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My Top-10 Sitcoms of The Last 50 Years
Reaganite Republican ^
| 22 October 2015
| Reaganite Republican
Posted on 10/22/2015 10:00:32 AM PDT by Reaganite Republican
Newhart (1982-1990) -Please forgive me but I actually like Bob Newhart's second major sitcom series -at the Stratford Inn in Vermont- more than the first 'shrink' series with Mary Tyler Moore, as good as that one was. In fact I think the 80s series Newhart is one of the most underrated comedy shows ever- watched it every week with friends when they were new, too funny.
Interestingly, all 184 shows are -here- on this YouTube playlist.
Cheers -This would probably make everybody's list, but honestly I never go back and watch them anymore... too much saturation I guess, and it just doesn't seem quite as clever as it did at the time. Still, too substantial to leave off... I watched every single episode for years for a reason, and it launched a few careers.
Taxi -This or Sanford & Son really might be my very all-time favorites... pretty much the best entertainment on 70s television, imo. The characters are simply superb, Danny DeVito an absolute comedy genius supported by a top-notch cast. The writing was clever and kept you riveted to every episode, I love this show. I think my favorite is when Jim burned Louie's apartment to a blackened crisp lol.
Hogan's Heroes -Kind of silly but I just grew up with it since I was five and loved the characters. They represented pretty much what American Baby Boom kids thought of the Germans in the 1960s... until later in the 70s when we saw what kind of cars they could put together. Was in the same room as Werner Klemperer once, somebody I worked with knew him well... seemed like a nice-enough guy.
Married with Children -Still funny if you watch it now, and was truly something fresh and revolutionary at the time... really seemed pretty radical when it was new and the casting was brilliant. Met Katey Sagal briefly once. It's funny how not that long ago this show seemed 'naughty', when it's sexual innuendo and mini-skirted babes are nothing compared to the garbage they put on TV now.
Gilligan's Island -I know it's pretty goofy but I watched it all the time when I was a little kid and think Mary Anne was my first crush ever when I was about 8 lol... great show.
Addams Family -these are fantastic, what can you say. Show had a cool look and feel too. You're either Munsters or AF and I was always a bit more of an AF kid/guy, the characters were more polished and hilariously complex/eccentric, I love it. I think I got interested in investment by watching Gomez at the stock ticker.
Sanford and Son -this is close to my favorite sitcom of all time, every character is a laugh riot, including Michelle Obama lookalike Aunt Esther (SHUT UP Fred, you heathen!). And for some reason I get a kick out of 'Grady'.
All in the Family -this one again pertinent... listen to Archie rail against the libs, I'll be damned if he wasn't right about everything!!!
Fawlty Towers -not quite as nutty as Monty Python shows but pretty comical nonetheless: these were also shown on PBS in The States back then, with John Cleese at his finest as aspiring-yet-bumbling innkeep. I think my favorite one is where he bumps his head and goes into 'Nazi' mode, deeply insulting his German guests.
I left out cartoons like Simpsons and some other good shows lose points with me for grating political message, i.e. M*A*S*H. For some reason I was never much of a Seinfeld fan, although his standup stage act was great in the 80s.
Then some others just didn't age all that well, like perhaps The Jeffersons or Good Times. Happy Days is pretty corny too if you go back and watch one of those these days... creating ageless comedy is an elusive art.
Green Acres, Bewitched, Brady Bunch, Andy Griffith,, and Get Smart might also get Honorable Mentions, fwiw- what say you?
TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Chit/Chat; Music/Entertainment; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: comedy; show; sitcom; tv
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To: Reaganite Republican
Cheers
2 1/2 Men (with Charlie Sheen)
WKRP
Big Bang Theory
Andy Griffith
Dick Van Dyke
Taxi
Newhart 2
Malcolm in the Middle
Leave it to Beaver
261
posted on
10/22/2015 12:48:09 PM PDT
by
be-baw
(still seeking)
To: be-baw
Showing my age if I mention Sgt. Bilko and Car 54 and Ernie Kovaks.
262
posted on
10/22/2015 12:49:28 PM PDT
by
AU72
To: baltiless
The Office is an all-time masterpiece, and Parks and Rec and 30 Rock were nearly as good, when it comes to more recent shows.Never watched or had the desire to watch any of those for a single moment. But that's just me I guess.
263
posted on
10/22/2015 12:53:25 PM PDT
by
higgmeister
( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken!)
To: GodBlessRonaldReagan
Frozen turkeys can’t fly...
