Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Sitcoms List

[Mahaloth]

The list is here for you all to read.

The top 10 are:

1. Simpsons
2. Cheers
3. Seinfeld
4. I Love Lucy
5. All In The Family
6. MAS*H
7. Mary Tyler Moore
8. Honeymooners
9. Parks and Recreation
10. Larry Sanders

Arrested Development is down at 15 and I guess the final couple seasons hurt it a bit, but its first three “original run” seasons put it in the top 5 at least for me. Scrubs is also way too low.

Black Adder is all the way down at 75, so this is mainly American. Fawlty Towers made it to 31, which is way too low.

The Simpsons should be knocked much lower for having 25 or so seasons of subpar content. Yes, the opening 7 or so seasons were top 10 material, but come on.

What do you think?

[Mahaloth]

Alan Partridge was also higher than Black Adder and that should be considered a crime. I find that Partridge show(all of them, really) mildly amusing at best and downright annoying most of the time.

[Just_Asking_Questions]

I think they should stick to music. Their lists are still arbitrary and designed to provoke arguments rather than be as serious ranking, but at least they know more about that.

Do they give their criteria?

[Rick_Kitchen]

I never understand the popularity of Seinfeld.

[Just_Asking_Questions]

I think Friends should be higher - it should be rated over some other shows.

[Mahaloth]

@Rick_Kitchen

I never understand the popularity of Seinfeld

I adored it when it was on, but can never go back to it now. It was of a time and that time is now gone. It has aged very poorly.

[Mahaloth]

@Just_Asking_Questions

Do they give their criteria?

I edited my original post to a link to the list, which I apparently forgot to include.

Mostly, though, we were looking for a consistent group of characters and settings. Then we considered not just how much these series made us laugh, but also how much they influenced the shows that followed, how well they reflected the world around them, and, on occasion, how deeply they made us feel emotions beyond mirth.

[panache45]

Big Bang Theory is #90? 90???

[Elmer_J.Fudd]

I’m really surprised The Office (US) didn’t crack the top 20.

[Johnny_L.A]

Wot, no Coupling?

[justwanttopost]

@Mahaloth

Alan Partridge was also higher than Black Adder and that should be considered a crime. I find that Partridge show(all of them, really) mildly amusing at best and downright annoying most of the time.

Are you sure you were watching Partridge? I thought I was but I was actually watching myself in a mirror, sometimes attacking the mirror in the manner of an angry bird.

[Hampshire]

@Elmer_J.Fudd

I’m really surprised The Office (US) didn’t crack the top 20.

Especially when they have the similar but IMO inferior Parks and Rec in the top 10.

[hogarth]

@Rick_Kitchen

I never understand the popularity of Seinfeld.

I never understood the popularity of Frasier.

[Akaj]

Surprised and glad to see Cheers so high. It didn’t invent anything new but I always thought it was the epitome of the ensemble comedy formula.

[Fiendish_Astronaut]

@justwanttopost

Are you sure you were watching Partridge?

Alan Partridge - What´s Your Favourite Beatles Album?

[Mahaloth]

@Hampshire

Especially when they have the similar but IMO inferior Parks and Rec in the top 10

I told my wife and she was blown away. The Office, both UK and USA, are vastly superior to Parks and Rec. And better than 30 Rock as well.

[SCAdian]

I’ve watched three of the top ten.

[Little_Nemo]

@Mahaloth

Black Adder is all the way down at 75, so this is mainly American. Fawlty Towers made it to 31, which is way too low.

The Young Ones didn’t make the list at all.

[Mahaloth]

@Little_Nemo

The Young Ones didn’t make the list at all

I have not seen that. I presume you would recommend it?

[Crafter_Man]

There’s only two on that list I cared for: Cheers and The Honeymooners.

I stopped watching TV around 2000. And up until that time I can think of only one sitcom where I would routinely burst out laughing: Married… with Children.