# Best sitcom ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 19, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677 "2012-07-19T02:10:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/41 "2012-07-19T11:43:47Z")
In no particular order and impossible for me to pick just one, along with: _The Dick van Dyke Show_ _Green Acres_ _Cheers_ _Frasier_ _Seinfeld_ and _Arrested Development_ I’d add _ **Northern Exposure** _ ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/42 "2012-07-19T12:03:46Z")
Jeebus! How could I forget _30 Rock_?!?! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/43 "2012-07-19T12:08:38Z")
Easily All in the Family. The only one that comes close is The Honeymooners. The rest were standing on the shoulders of giants. ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/44 "2012-07-19T12:53:26Z")
Other: Seinfeld ---
**Author:** ![tbook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tbook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbook)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/45 "2012-07-19T13:00:38Z")
Fraiser. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/46 "2012-07-19T13:19:15Z")
Three-way tie between\* Scrubs, Fraiser \*and _NewsRadio_. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/47 "2012-07-19T13:32:09Z")
Another vote foe _Cheers._ ---
**Author:** ![tullsterx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/48 "2012-07-19T13:35:38Z")
Where are you from? No Seinfeld? Anyway. . . Seinfeld. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/49 "2012-07-19T14:24:51Z")
The Dick Van Dyke Show isn’t even listed in your poll? For shame! I know others have mentioned it, but it’s one of the top five, easily. The writing was surprisingly informed and mature, and even today it holds up. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/50 "2012-07-19T14:29:59Z")
How are neither of my top 2 on that list? 1. Arrested Development 2. Seinfeld 3. Not sure, but it’s not even close whatever it is. ETA: I do not consider The Wonder Years to be a sitcom, but I did enjoy the show. ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/51 "2012-07-19T14:37:32Z")
Other: Fawlty Towers ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/52 "2012-07-19T14:43:05Z")
Seinfeld. Honorable mentions to The Simpsons, Dick Van Dyke, and Green Acres. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/53 "2012-07-20T02:53:40Z")
Not only is it **Fawlty Towers** , but by a mile. To assess all the others: [ul] [li] **I Love Lucy** - a **2** tops (Sorry, it was the first but far from the best, pretty stupid mostly) [/li][li] **All in the Family** - **4** (Groundbreaking & innovative, but hopelessly dated, watch it some time)[/li][li]\*\*Simpsons \*\*- **7** (For the first ten seasons it’s the best on the list!)[/li][li] **South Park** - also a **7** (Not only funny, but equally smart, whitty & sarcastically honest)[/li][li] **Mary Tyler Moore** - **6** (Solid through-out its run, smart enough to quit rather than drag on & get cancelled, savvy & well written, never got preachy, but never overtly hilarious enough)[/li][li]\*\*Honeymooners \*\*- another **7** (The classic 39 anyway, the first truly modern sitcom, and the only thing from 50s (and 60s) TV that was ever (& often) truly hilarious)[/li][li] **M_A_S\*H** - **3** (Without a doubt the most over-rated show not only here but in TV history. First few seasons goofy fun, then a little preachy, then _The Alan Alda Liberal Soapbox Show_, when Houlihan’s hair turned silver - utterly unwatchable!)[/li][li] **Everybody Loves Raymond** - another **6** (Never watched it much, a little too boilerplate sitcom for me, but pretty funny & solid through-out)[/li][li] **Wonder Years** - **N/A** (Doesn’t belong on this list, was not a sitcom, was a half-hour dramedy) [/ul][/li] But **Fawlty Towers** - a perfect **10** ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/54 "2012-07-20T03:02:11Z")
1. Seinfeld 2. The Andy Griffith Show 3. Cheers Three-way tie for first. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/55 "2012-07-20T03:05:28Z")
Fawlty Towers ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/56 "2012-07-20T10:30:28Z")
For me it’s either Seinfeld or [My Mother the Car](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Mother_the_Car). ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/57 "2012-07-20T11:10:12Z")
Yes, (Prime) Minister by a country mile. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/58 "2012-07-20T11:42:33Z")
From the US: It’s a three-way tie between _The Simpsons_, _Cheers_ and \*Frasier \*. From the UK/Ireland: _Father Ted_. This is the only show I’ve ever done myself an injury laughing at. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/59 "2012-07-20T12:19:53Z")
1- Andy Griffith 2- All In The Family 3- Green Acres 4- The Honeymooners 5- Mary Tyler Moore 6- Beverly Hillbillies 7- Happy Days 8- Are You Being Served? 9- The Odd Couple 10- Big Bang Theory ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677/60 "2012-07-20T12:49:51Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Other: Fawlty Towers. > > (Why must only American sitcoms be on the list?) > > If I were limited to American ones, then Arrested Development. This. _Fawlty Towers_ achieved perfection of the sitcom form. And _Arrested Development_ was too brilliant to last. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-ever/628677.md?page=4)