5. Monty Python's Flying Circus
BBCFlying Circus attempts fresh, absurd, unconventional comedy sketches that are often so ludicrous that viewers are forced into uncontrollable fits of laugh at the sheer audacity of the writing team. Outlandish but very creative pieces such as the man that visited the Argument Clinic in order to purchase an argument and the self-defence class in how to behave should an attacker be armed with fresh fruit, have all generated heaps of praise for the show. However, it is far from reliant on its nonsensical skits and is also laced with tons of deep-thinking, highbrow gags that endlessly poke fun at classic literature and famous historical figures. Envision Beethoven on the verge of finishing his famous 5th Symphony, when a woman associated with the pianist enters the room and kills his entire momentum to ask if he wants peanut butter or sandwich spread for tea - hilarious, silly and all the while extremely thought-provoking. Monty Pythons innovative ideas combined with a firm willingness to push boundaries, justifiably solidifying the show's position as one of the most talked about British comedies in television history. Which other programme would show Queen Victoria arriving at a poetry reading alongside a coffin containing the remains of her deceased husband?