Presenting the 100 best sitcoms of all time according to Rolling Stone - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 05-04-2021, 10:49 PM

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-l...tcoms-1162237/

Rolling Stone's list includes No. 100 Schitt's Creek, No. 47 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, No. 9 Parks and Recreation and No. 4 I Love Lucy.

Zoneboy · 05-05-2021, 02:01 AM

Rolling Stone has about as much business naming the top 100 sitcoms of all time as they do the top 100 rock acts of all time.

merlinjones · 05-05-2021, 05:35 AM

i've never heard of nearly half of these. And where are the classics? Any list of 100 that doesn't include Bewitched or Green Acres is easily dismissed.

1960'sTVfan · 05-05-2021, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Rolling Stone has about as much business naming the top 100 sitcoms of all time as they do the top 100 rock acts of all time.

Agreed. Rolling Stone is the absolute worst with regards to putting ratings/rankings on things. I pay no attention to them whatsoever.

LUNCH · 05-05-2021, 12:50 PM

A real and accurate list would have the majority of shows they listed be shows that started during the 1950s, 60s and 70s as being the best. Their list means nothing.

LUNCH · 05-05-2021, 01:07 PM

I think the last time I even looked at an issue of Rolling Stone magazine was around 1998.

SledgeBarone · 05-05-2021, 03:03 PM

Everybody's allowed to have an opinion, but I wouldn't consider Rolling Stone an authoritative source either.

24. Community (NBC, 2009-2014; Yahoo! Screen, 2015)
23. The Office (U.S.) (NBC, 2005-2013)
18. 30 Rock (NBC, 2006-2013)
9. Parks and Recreation (NBC, 2009-2015)

They really loved NBC's single-camera comedies in the early 2010s. Unfortunately for NBC, the general public didn't agree.

51. Police Squad! (ABC, 1982)

I loved Police Squad!, but how does a show that only lasted 6 episodes on American TV before cancellation nearly sniff the top 50 comedies of all time?!

Dude111 · 05-05-2021, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Rolling Stone has about as much business naming the top 100 sitcoms of all time as they do the top 100 rock acts of all time.

Well its just THIER OPINION (Whcih means squat) I liked them the best in the 60s!! (I have several records in MONO from them)

GentlemanJim · 05-05-2021, 03:44 PM

There is much in that list that I disagree with, but I am absolutely astounded that Bob's Burgers placed that much higher than Futurama.

And, while Seinfeld had some brilliant moments, It surprises me that it continues to place so highly in so many polls such as this. To me about 80-90% of the episodes come across as 'filler'.

Taxi and Night Court both seem under rated in that list, and I'd definitely place Barney Miller above Bob Newhart.

Duster76 · 05-05-2021, 11:09 PM

Instead of having the integrity to just admit the list was developed for the average Rolling Stone reader (which is someone between the ages of 18-34), the editors misrepresent the project as a list that includes the entire history of sitcoms. We can all mention glaring errors (how in the world do you leave off Leave It To Beaver and list at number 99 Frank's Place!). The shows of the 50's and 60's were producing over 30 episodes a year (Beaver produced 39 episodes a year for 6 seasons), how can you compare that with a show like Curb Your Enthusiasm which has produced 100 episodes in 20 years. The audience levels for many of the newer series listed wouldn't sustain a show of the 50's or 60's for even a month.

stevea · 05-05-2021, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SledgeBarone

Everybody's allowed to have an opinion, but I wouldn't consider Rolling Stone an authoritative source either.

24. Community (NBC, 2009-2014; Yahoo! Screen, 2015)
23. The Office (U.S.) (NBC, 2005-2013)
18. 30 Rock (NBC, 2006-2013)
9. Parks and Recreation (NBC, 2009-2015)

They really loved NBC's single-camera comedies in the early 2010s. Unfortunately for NBC, the general public didn't agree.

51. Police Squad! (ABC, 1982)

I loved Police Squad!, but how does a show that only lasted 6 episodes on American TV before cancellation nearly sniff the top 50 comedies of all time?!

Yeah back in those times NBC had those Sitcoms that had (for the most part) bad ratings. They kept them on for the elites on the east and west coast, because they could. But nobody else cared or watched.

Police Squad was hilarious! Even the closing credits (the "Epilogue", which poked fun at all those Quinn-Martin shows with the acts and epilogue) were funny.

stevea · 05-05-2021, 11:41 PM

The Simpsons number 1? It's another show with lousy ratings; Fox probably keeps it going because it's cheap to produce, with its lousy animation.

And what's all this Channel 4 and BBC 3 stuff? I never heard of those shows. I guess some of their readers are in the UK?

Also in the 1950s Father Knows Best had 20 Emmy nominations and 6 wins in varying categories. Means nothing.

benjamoon · 05-06-2021, 12:16 AM

Obviously I don't agree with everything on the list, that's the whole point of lists like this. No one on this forum or anywhere would have the exact same list.

But to say they have no authority is not really accurate. Their lead TV critic is Alan Sepinwall who is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable in the industry with more of a nod to TV history than a lot of current critics. He's also been doing it for decades (not always at Rolling Stone). So it's cool to disagree, that's the point, but they do have a reputable voice on their staff.

