What is the best comedic TV show ever?

[Street Hunger]

What would you say is the best comedic TV show ever?

If you were only going to watch reruns of one TV comedy a few times a year like forever come out what TV show would it be?

And what's your runner-up show?

[SouBeachTalents]

I’d go with Seinfeld as my top choice

Runner up would be The Office

3rd would be It’s Always Sunny

The underrated comedic show though To Catch a Predator. Despite it’s dark subject matter, it’s a legitimately hilarious show.

[East River Livn']

Married with Children
Curb Your Enthusiasm(much funnier than Seinfeld IMO)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

I think I'd have to give Always Sunny the nod

[Nanners]

"Patriot" by far... no other show is even close

[ArbitraryWater]

To give a shotout to unmentioned ones:

Arrested Development
Eastbound & Down

I personally think King of Queens is right up there tbh.


HM Brooklyn 99

[East River Livn']

"Patriot" by far... no other show is even close

Does the show get a lot better later on? Based on the hype I tried watching the first few episodes and while pretty good, was nothing that I found addicting? I never got around to going back to watch more episodes.


To give a shotout to unmentioned ones:

Arrested Development
Eastbound & Down

I personally think King of Queens is right up there tbh.


HM Brooklyn 99

Hmm

I'm going to change one of my choices and replace Curb Your Enthusiasm with Eastbound & Down

[Nanners]

Does the show get a lot better later on? Based on the hype I tried watching the first few episodes and while pretty good, was nothing that I found addicting? I never got around to going back to watch more episodes.


This show doesnt really have a "later on". The 1st season is 10 episodes and the second season is 8 episodes, and thats all there is... there will never be a third season.

Anyway I am surprised that you found the first few episodes were good and then lost interest... Most people I know who have watched this show thought the first few episodes were mediocre but were 100% hooked by episode ~3ish

[BurningHammer]

Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gizHoSt7ldY

[Patrick Chewing]

Hard for me to find anything funnier than Seinfeld.

[East River Livn']

Hard for me to find anything funnier than Seinfeld.

Let me guess. Kramer is your favorite

[1987_Lakers]

It has to be Seinfeld or Curb. Chappelle Show right there as well.

[Patrick Chewing]

Let me guess. Kramer is your favorite

Nope. George was. His character was the funniest.

[ShawkFactory]

Always Sunny is the funniest ever IMO.

Arrested Development and Parks and Rec are other staples for me. Family guy as well.

[1987_Lakers]

Always Sunny is the funniest ever IMO.

Arrested Development and Parks and Rec are other staples for me. Family guy as well.

Always thought Family Guy was a tier below The Simpsons and South Park

[Patrick Chewing]

Have you guys seen Disenchantment on Netflix? What do you think? I think it's up there for a cartoon at least.

[Baller234]

Curb is nowhere near as good as Seinfeld, and I liked Curb.

Curb is entirely centered around Larry. The supporting cast isn't nearly as strong or consistent from top to bottom. Seinfeld by comparison has 4 hilarious leads not to mention a deep, legendary supporting cast.

[ShawkFactory]

Always thought Family Guy was a tier below The Simpsons and South Park

Simpsons is GOATed of course. Especially up until season 11 or so. But it doesn’t quite have the pure laugh out loud factor to me that family guy does.

I respect South Park but it’s a little too on the nose and pompous for my taste.

[1987_Lakers]

Curb is nowhere near as good as Seinfeld, and I liked Curb.

Curb is entirely centered around Larry. The supporting cast isn't nearly as strong or consistent from top to bottom. Seinfeld by comparison has 4 hilarious leads not to mention a deep, legendary supporting cast.

This is true, but the fact that Curb was on HBO led to more creative freedom and made for some hilarious moments, but it doesn't top Seinfeld in terms of popularity/legacy. Curb is basically an R rated version of Seinfeld.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

LD is the GOAT

Pretty sure I've watched every season of Curb since like 2006. As someone else said, its better than Seinfeld (especially the last few seasons of Seinfeld).

[1987_Lakers]

Simpsons is GOATed of course. Especially up until season 11 or so. But it doesn’t quite have the pure laugh out loud factor to me that family guy does.

I respect South Park but it’s a little too on the nose and pompous for my taste.

To each their own, although I found Family Guy funny at times, it just didn't have the clever/intelligent writing The Simpsons and South Park did, it really lacks the story telling/depth when you compare it to the other two. Family Guy also stole ALOT of shit from The Simpsons.

