Cowboys

"Cowboys" was a screamingly funny Thames Television sitcom that would need to be retitled if they ever show it in America. This series has nothing to do with Texas buckaroos. In Britain, a "cowboy builder" is an unscrupulous construction worker, specialising in construction jobs that look acceptable just long enough for the builders to get paid ... but which fall apart or develop problems after the builders have moved on to their next job.

Eric and Geyser and Wobbly Ron are the three cowboy builders who work for Joe Jones Ltd, the most unscrupulous building firm in the trade. Geyser is the plumber, and his nickname tells you how most of his plumbing jobs finish up. Joe Jones (played by the brilliant comic actor Roy Kinnear) doesn't much care about the shoddy work his builders are doing, because Joe is too busy trying to get into the sack with his sexy secretary Doreen ... who doesn't want any from Joe, thanks. (Actress Debbie Linden left this series early, leaving Joe with nobody to chase.)

Actor Colin Welland, who played the "oop North" plumber Geyser, is also a screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. During the run of "Cowboys", Welland won an Oscar for his screenplay for "Chariots of Fire" ... surely the only time in history that a sitcom actor took home an Academy Award for writing the script of a serious film.

"Cowboys" was well-written and well-performed, and would probably get a favourable reception in the United States ... providing somebody changes the title.