This is my opinion list of the ten best comedy sitcoms of all time. Hopefully, readers will agree with most of the ones I put up on this list, and if you do not, there is a comment box below the article and you may comment what should and should not be on here.
11. In memory of the late and great actor, Andy Griffith, I have decided to add The Andy Griffith Show on this list as an honorary #11 because it only narrowly missed this list of great sitcoms. May he rest in peace.
10. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)- The Will Smith led comedy sitcom breaks the top 10 list with its quick quips and its neverending humor it seems. Will pokes fun at everything and everyone around him, but the funniest moments are when he jokes about his vertically challenged cousin Carlton or his overweight, old-school Uncle Phil. Overall, this sitcom is one of the least respected and most humorous of a lot of them out there.
9. Two and a Half Men (2003-present)- After spending nine seasons on television and still running pretty strong on the gags with Ashton Kutcher at the helm, Two and a Half Men is a shoe-in to make this list. Dubbed the best comedy sitcom of 2000s decade, it gained much success with its very interesting character development and the obvious sexual references. However, the shelf life of this show cannot be much longer as the half man has grown up into a third man and 'Three Men' is not a great title for a show.
8. Frasier (1993-2004)- It is stated by many that Frasier is the best of all time, but honestly, Frasier never really caught on with me. The humor was very sophisticated and one joke rolled into the other, but my patience for this setup ran out. However, I cannot deny it was popular, lasted eleven seasons, and is not just a one time laugh type of show. That is good enough for me.
7. The Office (2005-present)- The stalwart NBC comedy sitcom and remake of the Ricky Gervais British version seemed to be more of a success than the original. Although the show is not as funny to me without Michael Scott, Jim and Dwight will continue to impress audiences. However, after eight seasons of lather, rinse, and repeat of shenanigans, I do not know how much longer they will last.
6. Modern Family (2009-present)- Anyone who has watched Modern Family can definitely tell you that the comedy sitcom genre is not done yet. The only other mockumentary of an extended family I had ever seen before this one was the failing Arrested Development, which unfortunately did not make this list. But Modern Family gets the #6 spot for its uniqueness and laugh out loud humor.
5. Married... with Children (1987-1997)- This sitcom was wrong on so many levels at
the time it was on, but it was one of the first shows to premiere on FOX and got more successful as it went on. This show had its extremely funny moments, and portrayed morealess a typical family, although a tad extreme at point. I applaud this series for its originality and literally no other series has and will ever be anything like it.4. The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998)- This sitcom for HBO was probably one of the best of all time. It did not need a live audience or a laugh track for you to know when the quips would happen. It was a sitcom about Larry Sanders and his show and the odd and hilarious things that happen behind the scenes. It was quite successful and won many Primetime Emmy's. There is no way I could leave this hilarious sitcom off the list (it is also one of the few that is (TV-MA).
3. That '70s Show (1998-2006)- How could I have a list of the best sitcoms without That '70s Show? That show defined situational comedy and satiring a decade way before what we knew. After this series ended, however, everyone knew what the 1970s were like and they wanted to go back in time and live it. The show was hysterical and the character development and sarcasm with a bit of physical humor made the show.
2. Seinfeld (1989-1998)- Seinfeld was always in its own category and always gave you a laugh no matter how dull the events may have seemed. That found a humorous plot out of anything and everything around them, no matter where they were and what they were doing. The characters were loveable and honestly could not have been better developed. Seinfeld is a true great in comedy sitcoms.
1. Friends (1994-2004)- Friends has always been my personal favorite. This show has everything Seinfeld and the others on this list have, but the one thing this show has over all of them is rewatch ability. You can rewatch any episode, know all the punchlines, know what is going to happen next, and yet still end up cracking up. Friends was always good for those laugh out loud moments and those moments and twists that you do not expect. It was overall a masterpiece and no one can deny it being placed #1 on this list. (The link below has a further analysis of Friends as the best sitcom)
"Friends: Best Sitcom Ever Made?"