Sitcoms I LOVE

[Adamantium]

This is a list of the sitcoms I love. There are hundreds more that I like but these are the ones I absolutely love.

ALF -- I loved this show as a kid and couldn’t wait to buy it on DVD. However, the DVDs sucked big time. So much so that I gave them away to a friend. I still love the show and would buy the series again if it’s not butchered like the previous releases. It’s sad to know that the actors didn’t have a fun time making the show and were all probably glad when it was over but what can I say? Funny is funny and ALF living with the Tanners to me is funny. It also had some heart and is just a great show that I love to this day.

The Andy Griffith Show -- As a kid I thought this show was boring and avoided it whenever I could. I didn’t really give it a fair chance until it came to TV Land in the year 2000 (or around there). That’s when I started to like it. I didn’t realize I loved it until maybe last year. But I do love it. It ran a season or two too long and there was no need for the continuation series (‘Mayberry R.F.D.’), well except for ratings but I’m speaking creatively. The show lost a lot of heart and humor when Barney Fife moved away to Raleigh. But even shows I love can have a clunker of a season (or two)

Andy Richter Controls the Universe -- Being a fan of Late Night… With Conan O’Brien pretty much since its 1993 debut, I was saddened when Andy Richter announced he was leaving the show in 2000. So when his first post-Conan sitcom came out, of course I was going to watch it. However, I did more than watch it. I loved it. So much so that for a while there it was kind of my favorite show ever. NewsRadio is my favorite show ever and it was back then, too. But I’m saying that’s how much I fell in love with this show, that it gave NewsRadio a run for its money. I was devastated twice. It was cancelled after the first season (which only ran six of the ten episodes produced). Then it came back for a second season and was cancelled again (after airing only a handful of the new episodes as well as some leftover season one offerings). This is when I became bitter about good shows getting cancelled and it took me a while to really give my heart to another show until I knew if it was successful or not. As for Andy Richter…, even though FOX only aired 14 of the 19 produced, I was overjoyed when the series came to DVD - unaired episodes and all.

Bewitched -- This is kind of a tricky one. It ran far too long, to the point where they ran out of ideas and were redoing old plots and scripts in the final season. To be honest, it never should have continued without Dick York but even his final year (the fifth) wasn’t that great. I really mostly just love the first two seasons. But I love those two seasons enough to include the series as a whole in this list.

Boy Meets World -- I watched this show in its original run. I was the same age as Cory, Shawn and Topanga when the series started. However, since they - without explanation - had the characters skipping a couple of grades, by the end of the show, they were in college and I was still in high school. That Mr. Feeny really *was* a great teacher! Some of my fondest teenage memories are of watching this show on TGIF with my sister. I even followed it to The Disney Channel for the reruns but they butchered the show (and even banned a couple of episodes from airing on their channel). Thankfully all seven seasons are finally available on DVD and even though I don’t love the follow-up series Girl Meets World, I like it enough to watch and it’s just great seeing Cory, Topanga and occasionally Shawn making new episodes of television all these years later.

California Dreams -- I’ve always liked this show but I really got to love it when it came to DVD. I just wish Shout would release the final season. I tend to prefer the early years to the later, more popular years, as I’m a fan of the Matt Garrison character.

Cheers -- As a kid I hated this show. When Nick at Nite started airing it, I was old enough to appreciate it and appreciate it I did. I recorded many of the episodes but didn’t make it past the Coach era (seasons 1-3). Just recently I watched all 11 seasons on DVD for the first time and fell in love. I think this show is wonderful for its entire run. There is no bad season in my opinion. I love the replacements as much as I love the original characters. Funny enough, even though Dr. Frasier Crane is my favorite character on Cheers, I don’t much care for his spin-off, Frasier, which many people consider better that its parent show.

