(VANITY) The Greatest TV Sitcoms of All Time

My television | November 13, 2005 | Lancey Howard

[Lancey Howard]

In order, I rank the greatest TV sitcoms of all time like this:

1. I Love Lucy (the template for all sitcoms)
2. The Honeymooners
3. Seinfeld
4. Barney Miller
5. M.A.S.H.
6. Cheers
7. Taxi
8. The Andy Griffith Show
9. Hogan's Heroes
10. Gilligan's Island

Honorable mention:

All in the Family
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Cosby
The Odd Couple
McHale's Navy
The Phil Silvers Show
Night Court
Friends
Gomer Pyle, USMC (early years)
Family Matters (early years)
Home Improvement
The Beverly Hillbillies
Three's Company
The Jeffersons
Happy Days
Dick Van Dyke
Coach
Green Acres

(NOTE: Omitted from the above lists were shows that were more "situation" than "comedy", such as 'Leave it to Beaver', 'The Donna Reed Show', 'Father Knows Best', etc. Also omitted were animated shows such as The Flintstones, South Park, The Simpsons, and Family Guy.)

(P.S. I am old enough to have watched all of the above shows during their first run with the exception of Lucy, The Honeymooners, and The Phil Silvers Show, all of which I caught fully in reruns. The above lists are strictly from memory, so I hope I didn't leave out anything obvious. Have fun.)

[Cincinatus]

The current Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO and both British and American versions of The Office are coming very, very close to "classic" status in my book.

[skr]

You're right about the Monkees. : )

[beyond the sea]

Great post.

[johnny7]

“The Hathaways” 1961-1962

[MeekMom]

Hey, I watch the old BBC shows too!
What about the funniest 6 men in the world?
Monty Python's Flying Circus???

[fredhead]

The Sitcom that won't die:

[MeekMom]

cute

[Fiddlstix]

I am compelled to agree with you.....
I love Jack Benny.......
However back in his "radio days" he probably would have been classified as a sitcom of that time period.

See my Post #46

J

[Spyder]

Or Blackadder, Red Dwarf, and Keeping up Appearances ("it's Bouquet, ...NOT Bucket... sniff")

[beyond the sea]

Not strictly a "sitcom", but The Jack Benny Program was one of the all-time funniest, smartest, warmest, and just plain best comedy series ever televised. Jack was a true genius. God bless him.

Very true, a little tight, but very true.

***

Regards,

Rochester

[fredhead]

I remember seeing Harpo Marx and John Wayne in a couple of episodes. My favorite is Vitameatavegamin.

[Spyder]

Oops - almost forgot, "Are you Being Served?"

[Chickensoup]

WKRP in Cincinati.

"I swear I thought turkeys could fly."

[beyond the sea]

Euthanasia

[Flux Capacitor]

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

[IndyTiger]

That WKRP episode where they threw the turkeys out of the helicopter for a station promotion was a classic.

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!"

[Flux Capacitor]

Ah! Good calls! "McGee, don't open that door...."

-Dan

[garylmoore]

Like you-know-what, everybody has opinions but I'd exchange I love Lucy with Steinfeld myself, my all time favorite. I guess if we all wore blue suits this would be a boring world, there is no winner here, just opinions.

[garylmoore]

Like you-know-what, everybody has opinions but I'd exchange I love Lucy with Seinfeld myself, my all time favorite. I guess if we all wore blue suits this would be a boring world, there is no winner here, just opinions.

[Bush gal in LA]

My little Margie, Batman, The real McCoy's,Pete and Gladys, Hazel,.......some oldies but goodies!