grateful zed 1,499 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) Mash Lucy ❤️ All in the family ??? Eta I'm old Edited November 30, 2020 by grateful zed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Judge Smails 3,750 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) Good start. I Love Lucy and All in the Family are 2 first ballot no brainers. It get harder from there. I’d put Seinfeld up there. Fourth one is tough. Debating Edited November 30, 2020 by Judge Smails 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moonlight 666 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 All in the Family, Seinfeld, Big Bang Theory, Everybody Loves Raymond Honorable Mention: Fraser I Love Lucy 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FairWarning 720 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 All In The Family Married With Children The Jeffersons Sanford and Son Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ilov80s 30,190 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Dick Van Dyke Show Taxi Seinfeld The Office 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pollardsvision 3,029 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 I've watched a lot of older sitcoms, but I'm far too ignorant do this based on long-term impact. So, I've just got to go with my 4 favorite: Parks and Rec, The Office, Arrested Development, and the either Seinfeld or It's Always Sunny. As an aside, there's an alternate universe where The Cosby Show gets a lot of mentions here. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AAABatteries 24,794 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld Friends Andy Griffith The Office 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
need2know 6,334 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 1 hour ago, pollardsvision said: I've watched a lot of older sitcoms, but I'm far too ignorant do this based on long-term impact. So, I've just got to go with my 4 favorite: Parks and Rec, The Office, Arrested Development, and the either Seinfeld or It's Always Sunny. As an aside, there's an alternate universe where The Cosby Show gets a lot of mentions here. The office and park and rec are basically the same show. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BoerumHill 171 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 M*A*S*H Cheers Seinfeld The Office 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cowboysfan8 7,771 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) Seinfeld MASH Everybody Loves Raymond Modern Family Edited November 30, 2020 by Cowboysfan8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MAC_32 12,555 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld The Office It's Always Sunny Fresh Prince Simpsons --- In that order. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pipes 2,785 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld Cheers The Office Modern Family Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gally 4,886 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld Cheers Modern Family MASH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tuffnutt 1,595 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld Cheers All in the Family Friends Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foxco 325 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) Always Sunny Seinfeld Curb Your Enthusiasm Not Rushmore yet but Derry Girls is rising for me, I've watched it 3 times. Edited November 30, 2020 by foxco Forgot Curb Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wikkidpissah 18,633 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) 30 Rock Seinfeld The Mary Tyler Moore Show Blackadder ETA: if Rushmore connotes "American", gimme The Simpsons Edited November 30, 2020 by wikkidpissah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Major 1,563 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld The Office Sopranos Arrested Development 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rockaction 25,075 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Cheers/Frasier Seinfeld when it's not too painful to watch The Simpsons Other than that, comedy is so time-bound that I feel bad listing older or later ones (neither of which are funny unless you're in the grips of the show's context) 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Poke_4_Life 2,134 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (I don't think I can adequately rate any sitcoms pre 90s.) Seinfeld The Office Parks and Rec Big Bang Theory Community (surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet) Schitts Creek is nearing this list for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Quixote 4,782 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld Parks and Rec Fawlty Towers The Simpsons Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Brunell4MVP 863 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) The young people on here will have no idea how good MASH and All in the Family were. I don't consider animated. Simpsons was great. But it's easier to make animated stay relevant over years. Seinfeld MASH All in the Family The Office Friends, Cheers, Modern Family ... those were good too. Edited November 30, 2020 by Brunell4MVP 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wikkidpissah 18,633 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 3 minutes ago, Brunell4MVP said: The young people on here will have no idea how good MASH and All in the Family were. I don't consider animated. Simpsons was great. But it's easier to make animated stay relevant over years. The Gelbart years of M*A*S*H were as good as it gets. The Reynolds/Alda years are why it's not on my Rushmore. I was in the comedy biz during All In The Family reign. We (the Emerson College crowd and the guys who were doing standup in stripjoints & Chinese restaurants before Boston had comedy clubs) discussed AitF a LOT because it wasn't the least bit funny and had America rolling. We never figured it out... MTM beat em both by a mile. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nemesis 159 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 MASH Cheers Seinfeld (or Friends) Modern Family (or Big Bang Theory) I think the above covers 4 decades Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Corporation 1,364 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Andy Griffith Parks and Rec The Office Seinfeld Really thought about putting Community in that last spot, but it had a dramatic drop off after Season 3. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HellToupee 15,670 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 tough leaving a couple of 70s classics off but for me Seinfeld The Office Curb The Larry Sanders Show 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
E Street Brat 1,624 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 50 minutes ago, Brunell4MVP said: The young people on here will have no idea how good MASH and All in the Family were. I don't consider animated. Simpsons was great. But it's easier to make animated stay relevant over years. Seinfeld MASH All in the Family The Office Friends, Cheers, Modern Family ... those were good too. I've never understood the love for MASH. The laugh track alone makes it un-watchable for me. Seinfeld Gilligan's Island Sanford & Sons Cheers 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Binky The Doormat 12,819 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 41 minutes ago, wikkidpissah said: The Gelbart years of M*A*S*H were as good as it gets. The Reynolds/Alda years are why it's not on my Rushmore. I was in the comedy biz during All In The Family reign. We (the Emerson College crowd and the guys who were doing standup in stripjoints & Chinese restaurants before Boston had comedy clubs) discussed AitF a LOT because it wasn't the least bit funny and had America rolling. We never figured it out... MTM beat em both by a mile. you know what ...you got spunk I love spunk 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Klimtology 201 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Fawlty Towers Curb Your Enthusiasm Simpsons Seinfeld 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TLEF316 4,930 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Yeah, I get pulled into watching episodes of MASH every once in a while when I'm over at my dad's. I've probably watched like 25 or so. Not sure I've laughed once. I'm not old enough to have seen it live, so maybe that's the issue. But I just find it painfully unfunny. For me....Seinfeld and the Office are slam dunk choices. I had never watched Curb (so weird, as I'm a HUGE Seinfeld fan) until quarantine back in March. But it makes my list now. Larry is my spirit animal. The 4th spot is a tough one. If we're including animated shows, I'd probably have to choose South Park. Obviously they have the occasional stinker, but I grew up on the show and it still makes me laugh like an idiot at times (even now, pushing into my late 30's). If no animated shows.....I guess I'd choose Big Bang. I get that its not for everyone and some will mock it but I think the writing was incredibly clever and Parsons did an amazing job carrying it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AAABatteries 24,794 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 2 hours ago, Major said: Seinfeld The Office Sopranos Arrested Development 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Binky The Doormat 12,819 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) 25 minutes ago, TLEF316 said: Yeah, I get pulled into watching episodes of MASH every once in a while when I'm over at my dad's. I've probably watched like 25 or so. Not sure I've laughed once. I'm not old enough to have seen it live, so maybe that's the issue. But I just find it painfully unfunny. the Col. Flagg appearances are money. the wind Edited November 30, 2020 by Binky The Doormat 1 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rockaction 25,075 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 1 hour ago, wikkidpissah said: The Gelbart years of M*A*S*H were as good as it gets. The Reynolds/Alda years are why it's not on my Rushmore. I was in the comedy biz during All In The Family reign. We (the Emerson College crowd and the guys who were doing standup in stripjoints & Chinese restaurants before Boston had comedy clubs) discussed AitF a LOT because it wasn't the least bit funny and had America rolling. We never figured it out... MTM beat em both by a mile. AitF was too preachy for me upon rewatching it. I thought it was a blunt instrument where a skewer is usually better. My parents have described its popularity by saying that audiences, despite how obvious a send-up caricature of a man Bunker was, chose to ignore the preachy and laugh at the bigotry because they couldn't be as bad as Archie. But they also, in the dark recesses of their mind, thought Bunker might be right about certain things and found humor in their own closed-mindedness. But that's just what I hear. Like I was saying before I decided to respond, the sitcoms I listed were all of my time as a nascent adult or adult. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AAABatteries 24,794 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 41 minutes ago, TLEF316 said: Yeah, I get pulled into watching episodes of MASH every once in a while when I'm over at my dad's. I've probably watched like 25 or so. Not sure I've laughed once. I'm not old enough to have seen it live, so maybe that's the issue. But I just find it painfully unfunny. For me....Seinfeld and the Office are slam dunk choices. I had never watched Curb (so weird, as I'm a HUGE Seinfeld fan) until quarantine back in March. But it makes my list now. Larry is my spirit animal. The 4th spot is a tough one. If we're including animated shows, I'd probably have to choose South Park. Obviously they have the occasional stinker, but I grew up on the show and it still makes me laugh like an idiot at times (even now, pushing into my late 30's). If no animated shows.....I guess I'd choose Big Bang. I get that its not for everyone and some will mock it but I think the writing was incredibly clever and Parsons did an amazing job carrying it. Yeah - I never got the disdain around here for BBT. It wouldn't be in my top-4 but it would definitely be in my top-10. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sea Duck 1,351 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Can you really call a show a "sitcom" if it's animated (Simpsons), or if it's filmed on location without a studio audience (The Office, Arrested Development)? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sea Duck 1,351 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 11 minutes ago, rockaction said: AitF was too preachy for me upon rewatching it. I thought it was a blunt instrument where a skewer is usually better. My parents have described its popularity by saying that audiences, despite how obvious a send-up caricature of a man Bunker was, chose to ignore the preachy and laugh at the bigotry because they couldn't be as bad as Archie. But they also, in the dark recesses of their mind, thought Bunker might be right about certain things and found humor in their own closed-mindedness. Same reason "The Colbert Report" was so popular, imo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rockaction 25,075 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) 1 minute ago, Sea Duck said: Can you really call a show a "sitcom" if it's animated (Simpsons), or if it's filmed on location without a studio audience (The Office, Arrested Development)? The Simpsons is so meta about everything you could argue that they're more than conscious enough about the sitcom format that while they get to break rules, they generally adhere to them. Edited November 30, 2020 by rockaction 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zow 8,615 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 3 hours ago, foxco said: Always Sunny Seinfeld Curb Your Enthusiasm These three plus the office. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AAABatteries 24,794 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 2 minutes ago, Sea Duck said: Can you really call a show a "sitcom" if it's animated (Simpsons), or if it's filmed on location without a studio audience (The Office, Arrested Development)? situational comedy (situation comedy in the U.S.), is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who carry over from episode to episode. I'd say all of those are sitcoms, although I would probably say Animated Sitcom should be seen as different but that's just my personal preference and not strictly going by the definition. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rockaction 25,075 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Sea Duck said: Same reason "The Colbert Report" was so popular, imo. I don't mean to argue, but I'm really not sure. I think the Colbert Report is distinctly aimed, and the people in on the joke are in on it for what the comedian would call the "right" reasons. Colbert manages to take all the patriotic gin in the world's punch bowl and make it palatable for the teetotalers. eta* But your broader point is taken. Irony has that tendency to become real in a heartbeat. Ask a million Pabst drinkers circa 2000 what that was all about. Edited November 30, 2020 by rockaction Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jayrok 3,669 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Seinfeld The Office Andy Griffith Cheers 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy 388 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 Cheers, Seinfeld, M*A*S*H, Simpsons Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Uruk-Hai 7,547 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 30 minutes ago, rockaction said: AitF was too preachy for me upon rewatching it. I thought it was a blunt instrument where a skewer is usually better. My parents have described its popularity by saying that audiences, despite how obvious a send-up caricature of a man Bunker was, chose to ignore the preachy and laugh at the bigotry because they couldn't be as bad as Archie. But they also, in the dark recesses of their mind, thought Bunker might be right about certain things and found humor in their own closed-mindedness. But that's just what I hear. Like I was saying before I decided to respond, the sitcoms I listed were all of my time as a nascent adult or adult. There were "Archie Bunker For President" posters hung unironically in the basements and garages of a lot of blue collar workers in the early '70s. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Judge Smails 3,750 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 48 minutes ago, rockaction said: AitF was too preachy for me upon rewatching it. I thought it was a blunt instrument where a skewer is usually better. My parents have described its popularity by saying that audiences, despite how obvious a send-up caricature of a man Bunker was, chose to ignore the preachy and laugh at the bigotry because they couldn't be as bad as Archie. But they also, in the dark recesses of their mind, thought Bunker might be right about certain things and found humor in their own closed-mindedness. But that's just what I hear. Like I was saying before I decided to respond, the sitcoms I listed were all of my time as a nascent adult or adult. Hmmm. Interesting take. I thought it was a very important show that touched on subjects not being talked about on TV at the time. It was also a relatable show. I still know people like Archie. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wikkidpissah 18,633 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, rockaction said: AitF was too preachy for me upon rewatching it. I thought it was a blunt instrument where a skewer is usually better. My parents have described its popularity by saying that audiences, despite how obvious a send-up caricature of a man Bunker was, chose to ignore the preachy and laugh at the bigotry because they couldn't be as bad as Archie. But they also, in the dark recesses of their mind, thought Bunker might be right about certain things and found humor in their own closed-mindedness. But that's just what I hear. Like I was saying before I decided to respond, the sitcoms I listed were all of my time as a nascent adult or adult. i knew quite a few comics who became comedy writers. their biggest obstacle - besides being ugly & lazy in a town that doesnt abide either - was how hacky the sitcom format (basically, writing to a laugh track) actually was. i think that was the problem we wiseguys had with the Norman Lear tip. It was "new" source material done Lucy style. Instead of Lucy saying WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA when Ricky wouldnt let her in the show, it was Editt exclaiming "Oh Aaawchie" when he'd rail on sumn polite folk didnt talk about. Same with Maude, Jeffersons and blossomed beyond Lear to Sanford & Son and Chico & the Man, Kotter and such. Twas impossible for anyone who respected beats, callbacks, even punchlines when the setup and "Oh my!" riffing was enough ETA: and the catchphrases......cant forget the catchphrases.. Edited November 30, 2020 by wikkidpissah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Franklin Delano Bluth 4 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 10 hours ago, pollardsvision said: So, I've just got to go with my 4 favorite: Parks and Rec, The Office, Arrested Development, and the either Seinfeld or It's Always Sunny. As an aside, there's an alternate universe where The Cosby Show gets a lot of mentions here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kentric 501 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 All in the Family The Gary Shandling Show Bob Newhart Show The Donny and Marie Show. haha Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Major 1,563 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 2 hours ago, AAABatteries said: Throw a laugh track behind it and it can be viewed as sitcom IMO. It's comedic elements are severely underrated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIrNR7YPlhI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Leeroy Jenkins 2,896 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 8 hours ago, BoerumHill said: M*A*S*H Cheers Seinfeld The Office This is probably right. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BoerumHill 171 Posted November 30, 2020 Share Posted November 30, 2020 1 minute ago, Major said: Throw a laugh track behind it and it can be viewed as sitcom IMO. It's comedic elements are severely underrated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIrNR7YPlhI The malapropisms are endless and hilarious. Hell, the straight lines are pretty good. I try to use “when’s the last time you’ve had penisary contact with a vulva?” at least once a week. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
grateful zed 1,499 Posted November 30, 2020 Author Share Posted November 30, 2020 16 hours ago, grateful zed said: Mash Lucy ❤️ All in the family ??? Mtm Andy griffith Sanford Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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