Chico and the Man -- I had never even seen this show until TV Land began airing it in 2001. But when I saw it I fell in love with it. So much so that for a while my email address was chicoandtheman9. I even made an Ed Brown’s Garage set in The Simms and had included Chico, Ed, Louie and Della. This is my number one most requested unreleased show on DVD. I even liked the final year, as depressing as it was. It’s also an example of great shows that fell apart in their final year. I had watched the episode where Ed tells Raul while in Mexico that Chico was dead. Having never seen that episode before, I didn’t realize that they killed Chico off the show. I knew Freddie Prinze was dead, of course. I just didn’t know it was worked into the show. It bummed me out and that was the morning of September 11th, 2001. So I started off that day in a somber mood. Little did I know the tragedy that would occur.

The Comeback -- Just a great show in its first run and for a long time, the first season was the only season. I had revisited it shortly before the second season came out and loved it just as much the second time around as I did the first. The second season is pretty special, too. Especially the finale. I hear they’re not done with this show yet and I look forward to watching upcoming seasons. Long live Valerie Cherish!

Community -- This became a water cooler show for me. Although instead of a water cooler it was the bowling alley with the guy who ran the place and my friend I bowled with. Each week we’d quote the show and talk about how much we loved it and that week’s episode. It wasn’t love at first sight for me though. I liked it right away but it wasn’t until the first season was over that I did my re-watch and fell in love. The show had a bumpy run but it lasted 110 episodes and even had a couple of cast changes (I love cast changes). When the show ended, it was given the honor of breaking into my top five favorite sitcoms ever list -- a list that stayed the same for around ten years. I am perfectly okay with the show being over. I don’t feel shows need to have nine of ten season runs to be considered successful but I am patiently awaiting the movie which has been promised to us by the creator. But first there has to be a time when all the main actors aren’t busy, which luckily for them, they all seem to be working now.

Curb Your Enthusiasm -- When I started watching this show on DVD, I was not a Seinfeld fan. But I felt like watching something new and I gave this show a chance. And boy am I glad I did. As with everything, this show is not for everyone but to me and the fans it’s hysterical and very special. Larry David is one of my sitcom heroes. I feel the show dipped in quality starting with the fifth season, but it was always good enough and the final season was better than seasons 5-7. Larry has said he’s bringing the show back for a ninth season after all these years and I look forward to it, even though I was content with the eight seasons being the whole series.

Ellen -- I watched this show a little bit in its original run but I watched all the episodes and loved it beginning in the fall of 1998 when all five seasons came to Lifetime. I got teased a few times when I mentioned loving this show in high school but I didn’t care. This was such a great show, I couldn’t see why more people didn’t love it. The final season was the weakest but as a whole this is one of my all-time favorite sitcoms. Ellen Morgan became another of my sitcom heroes.

F Troop -- I never liked this show when it aired on Nick at Nite. I bought it on DVD and that’s when I fell in love with it. All of the actors were great here, especially Ken Berry. He’s one of those characters that on the surface seems normal but you look deeper and he’s as kooky as the rest of them on this show. I loved his physical humor as well. Plus I love the buddy comedy of Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch.

Family Affair -- I first saw this show on TV Land many years ago and bought all the seasons on DVD. I absolutely love it. Watching both Uncle Bill and Mr. French be parents to Cissy, Buffy and Jody was a lot of fun and the show was filled with a lot of heart. I’d say more heart than humor but it works for me.

Family Matters -- This show got sillier and sillier as it went along. But I loved it. I remember laughing at how far fetched it got and compared the later seasons to the early seasons with humor. I know some people are genuinely mad about the shift in show but it never bothered me. I watched it for its entire run on TGIF (and the final season on CBS). I love the comedy pairing of Steve Urkel and Carl Winslow and I can identify with Urkel’s unrequited love for Laura as that’s all my life has ever had in the way of romance. This show had some serious flaws (the disappearance of Judy, lack of Rachel without explanation and yet her son stayed put, Urkel taking over the show and of course Fake Harriet in the final few episodes of the series) but it’s always been a special series to me and it always will be. Thankfully Warner Bros. is releasing more of the seasons on DVD. I see it being completed fairly soon.

