Our list spans almost 60 years of television, and our criteria includes legacy factor, impact on the genre, re-run factor (does the comedy still work today?), and that 'ol chestnut Editor's Choice. We should also note that as much as we love series like Parks & Rec and Community, we feel like they are on their way to potential Top 25 status but aren't quite there yet. But let's see what happens if and when we revisit this list one day!
Behold another list of things all of you will agree with absolutely! For those against-the-grain folk out there, drop your personal Top 25 lists in the comments section below.
Spaced |
That plot-point becomes an irrelevance when we are introduced to their friends and neighbors, however, with the likes of horny landlady Marsha, unhinged artist Brian, and gun-obsessed simpleton Mike taking the plot in deeply weird places. But while the characters are great, it's the countless cultural references -- from Star Wars to Resident Evil to Night of the Living Dead -- that makes the show so special. Combined with Wright's inspired, kinetic direction, Spaced is visually stunning, consistently hilarious, and actually improves with repeat views.
Family Guy |
Since then, Stewie has become as popular a mascot as Bart Simpson for FOX, while other characters like Quagmire have also broken out, thanks to Family Guy's anything goes, "yes we're going there" sense of humor. The show may be formulaic, but that doesn't detour its fanbase, as long as the laughs keep coming.
The State |
But not only was The State totes hilar, they managed to carve out their own slice of zeitgeist when they decided to honor/skewer SNL's overuse of recurring characters by creating "Louie" -- a dimwit who carried two golf balls so that he could walk into situations (house parties, last suppers with Jesus, etc.) and repeat his catchphrase ("I wanna dip my balls in it!") over and over again.
Taxi |
Taxi also launched Judd Hirsch and Tony Danza while providing audiences with a new "in" into the workplace comedy, one that would inspire future shows like Cheers to follow in its footsteps. All that, plus the producers dared to put someone as brilliantly unpredictable -- not to mention hysterical -- as Andy Kaufman in a sitcom!
The Muppet Show |
Unless you're a Statler and Waldorf-type, it's impossible not to have a blast with The Muppets. Thankfully, the franchise is making a cinematic comeback later this year.
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The Ben Stiller Show |
Now don't you wish you and all your middle school friends watched this show when it originally aired?
Futurama |
Sure, maybe you have to be a metaphysicist to understand the multitude of in-gags and Easter Eggs, but on the surface the show takes the simple "man out of time" premise and turns it on its head. Philip J. Fry acts as our inept 21st century voice in the demented 30th century. Along with his delivery crew of aliens and mutants, Fry continues to be just as enduring as he was when he first appeared on our screens in 1999.
Much like Family Guy, Futurama and its fans deserve kudos for bringing their show back from cancellation. Unlike Family Guy, which found its way back to FOX, Futurama made its way to another network, and is currently prospering on Comedy Central.
Frasier |
Even the biggest fans of the series will admit that the show got a bit long in the tooth and ran out of story once characters started dating and re-dating each other. But when Frasier was in its prime, backed by its many Best Comedy Series Emmy wins, there wasn't a funnier, smarter sitcom on the air in this mold. And we may never get another.
Chapelle's Show |
Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories ("I'm Rick James, bitch!"), Tyrone Biggums, Prince playing basketball and Wayne Brady gone all Training Day are a sampling of some of the bits that became instantly quotable. We used to think it was a crime that this show went off the air when it did. Now, we're glad it left on a high note.
30 Rock |
That was 2006. Now, Studio 60 is a noble misfire that lasted a year and 30 Rock is going strong, with three Best Comedy Emmys on its mantle. Series creator and star Tina Fey's insanely sharp wit, coupled with one of the funniest supporting casts in the history of ever, continues to make 30 Rock a laugh-out-loud show, despite some of its humor purposefully intended to go over the heads of most couch potatoes.
Giving 30 Rock a slot on our Top 25 list is the least we can do for a show that gave us "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" and reminded us that a man's hair is his head suit.
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The Larry Sanders Show |
Scores of famous peeps stopped by throughout the show's six seasons -- playing themselves, of course -- but perhaps our favorite was David Duchovny. Or rather, a love struck version of Duchovny who only had eyes for Sanders. He even did the Sharon Stone/Basic Instinct leg-cross at one point -- aimed right at Larry. Hey now!
The Daily Show |
That's what Jon Stewart and the gang at The Daily Show have been doing for years. This program delivers the news with a highly comical edge, often lampooning others in the media in the process. But it isn't all about the laughs. The series is highly educational and informative without being partisan. Stewart is both funny and intelligent enough to make a generation of disenfranchised viewers care about the evening news again.
I Love Lucy |
Curb Your Enthusiasm |
The use of other real life celebrities as themselves adds to the hysterical world David has created, without ever feeling too "inside." The comedic situations on Curb are brilliantly constructed, often building to an amazing, "Holy crap!" crescendo few series can mimic. Check out an episode like the legendary "The Doll" and learn why this show makes us feel pretty, pretty good.