[Bimbo Coles]

Cheers. Not even close.

[RachlNicholsazz]

Cheers. Not even close.


Cheers is kind of boring from the episodes I've seen tbh. My dad loves it though. If you are going to go old school Archie Bunker/All in the Family is way better than Cheers. Probably the funniest old show I've seen unless someone can turn me on to something better. I've tried watching the Cosby Show and Fresh Prince of Bel Air, they aren't that great either but when I guess you only had a few channels to watch you took what you could get

[Bimbo Coles]

Cheers is kind of boring from the episodes I've seen tbh. My dad loves it though. If you are going to go old school Archie Bunker/All in the Family is way better than Cheers. Probably the funniest old show I've seen unless someone can turn me on to something better. I've tried watching the Cosby Show and Fresh Prince of Bel Air, they aren't that great either but when I guess you only had a few channels to watch you took what you could get Archie Bunker is the greatest television character, but All in the Family oscillates between great and so-so. The kids move out, and it's no longer as good. Even when they're only next door renting the ol' Jefferson house, the show suffers. Cheers has one of the worst episodes of any great show -- Malone v.Chambers -- but it's overall consistency is as good as any series. The show doesn't miss a beat with the Diane/Rebecca changeover, even though those Diane years are unbeatable. The only other sitcom that I could litigate as being on that level, and it is a sitcom, is Northern Exposure. I mean, Seinfeld should have been accused of plagiarism. That's how good this shit was.

[RachlNicholsazz]

Archie Bunker is the greatest television character, but All in the Family oscillates between great and so-so. The kids move out, and it's no longer as good. Even when they're only next door renting the ol' Jefferson house, the show suffers. Cheers has one of the worst episodes of any great show -- Malone v.Chambers -- but it's overall consistency is as good as any series. The show doesn't miss a beat with the Diane/Rebecca changeover, even though those Diane years are unbeatable. The only other sitcom that I could litigate as being on that level, and it is a sitcom, is Northern Exposure. I mean, Seinfeld should have been accused of plagiarism. That's how good this shit was.

You're seriously giving off some Patrick Bateman vibes but critiquing 70s and 80s sitcoms instead of 80s music.

[highwhey]

yall dissapoint me.

it's the office, not even close.


ok maybe parks n rec is a close 2nd.

seinfeld? :roll:

[Bimbo Coles]

You're seriously giving off some Patrick Bateman vibes but critiquing 70s and 80s sitcoms instead of 80s music. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. That's if you want a zanier comedy of that period.

[ArbitraryWater]

I think its Sunny

[Baller234]

This is true, but the fact that Curb was on HBO led to more creative freedom and made for some hilarious moments, but it doesn't top Seinfeld in terms of popularity/legacy. Curb is basically an R rated version of Seinfeld.

True, and it's best it's really good, but it's still not touching Seinfeld imo.

Sometimes the ad-libbing and lack of a script hurts it. Seinfeld's writing was so tight.

[Patrick Chewing]

yall dissapoint me.

it's the office, not even close.


ok maybe parks n rec is a close 2nd.

seinfeld? :roll:

You're too young to understand. Seinfeld is the GOAT. You probably haven't seen that many episodes to begin with.

[1987_Lakers]

There are some people out there who just don't like Seinfeld, don't get the humor of it. I had a friend who refused to give it a shot because he said George looked like a dork, once he gave it a chance he found it hilarious and George was by far his favorite character.

[Bimbo Coles]

There are some people out there who just don't like Seinfeld, don't get the humor of it. I had a friend who refused to give it a shot because he said George looked like a dork, once he gave it a chance he found it hilarious and George was by far his favorite character. Seinfeld is s1 and 2. I'll give you 3. End it before the season-long arc of 4. That would have been a Jewish, Manhattan-y masterpiece -- but there would be no syndication, ergo no big bucks. There's a lot of people that prefer the later seasons. They are wrong. That George arc of which you are so fond is basically Michael's arc in Newhart.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

There are some people out there who just don't like Seinfeld, don't get the humor of it. I had a friend who refused to give it a shot because he said George looked like a dork, once he gave it a chance he found it hilarious and George was by far his favorite character.

Even though it was Jerry's show, ironically enough, George was the fan favorite.

George's character was also loosely based on Larry David. Having watched both shows, the situations LD finds himself in are an exaggerated and 'deep' adaptation of what George went through. Highly neurotic, but entertaining all the same.

[highwhey]

There are some people out there who just don't like Seinfeld, don't get the humor of it. I had a friend who refused to give it a shot because he said George looked like a dork, once he gave it a chance he found it hilarious and George was by far his favorite character.

goerge is the best character, but outside of him, the show falls flat on its face. it's like we are being forced to pretend jerry is funny....cuz he's really not. he's semi funny, but not in the laugh your ass funny, more like a i'll hit up a local stand up show and laugh for a couple jokes funny.


we all know larry david carried that show with his writing...hell, ask 1000 seinfeld watcher what ttheir favorite episode is, and it's almost assuredly going to be george related.

curb>>>>>>seinfeld

FOH with that unfunny jew.

[highwhey]

You're too young to understand. Seinfeld is the GOAT. You probably haven't seen that many episodes to begin with.

i've watched every single episode. some even twice.

[highwhey]

Even though it was Jerry's show, ironically enough, George was the fan favorite.

George's character was also loosely based on Larry David. Having watched both shows, the situations LD finds himself in are an exaggerated and 'deep' adaptation of what George went through. Highly neurotic, but entertaining all the same.

that show would not have 1/4 of its popularity if it weren't for LD. curb is by far the better show.

[RachlNicholsazz]

There are some people out there who just don't like Seinfeld, don't get the humor of it.

Count me in as one of those that don't consider it a GOAT show. These people are so arrogant and no one puts them in check. It looked like they had their comeuppance with Soup Nazi but even he couldn't get a W against these fools. Jerry and Elaine I find especially smug. I find them more annoying than funny.

With Curb, LD is similarly arrogant and entitled but like a regular human he constantly gets put in his place by his wife, his house guests, his BF's wife all the time, hell even children :lol

[highwhey]

Count me in as one of those that don't consider it a GOAT show. These people are so arrogant and no one puts them in check. It looked like they had their comeuppance with Soup Nazi but even he couldn't get a W against these fools. Jerry and Elaine I find especially smug. I find them more annoying than funny.

With Curb, LD is similarly arrogant and entitled but like a regular human he constantly gets put in his place by his wife, his house guests, his BF's wife all the time, hell even children :lol

agreed rachlnicholsazz. LD is placed in check much more often and as a result, creates a realistic balance despite the stories being obviously exaggerated. it's almost like LD scoped Seinfeld and perfected it's fatal flaw...and he came up with his ex-wife and Ted that are constantly stepping on his shoes to curb his ego. Seinfeld himself had that sort of self-discovery in its last episode by sending the lot of them to prison...they realized it would not only be of big comedic value, but also of realistic justification to 'check' them.

[Baller234]

Count me in as one of those that don't consider it a GOAT show. These people are so arrogant and no one puts them in check. It looked like they had their comeuppance with Soup Nazi but even he couldn't get a W against these fools. Jerry and Elaine I find especially smug. I find them more annoying than funny.

With Curb, LD is similarly arrogant and entitled but like a regular human he constantly gets put in his place by his wife, his house guests, his BF's wife all the time, hell even children :lol

The characters are supposed to be smug. That's the point, and it often comes back to bite them in the ass.

Seinfeld is just as much tragedy as it is comedy. The 4 main characters are all losers. Sure sometimes they score the occasional W but more often than not they find themselves on the wrong side of karma.

[RachlNicholsazz]

The characters are supposed to be smug. That's the point, and it often comes back to bite them in the ass.

Seinfeld is just as much tragedy as it is comedy. The 4 main characters are all losers. Sure sometimes they score the occasional W but more often than not they find themselves on the wrong side of karma.

I don't know. I just don't like them. Even flawed protagonists are supposed to have some redeeming qualities, I don't find any with these people.

[Baller234]

I don't know. I just don't like them. Even flawed protagonists are supposed to have some redeeming qualities, I don't find any with these people.

The redeeming quality is that they're funny.

What are Larry David's redeeming qualities on Curb? He is basically George Costanza to a tee.

[RachlNicholsazz]

The redeeming quality is that they're funny.

What are Larry David's redeeming qualities on Curb? He is basically George Costanza to a tee.

