The Top 300 Greatest TV Shows of All Time: FBG Consensus: 50 Lists received. 2: Seinfeld 1: Breaking Bad (10 Viewers)

[Pip's Invitation]

but I'm sure there are still a bunch of 60 year olds though

The oldest Gen Xers turn 60 this year.

 

[The Gator]

Cheers would have been an obvious guess for top 10 if I had realized just how old the demo on FBGs is these days.

Cheers is solid, you don't have to be a boomer to like it.

How many people that ranked it are under 50?

If I didn’t forget

 

[KarmaPolice]

I wish we could get a non-laugh track version of these older shows. That is probably my biggest barrier for enjoying more of them.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I think it dropped off quite a bit after Shelley Long left -- I never warmed to Kristie Alley. But when it was at its peak, it was amazing. And it was one of those shows where the characters were so well-written that you grew to care about them -- they weren't just vehicles for jokes and comic scenarios.

My uncle was a regular at The Bull & Finch Pub (now called Cheers Beacon Hill) in Boston, whose exterior was used in the opening of all Cheers episodes. He was built kind of like George Wendt and people would constantly ask him if he was the inspiration for Norm (he wasn't). Eventually, he had a jar next to him that said "ask me if I'm Norm and donate to the Jimmy Fund" which is a Boston-based charity that benefits the Dana Farber Cancer Center.

A few years ago, a video clue on Jeopardy! showed a shot of the bar at The Bull & Finch Pub. And my uncle was in the picture. So I guess I have a relative who was on Jeopardy!

I gave this some thought when I ranked it, and I disagree. It definitely 100% changed the dynamics of the show but in some ways it got better and some worse. The chemistry between Sam and Diane was fantastic but Alley brought some different and edgier to the show. It's one of the few times I can remember such a large change working out. Sounds like it didn't for you, and I remember being skeptical at the time, but they nailed IMO.

I just didn’t like her character. Probably because she was from a much different background than the other characters. Sometimes that works out well but I didn’t perceive it that way in this case.

Now, I didn’t watch the show as much during the Alley years because they coincided with my final years of high school and first three years of college, when I wasn’t watching a whole lot of TV.

I did not think the transition from Coach to Woody was an issue at all. Probably because they were pretty similar except in age.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

the massively underrated John C. McGinly did Scrubs and had some guest spots on other popular sitcoms. He'd make a list....

but he's mostly a movie guy in bit pieces

 

[Leroy Hoard]

That feels like me raking an album a 10/10 that has 2 epic songs and the rest are mostly skippable.

Zebra's debut album?

That’s disingenuous to Zebra - more like this.

Good examples. Another would be the first 2 songs from the band New England.

And now like when I started talking 8 track tapes in the vinyl thread, I shall l cease and desist on thread derailments.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

Jason Segal did HIMYM, Freaks + Geeks and Shrinking. He could be a dark horse candidate but it's probably still Danson

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

but I'm sure there are still a bunch of 60 year olds though

You kids should be seen and not heard!

 

[Dr. Octopus]

and made many guest appearances on other shows. Not a bad career

He is a HOF'er in the same way Bert Byleven and Don Sutton are: never elite, but very good for a very long time.

Sam Malone was elite.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

On the Danson being the sitcom actor GOAT. Few thoughts:

• It does seem to be a shock to hear that because he's not necessarily seen as a greatest actor nor a funny guy in general
• However, the list of shows and his impact is unquestioned
• More importantly - if not him, then who? I struggle to come up with someone with multiple shows - which I think it a pretty big criterion. The only other person who has legit multiple fantastic sitcoms for me is Devito. And I would maybe argue him #1. I'm probably missing someone, however.

ETA - thought of another - Ed O'Neill. I'd feel pretty good putting those 3 on Mount Rushmore if you say it's not based on just one show/sitcom

Other candidates:

Kelce Grammar (Cheers, Frasier)

Henry Winkler (Happy Days, Arrested Development, Barry)

David Spade (Just Shoot Me, SNL, Rules of Engagement)

Bob Newhart (Bob Newhart Show, Newhart)

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I was a teenager when SNL came out and it was the wildest TV show I'd ever seen. I didn't think you could say/do things like that on television, and this was in an era when All In The Family was breaking - we thought - about every taboo you could. After the original cast aged out, it looked like it was done. Then Eddie Murphy hit and he was like a nuclear bomb dropping in the middle of every kind of pop culture. I agree with the poster who said that the early '90s cast was the best top-to-bottom they've had.

Go look at the Cheers writer/producer room. It's the best that's ever been assembled for a sitcom. Most of them were HOFers before they joined this show and they got better. Good luck trying to stack this much talent behind the scenes - not to mention a stellar cast - these days.

