7. Red Dwarf
BBCAs far as pitching an idea to business executives goes; it can be presumed that very few commissioned television programmes required the same level of persuasive guile as Red Dwarf. Lets face it a sci-fi comedy based on a mining ship three million years away from earth that features the only remaining human in the universe, a hologram of his dead bunkmate, a member of the humanoid feline race simply named Cat and the ships talking head computer could be a hard sell. However, after racking up an impressive ten series and with an eleventh on the way, we can assume that there are a lot of smug media administrators walking around with a strut and an almighty feeling of self-accomplishment right about now - although, whoever deemed series eight acceptable television should most definitely be in a different profession. Red Dwarfs unusual setting allows a variety of hilarious off-the-wall occurrences that simply wouldnt work in most other comedies. The sitcom is able to explore very unique avenues, such as time-drives that reveal the undesirable future of the shipmates and androids that appear as a persons ideal companion. With its playful take on the survival instincts of the human race and a perfect contrast in characters, Red Dwarf is undoubtedly one of the greatest British comedies ever made.