Poll: Best Sitcom since 1970...

[PSU Dave]

Depends on where you are coming from. I don't think any show had more social impact than "All in the Family" with Archie and Meathead. It blazed a trail on how comedy can make meaningful social commentary without pissing people off. Black-ish has a lot of this today (and exceptionally well done). And it is a technique now exploited by contemporaries like Colbert and john daily show etc.

But, IMHO, for pure sitcom comedy, its never been better done than Seinfeld. I had a law suit recently where naming similar characters on Seinfeld was better than twenty pages of documentation.

Best show All in the Family.

But what if you had to pick best actor from that same list.

Louie DePalma.

 

[Connorpozlee]

News Radio...

"The real deal with Bill McNeil"

It was a sad day when Phil Hartman tragically died.

A very underrated show. The Rocket Fuel episode is a classic.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Best show All in the Family.

But what if you had to pick best actor from that same list.

Louie DePalma.

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Steve Carell.

 

[mikeinpenna]

I voted for Seinfeld, but the first two seasons of Arrested Development are about the laugh out loud funniest ever on TV. It definitely takes a few episodes to really get it, but it is well worth watching on Netflix.

Agree on Arrested Development! Great ensemble cast and excellent writing. I still laugh at it 14-15 years hence.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Agree on Arrested Development! Great ensemble cast and excellent writing. I still laugh at it 14-15 years hence.

Oh wow. Yeah, it's up there for sure. More shortsightedness by Fox.

 

[Obliviax]

Just thinking that a lot of gals would nominate Mary Tyler Moore's Show. Really ground breaking stuff. Murphy Brown too. Sex and the City? Also have to note that Will & Grace are taking credit for advancing open minded thinking as well.

 

[Roar More]

Mork & Mindy's first two years could stand toe to toe with anything else.

 

[mikeinpenna]

DAMN!!! It's cri-ZAPPY!!!

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Another underrated show! RIP, Phil.

 

[nittany dave]

In honor of Cliffie's birthday today ..... what is your favorite sitcom of all time?

I didn't reach back as far as The Honeymooners, Dick Van Dyke or Gilligan's Island since I never watched those shows in real time. The first sitcom I ever remember watching "live" was The Mary Tyler Moore show. I also limited it to network TV and no animated shows.

My top ten in no order ..............

All In the Family, because it was the most ground-breaking show of all-time. It addressed the issues of race, bigotry, sex, rape, etc., at a time TV was afraid to address these issues. Norman Lear not only pushed the envelope, he ripped it apart. Archie was a lovable sexist, bigot (if that's possible), in the same vein as Tony Soprano was a lovable, murdering member of the Mob.

 

[Obliviax]

All In the Family, because it was the most ground-breaking show of all-time. It addressed the issues of race, bigotry, sex, rape, etc., at a time TV was afraid to address these issues. Norman Lear not only pushed the envelope, he ripped it apart. Archie was a lovable sexist, bigot (if that's possible), in the same vein as Tony Soprano was a lovable, murdering member of the Mob.

My thoughts exactly. There was no more poignant and sad episode I've ever seen then when Archie's daughter and Meathead left the home to move to California (with the grandchild) after meathead finally graduated from college. The image of Archie peering through the window while they pulled away haunts me to this day. The message that family comes first simply could not have been any clearer.

 

[dshumbero]

My thoughts exactly. There was no more poignant and sad episode I've ever seen then when Archie's daughter and Meathead left the home to move to California (with the grandchild) after meathead finally graduated from college. The image of Archie peering through the window while they pulled away haunts me to this day. The message that family comes first simply could not have been any clearer.

Where is "That 70s Show"? Funnier than hell, except the last year really sucked the head.

 

[nittany dave]

My thoughts exactly. There was no more poignant and sad episode I've ever seen then when Archie's daughter and Meathead left the home to move to California (with the grandchild) after meathead finally graduated from college. The image of Archie peering through the window while they pulled away haunts me to this day. The message that family comes first simply could not have been any clearer.

Thanks for the reply. I remember that episode well.

