Designed to be light-hearted and humorous, Sitcoms have a way of winning over our hearts, even in the dullest moments of our lives. Here are the best ones so far!
Are you a Sitcom person? If so, have you ever wondered why watching them feels so comfortable and warm? Well, various psychological factors contribute to watching these “Situational Comedies” and feeling at home. Most of these shows come with familiar plots and predictable storylines with recurrent themes and characters. They also provide us with a trip down memory lane, making us feel nostalgic. This is why some of us have comfort shows that we cannot, absolutely cannot abandon. The characters and the storytelling also are usually packed with humor and jokes that bring us silly fun. Most of the time, sitcoms come with temporary relief, offering an escape from reality. So, yeah, sitcoms mean more to some of us than the others.
If you can relate to the above-mentioned stances, here is the list of the 10 best sitcoms of all time to watch when you need a break.
- Community (2009–2015)
At first glance, Community might seem like just another sitcom show with a group of friends. But the way it deconstructs the general television tropes with its snarky humor makes the show one of the best to binge on. The story revolves around a study group containing the lead characters Jeff, Britta, Abed, Troy, Shirley, Annie, and Pierce, and their lives, intersecting with each other. In the truest sense, the Community really thrives with the strong performances of the cast members. From the silly and goofy storyline of Danny Pudi leading a mafia-style chicken tender racket as Abed to all the serious moments of the show, Community is on this list as one of the best ones.
- One Day at a Time (2017–2020)
One Day at a Time is a reimagining sitcom from a show of a similar name from the 1970s. The old plot focused on a divorced Cuban-American mother and her struggles in raising two kids in Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood. This new version of the show tackled societal issues in such a way that pays its dues to the original Norman Lear production and maintains its originality, but not without a modern twist of itself. The new version explores difficult yet very real topics such as PTSD, immigration, gender identities, Hispanic-American identity, and even mental illness. So this sitcom is the perfect example of how old school meets new and ends up creating something unique, and impactful.
- Parks and Recreation (2009–2015)
The first season of ‘Parks and Recreation’ was rough. According to some viewers, it started with a similar plot to The Office. But soon the drama found its foot with its second season. The actors quickly figured out their plotlines and defined their characters on the show which helped a lot with heavy-lifting and run time for 6 straight years. Part of the reason behind the show’s massive success, which launched the career of our beloved Star Lord Chris Pratt, is the characters’ wacky idiosyncrasies. Starting from Offerman’shypermasculine portrayal of Ron Swanson, Poehler’s idealistic character of Leslie Knope to O’Heir’s affably mockable Jerry, the show is enjoyable through and through. With the show’s progression, the writers also brought a wide cast that brought silly fun with them.
- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005–Present)
When It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia first came to television, back in 2005, everyone called the show “Seinfeld’ on crack”. It was a show where everyone just yelled at each other, mostly over each other. But the show quickly found great success, mostly because of how relatable it became with its characters and having 18 seasons in total. With the progression of the episodes, the show also transformed into one of the most boundary-pushing, laugh-inducing, and of course chaotic shows to date.
All in the Family (1971–1979)
Created by the ever-talented Norman Lear, this show is one of the best shows that came out in the 70s. The plot used a sitcom to tackle and talk about serious societal issues like homosexuality, religion, abortion, racism, anti-Semitism, and even the Vietnam War. It may seem normal in today’s world, but the show’s bluntly humorous approach toward these topics was something that the world had not seen before. The show also gave the world the most beloved TV antihero, Archie Bunker. This is also one of the sitcoms to have plenty of spinoffs such as The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude.
- I Love Lucy (1951–1957)
Released in 1951, this show was one of the very first shows to be filmed in front of live audiences in the studio and to truly utilize the now-classic three-camera setup to its fullness. However, none of this would have mattered if the sitcom had not been such a huge hit due to its whip-smart and hilarious cast, crew, and most importantly, storyline. The famous wife-husband team of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are the common factor who created and starred in the drama and showed the world how to master using facial expressions for physical humor. Lucille’s comic timing and genius also helped the sitcom gain a widespread audience and acclaim.
- The Simpsons (1989–Present)
The Simpsons is one of those shows that will push all of your boundaries while blowing your mind with its storyline and plot. For its very first 10 seasons, the show was on a level that was virtually impossible to hit for any other show. There is not a single episode that you will find on The Simpsons that is not revolutionary, and of course hilarious. Though it is common in animated series for voice actors to bring their characters to life, no other voice is quite legendary and iconic as the voices behind voices behind Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa.
- Friends (1994–2004)
Friends is the show that set the golden status for having undeniable chemistry between the lead characters. The cast members’ ability to embody their characters effortlessly is what makes the sitcom one of the most successful television shows ever, winning multiple Emmys. The story focuses on six friends navigating their relationships and lives in New York City and around each other. One thing that the cast members were all successful in doing is making the viewers think that they were genuinely friends, something which is hard, yet incredibly fresh in shows. While there were many shows like “Happy Endings,” “New Girl,” and “How I Met Your Mother” that tried to come too close to recreate the same magic, no other could actually do what these six did.
- Seinfeld (1989–1998)
When it started, this was called “show about nothing”, but quickly became the king of NBC’s “Must See TV.” Whether it is dealing with a tyrannical soup chef, or getting lost in a parking garage, the cast and crew knew how to turn something mundane into something hilarious. With its massive popularity, references like “Yada, yada, yada,” Fesitivus, and “Serenity now,” are still used in the sitcom, and have truly become a part of American culture. The cast’s commitment to physical comedy as well as sarcasm is something that will make you glued to the series.
- The Office U.S (2005–2013)
While the British version of the same show is the real example of a top-tier sitcom, the American version starring Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling, and Jenna Fischer is what allowed the characters to become larger than life in American television. The chemistry between characters, plot, storytelling, and of course comedy helped the show become one of the most defining series of the late 2000s and early 2010s, even when the main character Steve Carell left the show. Yes, the character played by Carell – Michael Scott, the regional manager is inappropriate, rude, and not to mention, not very good at his job, but all thanks to the comedic timings, the character became something that we can all relate to in real life, in almost every situation.
