Your "top Twenty" Sit-coms

[ARIES666]

More than any other type of program, situation comedies have supplied the most entertainment, at least for me, over the years. Maybe it is because it feels so good to laugh?! There have been so many over the years as well. I was going to make it a "Top Ten" but thought "TOP TWENTY" was needed.

ADDAMS FAMILY (original)
ALL IN THE FAMILY
BARNEY MILLER
BEWITCHED
BOB NEWHART SHOW (72-78)
BLACK ADDER
F-TROOP
FRASIER
GET SMART
GREEN ACRES
HOGAN'S HEROES
HONEYMOONERS
I DREAM OF JEANNIE
LEAVE IT TO BEAVER
MARY TYLER MOORE
MONKEES
MUNSTERS
PHIL SILVERS (SGT BILKO)
SEINFELD
THAT GIRL

[transjen]

How could you leave MASH off your list? And don't forget about Night Court Jennifer

[ARIES666]

See what I mean, Jennifer! And, Cheers is not on my list, either! They would make my top 30 most likely.

[purplehead]

I like your list.

However, no list is complete without the Andy Griffith Show and The Beverly Hillbillies

[Vanillas]

I would be hard pressed to come up with twenty sitcoms that I have enjoyed or even watched with any frequency. However, high on any such list of mine would be TAXI, from the 1970s. I believe it aired for (only) five years but the majority of its relatively unknown players went on to achieve individual success in motion pictures. Among these were Christopher Lloyd, Marilu Henner and, of course, Danny Divito. Besides which, the show was simply funny. I think some of Lloyd's antics as the brain-fried Rev. Jim Ignatowski were among the most side splitting shtick I've seen on television.

[transjen]

Who could forget ALF Jennifer

[ARIES666]

Thank you TJ!! Damn...I forgot "Alf". A great show IMHO!! I also forgot "Mad About You" and, these are before your time TJ..."Patty Duke Show", "Our Miss Brooks" and "Dobie Gillis"!!

[transjen]

Originally Posted by ARIES666

Thank you TJ!! Damn...I forgot "Alf". A great show IMHO!! I also forgot "Mad About You" and, these are before your time TJ..."Patty Duke Show", "Our Miss Brooks" and "Dobie Gillis"!!

I rember seeing Patty Duke and Dobbie Gillis on NICK at night back in the early 90s along with the Lucy Show the ones in color and she worked at the bank all good stuff Jennifer

[ARIES666]

So, TJ...what shows are in your top twenty?

[rockabilly]

1. Coupling
2. Grounded for life
3. Married with Children
4. Mr. Bean
5. Absolutely Fabulous
6. The Jeffersons
7. Sanford and Son
8. Chico and the Man
9. The Honeymooners
10. Gilligans Island
11. Cheers
12. The Cosby Show
13. Full House
14. Kate and Allie
15. One Day at a Time
16. That 70's Show
17. Family Matters
18. Grace Under Fire
19. The Drew Carey Show
20. The Dick Van Dyke Show
No Particular Order

[transjen]

Jeez you are putting me on the spot huh? Ok i'll give it a go drum roll please and starting with my all time fav

1. M*A*S*H
2. ALF
3. NIGHT COURT
4. THE HONEYMOONERS
5. THE LUCY SHOW
6. PATTY DUKE
7. FRASIER
8. CHEERS
9. BOB NEWHEART [70S SERIES]
10. THAT 70S SHOW
11. FAMILY GUY
12. KING OF THE HILL
13. SOUTH PARK
14. MARY TLYER MOORE SHOW
15. ALL IN THE FAMILY
16. JUST THE TEN OF US
17. MARRIED WITH CHILDREN
18. PETTYCOAT JUNCTION
19. GREEN ARCES
20. WHEN THING WERE ROTTEN

Honorable mention THE BENNY HILL SHOW Jennifer

[ARIES666]

One notable ommision (or is it omission?) on both of your lists is "Seinfeld"! And I thought my cousin was the only person who did not think it was a funny show. He thought "Everyone Loves Raymond" was hilarious, though!! Can't figure that out!

Anyway, Rockabilly..."Married With Children"...another one I forgot about! I loved that show!! So "ground-breaking"...like All In The Family in it's own way.

