Dick Van Dyke Show
Good Neighbors (The Good Life)
Yes, Minister/Yes, Prime Minister
Big Bang Theory
Fawlty Towers
Hon. mention: Barney Miller
Based upon how often I re watch them, I’d have to say:
Blackadder
Yes, Minister
Black Books
Better Off Ted
Bob Newhart Show
I’m Alan Partridge
The Office (UK)
Blackadder
The IT Crowd
Fawlty Towers
This is difficult for me, as I can’t decide to judge on how funny they were at the time, or how funny they are now. I don’t think I can pick 5 sitcoms I’ve watched in the past few years worthy of ‘all-time’ acclaim, but some that were incredibly funny many years ago don’t necessarily hold up now.
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Better Off Ted - So very, very funny.
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WKRP in Cincinnati - it’s near-criminal that we can’t see these as they were broadcast due to music rights issues. Some of it doesn’t hold up, but when it hit, it hit BIG: I thought turkeys could fly, phone cops, godless tornadoes, Mother Carlson, etc.
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Seinfeld - It was HUGE at the time of it’s airing. My A & P class got to go home a little early on Seinfeld nights.
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Raising Hope - I like the cast better than My Name is Earl, and it has much of the same charm.
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30 Rock - Loved this show. Great writing, entertaining performances.
Things from my childhood that I could remember whole episodes of, decades later, having seen some of them only once. I guess they were a big influence in terms of what I laughed at later.
The Honeymooners
I Love Lucy
Hancock’s Half Hour
The Likely Lads
And although there are lots and lots of other shows I have enjoyed since then my all time favorite is a show that, a few years ago when I was away on business, late at night in the hotel I caught an episode. I had already seen it at least once but watched it again and it was still laugh out loud funny. When I got home the next night I was roaming around late night TV looking for something to watch and found the same episode on. I watched it again and it was still funny. I can’t think of many shows that I could have watched two days in a row and laughed at. That show was :
Cheers
My name is Earl
Scrubs
Blackadder
Arrested development
Community
Arrested Development
Community
Simpsons
Louie
Parks & Recreation
Dick Van Dyke
Andy Griffith
Hogans Heroes
MASH
Alice
Alice is often forgotten these days but the portrayal of the single mom working at Mels Diner was really well done. Vera,Flo, Mel, Alice were great characters.
Corner Gas
Seinfeld
Bob Newhart Show
MAS*H
The Odd Couple
Oh, yeah!
The single best moment of WKRP (and possibly any other sitcom) that’s been ruined by music rights issues is an early ep. Les has won an award (the Silver Sow or something). He wants to ask Jennifer to go with him. Herb not only laughs out loud at Les, he actively discourages Les from even trying. Les (stammering) asks anyway*. Jennifer (of course) accepts. Herb’s jaw drops.
Cut to Les, in his “office”. He’s got a mirror out and is about to comb his hair and get dressed. And he pauses for a minute…and turns on the speaker-box near his desk. And (perfectly) Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded” comes on. And he dresses/grooms himself to the rhythm of the song as his confidence grows.
In the neutered version, it’s just some generic elevator rock music. Totally ruining the entire scene.
*This is early enough in the run that Les isn’t as annoying/fussy/obnoxious as he is shy and awkward
Pretty much all of the above. Trying to pick top 5 keeps changing as I read, although there are a few I would move to the bottom in a hurry.
Also, I notice a definite dearth of anything current.
A few others I would throw in as contenders for my top 5…
Doctor in the House. (British, ran on PBS here in the colonies.)
The Drew Carey Show
Does Pushing Daisies count as a sit com? (an A+ for originality).
Arrested Development
Seinfeld
NewsRadio
Soap
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Difficult - Taxi, WKRP, The Larry Sanders Show, Community and Parks & Recreation were all in the running, as well.
You and I could share a zapper. Those were the first that came to my mind, though I’d probably put them in a different order.
Favorites from my childhood:
Get Smart
Dick Van Dyke
Gilligan’s Island
Hogans Heroes
Other honorable mentions:
Fawlty Towers - wish I’d seen enough episodes to really know the show!
Mary Tyler Moore - “I hate spunk,” one of the best lines ever
WKRP - I still have a crush on Bailey
Friends
Cosby
Roseanne - first sitcom with believable kids
Simpsons - allusions!
Cheers / Frasier
Soap - brilliant
All That Glitters - clever experiment, but only deserved one season
Are You Being Served - silly Britcom
What was the Britcom where a guy was setting up his own little army? That was a good one too.
In no particular order, without having read the thread:
WKRP in Cincinnati
Fawlty Towers
How I Met Your Mother
Barney Miller
Hogan’s Heroes
Tomorrow, or in five minutes when I read through and see all the shows that slipped my mind on first go-round, my list will probably change…
MAS*H
The Simpsons
Cheers
All In The Family
The Bob Newhart Show
WKRP
MASH
Fawlty Towers
The Nanny (I’m sorry. I can’t help it. Niles walked on screen - and I fell down laughing)
Bob Newhart
Must add Peep Show.
Not in any particular order
Cheers
Taxi
The Office (I liked both the British and the American versions)
Coupling( the British version)
Keeping Up Appearances
You guys voting for My Name Is Earl are seriously making me want to revisit my list.
WHY ONLY 5??? UGHHHH!!!
My Name Is Earl is by far and away the most under appreciated sit com ever. I don’t get why it wasn’t wildly popular and go on for 8 or 9 seasons.