 

[AAABatteries]

Newhart is a great one - he’d bee on my Rushmore for sure

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Newhart is a great one - he’d bee on my Rushmore for sure

David Spade shouldn’t really be on there but I like Rules of Engagement.

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Other candidates:

Bea Arthur led two Top Ten sitcoms.

 

[AAABatteries]

Newhart is a great one - he’d bee on my Rushmore for sure

David Spade shouldn’t really be on there but I like Rules of Engagement.

Similar guy that I like better - David Cross

 

[Frostillicus]

“Albania…..Albania……you border on the Adriatic”

True Story: My wife and I were watching Jeopardy one night. The answer/question was Albania. My wife asked "Where is Albania anyway". Naturally I answered "It borders on the Adriatic." She was impressed with my geographical knowledge.

 

[Runkle]

Cheers would have been an obvious guess for top 10 if I had realized just how old the demo on FBGs is these days.

Cheers is solid, you don't have to be a boomer to like it.

How many people that ranked it are under 50?

under 50 here

 

[Gally]

I like Rules of Engagement.

This was my #11 show. It is tremendously underrated. The cast meshed perfectly and Putty is incredible in it. I also thought Kate Hudson's brother was fantastic as the idiot of the group.

I ranked it so high because of the re-watchability. I also kind of went for it since I knew it wouldn't make the cut. I actually would be surprised if it was on anybody else's list.

 

[Gally]

Bob Newhart (Bob Newhart Show, Newhart

Don't forget his stint as Professor Proton

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

another guy that I'd put on a list of sitcom actors would be a guy that no one thinks about but me, Donal Logue.

5 episodes on The Practice, 11 on ER, 12 on Vikings

Starred in a show no one likes but me called Grounded for Life

Was in a pretty solid show that no one has heard of named Terriers

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

but yeah, Danson, Louis-Dreyfus, O-Neil and Fox are rushmore prob

 

[Gally]

SNL is an American Institution. Definitely deserves top 10 ranking.

I got to grow up into the 80's, and 90's staying up late with my buddies watching the Church Lady, Matt Foley motivational speaker, Bill Swerski"s superfans (daaaaa Bearsss!), Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy, weekend update with Dennis Miller, Wayne's World.....the list goes on and on...

I'm not sure I've ever laughed as hard as I did when I saw the first Matt Foley sketch. David Spade and Christina Applegate, playing the kids Foley was trying to motivate, couldn't contain themselves either.

Years later I realized another layer of what made it funny -- pretty much every motivational speaker I've ever seen or heard of is doing that gig AFTER they overcame whatever challenges they had. But Foley had overcome nothing, he was still living in a van down by the river.

Chris Farley could kill you with a facial expression. Or hiking up his pants.....best physical comedian of all time. Still miss that guy a lot......I spose his inner demons were part of what made him who he was

I don't know about all that...

Name one better......and Belushi was not better

For physical comedy I would go with either Peter Seller's or John Ritter

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Bob Newhart (Bob Newhart Show, Newhart

Don't forget his stint as Professor Proton

I remember he had a guest spot on NCIS and they had him doing a bit on the phone, a callback to the style of comedy that made him famous in 1960.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

On the Danson being the sitcom actor GOAT. Few thoughts:

• It does seem to be a shock to hear that because he's not necessarily seen as a greatest actor nor a funny guy in general
• However, the list of shows and his impact is unquestioned
• More importantly - if not him, then who? I struggle to come up with someone with multiple shows - which I think it a pretty big criterion. The only other person who has legit multiple fantastic sitcoms for me is Devito. And I would maybe argue him #1. I'm probably missing someone, however.

ETA - thought of another - Ed O'Neill. I'd feel pretty good putting those 3 on Mount Rushmore if you say it's not based on just one show/sitcom

Other candidates:

Kelce Grammar (Cheers, Frasier)

Henry Winkler (Happy Days, Arrested Development, Barry)

David Spade (Just Shoot Me, SNL, Rules of Engagement)

Bob Newhart (Bob Newhart Show, Newhart)

Steve Carell did 5 years on the Daily Show before The Office and was pretty good on the Morning Show. His one season leading Space Force probably wipes out all that good will though.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

I liked Rules of Engagement but I had some other bad comedy shows that no one else likes. The Goldbergs and Raising Hope

 

[Yo Mama]

another guy that I'd put on a list of sitcom actors would be a guy that no one thinks about but me, Donal Logue.

5 episodes on The Practice, 11 on ER, 12 on Vikings

Starred in a show no one likes but me called Grounded for Life

Was in a pretty solid show that no one has heard of named Terriers

Are any of those shows sitcoms?