 

[BBrown]

Just thinking that a lot of gals would nominate Mary Tyler Moore's Show. Really ground breaking stuff. Murphy Brown too. Sex and the City? Also have to note that Will & Grace are taking credit for advancing open minded thinking as well.

I'm surprised MTM show didn't get more likes. I wonder if this demographic is too young?
Chuckles Bites the Dust is one of the best episodes of any sitcom mentioned.
Never watched Sex and the City. Was that on HBO?
Will & Grace was ground breaking (but really SOAP should be given more credit for that they get) it was also pretty freaking funny, Karen and Rosiro were my favorites. I liked Jack as well but honestly
Grace got on my nerves. LOL.
It will be interesting to see where and how the new version goes.

 

[Obliviax]

I'm surprised MTM show didn't get more likes. I wonder if this demographic is too young?
Chuckles Bites the Dust is one of the best episodes of any sitcom mentioned.
Never watched Sex and the City. Was that on HBO?
Will & Grace was ground breaking (but really SOAP should be given more credit for that they get) it was also pretty freaking funny, Karen and Rosiro were my favorites. I liked Jack as well but honestly
Grace got on my nerves. LOL.
It will be interesting to see where and how the new version goes.

You nailed it with "Soap". Great show, great writing and great acting. Sex and the City was on HBO but is syndicated on cable TV now. It is a good show about the sexuality of the single gal in a big city and pushed a lot of boundaries about "free sex" for gals (and the complications all of that brings to relationships). Pretty much a chick show but for the guys, that gals were pretty hot.

 

[Woodpecker]

Just thinking that a lot of gals would nominate Mary Tyler Moore's Show

Hey, I loved the MTM Show ... not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[CF LION]

Business Insider has a top 20 of all time list as follows:

20. Will and Grace
19. Roseanne
18. That 70's Show.
17. Taxi
16. Scrubs
15. Gilligan's Island
14. The Bob Newhart Show
13. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
12. The Dick Van Dyke Show
11. The Honeymooners
10. Frazier
9. The Cosby Show
8. Cheers
7. Friends
6. The Simpsons
5. The Andy Griffith Show
4. All in the Family
3. I Love Lucy
2. M*A*S*H*
1. Seinfeld

This was a readers poll.

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-best-tv-sitcoms-of-all-time-2013-6#20-will-and-grace-1

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

Business Insider has a top 20 of all time list as follows:

20. Will and Grace
19. Roseanne
18. That 70's Show.
17. Taxi
16. Scrubs
15. Gilligan's Island
14. The Bob Newhart Show
13. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
12. The Dick Van Dyke Show
11. The Honeymooners
10. Frazier
9. The Cosby Show
8. Cheers
7. Friends
6. The Simpsons
5. The Andy Griffith Show
4. All in the Family
3. I Love Lucy
2. M*A*S*H*
1. Seinfeld

This was a readers poll.

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-best-tv-sitcoms-of-all-time-2013-6#20-will-and-grace-1

Scrubs over 30 Rock, The Office, and Arrested Development? No.

 

[BBrown]

Business Insider has a top 20 of all time list as follows:

20. Will and Grace
19. Roseanne
18. That 70's Show.
17. Taxi
16. Scrubs
15. Gilligan's Island
14. The Bob Newhart Show
13. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
12. The Dick Van Dyke Show
11. The Honeymooners
10. Frazier
9. The Cosby Show
8. Cheers
7. Friends
6. The Simpsons
5. The Andy Griffith Show
4. All in the Family
3. I Love Lucy
2. M*A*S*H*
1. Seinfeld

This was a readers poll.

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-best-tv-sitcoms-of-all-time-2013-6#20-will-and-grace-1

Interesting. I forgot all about Roseanne. That shows was excellent until her ego got in the way and she forced her idiot husband (Tom Arnold) on us. That guy is/was a complete no talent hack that is the epitome of "marrying up" for the advancement of your career.

 

[BBrown]

Scrubs over 30 Rock, The Office, and Arrested Development? No.

Not to mention over Taxi.
And I'm sorry but The Andy Griffith show is just too lame, for me, to be rated that high.
I'm not even sure my parents liked it.

