20 Sitcoms That Defined Family Entertainment
With so many sitcoms in the history of television, only a few truly defined family entertainment.
- Cyra Sanchez
- 6 min read
Television would never be the same without our all-time classic sitcoms, the ones many families love to watch until today. You’re in luck if you’re curious about the best and most influential sitcoms ever. Find out the top 20 sitcoms that define family entertainment.
1. The Big Bang Theory
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One of the most iconic sitcoms ever is The Big Bang Theory. It highlights the quirkiness of some adult friendships and features the funny side of “nerdy” characters that are often misunderstood in real life.
2. The Office
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Working at an office is part of the average human experience… which is why The Office is an all-time classic sitcom that defines family entertainment. The show highlights the comedic side of the daily, mundane office life. With many hilarious and wholesome episodes, The Office is well-loved for everything it offers.
3. How I Met Your Mother
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This show begins with Ted Mosby, a man who fell in love after his best friend, Marshall, found the love of his life. Not wanting to be left behind, Ted decided to pursue love… and that’s how he met his children’s mother.
4. Modern Family
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The beauty of Modern Family is the different family dynamics it offers. Despite their differences, the three families share similarities and face various obstacles that bring humor to the show.
5. Friends
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Friends is a well-loved comedy series about a group of close friends. The sitcom features their lives, interactions with families and loved ones, and how they deal with life’s troubles. With a rollercoaster of events, Friends remains one of the all-time most memorable sitcoms that define family entertainment.
6. Family Guy
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Known for its crazy episodes, Family Guy is a cartoon sitcom that features a dysfunctional family in Rhode Island. With each episode being almost unpredictable, everyone is always entertained by the wild, sarcastic, and funny humor in Family Guy.
7. Scrubs
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A young doctor named J.D. (John Dorian) works hard to excel in medicine, finding a job in a fictitious hospital called Sacred Heart. To his surprise, his life in the hospital has become a rollercoaster of events as he deals with his weird co-workers, silly patients, and any random yet funny nonsense at Sacred Heart.
8. The Simpsons
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This cartoon sitcom is not only known around the world, but it’s also full of intriguing conspiracies. It’s said that some episodes of The Simpsons have predicted many future events, but whether those are absolute claims or not, they all add to the show’s popularity. Whichever it may be, the funny Simpsons family offers wild, adventurous, and humorous episodes.
9. Frasier
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Dr. Frasier Crane moves back to his hometown, living with his father once more as he works as a radio psychiatrist. This show is a spin-off of another classic sitcom, “Cheers.”
10. Malcolm in the Middle
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The show discusses Malcolm’s life with his eccentric, dysfunctional family. As he struggles with his daily family life, he also has to deal with other kids in the neighborhood and nosy neighbors.
11. The Larry Sanders Show
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A sitcom from 1992 that ran until 1998, its plot revolves around the fictional late-night talk show called The Larry Sanders Show.
12. Vice Principals
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Despite being short-lived, the Vice Principals featured two funny individuals competing to become the school’s ruler: the Principal. The two rivals call a truce when another contender comes along, forming a hilarious alliance that no one could’ve expected. After running for only two seasons, Vice Principals ends on a good note after keeping the story brief without dragging it on unnecessarily.
13. MAS*H
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Another all-time classic sitcom is MAS*H, which aired from 1972 until 1983. The show highlights the struggles the army had during the Korean War, particularly the medical staff. In times of tragedy, the main cast still found a way to turn laughter into medicine, delivering the perfect combo of drama and comedy.
14. I Love Lucy
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This show aired from 1951 until 1957, making it one of the earliest and most influential sitcoms ever. The story features Lucy, a housewife trying to become a star. During this period, gender politics was one of Lucy’s main obstacles, yet despite her hardships, the show was still full of ups and downs, bringing a delightful mix of comedy and a bit of drama.
15. BoJack Horseman
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Starting as another silly cartoon with a funny-looking anthropomorphic character, BoJack Horseman eventually covers a few deep topics related to life and the world. The show highlights the ironies of Hollywood acting and offers some emotional yet inspirational moments.
16. Extras
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A British sitcom that didn’t last long remains memorable today thanks to its funny, unique plot. As the title implies, Extras features a cast of characters who play as Extras, making their daily lives revolve mainly around their interesting side roles while highlighting the importance of background work in films. Famous stars would appear in cameos, playing as themselves to make themselves an “extra.”
17. The Inbetweeners
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Though it was short-lasting, The Inbetweeners is still an influential sitcom for many families who watched it. It highlights the struggles of being “in-between” a teenager and almost becoming an adult. This coming-of-age story is a nice blend of an awkwardly relatable yet funny.
18. Brooklyn 99
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This show stars a detective named Jake Peralta. It highlights the beautiful and hilarious events at the fictitious Brooklyn 99 precinct. Jake and his diverse co-workers are unpredictable, making their lives an entertaining mix of chaos and humor.
19. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
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This show features a group of 5 alcoholics, each one of them having a narcissistic personality. Their gang runs a failing dive bar in Philadelphia; thus, they often spend time together plotting their next moves or simply bickering.
20. The Jeffersons
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The Jeffersons feature a black couple, one of the early shows that made that representation, which made it one of the most well-loved sitcoms. As the show starts with the usual mundane and funny life activities, The Jefferson also doesn’t shy away from addressing racial issues; that’s something the viewers loved the sitcom for.