Funniest Sitcoms In TV History

Life is hard, and the daily grind can sometimes feel daunting. That's not to say that life isn't also rewarding, but we humans have always sought ways to cope with the day-to-day churn of family, work, and supporting our general livelihoods by whatever means necessary. Comedy equips us with the ability tackle our problems through laughter. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from trivializing daily adversities — laughter makes them less intimidating. Moreover, comedy fosters connection. When we can laugh at what binds us together, we're not focused on the things that drive us apart.

The sitcom, which is short for situational comedy, is one of the most popular forms of modern entertainment. Ordinary working people and families are at the center of these shows, clumsily stumbling from week to week as they learn life lessons. Sitcoms help us escape by embracing the mundane: In watching someone else's life, we take a break from our own and learn to appreciate what we have anew. Plus, with most sitcom episodes clocking in under 30 minutes, decompressing with a favorite show is easy. 

With such a wealth of sitcoms available, how's a viewer meant to figure out what to watch? By reading this list, of course! These are the funniest sitcoms in TV history, presented in no particular order.

"Seinfeld" elevates the sitcom by bucking clichés. By putting their histories and experiences to paper, Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld created a snappy show rife with well-timed comedic punches. "Seinfeld" follows the everyday lives of the titular character, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, his former girlfriend Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), his impulsive neighbor Kramer (Michael Richards), and his timid best friend George Costanza (Jason Alexander). While Jerry is central to the cast, his relationships with the other characters are what drives the show. In contrast to typical sitcoms of its era, these characters aren't a family or colleagues — they're just friends. The show draws humor from its depiction of the mundane and the social faux-pas enacted by its awkward characters.

"Seinfeld" became one of the few shows to achieve the same feat as "I Love Lucy": It nailed a number-one spot in the Nielsen ratings upon conclusion. Today, the show is considered a modern classic. The show's intense nature has even seen it become a topic of analysis in college courses (via BBC). The impact of "Seinfeld" on global pop culture can't be understated. Quite a feat for "a show about nothing."

"Cheers" has a simple premise: Capturing the life and atmosphere among friends in a bar. Ted Danson's Sam Malone, who initially owns and manages the bar, leads the ensemble cast of characters, which includes other bartenders, waitresses, and patrons. Shelley Long portrays Malone's initial love interest, Diane Chambers. At one point, she dates another notable character, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), who went on to earn his own spin-off series, "Frasier." Notably, Woody Harrelson's career began with his role as Woody Boyd, who adds to the show's fun atmosphere with his less-than-intelligent remarks.

Most of the show's laughs derive from its subtle commentary on social status. The characters' identities are wrapped up in their respective backgrounds: John Ratzenberger's Cliff Clavin, a working class mailman, and Frasier Crane, a denizen of the upper class, are both explored, along with everyone in between. The bar is the place all these characters come together, regardless of wealth. With 11 seasons to its name, "Cheers" finds no end of laughs in the varied lives of its cast.

Not your typical sitcom, "M*A*S*H" takes its inspiration from the experience of military medical staff during the Korean War. While that sounds like a rather grim setting, "M*A*S*H" is, in fact, a sitcom, and thus largely comedic. While it's hard to entirely escape politics in a show about war, the series puts most of its focus on the characters, and keeps the laughs coming throughout its lengthy run. 

Most episodes of "M*A*S*H" present a self-contained plot, often narrated by particular characters. The bulk of the series' comedy comes from the sheer, simple chemistry of its characters interacting with one another. Sarcastic reactions, banter between buddies, and accidental mishaps all elicit laughter from a generation-spanning audience. While drama does occur, the show never feels especially heavy. This proved to be a winning formula: "M*A*S*H" encompasses 11 seasons, and is still considered a classic sitcom to this day.

Sitcoms of the '90s mostly feature families consisting of a heterosexual married couple and three or four kids. In contrast, "Modern Family," which debuted in 2009, highlights the fact that families don't always conform to this cookie-cutter ideal. "Modern Family" stars Jay Pritchett (Ed O'Neill), a middle-aged man married to his second wife, Gloria Pritchett (Sofia Vergara), a much younger Colombian-American woman. Together, they have two young sons. Jay's grown children, Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell Pritchett (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), have families of their own. Claire comes closest to having the typical sitcom family with goofy husband Phil (Ty Burrell), but Mitchell and his husband Cameron Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) are a gay couple with two adopted children. Plenty of fun and laughter ensues as this three-part clan navigates new stages in their lives.

"Modern Family" won numerous awards and quickly became one of ABC's most highly-rated shows. Notably, it also continued a trend made popular by "The Office" by showcasing the day-to-day lives of the Dunphy and Pritchett families through a faux-documentary lens. The show's confessional moments are full of snark and witty commentary, resulting in some truly unforgettable moments. "Modern Family" is a modern classic.

