I don't know what it says about the times we are living in but comedy seems to have slipped into all sorts of programmes this year. Was Black Mirror a comedy? Killing Eve? Patrick Melrose? A Very English Scandal? All of these great shows could have figured in a broader list but I've kept my choices to more traditional comedies. Using the word traditional in the broadest of senses too. And as for stand-up specials, a listicle devoted to them will follow...

1. Inside No 9 – Not really a surprise that the series famous for surprises hit the number one spot. Not just for the event television live episode from Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton though, but also for their fourth anthology run at the start of the year which saw them going from strength to horrible strength,

2. The Good Place – this terrifically clever US series has just transferred to E4 but early adopters will have been enjoying the philosophical, smart sitcom on netflix. Give Ted Danson a Golden Globe now.

3. Derry Girls – on the surface this looked like a female Inbetweeners but set in Ireland during the Troubles, but a sharp sense of fun as well as a sharp sense of place and history made this one of C4's biggest-rating sitcoms in years

4. This Country – the adventures of the Mucklowes just got funnier and funnier in Charlie and Daisy May Cooper's acclaimed mockumentary.

5. Urban Myths – Sky's reimagining of historical events delivered some zingers this year, including a recreation of backstage at Live Aid anf the Sex Pistols swearing on ITV. Even Jack Whitehall as a young David Bowie was surprisingly effective. 

6. Sally4Ever – Comedy didn't come any darker than this tale of sociopathic obsession from Julia Davis. Who else watched that scene in the location trailer through their fingers?

7. Cunk on Britain – Diane Morgan's Philomena Cunk had room to breathe given a whole series of daftness to herself.

8. Young Offenders – Another excellent slice of comedic Irish life, this one from the male perspective.

9. Atlanta – Not a bad year for Donald Glover, what with This Is America and this hit sitcom.

10. Stath Lets Flats – Jamie and Natasia Demetriou drew on their Greek background for this series about the world's most hapless estate agent and his even more useless sister.

11. Mum – Leslie Manville reminded viewers that she is as good at comedy as she is at drama in this slow-burn domestic sitcom about a widow rebuilding her life.

12. Upstart Crow – The latest series of Ben Elton's Shakespearean sitcom confirmed that Blackadder's co-writer has not lost the ability to come up with a memorable comic turn of phrase.

13. Taskmaster – Let'a hear it for the game show for all members of the family. James Acaster proved to be the funniest Taskmaster contestant in the latest series even if Kerry Godliman actually scored the most points.