No Right Answer: Best Sitcom Ever

[tautologico]

Friends had really good situational comedy in its first seasons, and the characters weren't that extreme. But from the 4th season or so forward, it started to be more about the characters and the show's own established tropes than the situational comedy, and the characters started to get more and more extreme, to the point where, near the end, every one of them is really annoying.

Seinfeld is great and I love it, but the characters aren't so much better than the ones in friends. George is the eternal loser, Seinfeld is Seinfeld, Kramer is Krazy, so on. The show is interesting for its stand on not delving into emotional territory or preaching lessons, but the downside of this is that the characters are not very relatable. The comedy is funny, but trying to think about the show some years after I watched it (and I watched most episodes, many more than once) I can't remember much, while with Friends I can at least remember the major character arcs. Of course I remember the soup nazi, but this is telling, because it is one of a few exceptions. The situations in Seinfeld aren't exactly real, they're about characters being extremely selfish and self-centered all the time. Good comedy, but not very relatable.

Of course there's a lot of good stuff beyond those two. HIMYM, however, I watched only the first 2 or 3 episodes, found them very weak, and never wanted to get back to. Maybe it gets better after a while.

 

[moosek]

Yeah, I hated friends.

I guess That 70's Show was in the same vein, but I liked it.

 

[Sokarred]

Yeah, they didn't seem as into it this week. That said though How I Met Your Mother is the right answer.

 

[SpaceBat]

I shall have to ask you to step outside for a game of Street Countdown.
And only one vowel.

I only watched the first couple of episodes and could not find a shred of humor. But all right, maybe it's not Two and a half men (etc) level, but I'd still put it below Frasier and a couple of others from that list (Although laugh tracks really kills most of them.

People always complain about other people using IMO because "it's always your opinion blah blah blah.." but I bet that if you hadn't include it the next 4 or 5 pages would have been attacks against you

Yeah, it's the reason why I added it. I didn't want someone attacking me for something as trivial as this.

 

[BrotherRool]

All this talk of British awesome makes me want a British focussed topic. Best British Thing Ever? The Queen vs Doctor Who or QI vs Have I Got News For You. Or Life On Mars vs Lost for Best Mystery Show where it turns out they're all in purgatory. Or best Sherlock Holmes adaptation and do A Game Of Shadows vs Sherlock (although I'm missing every single adaptation before this year )

Fawlty Towers. There were only 12 episodes, because every single one was perfect. Any more would have risked spoiling that record.

Fawlty towers would win, but Sitcom is such an American thing, it has to be american. There's a certain brashness that the word has that we can't capture. I guess we just have to settle for best comedy programs .

Next time: Try something less dangerous: Like Star Trek vs. Star Wars

Why's that even a debate? Everyone knows it's Wars right?

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

Who shoves their head up a turkey? Mr.Beans

Thank you! That is exactly what I thought when I saw it! Mr Bean did it YEARS ago! And it was 1000 times funnier!!

Also, how I met your mother, and Big Bang Theory are my current favs! Along with the classics - Vicar of Dibly, and the Royal Family! Awesome stuff..

Also that new one - The Cafe is great!

 

[Aardvaarkman]

I don't understand. Friends was supposed to be a comedy?? I thought it was an aspirational lifestyle show for idiots who wanted to be one of the "beautiful people."

 

[Prince Regent]

Hmpf for me Blackadder is the superior sitcom.

 

[Dargocitfer]

I know I'm in a minority, but I never found Seinfeld funny. There's just something about the way it was presented that isn't humorous to me.

I've never liked "humiliation" comedy. I can't stand I Love Lucy for example. But, that's just me.

Give me an Arrested Development, Scrubs, The IT Crowd, or even Big Bang Theory.

I *can* say that "Corner Gas" was one of the most consistently funny shows I have ever watched. That is the winner for me.


Edit: Oh yeah, and Community. Can't believe I almost forgot Community.

 

[Zen Toombs]

I agree with the judges ruling - the clear winner is How I Met Your Mother.

Spoiler: Well, that or Community.

