Is the age of the sitcom really over?

Purists would no doubt argue that it is; pointing to once beloved shows like Fawlty Towers and Blackadder having been killed off by the rise of single-camera shows like The Office or The Peep Show.

We don’t bother getting bogged down in pointless debates like these, far better to spend many happy minutes reminiscing about what it was that made classic sit-coms like Red Dwarf so great in the first place.

How can anyone fail to remember the one about a group of unwashed space bums blundering through the galaxy for no apparent reason while saying ‘smeg’ a lot?

Yes, its name was Red Dwarf and thanks to stars Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John-Jules and Robert Llewellyn it was funnier than Space Core directive 34124 which clearly states that no officer with false teeth should attempt oral sex in zero gravity.

Here in purely subjective order are the top 28 best moments which everyone is free to disagree with but should be warned they risk being labelled a total Smeeeee Heeeeee by Kryten…

1 Lister’s shrinking underpants.

One of the funniest moments in a sit-com. Ever.

2 Kryten’s double Polaroid.

No electrical appliance has ever got us this excited.

3 Rimmer gets the holo-virus.

How did they keep a straight face?

4 Ace Rimmer – what a guy.

Smoke me a kipper – I’ll be back for breakfast.

5 Talkie-toaster is repaired.

Would anyone like any toast?

6 Winnie-the Pooh is executed.

Something no-one should ever have to see!

7 Rimmer and Lister’s delayed fight.

More genius comedy acting.

8 Ace Rimmer kisses Dave.

You watch through your fingers then piss yourself laughing.

9 I want to go to blue alert!

Stepping up to red alert is possible…but does mean changing the bulb!

10 Tongue-tied dance.

He may flip out and confront bin men with swords but man can Danny dance!

11 Lister doesn’t know about the cat.

The first episode and thank God it was a hit.

12 Caligula’s interrogation/Rimmer’s troop inspection.

This episode is rated as one of the worst – these moments both prove it’s not.

13 Kryten explains white hole phenomenon.

So what is it?

14 The Rimmer experience.

A much better Munchin song than the one from Wizard of Oz.

15 Rimmer’s hologramatic projection is damaged.

Chris Barrie shows what a great impressionist he is.

16 The light switch/anti-matter chopsticks.

Who else would still like to risk eating with a Mercurian boomerang spoon?

17 The future crew attack their present selves.

Better anything than that toupee!

18 The boys have a hallucination-induced car chase.

Some genius comedy acting.

19 Rimmer’s trial.

The only person to share a moment of intimacy with Rimmer has a puncture!

20 Ace Rimmer and Duane Dibley.

Probably the best characters in the whole smegging series.

21 Taranshula.

No words, huge laughs.

22 Have a fantastic period.

What bloke would dare do this for a woman?

23 Rimmer is oiled-up.

Are you going to take a flying leap? Hysterical!

24 The crew meet Kryten.

Our first contact with intelligent life in three million years and it’s the android equivalent of Norman Bates.

25 It’s a banana.

No it’s not it’s a small off-duty Czechoslovakian traffic warden.

26 Emergency dusting.

The scariest way for an ex girlfriend to return to a bloke.

27 I can give you 15!

A great visual gag even though it was a bit obvious.

28 The boys ride into town.

That pays for the hat, now what about the insult? OK you’re a fat bearded git with breath that could concuss a grizzly.

[story by Chris Longhurst]

Follow hecklerspray on Twitter!