Just yesterday, ABC's Modern Family aired the final episode of its 11-season run. While I have yet to see the two newest seasons, I do recognize this as a big moment for television: Modern Family has been a leading name in television comedy for over a decade, and it could be considered the defining sitcom of the 2010's. But how does it rank among my favorite sitcoms ever? Read this list to find out!
I am excluding animated sitcoms due to difficulty to compare; I'll simply say that my absolute favorites on that front include The Simpsons, Futurama and Rick And Morty. I'll also exclude comedy-dramas that lean more on the drama side, such as HBO's Barry and Netflix's Sex Education, because comparing more serious shows with more light-hearted sitcoms is quite challenging. From the ones actually qualifying for this list, here are my honorable mentions:
New Girl (2011-2018), Ramy (2019-present), That 70's Show (1998-2006), The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019), The Vicar Of Dibley (1994-2015).
10. One Day At A Time (2017-)
Netflix's remake of One Day At A Time (1975-1984) follows a Cuban-American family and balances elements of comedy and more heavy themes brilliantly. The combination is done in an unusual matter: while the comedy is often delightfully over-the-top as a callback to older sitcoms like the show's original counterpart, the real-life issues it deals with makes it one of the more serious and thought-provoking shows on this list. Themes like racism, immigration, depression, PTSD and alcoholism among others are dealt with in a sobering and realistic yet ultimately wholesome and heartwarming manner, as we follow the main characters navigating through these topical problems and coming out as winners. Heartfelt and emotionally powerful while also providing a bunch of laughs, One Day At A Time is an often overlooked sitcom that I recommend to pretty much anyone with a heart.
9. Episodes (2011-2017)
An other underrated gem, Episodes is a series with a premise so clever that it couldn't really fail even if it tried to. It follows two British television writers who have made an acclaimed comedy series in the UK, and move to Hollywood after being hired to do an American remake. The reasons why American remakes of British shows are most often quite hideous are thoroughly explored in this brilliant satire of Hollywood: the main characters insist on making their series with the same sophisticated irony as their original product, yet the Hollywood producers bulldoze all of their ideas in the interest of making more money. While being an amazing satire, it's also an incredibly intriguing show to watch for a TV buff like myself: what's not to love in a TV series about making a TV series?
Oh, and two more things. One; the show features Matt LeBlanc as an exaggerated version of himself, as LeBlanc is hired to play the main character in the series within the series, and having him as a part of the main cast is loads of fun, from the meta humor to the multiple Friends (1994-2004) references. And two: the series culminates in one of my all-time favorite series finales, as the story ends in the most perfect way imaginable, making it all the more worth watching.
8. Modern Family (2009-2020)
The definitive sitcom of the era we currently live in, Modern Family is another one where the premise says it all. If you're somehow not familiar with this mega-successful series, it follows the lives of three interconnected families that serve as caricatures of typical family dynamics of the 2000's. There's the dorky dad and uptight wife with their children, one of whom is a teenage bimbo, one an overachieving bookworm and one a weirdo. Then there's the rich old guy with the attractive young wife, and their wise-beyond-his-years son. And then there's the gay couple and their adopted daughter. In the 11 seasons, we follow the children slowly grow up and the adults grow as people (at least occasionally), through heartfelt and hilarious stories. Having a main cast of 11 people leads to a nearly endless supply of character combinations: there's always a pairing that hasn't really been explored and who can share an amusing misadventure together.
Also, I have to say this. I'm a tolerant person who accepts all kinds of opinions and beliefs contrary to my own - but if your favorite Modern Family character is anyone else than Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell), you're simply wrong. Phil Dunphy is a national treasure and the best human being in any comedy series ever made. Had to get that off my chest.
7. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
I'm a fan of ironic humor, and being a fan of ironic humor and not liking Seinfeld would be like being a fan of action cinema but not liking Die Hard. No other series has such a unique humor to it: a lot of people don't like Seinfeld at first because it takes watching many episodes to get into this peculiar brand of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's irony, but once you're in, you're in. The four main characters are all perfection. The fusion of Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up comedy with each episode's themes is perfection. The jokes within the actual plot and the satire of society are perfection. Seinfeld is quite a holy work, and if you're wondering why it's only 7th on my list, it's for the reason that comedy shows with a lot of heart to them tend to be even more in my favor. That being said, I definitely don't blame Seinfeld for not having heart: the whole point of the show is not to have lessons or emotional moments, and with this particular show it works wonders.
Seinfeld is also perhaps the most relatable series of all time, as it deals with mundane subjects we all know and roll our eyes at. There's an episode about waiting for tables at a crowded restaurant, where every single annoying interaction and frustrating development that you've experienced in such situations are quite likely featured in the plot. There are similar episodes about looking for your car in a confusing parking garage, taking the subway, being nervous over overdue library books, and anything else one can imagine.
6. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-)
A show much like Seinfeld but even a tad better in my opinion, It's Always Sunny is the perfect anti-comedy and the highest-ranking series on this list that isn't in the more heartfelt category of the sitcom genre. While I'd recommend most of the shows on this list to pretty much anyone, It's Always Sunny is only for a very specific type of person: the low-budget style, the no-limits weirdness and the dark humor wrapped around so many levels of irony that the series seems downright offensive until you actually get the points the showrunners are making through their multi-layered humor are elements that keep It's Always Sunny from being a mainstream hit. They've even done an episode about this, where the main characters (who own a bar) transform their bar into a more colorful and playful place like other bars in order to be more successful, only to realize that they enjoy their bar as the dark and questionable place that it is. That's meta commentary at its finest.
The main cast has perfect chemistry, the 14-season run somehow keeps getting better and better each year, the humor has had me cry-laughing multiple times, and there are just so many genius episodes. Never shying away from tough topics, never trying to please mainstream audiences and never jumping the shark, It's Always Sunny is a strange and thoroughly brilliant series that I recommend to anyone with a weird, ironic and dark sense of humor.
5. The Good Place (2016-2020)
NBC's The Good Place is a mind-boggling out-of-the-box comedy series if I ever saw one. Taking place in the afterlife and following a group of recently deceased humans as they navigate through the show's version of life beyond death, The Good Place is very deep and philosophical for a situation comedy at times - yet still manages to be heartwarming, cozy and absolutely hilarious at every turn. The main cast is amazing, as Kristen Bell's Eleanor and Ted Danson's Michael win over the audience's hearts with their well-written character archs, while characters like Jason (Manny Jacinto) and Janet (D'Arcy Carden) provide immense amounts of comic relief.
The balance of humor, philosophy and truly creative storytelling of The Good Place is top notch, and the series has produced some of the best individual episodes in comedy TV history, especially the season 1 finale Michael's Gambit with its magnificent plot twist and the recently aired series finale Whenever You're Ready with its heartfelt closure and larger-than life themes.
The balance of humor, philosophy and truly creative storytelling of The Good Place is top notch, and the series has produced some of the best individual episodes in comedy TV history, especially the season 1 finale Michael's Gambit with its magnificent plot twist and the recently aired series finale Whenever You're Ready with its heartfelt closure and larger-than life themes.
4. Friends (1994-2004)
I mean, how do you not like Friends? While the series does have individual elements that haven't aged too well and some overdone plot points, those flaws seem quite miniscule when compared to the amount of humor and good vibes that the series has provided to me and so many other viewers around the world. The humor of the series is simply amazing; whether it's Chandler's (Matthew Perry) sarcasm, Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) weirdness, Joey's (Matt Le Blanc) Joey-isms or the combination of all those and so much more, every single episode from Friends's 10-season run is guaranteed to cause many a laugh to its viewer.
It's the perfect series to watch if you're having a bad day, aching from stress or going crazy in self-quarantine - I myself learned during a case of food poisoning last year that Friends is the one series that will put a smile on my face no matter how bleak I'm feeling. It may not be as creative as The Good Place or as layered as It's Always Sunny, but taken as a sitcom that's fun to watch for a large audience, it's the gold standard of the genre.
3. How I Met Your Mother (2005-2013)
Now, I know that it's unusual and even controversial for anyone to like How I Met Your Mother more than Friends - isn't that like liking Family Guy more than The Simpsons or Greta Van Fleet more than Led Zeppelin? Well, yes, How I Met Your Mother does certainly owe a lot to the "Group of friends in New York who always hang out at the same establishment and consist of the same character archetypes and form various will-they-won't-they character dynamics between themselves throughout the series" -show that came before it. But, it isn't all copying and pasting: HIMYM stands out with its unique premise of the entire series being a flashback story that protagonist Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) is telling to his children at an older age. And the story of the series, as well as the emotional investment and various payoffs that come with it, is what nudges HIMYM to the same level and even a bit above Friends in my subjective opinion.
While the humor is awesome and pretty much just as good as in Friends, I find myself caring about the characters in HIMYM much more, as they are more fleshed-out and likable (again, just my subjective opinion). The story of Ted Mosby and his complex, many-year journey towards meeting the love of his life is addictive and thrilling, with the various close-calls and almost-meetings between the two throughout the years being a constant high point in the show's plot. In the later seasons, flash-forwards and teases of the future become more common, making the story all the more engrossing, while the humor and impeccable chemistry of the cast never fails to stay on the same level. With its epic love story, memorable episodes and endless supply of various catchphrases, running gags and other hijinks, How I Met Your Mother has a special place in my heart and will always be among my favorites.