264
posted on
10/22/2015 12:56:25 PM PDT
by
shotgun
To: Billthedrill
Showing my age here: I Love Lucy. Desi Arnaz was the genius behind the show... so many innovations and precedents:
- first to put the show on film.. so in essence, he's the Father of Reruns
- filmed in front of a live audience
- used the 3-camera technique that's still used in sitcoms today
- first to have an interracial couple on TV
- first to show a pregnant woman on TV
265
posted on
10/22/2015 1:01:27 PM PDT
by
So Cal Rocket
(Task 1: Accomplished, Task 2: Hold them Accountable!)
To: JudyinCanada
They were showing re-runs of Barney Miller on Antenna TV or one of those similar channels. All time classic. The 12th Precinct is the same one that is used for Blue Bloods
266
posted on
10/22/2015 1:05:51 PM PDT
by
shotgun
To: Responsibility2nd
Well I did not know about the fourth, thx, Gracie was a genius. I've never seen anyone that was as funny as Gracie.
IF you never seen Gracie in action this is typical and has a bit of that 4th wall in it too.
267
posted on
10/22/2015 1:06:44 PM PDT
by
jpsb
(Believe nothing until it has been officially denied)
To: Responsibility2nd
Happy Days jumped the shark. Literally. And thats why it isnt remembered as all that great. Yeah, the first two years were about the only seasons worth watching, IMO. It lost something after that.
268
posted on
10/22/2015 1:07:17 PM PDT
by
fwdude
(The last time the GOP ran an "extremist," Reagan won 44 states.)
To: AU72
We watched Bilko and Car 54. Liked them both a lot. I don’t remember watching Ernie Kovacs, but he seems highly regarded in the annals of TV.
The Honeymooners should be included in any list of all time great sitcoms. Jackie Gleason with a great cast often doing shows in one take. Lots of raw talent there.
269
posted on
10/22/2015 1:07:49 PM PDT
by
be-baw
(still seeking)
To: MayflowerMadam; Rummyfan; Demiurge2
Compared to the trailer trash now days (AKA any of the Kardashians, Beyoncé, Paris Hilton and 90% of the women who make the side bar on the Daily Mail) she had the vocabulary of a nun, the face of an angel and a 'Three Bears' bottom (Just Right!)
Very honorable mentions Mary Tyler Moore
Diana Rigg
Mary Ann Mobley
Last but not least Grace Lee Whitney whom I had the honor to meet in person. What a gracious and Beautiful lady who over come much in her life. She blush when I confessed of my all consuming admiration of her when I was a mature 13. ;-)
270
posted on
10/22/2015 1:09:21 PM PDT
by
Kartographer
("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
To: jpsb
Burns and Allen were great. They spanned vaudeville, radio, films, television, you name it.
If they were still alive today, they would rule over Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and all other new fangled media.
271
posted on
10/22/2015 1:11:53 PM PDT
by
Responsibility2nd
(With Great Freedom comes Great Responsibility)
To: jpsb
That was great! Thank you!
272
posted on
10/22/2015 1:15:26 PM PDT
by
trisham
(Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
To: AU72
"Showing my age if I mention Sgt. Bilko and Car 54 and Ernie Kovaks."
OHH...OHH...OHH you are! ;-)
273
posted on
10/22/2015 1:21:32 PM PDT
by
Kartographer
("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
To: Jemian
Yeah I corrected that, thx
Brain fart there
To: Kartographer
To: Georgia Girl 2
"I'm saying this is the South. And we're proud of our crazy people. We don't hide them up in the attic. We bring 'em right down to the living room and show 'em off. See, Phyllis, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask what side they're on."
276
posted on
10/22/2015 1:32:05 PM PDT
by
Kartographer
("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
To: shotgun
I don’t think I’ve EVER seen re-runs of Barney Miller. I would certainly watch them if they were offered. I see MASH re-runs, but Alan Alda makes me want to punch people, so I don’t watch.
To: V_TWIN
Also the WKRP episode with the tornadoes, where Les had to read the emergency response for a commie invasion substituting the word tornado in. Funny and moving too.
278
posted on
10/22/2015 1:44:22 PM PDT
by
Teotwawki
(For a person to get a thing without paying for it, another must pay for it without getting it.)
To: JudyinCanada
Yeah. Still just as funny as ever. Just caught the tale end of the series which had Levitt but no Fish and was after BOB came out.
For those of you not familiar with the show BOB was not a person and coming out is not about being gay.
279
posted on
10/22/2015 1:44:31 PM PDT
by
shotgun
To: Reaganite Republican
I’m surprised no one mentioned “Benson.” Robert Guillaume was one of the best deadpan/sarcastic deliverers of lines in the business. Incredible comedic talent without even trying.
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