British Sitcoms 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: 'Dad's Army'

"Dad's Army" was written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry who wrote a lot of the classic British situation comedies such as "Hi De Hi"" and "It Ain't Half, Mum". "Dad's Army" was set during the Second World War and featured the exploits of the Local Defence Volunteers in a seaside town.

The group were men not eligible to join the army due to age or ill health. Captain Mainwaring was the local bank manager and Sergeant Wilson his deputy manager. The series ran from 1968 to 1977.

Answer: 'Drop the Dead Donkey'

This series was set in a TV newsroom and featured the character of Damien Day, an amoral reporter and George Dent, a hypochondriac news editor. The show ran from 1990 to 1998.

Answer: 'The Good Life'

This series was about The Goods, Tom and Barbara, who decided in midlife to attempt a self sufficient lifestyle. Tom gave up his highly paid job and dug up his garden to plant vegetables and keep goats and pigs! Much of the humour came from the fact they lived in very middle class area and their neighbours, the Leadbetters, were even more middle class than anybody else! The show ran from 1975 to 1978.

Answer: 'Red Dwarf'

Red Dwarf is a huge space ship involved in mining distant planets, due to an accident all the crew were killed except for Dave Lister. He is joined by a hologram of his pompous senior officer, Rimmer. Also by Cat, a life form evolved from Lister's pet cat. Holly was the ship's computer and Kryten an android butler. The series started in 1988.

Answer: 'Keeping Up Appearances'

Hyacinth Bucket is a snob, she insists her name is pronounced "Bouquet"! Sadly in her attempts to appear upper class she is usually undone by her own gaffes. Her neighbour Elizabeth and Elizabeth's brother Emmet try to stay out of her way but often fail to escape Hyacinth. The series ran from 1990 to 1995.

Answer: 'Last of the Summer Wine'

"Last of the Summer Wine" is the longest running sitcom in the world, it started in 1973 and is still running. It is the story of three elderly gentlemen and their adventures in the Yorkshire Dales area of England. Compo is the most well known of the three gentlemen and he lusted after his landlady, Nora Batty.

Answer: 'Please Sir!'

"Please Sir!" was set in an inner-city school and its main character was teacher, Bernard Hedges. He was very naive and sensitive and the students would often run rings around him. The best parts of the show were usually the interchanges between the other teachers in the staff room. Doris Ewell was the straight laced deputy head.

The format was sold to US TV and became "Welcome Back, Kotter". "Please Sir!" ran for only two years, 1968 to 1969.

Answer: 'Love Thy Neighbour'

One of the most notorious of TV shows, it dealt with two families, the Booths and the Reynolds, Eddie Booth was a bigoted white man, Bill Reynolds was a black conservative. The show would now be considered extremely offensive as the language used and the views of Eddie were very racist.

The show is a product of its time, the early to mid 70s and that is where it should stay. It ran from 1972 to 1976.

Answer: 'Only Fools and Horses'

This show is often voted the best comedy of all time and rightly so, the one liners and sight gags are second to none. Del Boy and Rodney were brothers who sold dodgy gear on Peckham market and were always looking to make a quick buck. In later series they both became more respectable and both married, Del even had a son.

The series sadly ended in 2003 with a Xmas special but there is always hope there will be another series or at least another Xmas special. It ran from 1981 to 2003.

Answer: 'On The Buses'

This was a workplace based comedy set in a fictional bus company. Stan Butler was the main character who drove a bus and his inspector was Blake who was always trying to catch him out. The series was very sucessful and three feature films were made. It ran from 1970 to 1975.