Well, according to this site:

http://www.thegrio.com/entertainment/slideshow-the-best-black-sitcoms-of-all-time.php

It's nearly accurate, but I think "Hangin' W/ Mr. Cooper" and "Family Matters" is ranked a little low. Meanwhile, "Girlfriends" "Living Single" and "Martin" are ranked a little high, in my opinion.

That list isn't complete without Amos 'N' Andy but the one's that compiled it have probably never seen the show.

That list isn't complete without Amos 'N' Andy but the one's that compiled it have probably never seen the show.



You're right


That list was sh*t anyways.

Sanford and Son should have been number one and Julia should have been number two.

Cosby is one of the worst TV shows ever puke:

You're right


That list was sh*t anyways.

Sanford and Son should have been number one and Julia should have been number two.

Cosby is one of the worst TV shows ever puke:

I am not a Cosby Show fan, but I think it deserves to be number 1, because of the ratings it genrerated. Sanford and Son is my all time favorite, and it should be number 2, because it was the first black-orientated sitcom and huge ratings, plus an excellent show. Julia, I don't know. It was short-lived, and wasn't big in syndication, and many people aren't familiar with the show.

Mickey, you need to be a realist instead of going with your personal feelings and likes.

Putting "Martin"" in the Top 10 gives this list all the legitimacy it needs. BRAVO!

Putting "Martin"" in the Top 10 gives this list all the legitimacy it needs. BRAVO!

I know. I would have put "227" "Amen" "Family Matters" or "Hangin w/ Mr. Cooper before "Martin" "Martin is a top 15 black sitcom at best.

Good Times (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=68) (8) is my fav, while The Cosby Show (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=55) (1) is arguably the most overrated US sitcom.

That list isn't complete without Amos 'N' Andy but the one's that compiled it have probably never seen the show.
How many of the younger generation have seen Amos & Andy? I haven't. I don't think it's on DVD/video but I could be wrong. Feel free to enlighten me.

How many of the younger generation have seen Amos & Andy? I haven't. I don't think it's on DVD/video but I could be wrong. Feel free to enlighten me.
I bought a used VHS copy of it down town for 50 cents a couple months ago. :lol:

How many of the younger generation have seen Amos & Andy? I haven't. I don't think it's on DVD/video but I could be wrong. Feel free to enlighten me.

Bootlegs are available on dvd and often found on eBay, Ioffer, etc.. but there has never an official dvd release.

Bootlegs are available on dvd and often found on eBay, Ioffer, etc.. but there has never an official dvd release.
I don't know if they're still over there but there were clips over on youtube as well.

Cool - thanks, guys. I'm guessing the reason it never got an official release is the same reason why Disney still hasn't released Song of the South. Am I right?

^You hit the nail on the head. This also goes for the 50s sitcom "Beulah".

^You hit the nail on the head. This also goes for the 50s sitcom "Beulah".
Thanks! Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen (Gone with the Wind) were both in that show, right? I remember reading a quote from Hattie McDaniel, in answering to critics about taking roles as maids, she retorted, "I'd rather play a maid than BE a maid."

20- hangin' with mr cooper > one of my favourites growing up as a teen in the 90s

19- diff'rent strokes> love this show

18- amen> never seen it yet

17- the steve harvey show > is ok, but not one of my all-time favourites

16 - moesha > couldn't get into it, i preferred the spin-off the parkers

15 - family matters > couldn't get into it

14 - girlfriends > haven't seen much of this. i need to watch a few more eps

13- bernie mac show > not a fan

12 - what's happening > in my favourite 4 black sitcoms of all-time, i loved this show!

11 - 227 > never seen it

10 - everybody hates chris > enjoyed the earlier seasons but as it went on i lost interest

9 - living single > the precursor to friends, i thought this was the better show in contrast and i preferred these sets of characters

8 - good times > my 2nd favourite black sitcom. fab characters, storylines and episodes and it helped launch the careers of debbie allen and janet jackson after their guest roles on the show

7 - julia > never seen it

6 - the jeffersons > my all-time favourite black sitcom by far! :) george and weezy are terrific, humour is great and the show is so well-written. a norman lear classic

5 - martin > humour was too over the top for my taste. it was a sitcom but it had elements of in living color in it. i don't hate it, it just wasn't my type.

4 - sanford and son > watched a few eps and couldn't get into it

3 - a different world > wasn't a huge fan of this one. another show i tried to enjoy but it wasn't funny enough

2 - fresh prince of bel air > i enjoyed the first 4 seasons but seasons 5 and 6 was when the show became watered down and lost its magic from earlier on.

1- the cosby show > i too thought this was overrated. i rarely laughed when i watched this, on occasions i thought to myself 'is this funny or not?'.


in all, my 7 favourite black sitcoms are in order of preference:

1. the jeffersons
2. good times
3. diff'rent strokes
4. what's happening ?
5. hangin' with mr cooper
6. living single
7. the parkers

^You hit the nail on the head. This also goes for the 50s sitcom "Beulah".
I wish episodes of this series could be found in the vaults and given a proper dvd release, aside from the public domain dvd that exists.

Thanks! Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen (Gone with the Wind) were both in that show, right? I remember reading a quote from Hattie McDaniel, in answering to critics about taking roles as maids, she retorted, "I'd rather play a maid than BE a maid."

George Kirby hosted a documentary on A&A called The Anatomy of a Controversy and quoted Hattie McDaniel as saying: In Hollywood I've got two choices, I can play a maid in the movies for seven-hundred dollars a week or I can be a maid for seven dollars a week.

George Kirby hosted a documentary on A&A called The Anatomy of a Controversy and quoted Hattie McDaniel as saying: In Hollywood I've got two choices, I can play a maid in the movies for seven-hundred dollars a week or I can be a maid for seven dollars a week.
She was a pioneer as well as all the actors who were on the Tv version of Amos 'n' Andy. I could see where the radio version might be considered racist but the tv version wasn't. They were no worse than any of the white shows like Bilko at that time. And Amos 'n' Andy is 1000 times better than most of those sitcoms that aired on UPN. Homeboys in Outer Space anyone. :rolleyes:

Different Strokes is way too low, it should be in the top 10 at least.

Different Strokes is way too low, it should be in the top 10 at least.

I totally agree. I also think A Different World is way too high. That show is overrated and wouldn't be successful if it weren't for Cosby. I like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but I think that is too high. It should be at least in the top 10, not top 5.

I totally agree. I also think A Different World is way too high. That show is overrated and wouldn't be successful if it weren't for Cosby. I like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but I think that is too high. It should be at least in the top 10, not top 5.
I hated A Different World when it first came on but beginning in year 2, I think it was better than Cosby. It was pretty good all the way through after that.