Programmes that have aged poorly and programmes that have aged well?

[HaveYouHadYourBreak]

What programmes that you loved have surprised you on rewatching?

I've just finished the first series of This Life and was surprised at how well it has aged for the most part (but so much smoking!). It was refreshing to see people with imperfect teeth and pubic hair and wobbly bums living in a grotty house share past their early 20s. I'm re-living my youth with the music too.

But Coupling! Oof! I remember it being really good but some clips I've seen (like making sex videos without consent and the way women are talked about) demonstrate exactly why I've never seen any re-runs.

I happened across an episode of Yes Prime Minister the other evening, which remains so topical. DC love Father Ted too.

I actually missed This Life the first time round, though (was working abroad), so you have inspired me to go and watch!

Most of my family work for the civil service including Whitehall. I've never seen any episodes but the clips I've seen make us all nod cynically!

Although one of them on This Life has just said he spends £20 a week on food! I've changed my mind. It has not aged well. 🤣🤣🤣

Sex and the City aged rather badly I thought. There’s an episode where a friend of Carrie’s films himself having sex with models without them knowing.

Cheers has aged surprisingly well. Any sexist nonsense from Sam is shot down brilliantly by Carla/Diane or rebuked by Woody/ Norm etc.

Depends on the writing
I could happily watch Porridge again
What I cannot understand is the recent repeats of Carry on and on the buses

Frasier has aged better than Friends.

Never was a contest though, Frasier was genius imo.

Buffy. Past season 1 a lot of it holds up, but Buffy and Angel's relationship is a hell of a lot less romantic than I remember it. It definitely just feels creepy/groomy and I'm very disappointed in Giles for supporting it instead of telling Angel that he was much too old, even in his human age, to be sniffing around a 16 year old.

Back in the 90s, I was so annoyed with Joyce when she does just that in season 3. But my god was she right.

The Good Life is almost unwatchable now. Tom was supposed to be happy go-lucky, but the way he rides roughshod over Barbara’s feelings and how seedy he is towards Margot just makes it skin crawlingly awful.

Yes Minister could have been filmed yesterday (aside from the drinking in the office, and his wife reaching for a Valium because they’ve run out of cigarettes 😂😂😂)

Vicar of Dibley, To the Manor Born and Jeeves and Wooster are other favourites.

I used to like coupling but I think it would get cancelled pretty fast if it was shown today - and for good reason.....

Ally McBeal has not aged well - all that sexism and office-based power dressing looks very passe now. I do still love the music though!

Completely agree about The Good Life.

I absolutely love Fawlty Towers, always did, always will, but I suspect some people would struggle with some of it now.

We are currently watching The Sweeney (recorded from Talking Pictures, channel 82 on Freeview) and absolutely revelling in it. It's distilled essence of the 1970s as far as I'm concerned. I never really got into Morse, and one of the reasons was that John Thaw was and always will be Jack Regan for me. I wouldn't say it's aged well, because many people younger than me would have conniptions at some of the dialogue, and the sexism is off the scale. My husband has a virtual bingo card for each episode and calls out every sighting of a fag, a Jag, a lag and a slag. Usually a good few of all of them every single time.

Home Improvement seems incredibly sexist and misogynistic. Some bits do make me chuckle though 😂

I think The Fast Show has aged well.

P. G. Wodehouse (an unparalleled genius in my book) wrote about a world that never really existed even when he was a young man, so Jeeves and Wooster (and Lord Emsworth and the Blandings Castle people) could never really date. What a genius that man was.

Agree. We still fall back on many of the catchphrases.

I used to love Mind your Language. Watching it now I’m surprised it was shown even then!

Yes Prime minister
Dad’s army
Inspector Morse (this is my comfort watch)

Any comedy that doesn't rely on sexist stereotypes is obvious, but I find myself flinching when I see a woman slap or throw a drink over her partner when he's being a dick 😳.

It Ain't Half Hot Mum wouldn't work now for all sorts of reasons.

But I fell into rewatching May to December recently and found it an absolute delight - not perfect but warm and charming.

I’m currently watching the 1980’s version of A Woman Of Substance. I love that it’s sticking to the book, I don’t love the awful music and the terrible overacting.

ER has aged amazingly well. The x files less so and sex and the city is still mostly great if you concentrate on the relationship of the women. Friends however is a bit irritating.

Tom in The Good Life is a monster. Forever messing things up and making Barbara's life harder just because he's had a midlife crisis then flirting with Margot in front of her.

I am stunned that I ever thought he was lovely and Jerry was stuffy and boring. Jerry is just quietly being a perfect husband.