Cheers |
As strong as the Diane era was, the show really hit its stride when Kirstie Alley's Rebecca Howe took over once Shelly Long left the series. Several of Cheers' best and funniest arcs – the Gary's Tavern rivalry and the introduction of Robin Colcord – occurred here, helping the series earn its much-deserved place in TV history.
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Friends |
Fat Monica. "How you doin'?" Chandler-speak. Smelly Cat. Ross and Rachel. It may have outlasted its welcome, but with a ton of memorable and truly hysterical episodes and bits, Friends just worked, and still works today. A modern classic? We'll allow it.
Fawlty Towers |
In only 12 fantastically great episodes, Cleese (who played misanthropic Bed & Breakfast owner Basil Fawlty) was able to elevate the genre while still using time-honored gags, slapstick and miscommunications that one would see on a series like Three's Company. Master of the dry insult and doomed to fail, Cleese's Fawlty influenced future TV characters from Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder to Ed O' Neill's Al Bundy.
All in the Family |
Archie and his wife, Edith, struck a chord with audiences who craved more realistic couples on TV. The show lasted over a decade in one form or another, and remains one of the greatest sitcoms to ever hit the air.
Saturday Night Live |
But for every dreaded "Charles Rocket"-era '80-'84 cast, there's a Will Ferrell, an Adam Sandler, a Mike Myers, a Chris Rock, a Phil Hartman and an Eddie Murphy to make up for it. And look, even from SNL's dead zone, performers like Robert Downey Jr. and Gilbert Gottfried were still able to move on and turn lemons into millionaire lemonade. So if there's really one thing we can honestly credit this series with, it's Lorne Michaels' eye for young, fresh comedic talent. I mean, the man's been able to capture "lightning in a bottle" more than a dozen times. On top of that, just when you might be ready to dismiss SNL, a new sketch or digital short will come along that is undeniably a new comedy classic.
Make sure you check out IGN's Top 25 SNL Sketches of All Time.
The Office (UK) |
Documenting the day-to-day workings of the Wernham Hogg Paper Company, the show revolves around David Brent, general manager of the Slough branch who is less a boss, "more a chilled out entertainer." Much of the comedy derives from Brent's social awkwardness and politically incorrect gags, but the show's real genius came from its depiction of the blossoming relationship between salesman Tim and receptionist Dawn, a storyline that added pathos and drama to the mix and helped turn The Office into a genuine classic.
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Monty Python's Flying Circus |
And we don't mean "brilliant" the way the Brits use it -- which is to say, for everything. These blokes were from Cambridge and Oxford and infused each and every one of their bits with an unsurpassed genius, whether it be the Pablo Picasso Cycling Tour, a football match featuring famous German and Greek philosophers or two men slapping each other in the face with fish. Yes, Cleese rode his "Ministry of Silly Walks" skit to stardom, but behind his oafish struts was a sketch that lampooned bureaucratic civil servants and government grants.
And much like a platinum-selling rock band, this crew bickered and argued with one another like the best of 'em causing rifts within the group. But for the sake of comedy and money, most differences were put aside long enough for the Pythons to make a few movies; one of which (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) became one of the most quotable movies of all time and another (Monty Python's Life of Brian) became one of the most controversial. But it was the show that started it all. And routines like the "Dead Parrot Sketch," "The Spanish Inquisition" and "Spam" will ensure that this series lives on for new generations.
South Park |
The four stars of South Park -- Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick -- are fourth graders who curse like drunken sailors and live in a town that seems to be a magnet for every sort of global and cosmic disaster imaginable. These four often serve as the voices of reason as the adults around them fall into chaos and despair, though the anti-Semitic, grotesquely obese, slyly manipulative Cartman is often guilty of instigating trouble on his own. Over the course of 15 seasons, the show has poked fun at just about every celebrity of note and many of the hot button issues of the day. The series has gained a supporting cast nearly as wide as that of The Simpsons, and just as memorable.
Thanks to the show's crude and simple animation style, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are often able to produce new installments in a matter of days, allowing them to spoof current events as they unfold. And while that sometimes means episodes aren't quite as funny six months down the road as they are when they debuted, it's always nice to see one show so consistently point out the absurdities of modern life.
Seinfeld |
The fictionalized Jerry Seinfeld and his friends were painted as neurotic, self-obsessed and, in the case of Cosmo Kramer, downright bizarre. But their misadventures never failed to entertain. Few other shows have become so pervasive in the public lexicon. A person need only say "yadda, yadda, yadda" for everyone around them to be in on the joke.
The Simpsons |
Why, you ask? Well, the second best comedy of all time is an impressive title, which has it beating out some of the best shows ever put on television. The Simpsons deserves its high ranking on our list, since it started as a sketch on The Tracy Ullman Show and went on to become a show with nearly 500 episodes under its belt. Humble beginnings aside, The Simpsons may be one of the largest brands in the world, and that reputation has been earned every step of the way. However, we're going with number two for the sheer fact that the show just hasn't been the same for well over a decade now, though it still has its moments. But those early years? So many amazingly funny episodes...
Whether you think that it's just as good as it always has been, or needs to gracefully bow out, The Simpsons cannot be denied its place in the historical context of the medium of television.
What Is Our Number One Pick?
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