 

[Gally]

SNL has had 939 episodes at about 70 minutes which gives us 65,700 minutes

But it should have been half that many episodes. I mean there is a whole thread here about how bad it got. That has to matter when it comes to a final ranking. At least it does for me. I probably haven't seen an episode in 25-30 years and really don't have a desire to.

 

[Gally]

Cheers being this far ahead of Frasier is baffling

Not at all. Frasier was solid but not nearly as good.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

another guy that I'd put on a list of sitcom actors would be a guy that no one thinks about but me, Donal Logue.

5 episodes on The Practice, 11 on ER, 12 on Vikings

Starred in a show no one likes but me called Grounded for Life

Was in a pretty solid show that no one has heard of named Terriers

Are any of those shows sitcoms?

I think Grounded for Life was.

He was also on Gotham - which was also not a sitcom.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

another guy that I'd put on a list of sitcom actors would be a guy that no one thinks about but me, Donal Logue.

5 episodes on The Practice, 11 on ER, 12 on Vikings

Starred in a show no one likes but me called Grounded for Life

Was in a pretty solid show that no one has heard of named Terriers

Are any of those shows sitcoms?

Terriers and Grounded for Life are both comedys.

 

[AAABatteries]

Bob Newhart (Bob Newhart Show, Newhart

Don't forget his stint as Professor Proton

He killed in that role. They had some great bit characters but I think he was my favorite.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

SNL is an American Institution. Definitely deserves top 10 ranking.

I got to grow up into the 80's, and 90's staying up late with my buddies watching the Church Lady, Matt Foley motivational speaker, Bill Swerski"s superfans (daaaaa Bearsss!), Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy, weekend update with Dennis Miller, Wayne's World.....the list goes on and on...

I'm not sure I've ever laughed as hard as I did when I saw the first Matt Foley sketch. David Spade and Christina Applegate, playing the kids Foley was trying to motivate, couldn't contain themselves either.

Years later I realized another layer of what made it funny -- pretty much every motivational speaker I've ever seen or heard of is doing that gig AFTER they overcame whatever challenges they had. But Foley had overcome nothing, he was still living in a van down by the river.

Chris Farley could kill you with a facial expression. Or hiking up his pants.....best physical comedian of all time. Still miss that guy a lot......I spose his inner demons were part of what made him who he was

I don't know about all that...

Name one better......and Belushi was not better

For physical comedy I would go with either Peter Seller's or John Ritter

no Carey?

 

[Yo Mama]

On the Danson being the sitcom actor GOAT. Few thoughts:

• It does seem to be a shock to hear that because he's not necessarily seen as a greatest actor nor a funny guy in general
• However, the list of shows and his impact is unquestioned
• More importantly - if not him, then who? I struggle to come up with someone with multiple shows - which I think it a pretty big criterion. The only other person who has legit multiple fantastic sitcoms for me is Devito. And I would maybe argue him #1. I'm probably missing someone, however.

ETA - thought of another - Ed O'Neill. I'd feel pretty good putting those 3 on Mount Rushmore if you say it's not based on just one show/sitcom

Other candidates:

Kelce Grammar (Cheers, Frasier)

Henry Winkler (Happy Days, Arrested Development, Barry)

David Spade (Just Shoot Me, SNL, Rules of Engagement)

Bob Newhart (Bob Newhart Show, Newhart)

Eugene Levy - SCTV, Schitt’s Creek, SNL host

Ted Knight - Mary Tyler Moore, Too Close for Comfort, Ted Knight Show, Love Boat, SNL host, tons of voice acting for animated shows

 

[Instinctive]

Cheers would have been an obvious guess for top 10 if I had realized just how old the demo on FBGs is these days.

Cheers is solid, you don't have to be a boomer to like it.

Yeah but you do kind need to be over 40 to have encountered it on television

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

but Drew Carey? Whose Line and The Drew Carey Show

got your next list scores

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Eugene Levy - SCTV, Schitt’s Creek, SNL host

Also one season of Only Murders in the Building

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

SNL is an American Institution. Definitely deserves top 10 ranking.

I got to grow up into the 80's, and 90's staying up late with my buddies watching the Church Lady, Matt Foley motivational speaker, Bill Swerski"s superfans (daaaaa Bearsss!), Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy, weekend update with Dennis Miller, Wayne's World.....the list goes on and on...

I'm not sure I've ever laughed as hard as I did when I saw the first Matt Foley sketch. David Spade and Christina Applegate, playing the kids Foley was trying to motivate, couldn't contain themselves either.

Years later I realized another layer of what made it funny -- pretty much every motivational speaker I've ever seen or heard of is doing that gig AFTER they overcame whatever challenges they had. But Foley had overcome nothing, he was still living in a van down by the river.

