Only A True Comedy Fan Has Seen All Of These TV Shows
- by Ben Sherlock
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Television is a great medium for comedy. Standup comics can showcase their material for a nationwide audience, sketches can be immortalized and frozen in history, and audiences can spend year after year falling in love with sitcom characters. Writers are able to use this to their advantage for more laughs. Remember that Seinfeld episode “The Bizarro Jerry?” It was the one where Elaine is dating a guy who’s exactly the opposite of Jerry, which the writers used as a springboard to create Bizarro versions of George, Kramer, and even Newman. The Jerry and the Newman love each other, the Kramer knocks on the Jerry’s door when he wants to come over, the Kramer has genuinely good ideas for inventions but then doesn’t follow them through, and the George is quiet, kind-hearted, and picks up the tip. These characters aren’t funny unless you know the original versions, and that’s why Jerry Seinfeld waited until his audience had spent eight years getting to know them before unleashing the Bizarro versions for some hilarious meta fun. That’s what makes television the perfect medium for humor. A five-minute sketch or a half-hour situation comedy is the perfect length to make the audience laugh, wrap up a story or a point, and leave the audience wanting more. Are you a true comedy fan? Tell us if you’ve seen these shows to find out!
Seinfeld
By all accounts, Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David’s dark sitcom about self-centered jerks who do terrible things and don’t care about anybody but themselves and get into weird antics shouldn’t have been successful at all. But audiences took to it, because the writing and acting are always brilliant and each episode is a little masterpiece. Have you seen it?
Saturday Night Live
“Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” For over forty years now, Saturday Night Live has been a breeding ground for comedy talent, where greats like Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Kristen Wiig, Chris Farley, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, John Belushi, and so many more honed their skills. Have you ever seen it?
Friends
This is kind of a stupid question, since every single person in the world has seen every single episode of Friends a million times, whether they wanted to or not. Friends is so ingrained into popular culture and etched into our brains. There’s never been a show quite like it. Have you seen it?
South Park
Trey Parker and Matt Stone put their skewed view of the world and politics and religion and society into the form of cut-out animation and used it to make one of the most popular shows on TV. South Park is about four boys coming of age in a small Colorado town. It’s also about pretty much everything else. Have you seen it?
Fawlty Towers
There were only 12 episodes produced of this seminal series created by and starring Monty Python’s John Cleese as an irritable hotel manager who gets into trouble with his wife, his staff, his guests, and on one occasion, a rat. It’s brilliant. If only they’d made more. Have you seen it?
The Simpsons
Matt Groening gave us a portrait of American family life back in 1989 and his team of writers and animators has since used it to tell every possible story under the sun. Its latest renewal made it the longest running series in the history of American television. Have you seen it?
The Office (UK)
This is the original UK version, not the American remake. The American remake is great too, sure, but it’s not as subtle and effective and relatable as the original with Ricky Gervais. The original was a more genuine workplace environment with more believable and realistic characters. Have you seen it?
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Picture that iconic theme music as Dick Van Dyke as Rob Petrie enters his home in black and white, kisses his wife Mary Tyler Moore, and trips over the ottoman on the way to shake his friends’ hands. That’s the start of one of the most groundbreaking comedy series ever made. Carl Reiner broke down the gender roles in comedy and wrote some fantastic women. Have you seen it?
30 Rock
On paper, 30 Rock wouldn’t sound that great. It’s an NBC show about the inner workings of NBC. It sounds dull and insider. But that’s not the case. It’s fantastic! 30 Rockefeller Plaza may seem like it’s the building that houses NBC, but in this wonderfully absurd show, it’s the building that houses Tina Fey’s mind. Have you seen it?
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Larry David’s much loved show about his own quest for social justice in the face of rudeness and insults finally returned, after six years off the air, for its ninth season the other day. The Seinfeld co-creator wasn’t done observing society for the purposes of dark comedy, so he made this show for HBO. Have you seen it?
Monty Python’s Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus was the surreal sketch show that changed the face of television comedy. Instead of focusing on punchlines, the Pythons went for a more stream of consciousness style in search of humor that revolutionized the game. Everyone in comedy owes a debt to Chapman, Cleese, Idle, Palin, Jones, and Gilliam. Have you seen it?
Parks and Recreation
There was already a mockumentary set in a workplace before Parks and Rec came along, but the lovable ensemble of characters in Parks made it a must see, and one of the best shows on TV. Leslie, Ron, Tom, Andy, April, Ben, Chris, Donna, Jerry – the lovable list goes on. Have you seen it?
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
This black comedy series set in an Irish bar in Philly wasn’t anything special when it first aired, but when Danny DeVito joined the show in its second season, it became something truly special. It has its own brand of dark, twisted humor with a sweetness brought to it by the cast. Have you seen it?
Cheers
Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. Or, failing that, watch Cheers. You’ll get the same sense of happiness and camaraderie and friendship from the cast, because they’re so lovable and engaging, especially Ted Danson and Shelley Long. And it’s a hilarious show. Have you ever seen it?
Mr. Show
You might recognize Bob Odenkirk these days as Saul Goodman, or more recently, his alter ego Jimmy McGill. But his career began with the phenomenal, absurdist sketch show, Mr. Show, which he co-starred in with David Cross. Ask any comedian or comedy writer today who their influences were growing up, and they’ll tell you it’s Mr. Show. Have you seen it?
Family Guy
Seth MacFarlane’s first animated series initially seemed like a rip-off of The Simpsons, except with a talking baby and a talking dog. But as we’ve seen over the years, it’s much more than that. It’s a dark, satirical, sometimes shocking, sometimes absurdist series of random and hilarious sketches loosely strung together by a story. Have you seen it?
