The comedy shows that come out of the U.K. are known for their dry wit and distinctly British sense of humor. The holiday season is often the best time for fans of British comedies because of the abundance of hilarious Christmas specials that get released.
Often, the Christmas specials are the best episodes of their respective shows and they become holiday staples that fans love to revisit. Though there are a ton of classic British comedy Christmas specials, some have garnered higher scores on IMDb than others.
Gavin & Stacey - "Christmas Special 2008" 8.6
Streaming on HBO Max
Before he was a star in the United States, James Corden wrote and co-starred in the series Gavin & Stacey. The show focuses on a young couple who met over the internet and decide to take their relationship into the real world.
The show's Christmas special is often regarded as one of the best episodes of the entire series and showed off what was great about the show. Gavin gets a promotion at work, and both sides try to deal with their families when they visit for Christmas. Often, the best Christmas specials fill viewers with Christmas cheer as well as shedding a humorous light on the hectic holiday.
Steptoe and Son - "A Perfect Christmas" 8.7
Streaming on Britbox
The long-running comedy Steptoe and Son went out on a strong note when it aired its final episode. The series tells the story of a father and son as they run a business together despite their many differences of opinion.
"A Perfect Christmas" sees Albert and and Harold disagreeing on where they want to spend the holiday. When Albert needs a new passport, it is revealed that his father is not who he originally believed him to be. Though the episode is just as witty as the rest, it is also tinged with drama that gave fans a deeper appreciation of the characters.
The Good Life - "Silly, But It's Fun..." 8.7
Streaming on Britbox
The Good Life was a sitcom that told the story of a city couple who move out to the country to escape the "rat race" and live on a farm. Similar to American sitcoms, the show focused on the day-to-day squabbles of neighbors and the Goods as they adjusted to their new lives.
"Silly, But It's Fun..." sees the Goods take in a neighbor family after their Christmas was ruined by a series of misfortunes. Hilarity ensues as the Goods try to accommodate the couple who becomes increasingly demanding of them. "Silly, But It's Fun..." was a perfect example of what made the show hilarious, when small conflicts get blown out of proportion.
Father Ted - "Christmassy Ted" 8.9
Streaming on The Roku Channel
In Father Ted, three priests live on a remote Irish island and always manage to get themselves into trouble. A lot of the show's humor derived from the fact that the leads were all priests and often didn't act the way most people expect priests to act.
"Christmassy Ted" finished off the second series of the show and saw Father Ted win an award for helping some fellow priests out of a jam. Ted finds out he was really only the second best priest and he becomes obsessed with it. The episodes features an important moral lesson for the viewer about doing things because they are right to do and not for any sort of reward.
Peep Show - "Seasonal Beatings" 8.9
Streaming on Hulu
Many British comedy shows focus on disparate groups of young people who get into various hilarious situations. Peep Show followed that formula but was exceptionally funny because of its great writing and memorable performances.
"Seasonal Beatings" sees Mark entertaining his family for Christmas. Dobby is there and though the pair have been dating, Mark hasn't told his parents. The episode is hilarious because it accentuates the best and worst parts of the holidays. While Mark enjoys time with his family, he is also put under tremendous pressure by them.
Bottom - "Holy" 8.9
Streaming on Amazon Prime
While the premise of the show Bottom was familiar to sitcom fans, the specifics is where the hilarity came from. A pair of flatmates live the punk lifestyle as they try to make it day by day and are constantly running afoul of a series of strange characters.
The Christmas special, "Holy", sees Richie cooking up a holiday meal for some of his friends. He prepares the meal terribly but all is not lost as he eventually finds out he is the son of God. "Holy" was the perfect Christmas episode for Bottom because it never compromises the rebellious spirit that made the show funny in the first place.
The Vicar Of Dibley - "The Christmas Lunch Incident" 9.0
Streaming on Britbox
In The Vicar of Dibley, a small village has its conservative ways tested by the arrival of a female minister. The show was one of the most hilarious examples of British comedy and was all about the culture clash of new and old that typifies a lot of British shows.
During the first series of the show, Geraldine finds herself invited to several Christmas functions all because the townsfolk don't want her to be lonely. "The Christmas Lunch Incident" showed the farcical side of the show as a lot of the humor comes from misunderstandings between the characters.
Mr. Bean - "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean" 9.0
Streaming on Amazon Prime
Rowan Atkinson was already a comedic superstar by the time he appeared on screen as the lovable goof, Mr. Bean. The show's hilarious episodes centered around Bean getting into some buffoonish situation with his usual silent antics.
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean" is perhaps the most memorable episode of the entire series and is beloved by fans worldwide. Mr. Bean bumbles through the usual Christmas traditions and makes everyone else's holiday a hilarious nightmare. The image of Bean with the gigantic turkey on his head is also one of the funniest moments from Mr. Bean.
The Office - "Christmas Special" 9.5
Streaming on Hulu
Like its American spinoff, The Office is one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time in the U.K. Following an office branch as it is being downsized, the show's premise was anchored by great writing and performances.
The Christmas special sees Tim's life thrown off balance by the return of his old flame Dawn. Though everyone around him advises him to take it easy, he falls for her once again. The episode stands as one of the best of the series not only because of its fun festive attitude but because it is anchored by one of the best storylines of the whole show. Though the series is very funny, it also added elements of drama.
Only Fools and Horses - "The Jolly Boy's Outing" 9.6
Streaming on Britbox
Only Fools and Horses followed a group of con men who spent each episode looking for their next big score. The humor of the show came from their spectacular failures and the hilarious interactions between the characters.
"The Jolly Boy's Outing" sees the main characters taking their yearly trip to a seaside resort in Kent where they manage to get into trouble. Though not like most other Christmas specials, the episode is well regarded because of its great writing and change of scenery.