(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.)

[Cementjungle]

I dream if Genie.

[softwarecreator]

I don't have to name it. I just have to say, "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

Probably one of the funniest episodes in TV history.

[Lancey Howard]

Let me add Fresh Prince to the honorable mentions as well.
That was often a very funny show.

[pajama person]

Has anyone ever watched "Even Stevens" on Disney? I don't think they show it anymore, but the main character of Louis Stevens was played by Shia LaBeouf and he's hilarious. He's the same guy who played the lead role in that movie, "Holes."

[softwarecreator]

the monkees have to be in any top ten list of greatest sitcoms or else the list just isnt complete :-)

D-OH!  Loved it!

[Fiddlstix]

(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.)

I remember the very early days of television very well......
You left out Burns & Allen, I married Joan and Ozzie & Harriet.....

But.....
Before the days of TV we had a thing called Radio. There were some very good sitcoms on radio too....
I nominate:

1) Fiber McGee & Molly
2) Jack Benny
3) Amos n Andy
4) Lum & Abner
5) Allen's Alley

Just to get the "ball rolling" for the golden days of radio
J

(Oops! Almost forgot The Great Gildersleave)

[Lancey Howard]

Oh man! Revision time!
'Soap' has GOT to be in the top ten.
Replacing what I don't know.

[Berlin_Freeper]

A fake black TV family, not very realistic nor funny.

[softwarecreator]

Seinfeld is a libtard show not worth watching.

I saw almost every episode multiple times ... where was the libbie bend to it?

[Lancey Howard]

You know, most of those shows you listed were favorites of mine... About fifteen years ago there was a Saturday night radio classic show which had those shows as well as 'The Shadow', 'Green Lantern', etc. I really wish that stuff was still on. Really great radio.

[nickcarraway]

Higan's Hero's? That guy were a prevert! (spelling intentional)

[Berlin_Freeper]

It is subtle, like when a man stays at Jerry's apartment and he was not there and the guy calls a prostitute and guess who the prostitute is? A southern woman with southern accent.

Or when George think he might become religious, guess what religion that would be...Buddha not Christian... could never be Christian in the Libtard world.

There are many other examples those are just two off the top of my head.

[nickcarraway]

You are right about I Love Lucy being a template. Have you ever notice how Seinfeld was just Lucy rearranged?

[Lancey Howard]

Yep, The Monkees was a favorite of mine, too, but it was only on for what, three years?

[Liberty Valance]

AB FAB

[rvoitier]

Good Post. Here's mine:

1. The Rockford Files
2. Man from U.N.C.L.E.
3. Just Shoot Me
4. The Simpsons
5. Rocky & Bullwinkle
(not necessarily in that order)

[ChadGore]

MASH was a sickening left-wing POS.

[Fiddlstix]

There were some really great old radio shows. I remember them well. Before we ever got a "new fangled TV" we had the old Philco radio. It was good.

[Lancey Howard]

Man, you gotta be kidding me. Jerry Seinfeld is a Republican if I ever saw one.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Then go ahead and define him as one, I gave example and you did not.