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
After proving herself as more than just a ditzy wife and comic foil in The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Tyler Moore was given her own show where she plays a news producer and, along with Carol Burnett, she made strides for women in television. According to Time magazine, this show “liberated TV for adults of both sexes.” Have you seen it?
Louie
One could argue that Louis CK is the greatest standup comic alive today. His material is inspired by Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and pre-scandal Bill Cosby, and he combines horrible disgusting things with really sweet and insightful things in a way that no other comedian has mastered. His show on FX is something else entirely. It’s like weird absurdist little short films and the tone changes not just from episode to episode, but sometimes even within a single episode. Have you seen it?
Archer
There are plenty of adult animated comedies out there, but none of them are quite like Archer. First of all, visually, it has a very unique, Mad Men-esque style. And then there’s the juvenile dialogue that completely undercuts that style. It’s a brilliant show that tackles the sexism of the espionage genre in a satirical manner. Have you seen it?
Key and Peele
Since Key and Peele, Jordan Peele has moved beyond sketch comedy to become a serious filmmaker, tackling WASP-y racism in his directorial debut movie, Get Out. But he was tackling racism long before that, in the wonderfully satirical and hilarious sketches of Key and Peele. Have you ever seen it?
Arrested Development
What an ensemble Arrested Development has. You have Jason Bateman as the voice of reason around the chaos of Will Arnett as a sociopathic magician, David Cross as a delusional gay man pathetically trying to make it as an actor, Jessica Walter and Jeffrey Tambor as the morally reprehensible parents, Michael Cera as the nervous, spineless kid, and so many more great actors. Have you seen it?
I’m Alan Partridge
Alan Partridge ranks among Basil Fawlty and David Brent as the most iconic characters in British comedy. He has a ridiculous legacy and he’s still going today, with a whole new show coming next year. But the best of Partridge has to be I’m Alan Partridge, the sitcom that came after his fictional talk show was canceled. Have you seen it?
Married...with Children
Most people today know Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett from Modern Family, but long before that, he made TV history as Al Bundy in Married...with Children. He was the relatable family man of the ‘80s and ‘90s. He had the crappy job as a shoe salesman, the nagging wife, the disrespectful kids – married, working, family men could relate. Have you seen the show?
Community
Community is one of the few sitcoms to come along that actually revolutionized the way comedy is done. Only a few shows like that come along. But with Community, Dan Harmon changed the game. It’s a show where the characters know they’re in a show without explicitly saying it. It’s brilliant how they do it. Have you seen it?
The Daily Show
Formerly presented by the king of political satire of Jon Stewart, this satirical news show on Comedy Central is now hosted by Trevor Noah, who has proven equally great. He’s been helped out by the political climate of the time he took over the mantle – Trump!! Have you seen The Daily Show?
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody loves Everybody Loves Raymond. It’s a show about family life and living near in-laws and passive aggressive family dynamics, and it’s so relatable, even today. Everybody Loves Raymond is timeless. The show will never get old. It’s great. It’s Ray Romano being Ray Romano in unfortunate situations. Who wouldn’t want that? Have you seen it?
All in the Family
You couldn’t make All in the Family today. The show was somewhat ground-breaking for its time and launched the Jeffersons. The two shows inspired family sitcoms for decades, even today. It may have had some moments that wouldn't fly these days, but it’s a great show. According to the WGA, All in the Family is the fourth best written show of all time, and according to TV Guide, it’s the fourth best TV show of all time. Have you seen it?
Frasier
Kelsey Grammer was given a spin-off from Cheers for his psychiatrist character, Dr. Frasier Crane. While spin-offs usually don’t work out (looking at you, Joey and The Cleveland Show), Frasier was just as popular as Cheers, if not even more popular. It pokes fun at the upper class snobs who enjoy the finer things in life. Have you seen it?
Home Improvement
For Home Improvement, Tim Allen ranked alongside the Friends cast and Jerry Seinfeld and Ray Romano as the highest paid sitcom stars of the ‘90s, with like $1 million an episode. It was ridiculous. He played Tim Taylor, a guy who loved tools and had a show about tools. It doesn’t sound like it, but it was really funny. Have you seen it?
Red Dwarf
British science fiction has always taken a very interesting and unique look at things. From Doctor Who to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Red Dwarf, these stories have truly explored the genre with an eye for comedy and laughing at the absurd and downright bizarre. But have you seen this show which had a human, a hologram, a cat, a computer, and an android as main characters?
I Love Lucy
Lucille Ball was a huge, huge star back in the day. She was the star of many popular sitcoms, but none was more classic than I Love Lucy, the story of married couple Lucy and Ricky. Poor Lucy has to put up with Ricky’s attempts to make it in show business. Have you seen it?
The Honeymooners
According to stories from the set, Jackie Gleason would never read the scripts, show up for table reads, rehearse with the cast, or learn the blocking. He would just rock up on the night they were shooting and do whatever the hell he wanted. But that’s part of the magic that kept the show exciting. Have you seen it?
Freaks and Geeks
Where other shows romanticize high school life, the criminally short lived Freaks and Geeks nailed the insecurities and heartaches of being a teenager. It gave a career to so many Hollywood stars: James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel, to name a few. It was an early Judd Apatow production. Have you seen it?
M*A*S*H
Who knew the Korean War could be so funny? This long running US sitcom, based on the seminal Robert Altman dark comedy movie of the same name, is centered on the doctors stationed in the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the war. It’s one of the highest rated shows in the history of television, even today. Have you seen it?
Only Fools and Horses
One of the longest running British sitcoms in history, Only Fools and Horses is the story of market trader Del Boy and his younger brother Rodney, who will do anything for a quick buck. It’s one of the greatest comedy series ever made, with so many classic moments. Have you seen it?