And, TJ...some great picks on your list...I was worried about your, uh...tastes and preferences based upon our Battlestar Galactica exchanges......but you have restored my faith in you! As for Benny Hill...it was funny, but it was not a "Sit-Com" really...it was "sketch comedy"

But....back to Seinfeld....I am stunned it did not make your Top Twenty! There must be episodes that I have seen at least 20 times and I still laugh at the same lines, the same situations, etc.

[transjen]

The sit-com if seen to offen over and over you treand to get sick of em and Sadly i use to love Seinfeld until my boyfriend brought the DVDs and played them so offen i just can't watch em right now same goes with the Jeffersons and Sanford and Son great shows but TV LAND plays them to death same with Three's company, So right now i can't list them at this time, Drew Carey sliped my mind D'OH. And i know BENNY HILL didn't fit the cat but i had to give him honorable mention anyway Jennifer

[transjen]

Anyone rember TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT with Ted Knight? or THAT'S MY MOM 'MA ? Jennifer

[ARIES666]

WKRP.....MAUDE.....MARY HARTMAN!, MARY HARTMAN!

[transjen]

WKRP was a great show but who or what is MARY HARTMAN? Jennifer

[ARIES666]

One of the great "cult" TV shows when you get right down to it. It was only on 1976-77. It was created by Norman Lear (All In The Family). Glad to see you have "All In The Family" in your top twenty, TJ! Rockabilly doesn't have it on his list...I am beginning to worry about him!


Here's a review of Mary Hartman! Mary Hartman! written by a Tom Soter for a magazine/book called "100 Greatest TV Shows Of All Time" (1998)

"Norman Lear had always been a magnet for controversy. Having unleashed All In The Family on the viewing public in 1971, he soon after proposed another groundbreaking concept: a soap opera parody that would premiere with a mass murder, an octegenarian flasher and an impotent husband. Thanks, but no thanks all three networks said. So, Lear took another bold step--he sold the series in first-run syndication and created a virtual ad-hoc network all his own.

The 1976 show, set in the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio, centered on Mary Hartman (Louise Lasser) a pig-tailed, somewhat obtuse suburban housewife addicted to TV commercials, whose biggest concern was the "waxy yellow build-up" on her kitchen floor. Lampooning both Americans' obsession with television and the medium itself, the program featured offbeat characters (an 8 year-old evangelist) and kinky plot twists (Mary's father had plastic surgery to look like Tab Hunter--and then was played by Tab Hunter). Things only got crazier as time went on; in one episode, a neighbour drowned in a bowl of soup; in another, a TV celebrity was impaled on an aluminum Christmas tree.

The first season finale said alot about Lear's opinion of televison. In it, Mary has a nervous breakdown and ends up (by season two) in an insane asylum--only to discover that her fellow inmates are part of the "Nielsen Family", a group chosen to represent national TV viewing habits."

TJ, this show was like none other. And I think it predated "Soap" by a few years. This was the time before Cable, Satellite TV, PayTV, HBO, etc. The three networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) ruled!! This show would have been a huge hit on cable!!

[ARIES666]

The first 25 episodes are out on DVD....still waiting for the rest! Too bad you didn't live next door, I would lend it to you!

[rockabilly]

There are just to many sitcoms to remember. All in the Family was great , do you remember Dream On ? It came on cable , about a guy raised on T.V. it starred Brian Benben ( i think that was his name )

[SilverSabre]

1. Pizza
2. Swift & Shift Couriers
3. South Park
4. Family Guy
5. That 70's show
6. My Name Is Earl
7. Unhappily Ever After

Well.. I don' t watch them very often.. so I don' t recall more of them right now.

[transjen]

i'll have to check youtube and see if they have any epsiodes aviable, Never cared for the show SOAP mainly because i can't stand Billy Crystal but i liked the spin off show that came from it BENSON Jennifer

[transjen]

ok we have lots of top picks but what would you put at the bottom? The sit coms you hate, This may upset a few people but here's my list of sit coms i can't stand and most on my list were very popular but in my opion they were not funny Jennifer

• SCRUBS
• FRIENDS
• REBA
• FAMILY MATTERS
• MORK & MINDY
• THE COSBY SHOW
• AFTER MASH
• EVERY BODY LOVES RAYMOND

[violet lightning]

