If you do not like to watch TV, I don't think you and I could ever be friends because we'd have nothing to talk about. I grew up in front of my TV and was practically raised by it. I have a particular fondness for sitcoms because they have marked my childhood more than dramas. My childhood memories are intrinsically linked to TV comedies like The Facts of Life, Family Ties, Kate&Allie and Empty Nest, WKRP in Cincinnati, Roseanne, Family Matters, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Cheers and Mad About You. The list could go on and on and on. Before I was old enough to go to school, when I did go to school, up to college, watching sitcoms occupied a good part of my life. It was my therapy, my coping mechanism, my escape. Back in the day, Thursday nights were my absolute favorite because of NBC's legendary Must See TV lineup. I must say that the 90s and early 2000s were the glory days for sitcoms, in terms of quantity as much as quality.
Because sitcoms have such a special place in my heart, I decided to start this topic with my top 5 all-time favorite sitcoms.
1- Seinfeld
Often called "The show about nothing", I always thought it'd be more fitting to dub it the show about everything and anything. Seinfeld forever changed the face of television and survived the test of time because its topics are timeless. Finding a clip to represent Seinfeld has been a challenge. There were so many great moment it was difficult to just pick one! I finally decided to go with The Contest because this episode changed TV history.
2- Friends
This show could be (and has been) criticized for a lot of things: its lack of diversity, the characters' unrealistic lifestyles, just to name a few, but no one can deny the chemistry between the actors, their delivery and the quality of the writing. When you think about it, this show is close to perfect. The formula is so simple: a group of 6 friends in their 20s as they try to figure out life, jobs and relationships. How many shows have tried that and failed? Simple is not easy and yet Friends has mastered it.
3- Roseanne
For the first time, there was a realistic blue-collar american family on TV. Viewers can finally watch a show about people who, like them, are struggling to find a good job, struggling to pay the bills month after month, struggling to raise ungrateful kids. The Connors are strong, unfiltered, loud and outspoken. They have an upfront character that we sometimes envy but they lived a life we wished for no one. The show's reboot will air later in 2018 and I am both excited and nervous to watch it. Like the Will&Grace reboot, I'm afraid it'll be a disappointment and ruin the good memories I have of the show.
4- Arrested Development
I LOVE Arrested Development! But like many unconventional shows, it is nearly impossible to find a proper description that will do the show any justice. It is basically a riches-to-rags story about the members of the very dysfunctional, very self-absorbed and extremely selfish Bluth family, after the patriarch was arrested for fraud and grand theft. Everything about Arrested Development is flawless: the writing, the witty dialogs, the word plays, the voice-over narration by Ron Howard, the actors, everything! If you haven't seen this show yet, you must. You will laugh out loud. Check out the clip bellow; it provides a pretty good description of the show and its characters.
5- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Do not let the happy and quirky title and DVD cover fool you. This show is nothing like that! Renewed for a 13th season, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is tied for one of the longest running live-action comedy in TV history, and has, over the years, developed a cult following. Irreverent, vulgar and yet so intelligently written, Sunny has broken so many rules, if not all of them, that it is surprising that it has managed to fly under the radar for so long! Everything, every topic, seems to be off-limits. What's more, this incredible show is among the rare ones that managed to get better every season and I truly hope that all the actors will come back soon to shoot the 13th season. The things Dany DeVito is willing to do in this show, by themselves, make It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia worth watching.
Honorable mentions
So many sitcoms deserve to be on the list that picking just 5 was extremely difficult. Here are my honorable mentions; posts will be written about them later on.
- 30 Rock
- The Golden Girls
- The Office (US)
- Community
- Freaks & Geeks
Stay tuned for my next post where I'll share my top 5 favorite dramas of all time.