There are all kinds of TV watchers. We have our channel flippers, Hulu diehards, HGTV exclusives, reality TV junkies, CNN experts, and those of you who aren’t picky and just watch whatever’s on NBC.
For the first half of our relationship, Austin and I didn’t have TV and spent most of our evenings playing Rummy and making out (sorry). Since then, we’ve gone through several TV phases and have landed comfortably on bunny ears with a side of Hulu and Netflix. In short, we watch nothing live, avoid commercials, and binge watch tv series from end to end like drug addicts. We call it “intentional tv watching,” which is really just code for “we probably watch too much tv.”
In general, comedies are our jam. We can’t agree on dramas (he likes scary, I like sappy) so we have to watch those separate, which is fine because the truth is–I prefer light, 20 minute laugh fests over a box of tissues and Parenthood. Those ridiculous emotional montages get me every time.
Here are my top ten favorite tv sitcoms of all time. All predictable, all popular in their time, all an easy laugh.
As it should be.
Happy Tuesday.
|1|
Friends
In 10 Words or Less
Six twenty somethings in NYC. No one is ever working.
Clip
|2|
Seinfeld
In 10 Words or Less
Four thirty somethings in NYC. Show literally about nothing.
Clip
|3|
Arrested Development
In 10 Words or Less
Dysfunctional family acts borderline insane. Hilarity ensues.
Clip
|4|
30 Rock
In 10 Words or Less
Woman boss manages variety show. Cheesecurls. Tracy Jordan.
Clip
|5|
The Office
In 10 Words or Less
Office space + lovable boss. That’s what she said.
Clip
|6|
Parks & Rec
In 10 Words or Less
Parks department thrives despite itself. Ron Swanson eats meat.
Clip
|7|
Scrubs
In 10 Words or Less
Med school interns become doctors. Zach Braff drinks appletinis.
Clip
|8|
The New Girl
In 10 Words or Less
Girl joins three boy roommates. They try not to date.
Clip
|9|
Modern Family
In 10 Words or Less
Three families try to be normal. Everyone predictable and lovable.
Clip
|10|
The Cosby Show
In 10 Words or Less
Bill Cosby raises a no nonsense family with nonsense.
Clip
*
What are YOUR favorite TV sitcoms?
***
How I met your mother!!
yeah,it should be there.
I didn’t make it past the mental picture of you and Austin making out. Thanks for that. I prefer to think that family reproduces spontaneously. MY EYES.
YOU ARE WELCOME.
New Girl is my favorite! I also like Raising Hope…it reminds me of my childhood!
Schmidt!
I just binge watched the first two seasons of raising hope! They haven’t posted season 3 on Canadian Netflix yet though so I’m going through withdrawal.
The Big Bang Theory. It’s scary how much I can relate to the sheer nerdiness.
Never watched, but I hear it has a cult following!
I LOVE Big Bang!! Raj is my fav.
The key for me is repeated watchability. Friends, for example, I’m still re-watching and still loving. Same with The Office. Funny shows that aren’t rewatchable for me? How I Met Your Mother, The New Girl. I really like The Mindy Project, even though she’s so ridiculously dramatic. It’s funny.
Oh, and (shamefully) I’ll never get over The Brady Bunch. Classic.
I’m waiting to binge watch the mindy project. I just love her though.
And I agree! I need to be able to watch them on repeat like old friends (pun!).
We call it intentional viewing too! We have NetFlix, Lovefilm and 4OD. We also buy way too many boxsets. Community is hilarious and as re-watchable as The Office and Modern Family which are both massive staples in our TV diet.
Troy and Abed in the morning!!
sitcoms? Friends, Modern Family, The Office, and Arrested Development for sure and we also loooove How I Met Your Mother and The League!!
Austin watches The League! It is pretty funny.
So funny! I love how ridiculous it is and that they have so much “real talk” – I mean friends are so like that – ragging on each other. Cracks me up. So witty, great dialogue. Definitely not just a guy show.
I have watched the Mindy Project on Hulu and it is my new favorite comedy. Arrested Development is the GOAT!!!
Heeeeey brother.
Seinfeld. Always the best. And I like that Cosby show made the list. Dr. Huxtable is the greatest.
That show is the definition of an “upper.”
Fraiser – best. ever.
I obviously love this. And I bet it’ll make you laugh to know that my dad and Dr. Bishop used to sit at their computers while watching Seinfeld and email favorite quotes to each other.
It does make me laugh! My dad should be included on this email chain. Sometimes he calls me just to talk to me in Seinfeld. DAD I KNOW I’VE WATCHED IT.
I had Harry Connick Jr. on a flight once with his wife and kids and ALL I COULD THINK was, “I am trapped in an ATM vestibule with JILL GOODACRE.” (Gum would be perfection!)
I’m going to go binge on Friends bloopers now, so thanks.
ALSO (in honor of 30 Rock almost ending): http://meatcat.com/
YOU’RE WELCOME.
YES YES AND YES
Glad the Cosby Show was included! Some other good older shows I love are: Boy Meets World, Family Matters, and MASH (which might belong in the drama category..or the comedy/drama category?). Also, Will and Grace!
Jack and Karen. Perfection.
I think you covered all my faves- just remembered one: Up All Night. Do you count Gilmore Girls a sitcom, it maybe more of a drama.
My husband refuses to watch New Girl with me for some reason but he always knows when I am watching it from my constant laughter.
Will and Grace!
So glad to see Arrested Development on this list….I love that show more than you’ll Never know.
I also have a thing for Better Off Ted, even though it only had two gloriously witty seasons!
you’ll Never know.
laughing.
Seinfeld will always be a winner. And I’m glad Dr. Huxtable got mention here too. I love him.
Dingo ate your baaaabayyyy.
Dr. Huxtable is timeless. Do you follow modern Seinfeld on the twitter? I can’t get enough.
PIVOT! I may have recreated that scene while trying to move Taylor’s crib in a tight space. It may or may not have been caught on video.
I’m so glad you like New Girl. I know Schmidt is a total douche (hence the douche jar) but I just love him. And will Jess + Nick just BE TOGETHER ALREADY!
And of course, The Cosby’s. Who doesn’t love them? Jeff still does that creepy “rubbing of the head” thing to me all the time and I’m like YOU ARE NOT BILL COSBY but he will not listen. Sigh.
Also, I want to comment on all of your readers comments because they all watch such awesome shows, but I am willing myself not to hijack your comment threads. GAH.
Feel free to hijack.
PIVOT! (and I love Schmidt)
I just laughed till I cried watching the Friends clip. And I’ve seen it before…several times.
Going along with this post, I thought you would enjoy this article. http://www.npr.org/2013/01/23/170074762/friends-will-be-there-for-you-at-beijings-central-perk
Thanks Kate!
So I am listening to this story. It’s crazy!