, but these amazing and hilarious titles deserve a lot more love and attention than they’re currently getting.
Edgar Wright’s comedy show,Spaced, is absolutely incredible.The show focuses on Simon Pegg as Tim, and Jessica Hynes (credited as Stevenson) as Daisy, two strangers who befriend one another while posing as a couplelooking for an apartment in the competitive London property market.
Throughout the show,the pair has many quirky visitors, who all bring their own hilarious chaos and drama to the table.There is their landlady, Marsha, eccentric artist neighbor Brian, and Daisy’s best friend, Twist. The most important, however, is Nick Frost as Tim’s best friend, Mike, who later moves in with them.
Nick Frost and Simon Pegg beforeShaun of the Deadis an odd sight to take in initially, butSpaceddemonstrates just how amazing their comedic talents are, and why they’re now massive Hollywood names.Spacedis a stellar and comical watch that launched Pegg, Frost, and Hynes’ careers,and it’s a massively underappreciated title audiences outside the UK should check out.
Not Going Outis anunderrated British sitcomthat stars stand-up comedian Lee Mack as a fictionalized version of himself, who is the roommate of his best friend’s sister, Lucy (Sally Bretton).Not Going Outhas just aired season 14, but the show changes massively throughout its run,and it’s broken up into three distinct eras.
Lee begins the show as a lazy and unambitious man who can’t tell Lucy how he feels.
Lee begins the show as a lazy and unambitious man who can’t tell Lucy how he feels. Eventually, he does, and the second era focuses on them as a married couple raising three young kids.In the most recent installment ofNot Going Out, the pair moves to the countrysideafter the kids leave for university.
Not Going Out’s season 15, which is due to air in 2026, will mark the sitcom’s 20th anniversary. In fact, as of this year,Not Going Outis the UK’s longest-running sitcom that’s still on the air.WhileNot Going Outis a well-known title in the UK, it deserves a lot more international attention.
MotherlandstarsStar City’s Anna Maxwell MartinasJulia, an exhausted mother of two who tries to maintain her high-powered careerand deal with a less-than-helpful husband. She is accompanied by Diane Morgan, who is best known as Philomena Cunk, one ofthe greatest British comedy characters ever, as fellow parent Liz, and Kevin Brady as local father Paul.
Motherlandhilariously depicts the realities of being a parent,regardless of your situation. Liz is a single mother with a complex relationship with her ex, Julia heavily relies on the help of her mother (albeit ungratefully), and Kevin’s daughters are the only thing that distracts him from his crumbling marriage.
Amandalandfollows Lucy Punch’sMotherlandcharacter, Amanda Hughes, moving to a new area after her divorce. While Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne also reprise their roles as Felicity and Anne, respectively, nobody else fromMotherlandappears in the spinoff.
Motherlandis hysterically funny, but it isn’t afraid to be deep,either. For example, the last episode is incredibly profound, as it involves Julia’s mother dying on Christmas Day.Motherlandmay be over, but the spinoffAmandalandaired earlier this year, and it’s already been renewed for season 2, as well.
If you’re looking for a comedy whereAndy Samberg and Taylor Lautner are father and son,Cuckoois the show for you.Cuckoofollows Andy Samberg as the titular character, who marries Rachel (Tamla Kari/Esther Smith) during her gap year abroad,and returns to the UK to meet her family. Rachel’s father, Ken (Greg Davies), is particularly unimpressed with Cuckoo, but they later form a strong bond.
Andy Samberg was unable to return forCuckooseason 2 due toBrooklyn Nine-Ninefilming commitments.
In season 2, it’s revealed thatCuckoo has died, and Taylor Lautner arrives as Dale, his long-lost son.Strangely, Rachel develops a romantic relationship with her step-son, but at least the pair are of a more similar age. Rachel’s brother, Dylan (Tyger Drew-Honey), and mother, Lorna (Helen Baxendale), also provide plenty of comical moments.
It’s great to seeTaylor Lautner afterTwilightended, especially as a character who couldn’t be any more different from Jacob, too.Cuckoois a hilarious family sitcom,and watching the titular character and Dale try to navigate a society they’re completely unfamiliar with is brilliant.
Friday Night Dinneris a hugely popular sitcom in the UK,which focuses on the Goodman family. There’s overbearing mother Jackie, portrayed by Tamsin Greig, who is also known for her role inMatt LeBlanc’sEpisodes, and her bumbling husband, Martin (Paul Ritter). Their two sons, Adam (Simon Bird) and Johnny (Tom Rosenthal), join them on Friday evenings for a meal.
WhileFriday Night Dinner’s main characters are great, the recurring supporting characters are just as strong.
Unfortunately, it usually doesn’t go to plan, andthey’re often disturbed by their weird neighbor Jim (Mark Heap) and his dog, Wilson.WhileFriday Night Dinner’s main characters are great, the recurring supporting characters are just as strong. The boys’ two grandmothers, for example, are two very different women with equally hysterical moments. Aunt Val (Tracy-Ann Oberman) is another iconic figure, too.
It’sa simple concept, but every episode is hilarious. From Martin getting a bee sting in an unfortunate place to a stuck couch in the stairwell,Friday Night Dinnertakes the mundane and turns it into hysterical chaos.
Black Booksfocuses on the titular bookstore and the owner, Bernard Black (Dylan Moran).Bernard only cares about smoking and drinking,and he definitely isn’t interested in running his store properly. He is joined by Manny (Bill Bailey), whom he meets and reluctantly hires in the first episode, and his old friend Fran (Tamsin Greig), who initially owns a gift shop next door.
Black Booksis ridiculously comical from start to finish. Bernard’s distaste for people in general, Fran’s sex obsession, and the constant badgering of Manny are nothing short of hilarious.The season 2 episode “A Nice Change” is particularly strong,which sees the three main characters go on to dozens of airports worldwide just to get a cheap vacation.
The characters aren’t supposed to be particularly likable,just like other sitcoms such asIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but that’s what makes them so funny.Black Bookswill keep you laughing non-stop, but audiences are also lucky enough to enjoy Bill Bailey’s astounding musical talents in the show, too.
Toast of Londonis one ofMatt Berry’s best TV shows, in which he plays Steven Toast, a voiceover artist. Berry is fantastic inToast of London, and it proves why he’s such a strong comedic performer.Steven Toast is a self-obsessed actor with a short fuse who tries to be a womanizer,but ultimately fails.
Each episode ofToast of Londonfollows Steven at his various recording jobs and the events that occur between them.One of the most notable references fromToast of Londonis the character of Clem Fandango(Shazad Latif), who works at the recording studio and frequently annoys Steven by asking “Hello, Steven? This is Clem Fandango. Can you hear me?”
WhileToast of Londonisn’t exactly a lore-heavy sitcom, it’s still a great watch.Toast of Londonsees some of Matt Berry’s very finest work,and fans of the actor will love the show because of his incredibly specific diction, something he’s also renowned for as Laszlo Cravensworth inWhat We Do in the Shadows.
