The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time

Martin Gitlin

doi:10.5771/9780810887251

Summary

Since the advent of network television, situation comedies have been a staple of prime-time programming. Classics of the genre have emerged in every decade, from The Honeymooners and Make Room for Daddy in the 1950sto 30 Rock, The Office, and Modern Family of the twenty-first century. Other shows that have left enduring impressions are The Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart, The Bob Newhart Show, Barney Miller, Cheers, The Cosby Show, The Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Will & Grace, and Everybody Loves Raymond. All of these shows are assured a place in history and would make almost anyone’s list of the most beloved comedies.

In The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time, Martin Gitlin has assembled the top seventy sitcoms in television history. The rankings are based on such factors as longevity, ratings, awards, humor, impact, and legacy. Iconic programs such as I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show,and Leave It to Beaver join contemporary shows The Simpsons, Arrested Development, and Family Guy on the list. Other programs include perennial favorites like All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Seinfeld, as well as short-lived treasures that never found the audiences they deserved like Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

Each entry contains a comprehensive compilation of information, including:

Cast members
Character list
Network
Air dates
Ratings history
Time slots
Series overview
Notable episodes
Awards
Fun facts and quotes

Appendixes list the top male and female sitcom characters of all time, the best sitcom spin-offs, and shows that just missed the cut.

By ranking these programs, The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time is sure to inspire debate. Whether you agree with this list or whether your favorite show placed as high as you think it should have, this book will be an entertaining and informative read—not only for students and scholars of television history but for sitcom fans as well.

Search publication

Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2013
ISBN-Print: 978-0-8108-8724-4
ISBN-Online: 978-0-8108-8725-1
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 419
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Introduction No access
Chapter 1. Seinfeld No access Pages 1 - 10
Chapter 2. All in the Family No access Pages 11 - 19
Chapter 3. M*A*S*H No access Pages 20 - 28
Chapter 4. I Love Lucy No access Pages 29 - 34
Chapter 5. The Mary Tyler Moore Show No access Pages 35 - 42
Chapter 6. Cheers No access Pages 43 - 51
Chapter 7. The Andy Griffith Show No access Pages 52 - 57
Chapter 8. Frasier No access Pages 58 - 67
Chapter 9. The Dick Van Dyke Show No access Pages 68 - 72
Chapter 10. Taxi No access Pages 73 - 78
Chapter 11. The Honeymooners No access Pages 79 - 83
Chapter 12. Murphy Brown No access Pages 84 - 91
Chapter 13. The Cosby Show No access Pages 92 - 98
Chapter 14. The Simpsons No access Pages 99 - 107
Chapter 15. 30 Rock No access Pages 108 - 115
Chapter 16. Everybody Loves Raymond No access Pages 116 - 121
Chapter 17. The Jack Benny Program No access Pages 122 - 127
Chapter 18. Family Ties No access Pages 128 - 133
Chapter 19. Modern Family No access Pages 134 - 139
Chapter 20. Leave It to Beaver No access Pages 140 - 143
Chapter 21. The Golden Girls No access Pages 144 - 150
Chapter 22. Will & Grace No access Pages 151 - 157
Chapter 23. The Larry Sanders Show No access Pages 158 - 163
Chapter 24. Friends No access Pages 164 - 170
Chapter 25. The Odd Couple No access Pages 171 - 175
Chapter 26. The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show No access Pages 176 - 180
Chapter 27. Barney Miller No access Pages 181 - 185
Chapter 28. The Office No access Pages 186 - 191
Chapter 29. Get Smart No access Pages 192 - 196
Chapter 30. Family Guy No access Pages 197 - 201
Chapter 31. Curb Your Enthusiasm No access Pages 202 - 207
Chapter 32. Roseanne No access Pages 208 - 213
Chapter 33. Father Knows Best No access Pages 214 - 218
Chapter 34. Arrested Development No access Pages 219 - 223
Chapter 35. The Wonder Years No access Pages 224 - 228
Chapter 36. Soap No access Pages 229 - 233
Chapter 37. Happy Days No access Pages 234 - 238
Chapter 38. The Big Bang Theory No access Pages 239 - 243
Chapter 39. Green Acres No access Pages 244 - 247
Chapter 40. Malcolm in the Middle No access Pages 248 - 253
Chapter 41. Bewitched No access Pages 254 - 258
Chapter 42. The Phil Silvers Show No access Pages 259 - 262
Chapter 43. The Bob Newhart Show No access Pages 263 - 266
Chapter 44. South Park No access Pages 267 - 271
Chapter 45. Two and a Half Men No access Pages 272 - 277
Chapter 46. Make Room for Daddy No access Pages 278 - 282
Chapter 47. The Courtship of Eddie’s Father No access Pages 283 - 285
Chapter 48. Sanford and Son No access Pages 286 - 289
Chapter 49. The Beverly Hillbillies No access Pages 290 - 294
Chapter 50. Night Court No access Pages 295 - 300
Chapter 51. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis No access Pages 301 - 304
Chapter 52. Maude No access Pages 305 - 308
Chapter 53. Home Improvement No access Pages 309 - 314
Chapter 54. The Jeffersons No access Pages 315 - 319
Chapter 55. Hogan’s Heroes No access Pages 320 - 323
Chapter 56. The Monkees No access Pages 324 - 327
Chapter 57. Rhoda No access Pages 328 - 332
Chapter 58. The Addams Family No access Pages 333 - 336
Chapter 59. Designing Women No access Pages 337 - 341
Chapter 60. NewsRadio No access Pages 342 - 345
Chapter 61. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman No access Pages 346 - 349
Chapter 62. That Girl No access Pages 350 - 354
Chapter 63. Kate & Allie No access Pages 355 - 358
Chapter 64. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. No access Pages 359 - 362
Chapter 65. Our Miss Brooks No access Pages 363 - 366
Chapter 66. The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet No access Pages 367 - 371
Chapter 67. My World and Welcome to It No access Pages 372 - 375
Chapter 68. The Bob Cummings Show No access Pages 376 - 379
Chapter 69. Coach No access Pages 380 - 384
Chapter 70. The Flintstones No access Pages 385 - 388
APPENDIX A. Emmy Awards and Nominations No access Pages 389 - 394
APPENDIX B. The Just-Missed List: Top 10 Sitcoms from Each Decade No access Pages 395 - 397
APPENDIX C. Ten Best Spin-Offs No access Pages 398 - 398
APPENDIX D. Fifty Funniest Male Characters No access Pages 399 - 400
APPENDIX E. Fifty Funniest Female Characters No access Pages 401 - 402
Index No access Pages 403 - 416
About the Author No access Pages 419 - 419