I've recently begun watching the sixth season of Dad's Army. It begins with one of the most famous episodes, with Manwaring's home guard platoon charged with guarding a captured U-boat crew overnight, only to find the captain is a wily customer resorting to mind games against his captors.
After watching so many episodes, I've been surprised by how infrequent some of the catchphrases ("you stupid boy," "We're doomed," "Don't panic!") are used, often only once every two or three episodes, and how many are set outside the church hall, using such locations as the bank, the church tower, or somewhere around the coastal town, such as the beach or pier.
I forgot to mention that, before Dad's Army, I watched the Porridge box set, which includes all three series and the Christmas specials. It is a superb sitcom, a cleverly written take on prison life, which doesn't feel too far removed from real life in one of the UK's medium security prisons during the 1970s.
Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale are wonderful as Fletcher and Godber, the two main inmates: Fletcher is the recidivist old lag and Godber is a relatively na?ve newbie, doing 'porridge' for the first time. Away from them, Fulton Mackay is a brilliant antagonist as the no-nonsense warder Mr Mackay, whose spiky relationship with Fletcher is a source of much humour, and Brian Wilde (known to many as Last of the Summer Wine's Foggy); his portrayal of the good-natured and kindly Mr Barraclough is perfect and a great contrast to Mr Mackay's authoritarianism.
As with most of the great British sitcoms, from Blackadder to Fawlty Towers, Yes Minister to The Office, it' relative brevity is why it is so good, and one of the reasons why I feel Only Fools and Horses is a second-tier show: there are too many forgettable episodes. With only 21 episodes (and a couple of specials), it is always tightly scripted and the character arcs feel natural and tailored to a perfect and fitting ending.
Apart from that, I've nearly finished watching the second season of Interview with the Vampire, a superb TV show that I initially didn't like because I was expecting something a bit more like Neil Jordan's film (one I have enjoyed many times since watching it on video in 1995).
I watched the first season twice, enjoying it much more on the second watch than the first, loving the central performances, design, and writing, and I think the second season is even better. Even though Claudio was recast because of unforeseen circumstances, it doesn't make any difference to one of the finest TV shows I've seen long time.
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