Chris Farley could kill you with a facial expression. Or hiking up his pants.....best physical comedian of all time. Still miss that guy a lot......I spose his inner demons were part of what made him who he was

I don't know about all that...

Name one better......and Belushi was not better

For physical comedy I would go with either Peter Seller's or John Ritter

no Carey?

sorry, Jim has 2 Rs.

That guy.

 

[Gally]

SNL is an American Institution. Definitely deserves top 10 ranking.

I got to grow up into the 80's, and 90's staying up late with my buddies watching the Church Lady, Matt Foley motivational speaker, Bill Swerski"s superfans (daaaaa Bearsss!), Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy, weekend update with Dennis Miller, Wayne's World.....the list goes on and on...

I'm not sure I've ever laughed as hard as I did when I saw the first Matt Foley sketch. David Spade and Christina Applegate, playing the kids Foley was trying to motivate, couldn't contain themselves either.

Years later I realized another layer of what made it funny -- pretty much every motivational speaker I've ever seen or heard of is doing that gig AFTER they overcame whatever challenges they had. But Foley had overcome nothing, he was still living in a van down by the river.

Chris Farley could kill you with a facial expression. Or hiking up his pants.....best physical comedian of all time. Still miss that guy a lot......I spose his inner demons were part of what made him who he was

I don't know about all that...

Name one better......and Belushi was not better

For physical comedy I would go with either Peter Seller's or John Ritter

no Carey?

The first thing that popped into my mind was Drew Carey.....
Took me a minute to figure out you meant Jim.......hahhahaa

He should be in the conversation for sure but I would still put Sellers and Ritter over him.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

Cheers would have been an obvious guess for top 10 if I had realized just how old the demo on FBGs is these days.

Cheers is solid, you don't have to be a boomer to like it.

Yeah but you do kind need to be over 40 to have encountered it on television

I am pretty sure this came on Nick at Nite when I was a teen

 

[FarFromHome]

Michael Landon has a pretty damn good resume

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

With all the names thrown around and y’all are missing the most obvious candidate
Tori Spelling
Apart from her masterful work as Donna on 90201, she did that one episode on Saved by the Bell followed by that one episode on Ru Pauls Drag Race.

 

[Don Quixote]

Michael Landon has a pretty damn good resume

Sitcoms though?

 

[steelerfan1]

So, it looks like my highest ranked show that didn’t make the top 300 is my #11.

 

[McBokonon]

Michael Landon has a pretty damn good resume

Sitcoms though?

Albert getting hooked on morPHINE was pretty funny.

 

[steelerfan1]

Norm Peterson's Famous Quotes (from TV's "Cheers")​

---

"Women. Can't live with 'em....pass the beer nuts."

I still use this one…

 

[FarFromHome]

Michael Landon has a pretty damn good resume

Sitcoms though?

Albert getting hooked on morPHINE was pretty funny.

My bad. Poor Albert. Ha ha

 

[Tick]

1990-91 SNL cast.......best SNL cast ever, and best skit comedy cast ever assembled, imo.

Dana Carvey
Phil Hartman
Jan Hooks
Victoria Jackson
Dennis Miller
Mike Myers
Kevin Nealon
Chris Farley
Tim Meadows (first episode: February 9, 1991)
Chris Rock
Julia Sweeney (first episode: November 10, 1990)
A. Whitney Brown (final episode: March 16, 1991)
Al Franken
Adam Sandler (first episode: February 9, 1991)
Rob Schneider (first episode: October 27, 1990)
David Spade (first episode: November, 10, 1990)

Yeah, we’re all 50 here.

 

[Ilov80s]

SNL has had 939 episodes at about 70 minutes which gives us 65,700 minutes

But it should have been half that many episodes. I mean there is a whole thread here about how bad it got. That has to matter when it comes to a final ranking. At least it does for me. I probably haven't seen an episode in 25-30 years and really don't have a desire to.

Some of the funniest stuff the show has ever had was in the last 25-30 years.

 

[Don Quixote]

1990-91 SNL cast.......best SNL cast ever, and best skit comedy cast ever assembled, imo.

Dana Carvey
Phil Hartman
Jan Hooks
Victoria Jackson
Dennis Miller
Mike Myers
Kevin Nealon
Chris Farley
Tim Meadows (first episode: February 9, 1991)
Chris Rock
Julia Sweeney (first episode: November 10, 1990)
A. Whitney Brown (final episode: March 16, 1991)
Al Franken
Adam Sandler (first episode: February 9, 1991)
Rob Schneider (first episode: October 27, 1990)
David Spade (first episode: November, 10, 1990)

Writers room also included Conan O’Brien and Bob Odenkirk that year.

 

[Psychopav]

Cheers has the #1 TV theme show song.

And I will brook no dissent on the matter.

Mr. Kotter might have something to say about that.