:D OK, here are my favorites; not necessarily the best, but over the years, the ones I got, (or continue to get) the most enjoyment from.
(in no real order)
1. The Honeymooners
2. I Love Lucy
3. Seinfeld
4. That 70's Show
5. Hogan's Heros
6, Cheers
7. The Phil Silvers Show (Sgt Bilko...brilliant!)
8. Gilligan's Island
9. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
10. The Office
11. The Munsters
12. The Beverly Hillbillies
13. Bewitched
14. McHales Navy
15. M*A*S*H (before they killed Henry Blake and started getting sucky)
16. The Andy Griffith Show
17. The Young Ones
18. Mr. Bean
19. Soap
20. Malcolm in the Middle

Bubbling just under: (and just have to mention!)

All in the Family, Happy Days (before the "Fonz" took over the show), Barney Miller. WKRP in Cinncinnati, Absolutely Fabulous, Scrubs, Friends, The Thin Blue Line, The Bob Newhart Show, Faulty Towers, Reno 911, Laverne and Shirley (earlier ones)

[violet lightning]

Originally Posted by transjen

ok we have lots of top picks but what would you put at the bottom? The sit coms you hate, This may upset a few people but here's my list of sit coms i can't stand and most on my list were very popular but in my opion they were not funny Jennifer

• SCRUBS
• FRIENDS
• REBA
• FAMILY MATTERS
• MORK & MINDY
• THE COSBY SHOW
• AFTER MASH
• EVERY BODY LOVES RAYMOND

I agree with all of those except for Scrubs and Friends. Just personal taste I guess. I like Scrubs mixture of wackyness and sensitivity. Friends ran for so long, I tired of the characters somewhat, but I think they always had pretty good writers.

others I think suck are:
1. Sisters
2. Two and a Half Men (terrible writing, canned laughter)
3. The King of Queens
4. How I met your mother
5. Roseanne (early ones were funny, but then sucked hard)

jeez, I can't think of any others at the moment , only ones I like!

[transjen]

Cartoon network aired one of the all time funniest cartoon episodes ever last night THE FAMILY GUY STAR WARS epiode Jennifer

[ARIES666]

From TransJen: ok we have lots of top picks but what would you put at the bottom? The sit coms you hate, This may upset a few people but here's my list of sit coms i can't stand and most on my list were very popular but in my opion they were not funny Jennifer
SCRUBS
FRIENDS
REBA
FAMILY MATTERS
MORK & MINDY
THE COSBY SHOW
AFTER MASH
EVERY BODY LOVES RAYMOND

From VioletLightning: I agree with all of those except for Scrubs and Friends. Just personal taste I guess. I like Scrubs mixture of wackyness and sensitivity. Friends ran for so long, I tired of the characters somewhat, but I think they always had pretty good writers.

others I think suck are:
1. Sisters
2. Two and a Half Men (terrible writing, canned laughter)
3. The King of Queens
4. How I met your mother
5. Roseanne (early ones were funny, but then sucked hard)

jeez, I can't think of any others at the moment , only ones I like!

I want to add my own picks to these "least liked" lists:

Cosby Show
Mama's Family
Friends
Reba
Drew Carey Show
Everybody Loves Raymond
Fresh Prince of Belair
According To Jim
Trouble With Tracey
Three's Company
Happy Days
Rhoda
Laverne and Shirley
Family Matters
Mayberry RFD


....for a start....comments welcome

[violet lightning]

:D Catching up on reading posts...
notes...
Ted Knight was brilliant!!! A great actor! Best thing on MTM was the interaction between Ted and Lou Grant!
F-Troop was great too..., I wonder why its never been syndicated??
Remember the "Heckawie Indians"? (As in "where the heck are we?")
"That Girl" was very good too. I know she is why I love brunettes!! :D
And her cute voice, beautiful eyes... wow!
I thought "Soap" was way funnier than "Benson". Great original writing,and outstanding cast. (Richard Mullligan stands out)
I liked Benson too, but his character was much snarkier on Soap.

I agree on most of the bad tv shows. (especially Cosby Show)
Andy Griffith was never the same after Don Knotts left.
Family Matters sucked pretty bad, but I do remember the best moments came when Erkel and the dad teamed up on outlandish schemes.

"Get Smart" was a Mel Brooks show wasn't it? My memory fails me. (I know "When things were Rotten" was)
It was smart and funny, and agent 99 (Barbara Feldon was hot!)

