TV comedy is a uniquely challenging art form, which is far more difficult to master than it looks. The most celebratedsitcomson television have managed the almost impossible balancing act of appealing to a mass demographic at the same time as elevating their genre to new heights in artistic terms.
These shows aren’t necessarilyperfect sitcoms from start to finish,but they have defined their generation of TV comedy to such an extent that everyone should try them out at least once. Not all of thebest sitcoms ever madeare among the most watched. Some comedy shows that slip under the radar deserve special attention.
While many undisputed greats have also achieved unparalleled popularity, it’s worth placing them alongside some underappreciated gems which are just as praiseworthy, even if they’re not as universally loved.The most indispensable sitcoms are charming, insightful, and moving, in addition to their abundance of belly laughs. The shows that best exemplify these characteristics should be on every TV bucket list.
Although ostensibly a classic riches-to-rags tale that draws on various longstanding sitcom traditions,Schitt’s Creekisa singularly eccentric and refreshingly warm-hearted study of people finding their place in the world. The show doesn’t have a bad bone in its impressive body of work, and is all the better for it.
While thebest episodes ofSchitt’s Creekinvariably center on the hilariously maladjusted Rose family, it’s the sitcom’s impressive array of supporting characters that really brings it to life. That said,legendary comedy actor Catherine O’Hara found her true callingplaying the central family’s ludicrously theatrical matriarch, Moira Rose.
Long beforePeter Capaldi regenerated into the Doctorfor a second time, or scared viewers senseless portraying a serial killer inThe Devil’s Hour, his name was synonymous with just one character.The foul-mouthed rants of Capaldi’s political spin doctor Malcolm Tucker inThe Thick of Itare the show’s headline act.
It becomes hard to separate the ubiquitous incompetence displayed throughoutThe Thick of Itfrom reality.
Yet, there’s so much more to this pinnacle of sitcom satire than Tucker’s brilliantly original, expletive-laden invectives.The Thick of Itdepicts the inner workings of British politicswith such conviction that it becomes hard to separate the ubiquitous incompetence displayed throughout the show from reality. It’s as thoughVeep’s older sibling from across the pond knew what was coming.
Quite unlike any other adult animated sitcom that came before it,Rick and Mortymakes cerebral philosophical tangents and surrealist sci-fi escapades itsmodus operandi, stretching the conventions of TV comedy far beyond their normal limits. The brainchild of Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon,this show has carved out a niche entirely of its ownover the past decade.
“One of the reasons why I will always stick with the show is due to the big creative swings the writers continue to take season after season.”- Felipe Rangel -ScreenRant’s review ofRicky and Mortyseason 8
There are certainRick and Mortyepisodes that went too farwith their thought experiments and exploration of taboo subjects, but these instances are the inevitable price to pay for groundbreaking comedy designed to provoke debate.In general, this idiosyncratic cartoon about a mad scientist and his grandson is a uniquely edifying TV experience.
Almost 50 years after it first aired,several ofTaxi’s cast members have now passed away.But the show’s legacy as one of the outstanding sitcoms of its era lives on, and it remains one of the few examples of a comedy series that’s as funny today as when it was originally broadcast.
Besides popularizing the workplace sitcom in the United States,Taxilaunched the acting careers of Danny Devito, Christopher Lloyd, Andy Kaufman, Marilu Henner, and Tony Danza, among others. It also gave them the chance to act outsome of the funniest scenes in television history, with Lloyd’s character Jim “Iggy” Ignatowski, in particular, among the small screen’s greatest comic creations.
Communitysubverts sitcom norms with gleeful abandon.Its motley crew of central characters belonging to disparate generations, and zany divergences from standard storytelling structures in the cause of genre caricatures, have naturally brought it a cult following.
Creator Dan Harmon was fired asCommunity’s showrunner prior to season 4 — which received mixed reviews — before returning for seasons 5 and 6.
Yet, the show warrants more than its place in the hearts of a small but dedicated fanbase.Community’s best episodesare up there with the most impressive pieces of TV comedy made this century.
Thanks to its clever set-up bridging the border between England and Wales,Gavin & Staceyis now a modern British institution. But even those for whom the show’s cultural references mean very little will enjoy its offbeat sense of humor and sharp-edged study of family dynamics.
Gavin & Staceyhas an unerring ability to populate storylines with wonderfully strange yet strangely relatable details.
It’s impossible not tolove at least one character right from the first episode, although by its second season finale, you’ll likely have fallen for the whole lot.Gavin &Staceyhas an unerring ability to populate storylines with wonderfully strange yet strangely relatable details, which are essential to painting a lively portrait of two disparate families destined to be together.
Futuramamight have been canceled multiple timesacross its history, but its continual revival is testament to just how beloved and influential the show has been since it first appeared on Fox in 1999.Taking the world of adult animation into outer space,Futuramais the perfect marriage of ambitious sci-fi world-building and cineliterate comedy.
While many fans enjoy the more recent iterations of the series, nothing beats its first four seasons for creative ingenuity and superbly executed genre homages. Either way,Futurama’s propensity for cultural allusions is almost unmatchedacross the pantheon of great sitcoms, making it a real treat for film and TV buffs of all stripes.
WhileanotherWill & Gracerevival is unlikely according to actor Debra Messing, the show has already left an indelible mark on the TV landscape.A major milestone in the history of LGBTQ+ representation on television, the series also delivers more quickfire one-liners per episode than most sitcoms manage in a season, in large part thanks to its distinctive comic characterizations.
Will & Gracefirst arrived on our screens on the eve of a revolution in TV comedy, and it wasone of the most forward-thinking shows of its day, in terms of both its themes and its sense of humor. What’s more, no sitcom about two friends living together has outdone it since.
Put simply,Fawlty Towersis a sitcom masterpiece, which maintains its mass appeal half a century on from its initial release. The work of Monty Python member John Cleese and his wife at the time, Connie Booth, this 12-episode tale of an irascible British hotel owner isthe height of small-screen farce and physical comedy.
Basil Fawlty is utterly intolerable as a person, which makes him incredibly entertaining as a TV character, especially whenFawlty Towersconfronts him with a guest he’s completely ill-equipped to handle.One of the funniest things ever to debut on UK television, this show is compulsory viewing for anyone interested in the history of British comedy.
Named after Will Smith’s Fresh Princehip-hop moniker,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airstarted as a TV vehicle for the then-rapper, but ended as one of the biggest sitcoms of its generation, six seasons later.Set in the home of Will’s fictional aunt and uncle in one of Hollywood’s richest neighborhoods, the show leans into its title star’s irresistible charisma.
However, it alsodeals with the questions of race, class, parenting, friendship, and teen sexualitymore thoroughly and sensitively than most sitcoms would ever dare to. Then, of course, there’s Will’s cousin Carlton, with his inimitable penchant for blazers and Tom Jones.
