My Top-10 Sitcoms of The Last 50 Years

Reaganite Republican ^ | 22 October 2015 | Reaganite Republican

[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?

[Kartographer]

“Where did you get the Atomic Bomb?”

Atomic Bomb - Barney Miller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib8StpzyxDE

[Cecily]

The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Designing Women (with the original cast only)

[muir_redwoods]

I chuckled for days, still do sometimes. I’m simple that way.

[Oatka]

Taxi :

GREAT - after Rev Jim showed up.

Favorite, when Jim goes to see his dad after many years and meets his siblings:
Tom to Jim: "I'm you brother, Tom, Jim."
Jim to Alex: "Alex, meet my brother, TomJim".

The driver's license test was also one of the best:
Jim: "What does a yellow light mean?"
Cast: "slow down".
Jim: "Whaat dooes a yellloww liight meeaan?"
Cast: SLOW Down!"
Jim, frustrated: "WHAAAAT DOOOOOES A YELLLLLOWWWW LIIIIGHT MEEEAAAN?"

[Red Badger]

I always thought it meant SPEED UP!................

[Fresh Wind]

For ANYONE who worked in Radio, WKRP is one of the top sitcoms. It was so true!

Absolutely. And Johnny Fever was right about the phone cops!

[CrimsonTidegirl]

My faves:

I Love Lucy

All in the Family-Archie’s TV editorial about guns was epic.

Married With Children-Crude but hilarious

Faulty Towers

Keeping up Appearances- An underrated but hilarious Brit sitcom

Are You Being Served- Another Brit classic

Seinfeld

Sanford & Son-Love the episode with Fred & Lamont on a plane.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

And Barry Williams wanted to date Florence Henderson, Christopher Knight (Peter) did a reality show, w/his porn start wife he met on another reality show, etc. Jan (Eve Plumb) probably ended up with the most normal life of all. The Robert Reed outing really was stunning (back in the day).

Life wasn’t so perfect in that mid century modern house.

[CrimsonTidegirl]

I forgot about that one! Edina & Patsy were a riot.

[Georgia Girl 2]

LOL! We bring crazy right out on the porch and stick a cocktail in its hand. :-)

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yes remember when they used to call the dirty live shows blue? :-)

[Jed Eckert]

Yes, Car 54. One of funniest episodes was when Toody goes undercover to infiltrate the mob.

They're in the process of burglarizing a warehouse but Capt. Block and the other cops are there waiting to catch them in act. Toody spots them and yells "Cops!". Everybody runs and gets away. The Capt. is left standing there with a dejected look, repeating to himself :"Cops! He yelled Cops", "Cops! He yelled Cops"

[Katya]

Fawlty Towers, Keeping up Appearances, Gilligans Island, Fraser, Adams Family, Seinfeld, and of course: “Curb your enthusiasm” which is probably my favorite along with Fawlty Towers.

[MUDDOG]

LOL!

Capt. Block was the master of the disbelieving doubletake.

[central_va]

Not even close: Combat!

"Hills are for Heroes"

[billphx]

How about “Soap”?

[gundog]

Seen the alternative ending to “Breaking Bad?”

[gundog]

“Get a Life.” Chris Elliot...brilliant.

[stanne]

What do I have to DO to convince you I’ve quit drinking, darling?

[Moonman62]

Sledge Hammer

...

Boss always had a few bottles of Pepto on his desk.