 

[SilverUchiha]

Best sitcom is How I Met Your Mother? I've only seen a few episodes, but I can say that it doesn't do what I liked about either Friends or Seinfeld. I agree with Dan that it should have gone to Seinfeld. It's a funny show I can talk about seriously as it deals with more realistic situations and has so many quotable things that have become part of everyday discussion. "Low Talker" came from that. "No soup for you" "the contest" and all sorts of other bits of observational humor that just stuck out as being interesting and worth discussion. The best thing Friends had to offer was Chandler and he was only good in a handful of episodes per season (pending on screentime).

I'd like to throw in "The Office" for consideration. But I know many people hate the American version despite the fact that I think season 2,3, and whatever one it is on now (5?) are great. Season one was slow and the previous season that focused to much on Micheal Scott are bad examples, but the overall quality is good.

Another contender is "Arrested Development" that did not last long enough to make the wide appeal that Friends or Seinfeld did. but despite that, it was still really good and the jokes built off everything that had happened before. It was a show you had to watch from the beginning, but it paid off in the end.

And I'd also say "Community" deserves a nomination due to just being awesome. If it gets outright canceled after this hiatus, I might just not watch NBC programs again. Yeah, I think it's that good.

Lastly, I'd say that "Modern Family" deserves some attention too. It's also good and while I think it is using the same formula as "The Office" it has moments where it breaks the formula and sticks to the story more and that works wonders.

but I would still probably award it to Frasier or Seinfeld. While Cheers was out before Frasier and made sitcoms pretty huge (despite not being the first), Frasier showed how a successful spin-off can work and blew Cheers out of the water. Seinfeld was just good. Give the prize to one of these two if anyone.

 

[SilverUchiha]

Seinfeld's main cast were people I would hate in real life, they are just so self-centered and oblivious that it pissed me off, same with Everybody Love Raymond, King of Queens, etc.

Friends I enjoyed, mostly for Joey and Chandler, and That 70's Show and Scrubs are great

How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory win it all though

Thing is I hate people in real life already because of the self-centered obliviousness. But I'm just like them to a different degree. So are you. And even that jerk over there *points at random person*. Seinfeld is taking some of the worst human traits, highlighting them in a small group of select people, and putting them in normal situations you and I find ourselves in everyday (or most every day). Friends, takes human extremes and puts them in some normal situations and some absurd situations. I agree with Dan's assessment. It's like putting a webcam in a mental ward. I agree they should remake the show with that kind of twist to it.

I don't hate Friends. I just think Seinfeld does a better job delivering what a sitcom is meant to deliver.

 

[Trucken]

Friends over Seinfeld in my opinion. But the best sitcom ever is still Titus. That's actually a fact.

 

[Monty McDougal]

Who shoves their head up a turkey? Mr.Beans

thank you. good lord how could they not even mention that. But anyway I pick scrubs. And if it has to have the laugh track and only 3 walls then big bang theory followed by How I met you mother and News Radio.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

No, no, no. You're all wrong because Frasier is the best sitcom ever. I'm honestly dissapointed that wasn't what Kyle dropped in to say.

 

[Crimson_Dragoon]

Never have I enjoyed a judge's decision so much. Great choice for best sitcom.

But Alison Hannigan's best work? The nerd in me has to choose Willow over Lily.

 

[F-I-D-O]

Love how the judge's ruling is that both of the other choices are invalid.
Also, Dan's expression at the freeze frame...it is burned into my retinas.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Silly double posting.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

but Sitcom is such an American thing,

Next time: Try something less dangerous: Like Star Trek vs. Star Wars

Why's that even a debate? Everyone knows it's Wars right?

SAVE YOURSELVES!!!

 

[MorganL4]

Umm Coupling......... awesome British Sitcom from the guy who wrote the new Sherlock Holmes ( the British one NOT the Robert Downey Jr one)

He is also the guy who is head writer on Dr Who right now...... So yeah he has some credentials there.

Watch Seasons 1-3 seasons 4 saw the loss of a main comic foil character and was never the same.

All 4 seasons are available on Netflix

Case and point: