While there are plenty of iconic sitcoms from all over the world, from Friends to <em>MASH</em>, the US has created some of the most iconic titles in the genre’s long history. As far back as 1949’s The Goldbergs, American TV audiences have loved sitcoms. Thanks to their inexpensive production process, situation comedies are still a network mainstay 80 years later.
That said, a contemporary sitcom fan who sits down to watch The Goldbergs, Father Knows Best, or Leave it to Beaver might be struck by just how much the genre has changed over the decades. Thanks to network TV’s most influential sitcoms, the genre has morphed and shifted to cover a diverse range of topics and themes.
There are sitcoms about war, sitcoms set in hospitals, sitcoms about vampires, and sitcoms set in space. However, one thing has always remained reliably true of the humble sitcom. America is one of the pre-eminent producers of sitcoms, alongside Mexico and the UK, and a rundown of the country’s most iconic contributions to the genre proves the US has created some true greats.
10 Arrested Development
Fox/Netflix
Although the show never earned a massive mainstream audience when it first aired, Arrested Development’s outsized influence on TV comedy in the decades since its original series finale proves the series was immensely important. The story of a wealthy family that loses everything when their corrupt patriarch is imprisoned, Arrested Development doesn’t sound all that funny.
However, the show’s intricate layering of jokes upon jokes and its ingenious storytelling style that allowed the creators to call back to earlier episodes with each gag make the deadpan comedy uniquely hilarious. Arguably the most re-watchable sitcom of all time, Arrested Development also helped launch the careers of future comedy icons like Michael Cera and Will Arnett.
9 All in the Family
Creator Norman Lear’s All in the Family is often credited with introducing genuine family dysfunction to the American airwaves. Before this ‘70s hit, family sitcoms were often painfully saccharine, and their father figures were idealized characters with little depth or nuance. In contrast, All in the Family’s misanthropic Archie Bunker was a deeply flawed protagonist who still displayed moments of humanity.
All in the Family’s flawed but ultimately well-meaning protagonist went on to shape the lead characters of Married… With Children and Roseanne, but that’s not the only reason that All in the Family is an iconic US sitcom. The show also spawned the spinoffs Maude and The Jeffersons, both of which could have made this list themselves.
One need only watch Community’s multiverse episode, which introduced its ingenious “Darkest Timeline” gag, to appreciate how influential the series was. Ostensibly an NBC show about a study group at a community college, Community was really an excuse for its writers to experiment with the sitcom format.
The misadventures of Troy, Abed, Annie, Pierce, Britta, Shirley, and Jeff allowed Community to spoof everything from gangster movies to action films with each new episode, but the show didn’t stop there. Community also ambitiously parodied sitcoms themselves, mocking the genre’s classic clichéd conventions like Will they, won’t they romance subplots and cheap cliffhanger endings.
7 The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Airing from 1990 until 1996, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air starred Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself who, as noted by its absurdly catchy theme song, is sent to live with his upper-class Bel-Air relatives after getting into some trouble at home. Recently re-imagined as a gritty drama calledBel-Air,The Fresh Prince of Bel Air served as a sunny and funny calling card for its iconic star.
6 Roseanne
…
…
…
…
…
…
If there was one major criticism that ‘80s sitcoms likeFull House,The Cosby Show,Family Matters faced, it was that they were divorced from real-life economic realities. In contrast,Roseanne and its spinoff,The Conners had no qualms about tackling tough social issues like addiction, unemployment, grief, poverty, unplanned pregnancy, unfair termination, and debt.
This might sound unwatchable-y bleak but thanks to Roseanne’s daringly honest yet optimistic look at working-class life later hits like Malcolm in the Middle and Bob’s Burgers could revisit these same financial anxieties years later.
5 I Love Lucy
…
…
…
…
The series was most-watched TV show in America throughout those years starring Lucille Ball as Lucy following her rocky relationship with her husband Ricky Ricardo played by Desi Arnaz.
Their real-life chemistry shines through this classic sitcom which remains re-watchable decades later thanks to their playful comedic timing while I Love Lucy should by rights be chintzy and outdated by now but its killer slapstick ensures that this classic remains essential.
