Who doesn't love a good comedy box set? Something that you can relax, kick back and have a good giggle with at the end of yet another long day?
It's very hard to find the perfect comedy - it has to be something funny with a touch of human emotion, not too serious but with a grain of realistic amounts of crazy and let's face it, full of truth. A lot of stuff is funny because it's true.
A difficult concoction to master.
So here's 5 of my absolute favourites, which I think stand the test of time and true comedy.
1. Everybody Loves Raymond.
This one is the top of my list. Why? It's a sure-fire way to get me giggling from my belly. It's warm, honest, funny and totally typifies marriage and the familial relationships that so often come with it.
I love it because it's side-splitting hilarious , yet has moments where it tugs at the heart-strings and lifts you right back up again.
I remember watching Raymond through my first pregnancy - there was nothing like catching it first thing in the morning after yet another uncomfortable sleepless night.
I watched it when my eldest son was admitted to hospital when he was 3 years old with a bad bout of tonsillitis - it lightened the mood considerably after being stuck in a side-room with a cranky, ill toddler.
And now, thanks to the wonders of the internet, I can watch it on YouTube any time I want!
From Debra's never-ending despair at living in such close proximity to her calamitous in-laws, to poor Robert always trying to get one over on his younger, more successful brother with a multitude of practised, pained expressions, Everybody Loves Raymond is perfect viewing for anyone who has had to weave their way through the complicated craziness of family life
It's hard to choose a favourite, as I'm lucky enough to still be finding ones I haven't seen yet, but one that sticks out is the one where Marie makes a sculpture that looks like a vagina after discovering that she has a talent for art. Hilariously, it takes a visit from a nun before Marie realises what she has created, while the whole family look on in horror and embarrassment.
I think Everybody really does Love Raymond - it's impossible not to!
2. Still Game
A very close second favourite of mine is Still Game. True, honest, Scottish humour - no-nonsense and completely realistic of the way Scottish people can use terrible insults as terms of endearment with their closest friends. Anyone who has lived in a scheme, or who has elderly relatives or has experienced first hand, the sharp, wry Scottish banter can relate to the escapades of Jack, Victor, Winston et al.
One of the saddest days of my life was when Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill fell out and stopped making Still Game. Maybe that's part of the magic - there's not enough to get fed up of them or to wear down the humour, but I've watched every episode so often, my box set is starting to wear out!
Thankfully rumour has it that they are going to be/have started making some stuff again - including taking Still Game live on stage! I'm hoping they will be on T.V soon!
Best enjoyed with a pint of beer, at any time of year, but particularly around Christmas time for some reason.
Favourite Episode?
So, so, soooo SO hard to choose, but I think it has to be the one where Tam has a baby. Or the one where Jack and Victor go to Canada. Or the one where they sail down the Clyde for Victor's birthday...or the one where Winston moves to Finport....don't make me choose!
3. Frasier
Ah, it's so clever isn't it? Nothing makes me feel more intellectual than when I am guffawing at a clever pun or laughing at yet another intricate and completely perfect plot-line that results in a series of beautifully orchestrated mishaps involving Frasier and his family.
Despite all the practice at upper-class lifestyles and 'fame', the crux of the matter is, that Frasier is really just a down-to-earth guy with some good values and some good morals.
The reason that this show got so many seasons is due to the hard work of some pretty super-talented writers and some very talented actors, who hit the comedy nail on the head every single time.
The plot lines never got old either - rather than perpetuate Niles's lust for Daphne, we got to see progress in them finally getting together and having a baby. We see Martin move on from his accident and grief over the loss of his wife, and into a new relationship that provides him with vim and vigour, and Frasier?
Well, by the end of the last season it's as if Frasier has never really changed - he's still single and desperately seeking love. As he reflects at the end of his time in Seattle, we could argue that although nothing has changed for him, his experiences have changed him immensely, which is one of the best bits about the series - there's always a deeper, emotional meaning.
Favourite episode? - This is tough. I've seen them all so many times (we have most of the box sets!) but my favourite one has to be the episode where Patrick Stewart plays a man who really fancies Frasier, wooing him with gifts, and inviting him to a super-posh party, where he discovers that Sir Patrick's character isn't just being a good friend.
Once again it's comedy at it's finest - like a fine-tuned slapstick.
Watch it, you will cry with laughter! An amazing piece of writing, perfectly acted out.
4. Archer
"Lana...? Lana...?
LAAAAAAANAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"WHAT?"
"Danger zone..."
If you've never seen Archer, you are seriously missing out. Animated, yes it is, but it's a classy kind of animated.
Oddly un-cartoony (yep, that's a word) for a cartoon, Archer is the awesome spy series you've been waiting for.
Archer is a horrible person with a penchant for cute animals and a soft spot for babies. His mother is the head of Isis, the espionage company he works for.
How do I explain the brilliance of Archer? I can't. It's a mish-mash of crazy characters, hilarious antics, clones, robots, space-pirates and various cocktails.
Kenny Loggins, Burt Reynolds, Seth Rogen and Patrick Stewart have all lent their voices to some pretty brilliant cameos too.
It's completely my sense of humour, it hits way below the belt a lot of the time, but it will always be on my hit list. It definitely has the re-watchability factor too, and has added a lot of new phrases and referencing to my repertoire.
5.The Inbetweeners
The show that I can totally relate to, even though I am no longer 17 years old. We all remember being there - on the verge of adulthood, a whole world of responsibility before us, yet not quite within our grasp. The whole yearning to be all grown-up and sensible, while completely mis-interpreting what it actually means to be old and sensible.
The Inbetweeners only ran for three oh-so-short seasons, but it was so popular that it merited not one, but two films.
There's something about this whole coming-of-age scenario that proves to be successful - this particular stage of life, perched on the cusp of adulthood yields a dearth of embarrassing moments, humiliating scenes and comedic errors - as proved by other similar franchises, such our friends in the American Pie movies.
Favourite Episode? - It has to be the one where they go to Thorpe Park, mainly because Will is as big a geek about rollercoasters as I am.
Banter. Pure banter.
What's your favourite comedy series? Do you like to watch over and over, or are you always seeking something new?
Think these are funny? Read about that time my husband spewed on my face here!
