So far, 2016 has offered up some pretty shocking news – the loss of music legends David Bowie and Prince, the fact that Britain voted to leave the EU, and now the feeling that we’re actually all living in an episode of Black Mirror continues with the announcement that the honour of best British sitcom of the 21st century has gone to Mrs Brown’s Boys.
Yep, Brendan O’Carroll’s opinion-splitting BBC series has added another win to its mantelpiece alongside a Bafta and National Television Awards, this time beating The Office, The Thick Of It and Peep Show in a Radio Times reader poll.
Brendan O’Carroll, writes and stars in Mrs Brown’s Boys, with wife Jennifer Gibney
But in much the same way that after the Brexit vote public outcry suggested there must have been some terrible mistake, social media is awash with people who are absolutely livid.
It was just like the day after the EU referendum – people could not believe what they were hearing.
Sweet Jesus, what is wrong with people -'Mrs Brown’s Boys’ voted best British sitcom of 21st century
via @IrishTimeshttps://t.co/mJ34lnmToy— Damien Cooke (@DamienCooke9) August 23, 2016
How the hell did Mrs Brown's Boys get voted, best comedy of the century? It's absolutely 💩
— CLJ82 (@CarlJoJo) August 23, 2016
I *tried* to watch Mrs Brown's Boys. I really did. I failed. I'm not sneering at people who like it, honest, I'm just completely baffled.
— Mary Wombat (@little_mavis) August 23, 2016
Let’s remember that this was only a magazine opinion poll and not necessarily an irreversible decision, set in stone for the rest of time. But we’ve been here before in 2016…
This is worse than Brexit https://t.co/mZscd1rDQ0
— Cairns (@cairnage) August 23, 2016
Mrs Brown's Boys being voted "best British sitcom of the 21st century" just further proves Brexit shouldn't have been a public vote
— #PepIsAFraud (@CallumBergin) August 23, 2016
Mrs. Brown's Boys has beaten The Office in a Best Sitcom poll. Can we please stop asking the British electorate what they think about stuff?
— Nic Aubury (@NicAubury) August 23, 2016
18 million people voted to leave the EU so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the British public also voted for Mrs Brown's Boys.
— Matt Sibson (@MattSibson) August 23, 2016
Such is the strength of feeling that viewers were absolutely wrong in the opinion that they expressed, the public began to speculate that it could be the worst news yet this year.
If Mrs Brown's Boys is the best sitcom the BBC has in production, I am genuinely terrified by how awful their worst must be.
— Angry Salmond (@AngrySalmond) August 23, 2016
Corbyn is Labour leader. Johnson is Foreign Sec. Mrs Brown's Boys is greatest 21C sitcom, #patterndeveloping
— Roger Cole (@Roget24) August 23, 2016
And 2016 pulls its most horrifying and devastating act yet, by ushering in Mrs Brown's Boys as "the best sitcom of the 21st century".
— Melinda Salisbury (@AHintofMystery) August 23, 2016
There were plenty of suggestions offered up for who a more worthy winner would have been. If only there was some way the masses could have stood up and been counted when this public opinion poll was being taken.
Much better than Mrs Brown's Boys: Outnumbered, The Mighty Boosh,, Nighty Nighty, Peep Show, Green Wing & Friday Night Dinner
— Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) August 23, 2016
Mrs Brown's Boys has been voted the comedy of the century.
Beating The Office, Partridge, Phoenix Nights etc.
No further comment.
— Paul Williams (@thepaulwilliams) August 23, 2016
The fact Mrs Brown's Boys has beat the likes of Peep Show or anything @rickygervais has written to sitcom of the century is embarrassing.
— Adam (@AreUaFish) August 23, 2016
It wasn’t all hate for Mrs Brown’s Boys, though. Some were sick of the sneering.
Mrs Brown's Boys being voted sitcom of the century is giving people who love sneering a golden opportunity to sneer,so everyone's happy.
— Ivan Kirby (@hellothisisivan) August 23, 2016
@d4nf0x I've found that being snarky about Mrs Brown's Boys is a strong indicator of "tedious middle class liberal snob".
— Neil Garratt (@NeilGarratt) August 23, 2016
I don't like Mrs Brown's Boys but I'm not gonna hate on it. One love y'all. 💙
— Thomas (@Simmy41) August 23, 2016
This person felt it was best to bypass the likes of the Radio Times and go straight to the root of the problem to make sure that this sort of thing never, ever happens again.
Dear @MrsBrownsBoys
Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please stop making Mrs Brown's Boys
Asking for everyone
— Various Vueltas (@VRSJMS) August 23, 2016
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