2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-Present)
Michael Schur and Dan Goor, a true power duo of the modern sitcom genre, teamed up with Saturday Night Live alumnus Andy Samberg to produce this magnificent police comedy in 2013. What followed was a series that, I have to admit, surpassed nearly all others in the field of comedy television. This is thanks to the show's dynamite combo of a) a hilarious main cast, b) great storytelling, c) wholesome themes and d) managing to avoid the flaws that nearly all of my other favorite sitcoms suffer from. The cast is pure gold, with Samberg's protagonist Jake Peralta being over-the-top silly in the best way possible, while the stern Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) and angry Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) provide a hysterical contrast to his hijinks. The writing is exceptionally good for a half-hour sitcom, as the intrigue of police life often comes into play; while some episodes treat the occupation with a Police Academy -level lack of seriousness, at other times (especially the season finales and occasional longer story archs) it actually manages to be a decent crime show with its well-written cases, surprising twists and memorable villains.
Nine-Nine has delved into some more serious topics in the last few years, including workplace sexism and racial issues, yet it always keeps the humor and warmth of the series at hand while still managing to deal with said themes with the appropriate amount of reality. Other episodes are pure fun, with a favorite of mine being the Halloween Heist episodes that continue once each year, with each heist being bigger in scope and more over-the-top than the last. And, as I mentioned, the series gains extra points for managing to fix so many typical sitcom problems. The show's main love story is immensely healthier and less turbulent than the typical dramatic will-they-won't-they's that sitcoms tend to take too far (Ross and Rachel, anyone?), and the series doesn't drag jokes to the point of turning into bummers. A good example is detective Boyle's (Joe Lo Truglio) crush on Rosa Diaz in season 1; the writers of almost any other sitcom would've dragged that across seasons to the point where it isn't funny anymore and just plain sad; instead Boyle gets over his crush after a while and moves on, with both the character's happiness and the humor of his momentarily desperate crush intact. The sitcom genre needs more of this kind of wholesome writing, if you ask me.
1. Community (2009-2015)
And here we are, arriving at the best of the best, the underrated gem, my favorite comedy series (possibly my favorite any kind of series) of all time. While it would take multiple paragraphs, some essays, an hour-long Ted Talk and possibly a book or two to pour out everything that I love about this series, I will limit myself with mentioning just some of its greatest aspects here. My favorite sitcoms generally fall into two different categories: the smart, ironic shows like It's Always Sunny and Seinfeld that are great for clever humor and mockery, yet not especially heartwarming, and then the feel-good shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother that aren't as clever, but are perfect for making you smile and feel good about the world. Community manages to be a hundred per cent both of these. It's riddled with pop culture parody, multi-layered irony and meta humor that I love, but it also features a cast of likable people and is very feel-good and sweet to watch. Now that's a tough combination to nail.
The story in Community is that of ex-lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), who comes to Greendale Community College after being busted for faking his law degree. In there, he forms a fake study group for selfish purposes, yet the group accidentally sticks around. At the start of the series, he's a shallow, arrogant and thoroughly unlikable character, yet throughout the seasons a realistic redemption tale unfolds, as this group molds him into a better and better person as he learns to care about others and act unselfishly. Other than that one thing, the word "realistic" should not be used about this series under any circumstances - Community is anything but grounded in reality. The series has the most insane, bizarre concept episodes that I have ever seen, and they are always done to perfection. The first season features a paintball episode that parodies action movies, and it's directed by actual Hollywood action director Justin Lin who managed to make it thoroughly feel like a real high-budget action blockbuster. And whether it's a Dungeons & Dragons -episode that makes fun of the fantasy genre, a campus-wide pillow fight that's made to look and feel like a civil war documentary, or a Christmas episode made entirely in stop-motion animation, the concept episodes are always pure gold and they nearly always have some deeper metaphorical meaning behind them instead of just being silly adventures.
While everyone in the main cast is quite funny and (except for Chevy Chase's questionable Pierce Hawthorne) likable, the series is best embodied in the character Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), one of my all-time favorite fictional characters. He is the source of the show's clever and hilarious meta humor, but also the beating heart of the series, as there is so much good will and hope for humanity that comes from his actions. His friendship with Troy (Donald Glover) is definitely the best "bromance" of any series (or movie) I've seen, as the two grow as people throughout their wonderful friendship while also providing endless laughs with their hijinks. Combining such themes of friendship, redemption, and, well, community, with the absolutely most hilarious humor on TV, made for a work of art that I truly recommend to everyone - now it's finally on Netflix as well! #sixseasonsandamovie
Thank you for reading! Fans of AMC's The Walking Dead should tune in next week as I rank my top 10 favorite episodes of the series, as its tenth season has come to a close (well, sort of - the originally planned finale has been delayed in production due to a virus that thankfully doesn't turn people into zombies). You can subscribe to my blog via e-mail from the box below!
Thank you for reading! Fans of AMC's The Walking Dead should tune in next week as I rank my top 10 favorite episodes of the series, as its tenth season has come to a close (well, sort of - the originally planned finale has been delayed in production due to a virus that thankfully doesn't turn people into zombies). You can subscribe to my blog via e-mail from the box below!
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