 

[91Joe95]

All In the Family, because it was the most ground-breaking show of all-time. It addressed the issues of race, bigotry, sex, rape, etc., at a time TV was afraid to address these issues. Norman Lear not only pushed the envelope, he ripped it apart. Archie was a lovable sexist, bigot (if that's possible), in the same vein as Tony Soprano was a lovable, murdering member of the Mob.

Oh my god, that episode where Archie got a transfusion with some blood from an African-American... They still couldn't pull that one off.

 

[Op2]

My thoughts exactly. There was no more poignant and sad episode I've ever seen then when Archie's daughter and Meathead left the home to move to California (with the grandchild) after meathead finally graduated from college. The image of Archie peering through the window while they pulled away haunts me to this day. The message that family comes first simply could not have been any clearer.

All In The Family was amazing. It is so sad that you simply could not do a show like that today (unless it's a cartoon like South Park, who have said they patterned Eric Cartman a bit after Archie Bunker because they knew that you could no longer have a human character like Archie Bunker).

Nuance is lost somewhat now. Everything has to be completely good or completely bad, which of course doesn't reflect reality at all. Archie Bunker was a bigot. And yet he was still a human being trying to get through life with good points here and there. Kinda like lots of people his age back then.

And Meathead was right on a lot of the social issues they clashed over but he too was human and could be wrong about things sometimes. Just like the people like Meathead at the time that were pushing social issues.

We have become so PC that certain things have become forbidden. But in art nothing should be forbidden.

 

[Op2]

You nailed it with "Soap". Great show, great writing and great acting. Sex and the City was on HBO but is syndicated on cable TV now. It is a good show about the sexuality of the single gal in a big city and pushed a lot of boundaries about "free sex" for gals (and the complications all of that brings to relationships). Pretty much a chick show but for the guys, that gals were pretty hot.

I liked SOAP in the 70s a lot. I've seen repeats and it holds up. It's silly but it's still funny. The guy that had a ventreliquist dummy but insisted everybody else treat the dummy like he was a real person was good. A young Billy Crystal was on that show and once he was in a fight and he used the Vulcan neck pinch on someone and it worked and the guy went unconscious and Billy Crystal's character said "I can't believe it. The Vulcan next pinch really works." You have to see it to appreciate it.

The same woman that did that show and some others also did Golden Girls, which was great. Her name is Susan Harris. Ever see Sam Harris, the public intellectual guy that talks about various social issues (and has a pretty good podcast named "Waking Up")? Susan Harris is his mother.

 

[Obliviax]

All In The Family was amazing. It is so sad that you simply could not do a show like that today (unless it's a cartoon like South Park, who have said they patterned Eric Cartman a bit after Archie Bunker because they knew that you could no longer have a human character like Archie Bunker).

Nuance is lost somewhat now. Everything has to be completely good or completely bad, which of course doesn't reflect reality at all. Archie Bunker was a bigot. And yet he was still a human being trying to get through life with good points here and there. Kinda like lots of people his age back then.

And Meathead was right on a lot of the social issues they clashed over but he too was human and could be wrong about things sometimes. Just like the people like Meathead at the time that were pushing social issues.

We have become so PC that certain things have become forbidden. But in art nothing should be forbidden.

The key was that Archie, under it all, had a heart of gold. he loved his wife and daugher, and was just trying to be a good provider the best way he knew how. So you loved him for it. When Sammy Davis kissed him, my dad almost had a cow laughing. I'll never forget it

 

[BBrown]

All In The Family was amazing. It is so sad that you simply could not do a show like that today (unless it's a cartoon like South Park, who have said they patterned Eric Cartman a bit after Archie Bunker because they knew that you could no longer have a human character like Archie Bunker).

Nuance is lost somewhat now. Everything has to be completely good or completely bad, which of course doesn't reflect reality at all. Archie Bunker was a bigot. And yet he was still a human being trying to get through life with good points here and there. Kinda like lots of people his age back then.

And Meathead was right on a lot of the social issues they clashed over but he too was human and could be wrong about things sometimes. Just like the people like Meathead at the time that were pushing social issues.

We have become so PC that certain things have become forbidden. But in art nothing should be forbidden.

Blackish does a pretty decent job.