# Best sitcom of the decade **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881 "2005-08-20T15:43:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/1 "2005-08-20T15:43:29Z")
I have this theory. OK, more like an unsupported hypothesis. It goes like this: Most sitcoms suck. The vast majority are stupid, vapid, poorly written, and pander to the lowest common denominator. A handful suck slightly less, and a select few are pretty good. But every now and then there’s one that’s head and shoulders above the rest. Clever writing, excellent production values, great acting, and stories that tend to stand the test of time. Such shows often receive critical acclaim and popular acclaim, and also tend to enjoy a nice career in reruns. And all this despite being edgy and new. It seems to me that such sitcoms come along about once per decade. In your opinion, what shows deserve the title of the best in each decade starting with the 50s? For me this is a no-brainer for every decade except the 60s. (I’ll render my opinion after a few others have had a chance to answer.) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/2 "2005-08-20T17:45:10Z")
1960s, The Dick VanDyke Show. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/3 "2005-08-20T17:48:40Z")
The '90s–The Simpsons. Yeah, it’s a sitcom even though it’s animated. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/4 "2005-08-20T18:09:49Z")
70’s- Barney Miller. (I was gonna say M_A_S_H_, but thought I’d be unconventional) 90’s- Sienfeld. (I don’t think the Simpsons count as a sit com. YMMV.) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/5 "2005-08-20T18:32:11Z")
Nah, '70s would be _Mary Tyler Moore_. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/6 "2005-08-20T18:35:40Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > 90’s- Sienfeld. (I don’t think the Simpsons count as a sit com. YMMV.) Seinfeld would be my pick as well. I was almost going to say let’s not include cartoons, as they would pretty heavily skew the results. Here are my thoughts: 50s: I Love Lucy (Or the Honeymooners) 60s: Andy Griffith? 70s: MASH 80s: Cheers 90s: Seinfeld 00s: Arrested Development ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/7 "2005-08-20T18:44:21Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > 70’s- Barney Miller. (I was gonna say M_A_S_H_, but thought I’d be unconventional) > > 90’s- Sienfeld. (I don’t think the Simpsons count as a sit com. YMMV.) I think the Simpsons count as a sitcom. It is animated but it is an animated Sitcom ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/8 "2005-08-20T18:47:16Z")
I’d count cartoons as sitcoms. 70’s: All in the Family 80’s: Cheers (screw you, Cosby) 90’s: The Simpsons (fooey on Seinfeld) 00’s: Family Guy ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/9 "2005-08-20T20:43:40Z")
You want unconventional, how 'bout saying “Hogan’s Heroes” was the best sitcom of the 1960s? 😃 I don’t think “The Simpsons” qualifies, but I certainly can see why some people think it does. My real choices: 1960s: 1 Green Acres 2 Dick Van Dyke 3 Get Smart 1970s: 1. The Bob Newhart Show 2. The Mary Tyler Moore Show 3. M_A_S\*H 1980s: 1. The Cosby Show 2. Cheers 3. Night Court 1990s: 1. The Larry Sanders Show 2. Home Improvement 3. Frasier (I dislike “Seinfeld”. So sue me.) 2000s: 1. Scrubs 2. Friends 3. UPN’s “Half & Half” I lust after Rachel True. Again, so sue me. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/10 "2005-08-20T21:03:23Z")
1950s: _Life of Riley_ 1960s: _The Andy Griffith Show_ 1970s: _All in the Family_ 1980s: _Golden Girls_ (Stop looking at me like that!) 1990s: _NewsRadio_ 2000s: _Arrested Development_ ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/11 "2005-08-20T21:38:28Z")
70’s - _Sanford and Son_ 80’s - _Family Ties_ 90’s - _Seinfeld_ (I think the Simpsons DO count as a sitcom) 00’s - _Scrubs_ shortly followed by _Curb Your Enthusiasm_ ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/12 "2005-08-20T22:17:05Z")
[ul] [li]60s–The Addams Family[/li][li]70s–Barney Miller[/li][li]80s–Night Court[/li][li]90s–Newhart/Drew Carey Show[/li][li]00s–Two and a Half Men[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/13 "2005-08-21T07:03:48Z")
Not really qualified to say about the 50s-70s, so I’ll say: 80s - Night Court 90s - Frasier (my all time favorite…so brilliantly written) 00s - Scrubs ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/14 "2005-08-21T07:21:30Z")
I don’t think I’d count _Scrubs_ as a sitcom, myself. Nor _Arrested Development_. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/15 "2005-08-21T07:23:23Z")
Whoops. I forgot to give my selections. I was born in 82, and haven’t seen too many older sitcoms (other than _MASH_, which I don’t really consider a sitcom, either). 80s - _Cosby Show_ 90s - _Seinfeld_ 00s - Empty for lack of any palatable choices. God, I hope something good comes along soon. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/16 "2005-08-21T08:43:45Z")
Frasier probably had the best writing staff. All In The Family was a breakthrough in television, and I doubt the show would be green-lighted in today’s political climate. I Love Lucy is a classic that will have people laughing for decades to come, plus it is a fun time capsule on life in the 50’s. Curb Your Enthusiasm is an acquired taste, but continues to be funny…FYI, new season starts in September. Golden Girls was a hoot, and believe it or not, is a cult comedy sitcom in Germany! I know it is unpopular on this board, but I think Sex And The City was laugh out loud funny…sometimes. Seinfeld, Friends, Raymond, Simply Fabulous…all had some pretty classic episodes. Keeping Up Appearances still makes me chuckle, even after seeing the episodes several times. ---
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/17 "2005-08-21T09:07:39Z")
50’s: I Love Lucy 60’s: Get Smart 70’s: Taxi (hurt by lack of longevity I admit, but still belongs in the Pantheon) 80’s: Cheers 90’s: Seinfeld (best sitcom ever, hands down, IMHO) 2000’s: sorry, I’ve pretty much stopped watching. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/18 "2005-08-21T09:44:07Z")
60s The Addams Family neck and neck with Get Smart 70s MASH 80s WKRP in Cincinatti or Blackadder (if that counts as a sitcom) 90s Seinfeld and The Games 00s Malcolm in the Middle (I haven’t seen Arrested Development though, I’ve heard it’s better). ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/19 "2005-08-21T09:52:25Z")
> [@BluePitbull](#): > > I think the Simpsons count as a sitcom. It is animated but it is an animated Sitcom Not only do the Simpsons count as a sitcom, the show is actually FUNNY - unlike the vast majority (in my opinion) of canned-laughter situation “comedies” on television. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881/20 "2005-08-21T10:34:45Z")
I’m going to have to vote for the Simpsons for the 90s. Not because I like it,\* but simply because in Seinfeld vs. the Simpsons, the Simpsons has more viewers and is more oft-quoted. I do think that the Seinfeld croud is more loyal; but a relatively small percentage compared to how many of everyone likes the Simpsons. - I do like the episodes of the Simpsons I have seen, but the Gods of Reruns cursed me with always somehow hitting one of about four episodes that they had decided were the only four I was allowed to watch. So yes, I enjoyed the Halloween, Cape Fear special–but only the first eight times, thank you. The Gods of Reruns, however, did however bless me with a whole new Star Trek: The Next Generation episode almost every time…and so the universe remains balanced. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcom-of-the-decade/317881.md?page=2)