What do you do when you have less than an hour to take a break from real life? I like to watch British sitcoms.
A sitcom, or situational comedy, “is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, with often humorous dialogue.” Though there are lots of great American sitcoms (think, How I Met Your Mother, Friends, and Seinfeld), I think British sitcoms are more entertaining and an easier watch. (Classic American shows, like The Office and All in the Family, were American remakes of British sitcoms.)
At a max of thirty minutes an episode, sitcoms are the perfect break from studying and work. Rather than dedicating an hour or more to one drama episode, why not watch one (or two) episodes of slapstick or relatable humor? Take a break from real life with these five sitcoms.
Bad Education (2012-)
Comedian Jack Whitehall stars as newly-graduated teacher Alfie Wickers in this BBC Three sitcom. Mr. Wickers is considered to be “the worst teacher ever to grace the British education system,” leading to hilarious mischief and shenanigans between him and his exaggerated students.
…
Miranda (2009-)
6-foot-1 Miranda doesn’t fit in with her friends and constantly disappoints her mother. She owns a joke shop but is the epitome of awkwardness. The show is a hilarious semi-autobiography by comedienne Miranda Hart.
…
The IT Crowd (2006-2013)
Chris O’Dowd, Katherine Parkinson, and Richard Ayoade star in this Channel 4 sitcom centered around three staff members of an IT department. O’Dowd and Ayoade play typical IT-geeks whereas Parkinson’s character, their manager, funnily enough, knows little-to-nothing about technology.
…
The Inbetweeners (2008-2010)
The Inbetweeners follows four fictional suburban teenagers through school, bullying, sex, and family. A movie of the same name (featuring the same actors) was released in 2011 to box office success, and a sequel followed in 2014. An American version aired on MTV in 2012 but only lasted one season.
…
Some Girls (2012-)
Similar to The Inbetweeners, Some Girls is about four 16-year-old schoolgirls from South London. The show focuses on so-called teenage preoccupations, such as school, sex, boyfriends, and family. Centered around Viva Bennett, whose dad just married her gym teacher, B*tchcock, the show also features her three eccentric best friends, Holli, Saz, and Amber.
Classic-TV honorable mentions: Fawlty Towers (1975-1979) and Father Ted (1995-1998).