4 MASH
…
…
…
…
This may sound dark but MASH was anything but thanks to legendary characters like Radar Hot Lips and Alan Alda’s sardonic sharp-talking Hawkeye MASH was a hilarious workplace sitcom that managed to humanize its heroes while finding humor in tragedy.
3 Modern Family
…
…
…
Told through a mockumentary lens Modern Family featured its characters addressing directly between scenes this style borrowed from The Office went on to shape Abbott Elementary making Modern Family a unique addition to sitcom genre.
2 The Simpsons
…
…
This is no exaggeration The Simpsons is one of most influential acclaimed TV shows ever made famously critics Alan Sepinwall Matt Zoller Seitz summed up appeal animated family comedy as ambitious intimate classical experimental hip corny altogether free conviction imagination should go where it wants.
…
…
This influenced shows like Family Guy South Park Bob’s Burgers King of Hill American Dad among many others but remains best animated family sitcom all time thanks sheer comedic ingenuity classic outings like season five episode two Cape Feare.
1 Friends
…
…
The heartbreaking loss Matthew Perry means any future Friends reunion unlikely recapture unique balance original show chemistry however for few years ’90s this sitcom had strongest ensemble cast on TV without it there would be How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory or Happy Endings which makes Friends one greatest US sitcoms all time alongside MASH.
…
…
…
…
…
If there was one major criticism that ‘80s sitcoms likeFull House,The Cosby Show,Family Matters faced, it was that they were divorced from real-life economic realities. In contrast,Roseanne and its spinoff,The Conners had no qualms about tackling tough social issues like addiction, unemployment, grief, poverty, unplanned pregnancy, unfair termination, and debt.
This might sound unwatchable-y bleak but thanks to Roseanne’s daringly honest yet optimistic look at working-class life later hits like Malcolm in the Middle and Bob’s Burgers could revisit these same financial anxieties years later.
5 I Love Lucy
…
…
…
…
The series was most-watched TV show in America throughout those years starring Lucille Ball as Lucy following her rocky relationship with her husband Ricky Ricardo played by Desi Arnaz.
Their real-life chemistry shines through this classic sitcom which remains re-watchable decades later thanks to their playful comedic timing while I Love Lucy should by rights be chintzy and outdated by now but its killer slapstick ensures that this classic remains essential.
4 MASH
…
…
…
…
This may sound dark but MASH was anything but thanks to legendary characters like Radar Hot Lips and Alan Alda’s sardonic sharp-talking Hawkeye MASH was a hilarious workplace sitcom that managed to humanize its heroes while finding humor in tragedy.
3 Modern Family
…
…
…
Told through a mockumentary lens Modern Family featured its characters addressing directly between scenes this style borrowed from The Office went on to shape Abbott Elementary making Modern Family a unique addition to sitcom genre.
2 The Simpsons
…
…
This is no exaggeration The Simpsons is one of most influential acclaimed TV shows ever made famously critics Alan Sepinwall Matt Zoller Seitz summed up appeal animated family comedy as ambitious intimate classical experimental hip corny altogether free conviction imagination should go where it wants.
…
…
This influenced shows like Family Guy South Park Bob’s Burgers King of Hill American Dad among many others but remains best animated family sitcom all time thanks sheer comedic ingenuity classic outings like season five episode two Cape Feare.
1 Friends
…
…
The heartbreaking loss Matthew Perry means any future Friends reunion unlikely recapture unique balance original show chemistry however for few years ’90s this sitcom had strongest ensemble cast on TV without it there would be How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory or Happy Endings which makes Friends one greatest US sitcoms all time alongside MASH.
…
…
…
The series was most-watched TV show in America throughout those years starring Lucille Ball as Lucy following her rocky relationship with her husband Ricky Ricardo played by Desi Arnaz.
Their real-life chemistry shines through this classic sitcom which remains re-watchable decades later thanks to their playful comedic timing while I Love Lucy should by rights be chintzy and outdated by now but its killer slapstick ensures that this classic remains essential.
4 MASH
…
…
…
…
This may sound dark but MASH was anything but thanks to legendary characters like Radar Hot Lips and Alan Alda’s sardonic sharp-talking Hawkeye MASH was a hilarious workplace sitcom that managed to humanize its heroes while finding humor in tragedy.
3 Modern Family
…
…
…
Told through a mockumentary lens Modern Family featured its characters addressing directly between scenes this style borrowed from The Office went on to shape Abbott Elementary making Modern Family a unique addition to sitcom genre.