Old School · 05-06-2021, 12:04 PM

Is hot garbage....

stevea · 05-06-2021, 01:45 PM

Still they ignored (for example) Leave it to Beaver, which despite being 50s/60s has never gone out of circulation. It's pretty well an iconic, the first of its kind sitcom, which has as its rule that the scripts involve the lives of the kids and their friends, while the normal sitcom stars the adults, and the kids are secondary.

And speaking of kids being secondary, I didn't see Everybody Loves Raymond on there, either. But I saw a whole bunch of sitcoms that probably 90+ percent of people have never heard of. That kind of thing is typical of critics.

05-04-2021, 10:49 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,403	Presenting the 100 best sitcoms of all time according to Rolling Stone https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-l...tcoms-1162237/ Rolling Stone's list includes No. 100 Schitt's Creek, No. 47 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, No. 9 Parks and Recreation and No. 4 I Love Lucy.

05-05-2021, 03:03 PM	#7
SledgeBarone Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2020 Posts: 1,930	Everybody's allowed to have an opinion, but I wouldn't consider Rolling Stone an authoritative source either. 24. Community (NBC, 2009-2014; Yahoo! Screen, 2015) 23. The Office (U.S.) (NBC, 2005-2013) 18. 30 Rock (NBC, 2006-2013) 9. Parks and Recreation (NBC, 2009-2015) They really loved NBC's single-camera comedies in the early 2010s. Unfortunately for NBC, the general public didn't agree. 51. Police Squad! (ABC, 1982) I loved Police Squad!, but how does a show that only lasted 6 episodes on American TV before cancellation nearly sniff the top 50 comedies of all time?!

05-05-2021, 03:44 PM	#9
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	There is much in that list that I disagree with, but I am absolutely astounded that Bob's Burgers placed that much higher than Futurama. And, while Seinfeld had some brilliant moments, It surprises me that it continues to place so highly in so many polls such as this. To me about 80-90% of the episodes come across as 'filler'. Taxi and Night Court both seem under rated in that list, and I'd definitely place Barney Miller above Bob Newhart.
	__________________ On my word as a gentleman!

05-06-2021, 12:16 AM	#13
benjamoon Bewitched Senior Member Join Date: Jun 15, 2000 Location: New York Posts: 1,450	Obviously I don't agree with everything on the list, that's the whole point of lists like this. No one on this forum or anywhere would have the exact same list. But to say they have no authority is not really accurate. Their lead TV critic is Alan Sepinwall who is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable in the industry with more of a nod to TV history than a lot of current critics. He's also been doing it for decades (not always at Rolling Stone). So it's cool to disagree, that's the point, but they do have a reputable voice on their staff.
	__________________ My Blog: http://benjamonsterstv.blogspot.com/ My Site: peaktvdatabase.weebly.com My favorite TV shows: Bewitched, I Love Lucy, American Dreams, Mary Tyler Moore, The Office, Happy Days, The West Wing, Modern Family, Friday Night Lights, Friends, Mad Men, Parks and Recreation, and Parenthood

05-05-2021, 02:01 AM	#2
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,349	Rolling Stone has about as much business naming the top 100 sitcoms of all time as they do the top 100 rock acts of all time.

05-05-2021, 05:35 AM	#3
merlinjones Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2019 Location: los ángeles Posts: 931	i've never heard of nearly half of these. And where are the classics? Any list of 100 that doesn't include Bewitched or Green Acres is easily dismissed.

05-05-2021, 12:50 PM	#5
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	A real and accurate list would have the majority of shows they listed be shows that started during the 1950s, 60s and 70s as being the best. Their list means nothing.

05-05-2021, 01:07 PM	#6
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	I think the last time I even looked at an issue of Rolling Stone magazine was around 1998.

05-05-2021, 11:09 PM	#10
Duster76 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2008 Location: New jersey Posts: 1,644	Instead of having the integrity to just admit the list was developed for the average Rolling Stone reader (which is someone between the ages of 18-34), the editors misrepresent the project as a list that includes the entire history of sitcoms. We can all mention glaring errors (how in the world do you leave off Leave It To Beaver and list at number 99 Frank's Place!). The shows of the 50's and 60's were producing over 30 episodes a year (Beaver produced 39 episodes a year for 6 seasons), how can you compare that with a show like Curb Your Enthusiasm which has produced 100 episodes in 20 years. The audience levels for many of the newer series listed wouldn't sustain a show of the 50's or 60's for even a month.

05-05-2021, 11:41 PM	#12
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,481	The Simpsons number 1? It's another show with lousy ratings; Fox probably keeps it going because it's cheap to produce, with its lousy animation. And what's all this Channel 4 and BBC 3 stuff? I never heard of those shows. I guess some of their readers are in the UK? Also in the 1950s Father Knows Best had 20 Emmy nominations and 6 wins in varying categories. Means nothing.

05-06-2021, 01:45 PM	#15
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,481	Still they ignored (for example) Leave it to Beaver, which despite being 50s/60s has never gone out of circulation. It's pretty well an iconic, the first of its kind sitcom, which has as its rule that the scripts involve the lives of the kids and their friends, while the normal sitcom stars the adults, and the kids are secondary. And speaking of kids being secondary, I didn't see Everybody Loves Raymond on there, either. But I saw a whole bunch of sitcoms that probably 90+ percent of people have never heard of. That kind of thing is typical of critics.