Liam Golder gives us 5 Reasons Only Fools and Horses is the top sitcom. Let us know if you agree with his thoughts.
John Sullivan
There are so many reasons why it is a top sitcom and has been so popular all these years the biggest reason in my own mind goes back to the script. Writer John Sullivan hit absolute jackpot with the ideas that he has put together and the characters that have become part of the nations lives. The shows uniqueness and varied approach to make the program so believable is what has really gave it that warmth and charm, I’m often watching the show forgetting that this is really a made up program and not real life. John has an art and an amazing talent to make you laugh and cry with his writing skills he is an absolute genius and a Comedy writing legend.
Characters
I have touched on this subject but the personalities of the Characters and also the awesome chemistry between them gives this show the edge over all the others. For example the love hate relationship between Delboy and Rodney and how the people boing with each other and care for each other. Grandad and Uncle Albert drive them mad but if anyone hurt them you know there would be hell to pay. Delboy himself is a lovable rogue and could sell water to a goldfish yet has such a fantastic likability that he is hard not to like. The characters are people you would want as friends and would make your life a better place, and in a way they are our friends that we have come to love when we turn the TV on and lose ourselves in every episode for all these years.
Settings
Unlike some comedies based around one location OFAH has many various places to keep us viewers interested such as Nelson Mandela House, the Market, the Café, Boycie’s House, or The Nags head. All of these settings are made interesting the flat always changes it’s appearance about so there is always something great floating about in there such as a new table, or a box of gin in the corner with some Japanese video recorders. At the market The Trotters have some new tracksuit or dodgy deal to sell to the Customers. These places have helped make the program have a lot more depth.
Catchphrases
Delboy in partculiar with his numerous sayings are simply classic and as we know are often talked about and quoted in our everyday lives. Friends of mine often say don’t worry ‘This till next year we will be millionaires’ or I will say ‘Lovely Jubbly’ or call someone ‘Rodney you plonker’ it does become addictive and infectious and that shows how much OFAH has entertained people. It is funnier than other programs and there are more gags and scenarios like the blow up doll episode which add to the humour just brilliant.
Atmosphere
This program has the magic that so many other sitcoms fail to have and everything just knits together like the perfect jumper. Christmas Specials are full of such charisma and there is something for everyone within OFAH. It is pretty much impossible to watch the show and not laugh or smile even after a bad day and not many programs can do that. In my mind and in the mind of so many others this is the best show and comedy there is and you can’t say better than that OFAH is the full package and more.
Written By Liam Golder
Besides the fact that the writing is genius, the secondary characters are genius as well as the main ones, add the fact that the style of comedy evolved from a very funny casual style of comedy to drama comedy. That is just..sensational, because it worked.
BUT, for me, the main reason why OFAH is loved is because the show actually means something to the fans. They watch the episodes over and over again. They queue for hours and hours, year on year to meet and greet some of the actors. These fan conventions set-up by what we call ‘super fans’ because they are lucky enough to have got hold of some priceless collectables and have worked extremely hard to make OFAH more alive than ever.
You do not see the above with any other sitcom, and there are some extremely funny and respectable comedies out there.
My short answer could have been summed up in two words.
John Sullivan.