Every parent has reached the boiling point at least once in their lives. Kids will drive us nuts — it's a given. But Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) and his brothers have likely shortened their already-tightly-wound mother's life by a decade or two. Life as a kid in the early 2000s is what's on display in "Malcolm in the Middle." The irony and humor peppered throughout the havoc these boys wreak on their parents' temperaments (and the neighborhood) is uniquely hilarious to adults and children. Malcolm might be a genius, but that never stops him from being a kid: Fighting with his brothers and navigating life at school as a "gifted" student is all part of his daily routine. Even when Malcolm realizes that his not-so-bright older brother Reese has hatched a bad idea for a prank, he participates anyway, regardless of the consequences.

"Malcolm in the Middle" proved to be as influential as it is hilarious. Notably, the show only uses a single camera, (via The New York Times) and doesn't employ certain sitcom staples such as the laugh track. Succeeding sitcoms like "The Office" and "Modern Family" followed suit. Throughout its seven season run, "Malcolm in the Middle" offers enough pandemonium to make everyone in your house laugh, and make a mark on the culture.

One of the most popular sitcoms of the '90s, "Friends" is about just that: A bunch of friends living in New York City who interact with each other on a daily basis. Characters become wrapped up in their own romantic exploits, chase their professional dreams, and get in a whole lot of trouble over the course of the show. Jennifer Aniston's Rachel Green and David Schwimmer's Ross Geller have an iconic on-again, off-again relationship throughout the series. Ross' younger sister Monica (Courteney Cox) begins a romance with Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) that eventually blooms into full-fledged marriage. Blockheaded Joey Tribbiani's (Matt LeBlanc) womanizing and Phoebe Buffay's (Lisa Kudrow) outrageous songs, including "You Suck" and "Ballad of the Circumcised Man," keep viewers cracking up amidst all their drama.

While "Friends" earned 10 sterling seasons, it wasn't rated all that highly by critics early on in its run. But as the years went on, it became more and more beloved. Today, it's regarded as one of the best sitcoms of all time. The show's enduring legacy is so profound that a reunion special, "Friends: The Reunion," was released on HBO Max in 2021, 17 years after the series concluded in 2004.

Anyone who's seen "Happy Days" likely has the opening theme song stuck in their noggin at this very moment. That catchy tune sets the stage for one of the biggest sitcoms of the '70s and '80s. "Happy Days" focuses on Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard), an average American teenager living in the 1950s. Eventually, he befriends the ever-popular greaser Fonzie (Henry Winkler). Fonzie quickly became a fan-favorite with his witty humor and slick demeanor. "Happy Days" eventually shifts its focus by making Fonzie a lead character alongside Richie. The show proceeds to take a turn for the bizarre: Plots involving things like the alien Mork (Robin Williams), who wants to take Richie back to his home planet, pop up with increasing frequency.

"Happy Days" earned a healthy 11-season run and gave rise to multiple successful spin-offs, including "Mork & Mindy" and "Laverne & Shirley." Despite the many changes made to the series in the pursuit of continued relevance, "Happy Days" never loses its soul — and never fails to make viewers laugh.

"Parks and Recreation" uses the mockumentary format to portray the lives of the good folks working in Pawnee, Indiana's Parks and Rec department. The show starts out simply: Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope, the department's deputy director, wants to replace a large pit left by a failed condo development with a park. Red tape, town meetings, and a whole lot of hilarity follows. The show finds its humor in the minutiae of local government, as the cast attempts to get something — anything — accomplished for their community. With characters as memorable and colorful as "Parks and Recreation" has, this results in seven seasons' worth of laughter.

"Parks and Recreation" initially earned bad buzz (via L.A. Times). Many felt it was an attempt to cash in on the success of "The Office," with the character of Leslie being compared to Michael Scott. Seasons 2 and 3 saw a rise in critical approval, however, and soon enough, "Parks and Recreation" found its own footing. Today, the series is the subject of warm feelings all over the world.

What happens when you put a gang of seasoned ladies under one roof? You get "The Golden Girls." This classic sitcom follows the lives of four older women who share a home in Miami: Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), who owns the home, Rose Nylund (Betty White), Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty). While older audiences undoubtedly relate to the four leading ladies' position in life, younger fans have no trouble finding humor in the titular girls' exploits as well. With actors this talented, banter about the twilight years becomes cross-generationally hilarious.

Like many other popular sitcoms of the past and present, "The Golden Girls" tackles controversial topics including discrimination, LGBTQ rights, war, and death. Because the characters have lived full lives, they have plenty of experience to draw from and offer insightful perspectives. "The Golden Girls" earned plenty of awards and has garnered a lasting legacy that will doubtlessly continue to endure for years to come.

The award for the longest-running sitcom in American history goes to "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." The record-breaking series, which began in 2005, follows an unruly crew of individuals who run Paddy's Pub, a bar in South Philly. Like other successful sitcoms of its era, "Always Sunny" focuses on its wild characters, who constantly prank, undermine, and manipulate each other. While these dysfunctional folks are certainly funny, they're also absolutely ruthless. In fact, they harbor very few redeeming qualities at all. Most of them are dishonest and selfish, and take active pleasure in one-upping each other. This creates an environment ripe with black humor which has often been described as being like "'Seinfeld' on crack."

Critics and audiences agree: That sentiment is accurate, and also hilarious. "Always Sunny" has received plenty of critical acclaim during its time on television, and is poised to receive even more as it continues into the future.