To me they aren't that funny. They don't possess some of the intelligent, dry wit humor or slapstick comedy(outside of Kramer)of many modern sitcoms. I don't think Seinfeld would be anywhere near as successful today as it was back then. They just seemed like a bunch of asshats. LD is much more endearing. Like I've said he constantly is knocked down a peg or two by others in the show because no one is on his side while it seems the Seinfeld group are mostly together in bitching and moaning about others. Plus do you really think George Costanza would let anyone down on their luck move in with him, let alone a black man? :oldlol: Smug, arrogant people who are mildly funny but not enough so that they endear themselves to me. Just my opinion. It's the most successful sitcom ever so I guess I'm in the minority. But I simply don't find them super funny or likeable at all.

[Baller234]

To me they aren't that funny. They don't possess some of the intelligent, dry wit humor or slapstick comedy(outside of Kramer)of many modern sitcoms. I don't think Seinfeld would be anywhere near as successful today as it was back then. They just seemed like a bunch of asshats. LD is much more endearing. Like I've said he constantly is knocked down a peg or two by others in the show because no one is on his side while it seems the Seinfeld group are mostly together in bitching and moaning about others. Plus do you really think George Costanza would let anyone down on their luck move in with him, let alone a black man? :oldlol: Smug, arrogant people who are mildly funny but not enough so that they endear themselves to me. Just my opinion. It's the most successful sitcom ever so I guess I'm in the minority. But I simply don't find them super funny or likeable at all.

George doesn't have a multi million dollar mansion with 8 bedrooms and a guest house.

[tpols]

Malcolm in the middle
Southpark
Simpsons
Trailer park Boys
Married with children (AL bundy is the GOAT)

[ArbitraryWater]

Malcolm in the middle
Southpark
Simpsons
Trailer park Boys
Married with children (AL bundy is the GOAT)


for comfort or do you genuinely find it funny?

[highwhey]

for comfort or do you genuinely find it funny?

soome of us grew up watching it, so it's a bit of both tbh. before he was walter white, he was Hal. actually a really clutch mention, the show is awesome.

[FultzNationRISE]

Lebron James presents The Barbershop™ is the GOAT by far.

[TheMan]

My faves, Seinfeld, Simpsons, Curb, Married With Children and one that IMO is underrated, Get A Life

[Jasper]

You're too young to understand. Seinfeld is the GOAT. You probably haven't seen that many episodes to begin with.

I agree..

still running on UW.. and I watch 1-2 shows a week.

[baudkarma]

I'd probably take Simpsons if I was desert-islanding, just because the shows are funny and there are a bunch of them.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned M*A*S*H. It had good acting, some extremely funny episodes, but also plenty of thought-provoking, even heartbreaking scenes. There's a delicate balance there that makes the funny moments especially poignant.

[Bimbo Coles]

Get a Life mention is interesting. There's an odd dynamic between he and his mate's wife; something we hadn't seen in any other show. She beats the shit out of him (there's an entire episode dedicated to it). Brian-Doyle Murray replacing the parents was one of the better decisions by a show. He's darker and droller than his brother. Should have been as big as Bill. And Spewy and Me remains one of television's greatest episodes.

[John8204]

Like all things in life you have to look at generations, you would have to go top ten...

All in the Family
Cheers
The Office
Married with Children
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Saturday Night Live
Seinfeld
The Simpsons
South Park
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson

[Im Still Ballin]

- Seinfeld
- Eastbound and Down
- Flight of the Conchords

[ILLsmak]

mst 3k if I had to watch it forever, or in a forever where repeating didn't bother me.

-Smak

[Long Duck Dong]

Like all things in life you have to look at generations, you would have to go top ten...

All in the Family
Cheers
The Office
Married with Children
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Saturday Night Live
Seinfeld
The Simpsons
South Park
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson

SNL has a few iconic moments but if any of these other shows on the list had to go through the sporadic periods of funniness like SNL does, they would have been cancelled in the first season. SNL can sometimes go weeks without a skit that will make you laugh.

[John8204]

SNL has a few iconic moments but if any of these other shows on the list had to go through the sporadic periods of funniness like SNL does, they would have been cancelled in the first season. SNL can sometimes go weeks without a skit that will make you laugh.

Cool...name those weeks/that run where that happened. The show's had bad episodes and a bad season here or there over almost fifty years but the SNL not being funny is just cliche'd at this point.

[TheMan]

Late 80s to mid 90s SNL was GOAT. When Will Ferrell left, the show stopped being funny and hasn't been funny since.

[BurningHammer]

Late 80s to mid 90s SNL was GOAT. When Will Ferrell left, the show stopped being funny and hasn't been funny since.
Kristen Wiig Era was great though. Bill Hader, Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island pals, Fred Armisen, Amy Poehler, Jason Suideikis, Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, etc. Those years where Wiig was around were amazing.

[Baller234]

SNL is awful but to be fair this was one of the most hilarious segments in the history of television.

Unintentionally hilarious, but hilarious nonetheless.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-_ZDrypec&ab_channel=SaturdayNightLive

[FKAri]

Seinfeld is s1 and 2. I'll give you 3. End it before the season-long arc of 4. That would have been a Jewish, Manhattan-y masterpiece -- but there would be no syndication, ergo no big bucks. There's a lot of people that prefer the later seasons. They are wrong. That George arc of which you are so fond is basically Michael's arc in Newhart.

The Newhart thing is a stretch and I don't see how it's a knock. People have been putting a twist on Abbot and Costello routines for decades and produced great comedy.

It's been a while since I did a season by season rewatch but this is what I remember: Seasons 2-5 are around a similar level and all great. Season 1 was good but the actors were still learning the characters and the show was entirely about George and Jerry's interactions which throughout the show's run was its core and best part. Elaine came in season 2 and her character didn't start great but once the big 4 were fleshed out, it allowed for the interweaving of plot lines which often bolstered or provided juxtaposition to the underlying theme of an episode. More intricate plots allowed the comedy to be less on the nose. This is when Seinfeld was at its best.

The show started grounded and became increasingly cartoonish as it went on. Which isn't a bad thing so much as a stylistic change. You can be cartoonish and still funny but since Seinfeld is so much about the absurdities of urban social mundane realities that it's hard to achieve. The latter 2 seasons lacked consistency but there were still great tidbits here and there. They ended at a great time. It's always been bizarre to me how such a quirky show became the biggest thing on TV. I suspect the commercial compromises in the latter seasons might have been a part of it. The core comedy(Jerry and George's interactions) isn't for everyone but in the late 90s it was cool to like Seinfeld and most of them probably followed along and enjoyed it on a surface level for Elaine's funny dance or Kramer's physical comedy.

[Hey Yo]

Threes Company


Jack and Larry pulled all the bitches

[Thorpesaurous]

I was a huge Simpson syndication guy in college.

Seinfeld too. I almost consider Seinfeld and Curb to be a single entity.

The Office and South Park are the other two that immediately come to mind.

Those syndication days are just something that isn't coming back.

[Bimbo Coles]

The Newhart thing is a stretch and I don't see how it's a knock. People have been putting a twist on Abbot and Costello routines for decades and produced great comedy.

It's been a while since I did a season by season rewatch but this is what I remember: Seasons 2-5 are around a similar level and all great. Season 1 was good but the actors were still learning the characters and the show was entirely about George and Jerry's interactions which throughout the show's run was its core and best part. Elaine came in season 2 and her character didn't start great but once the big 4 were fleshed out, it allowed for the interweaving of plot lines which often bolstered or provided juxtaposition to the underlying theme of an episode. More intricate plots allowed the comedy to be less on the nose. This is when Seinfeld was at its best.

The show started grounded and became increasingly cartoonish as it went on. Which isn't a bad thing so much as a stylistic change. You can be cartoonish and still funny but since Seinfeld is so much about the absurdities of urban social mundane realities that it's hard to achieve. The latter 2 seasons lacked consistency but there were still great tidbits here and there. They ended at a great time. It's always been bizarre to me how such a quirky show became the biggest thing on TV. I suspect the commercial compromises in the latter seasons might have been a part of it. The core comedy(Jerry and George's interactions) isn't for everyone but in the late 90s it was cool to like Seinfeld and most of them probably followed along and enjoyed it on a surface level for Elaine's funny dance or Kramer's physical comedy. I don't take your meaning. Michael's arc has nothing to do with Abbott and Costello. It's essentially "bottoming out" a character. I can't think of any instance that precedes it in a sitcom in quiet the same way. It's cruel, pathetic and humorous. If it weren't for Larry's nature of lifting everything, I'd think nothing of it. But there it is -- George's arc. "I don't want to be Cheers' little brother"? Well, it would help if you stopped ripping them off.

[Nanners]

all things considered I would say that the best comedic show ever is probably always sunny, or maybe Patriot

runner up shows include south park, trailer park boys, and psych (and probably several more im forgetting)