2 The Simpsons
…
…
This is no exaggeration The Simpsons is one of most influential acclaimed TV shows ever made famously critics Alan Sepinwall Matt Zoller Seitz summed up appeal animated family comedy as ambitious intimate classical experimental hip corny altogether free conviction imagination should go where it wants.
…
…
This influenced shows like Family Guy South Park Bob’s Burgers King of Hill American Dad among many others but remains best animated family sitcom all time thanks sheer comedic ingenuity classic outings like season five episode two Cape Feare.
1 Friends
…
…
The heartbreaking loss Matthew Perry means any future Friends reunion unlikely recapture unique balance original show chemistry however for few years ’90s this sitcom had strongest ensemble cast on TV without it there would be How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory or Happy Endings which makes Friends one greatest US sitcoms all time alongside MASH.
…
…
…
This may sound dark but MASH was anything but thanks to legendary characters like Radar Hot Lips and Alan Alda’s sardonic sharp-talking Hawkeye MASH was a hilarious workplace sitcom that managed to humanize its heroes while finding humor in tragedy.
3 Modern Family
…
…
…
Told through a mockumentary lens Modern Family featured its characters addressing directly between scenes this style borrowed from The Office went on to shape Abbott Elementary making Modern Family a unique addition to sitcom genre.
2 The Simpsons
…
…
This is no exaggeration The Simpsons is one of most influential acclaimed TV shows ever made famously critics Alan Sepinwall Matt Zoller Seitz summed up appeal animated family comedy as ambitious intimate classical experimental hip corny altogether free conviction imagination should go where it wants.
…
…
This influenced shows like Family Guy South Park Bob’s Burgers King of Hill American Dad among many others but remains best animated family sitcom all time thanks sheer comedic ingenuity classic outings like season five episode two Cape Feare.
1 Friends
…
…
The heartbreaking loss Matthew Perry means any future Friends reunion unlikely recapture unique balance original show chemistry however for few years ’90s this sitcom had strongest ensemble cast on TV without it there would be How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory or Happy Endings which makes Friends one greatest US sitcoms all time alongside MASH.
…
…
Told through a mockumentary lens Modern Family featured its characters addressing directly between scenes this style borrowed from The Office went on to shape Abbott Elementary making Modern Family a unique addition to sitcom genre.
2 The Simpsons
…
…
This is no exaggeration The Simpsons is one of most influential acclaimed TV shows ever made famously critics Alan Sepinwall Matt Zoller Seitz summed up appeal animated family comedy as ambitious intimate classical experimental hip corny altogether free conviction imagination should go where it wants.
…
…
This influenced shows like Family Guy South Park Bob’s Burgers King of Hill American Dad among many others but remains best animated family sitcom all time thanks sheer comedic ingenuity classic outings like season five episode two Cape Feare.
1 Friends
…
…
The heartbreaking loss Matthew Perry means any future Friends reunion unlikely recapture unique balance original show chemistry however for few years ’90s this sitcom had strongest ensemble cast on TV without it there would be How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory or Happy Endings which makes Friends one greatest US sitcoms all time alongside MASH.
…
This is no exaggeration The Simpsons is one of most influential acclaimed TV shows ever made famously critics Alan Sepinwall Matt Zoller Seitz summed up appeal animated family comedy as ambitious intimate classical experimental hip corny altogether free conviction imagination should go where it wants.
…
This influenced shows like Family Guy South Park Bob’s Burgers King of Hill American Dad among many others but remains best animated family sitcom all time thanks sheer comedic ingenuity classic outings like season five episode two Cape Feare.
1 Friends
…
…
The heartbreaking loss Matthew Perry means any future Friends reunion unlikely recapture unique balance original show chemistry however for few years ’90s this sitcom had strongest ensemble cast on TV without it there would be How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory or Happy Endings which makes Friends one greatest US sitcoms all time alongside MASH.
…
The heartbreaking loss Matthew Perry means any future Friends reunion unlikely recapture unique balance original show chemistry however for few years ’90s this sitcom had strongest ensemble cast on TV without it there would be How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory or Happy Endings which makes Friends one greatest US sitcoms all time alongside MASH.