Gomer Pyle was so, so, but Frank Sutton (Sgt Carter) was funny as shit!!
I think maybe he was a real DI...??

[ARIES666]

F Troop only ran for two seasons...both seasons are avialable on DVD...I never did see it in syndication here in Canada...maybe in the USA...they have alot more, and better, channels devoted to older TV shows than here in Canada (thanks to the CRTC)

That Girl (Marlo Thomas) pre-dated Mary Tyler Moore by four years!! Man, did I ever have a crush on Marlo Thomas....and Barbara Eden...and Nancy Sinatra...and...

Get Smart was the creation of Mel Brooks, Violet. One interesting thing about Get Smart was people actually got killed on the show. As opposed to The A-Team, where, despite thousands of rounds of bullets...not one death!

[transjen]

I just started watching MY MOTHER THE CAR on youtube Jennifer

[transjen]

Any one ever see CPO SHARKY? Staring Don Rickles Jennifer

[connie]

In no particular order

Friends
The Simpsons
Red Dwarf
Black Adder
Futurama
Family Guy
That 70's show
Frasier
Sabrina the teenage witch
Sienfeld
Ab Fab
the Vicar of Dibley
Red Green
Newhart
Fawlty Towers
Thin Blue Line
Mr. Bean
Ellen
Parker Lewis Can't Lose
Wings

[smc]

In alphabetical order:

Addams Family, The
All In the Family
Blackadder
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Drew Carey Show, The
F Troop
Family Guy
Fawlty Towers
Get Smart
Green Acres
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman!
Night Court
Odd Couple, The
Scrubs
Simpsons, The
That '70s Show
30 Rock
Vicar of Dibley, The

Okay, that's only 17, but that's what I've got. I left off two that are on most people's lists. The first is Seinfeld. Much of that show cracks me up, but I find the George Costanza character so cloyingly annoying that I cannot watch enough of the rest to enjoy it. And as for M*A*S*H, I have a hard time thinking of it as a classic sit-com. A great show, but a sit-com?

i think i have enjoyed every show that has been listed , but two all time favorites would be

mash (with frank burns)

and getsmart always makes me laugh !

good topic

[sammivalentine]

20 jeez not got time ;-))

Alan Partridge (both seires)
Brittas Empire
Ideal
Benidorm
2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps

[ila]

Originally Posted by sammivalentine

20 jeez not got time ;-))

.......2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps

I can see why you like 2 Pints of Lager. You must be able to see Runcorn from Liverpool. Seriously though, I like most of the episodes from that show. It is a very funny series. My biggest problem is understanding everything that the actors say.

[encuchado]

i will take a stab at twenty
1.adventures of pete and pete
2.the inbetweeners
3.arrested development
4.simpsons
5.parker lewis can't lose
6.arli$$
7.clarissa explains it all
8.dream on
9.herman's head
10.party down
11.norm
12.square pegs
13.coupling
14.bewitched
15.larry sander's show
16.3rd rock from the sun
17.norm
18.drawn together
19.malcom in the middle
20.hangin' with mr.cooper
phew, now i feel kinda braindead!

[connie]

Loved pete and pete and clarissa eplains it all

[Lycanthropunk]

Here's mine:

Gavin and Stacey
Peepshow
The Inbetweeners
The Office (with Ricky Gervais)
Extras
Scrubs
Frasier
Family Guy
The League of Gentlemen
Blackadder (series 2 to 4... first series not so good!)
The Young Ones
Bottom
Fawlty Towers
I'm Alan Partridge
Friends
The Good Life
Futurama
The Simpsons
Malcolm in the Middle
Only Fools and Horses

[sideburns]

Will be hard to come up with 20 series and the list will probably be
all different in a day or so:

Here it is in random order.

1. Black Books (UK)
2. The Office (US Version)
3. Friends.
4. The King of Queens
5. Coupling (UK)
6. My Family (UK)
7. Big Bang Theory
8. Scrubs
9. Frasier
10. Weeds (maybe not sitcom, but funny nonetheless)
11. The Drew Carey Show
12. How I Met Your Mother.
13. Policedetectives (UK show, think that it was called this.)


Well, it is almost 20

[km1]

I don't think I've seen twenty sitcoms that I like enough to add to a list.