Friends -- I almost didn’t include this show. In its original run I was not a fan. In fact when I first bought the DVDs I was embarrassed to be making such a purchase. Which doesn’t make sense, since it’s a popular and generally beloved show. But over time I’ve watched the show here and there and a couple years ago I watched all ten seasons (plus both seasons of ‘Joey’) on DVD and became very fond of it. That fondness turned to love recently for reasons I don’t know but can’t deny. Chandler is both my favorite character and the one who makes it hard to watch sometimes. I’m referring to his weight loss and weight gain due to his drug and alcohol addictions. The show ran for ten seasons and I think it’s just as funny in the final year as it was in the first year.

Futurama -- This is the only cartoon on this list (I also like ‘The Simpsons’, ‘King of the Hill’ and ‘Family Guy’ but this is the only cartoon sitcom I truly love). This show is hysterical but it also has the occasional emotional episode (or scene) that make it more than just a cartoon.

Grounded for Life -- I didn’t think much of this show when it first aired. It wasn’t until I bought all five seasons on DVD that I watched it and liked it. But it wasn’t until last year when I got watching some of the episodes on Netflix that I got to the point where I feel I love it. I watched every episode - out of order - and kept looking for more, realizing I had seen them all. Since I didn’t intend on a complete series viewing, I didn’t start with episode 1 and like I say next thing I know, I’ve gone through all the episodes.

Happy Days -- I got into this show when it arrived on Nick at Nite around 1997. It became an instant favorite of mine and I recorded many of the early season’s episodes. I failed at recording complete series back then for one reason or another. I’m one of the rare fans who loves it all the way through from season one to season eleven. I’m very upset at the shoddy treatment the series has gotten on DVD but would still buy all the seasons if they release them all.

Hey Dude -- A childhood favorite that I hadn’t seen in over a decade until the DVDs came out. When I watched that first episode, I was surprised at how much of the episode I remembered. I had some of the episodes on tape and watched them to death back in the day. To me, this show not only stands up as a good show for an adult viewer, but it had my heart.

The Honeymooners -- This is the first show I owned on VHS in its entirety (well the classic 39 anyway) on an official release. Jackie Gleason and Art Carney are great together and this is just a solid series. I’m not as into the lost episodes and hour long musical ones (but I own all that’s been released) but those “Classic 39” are wonderful.

I Love Lucy -- One of the greatest sitcoms ever made and it was made so long ago. It has stood the test of time. While some of it may be dated, Lucy being a housewife for one, it’s still funny. I used to have every episode but one on tape from Nick at Nite back in the late ‘90s and I watched this show a lot. I just recently got back into it via DVDs and am having a… Ball!

The King of Queens -- I love me some Doug, Carrie, Arthur, Deacon, Spence and Danny! This show deserves the attention it got once it ended its original run. It’s a very special show to me and everyone in my family likes this show, which is rare as we all have different tastes in comedy.

M*A*S*H -- I avoided this show as a kid. When I was a teenager in high school, I started watching the reruns on Fox 45. When I owned the first three seasons on DVD, I was obsessed with this show. My obsession died down as I got the subsequent seasons but it’s still a show I love. My favorite character is Lt. Col. Henry Blake.

Married … With Children -- I wasn’t always allowed to watch this show as a kid but I’d sneak and watch it anyways. Al Bundy is another one of my sitcom heroes. Can I get a whoa Bundy? WHOA BUNDY!!!

Mister Ed -- A show I loved back on Nick at Nite and continue to love on DVD. Not much to say about this show but I love it.

The Monkees -- A very special show in my childhood and my teenage years and a show I still love in my adulthood. I love the silly, zany nature of this sitcom but I also love its heart and music and I love that “pre-fab four!” I still remember how mad I was when Green Acres replaced it on Nick at Nite’s Block Party Summer in ‘97.

The Munsters -- To me the thing that made this show better than The Addams Family is Fred Gwynne. His portrayal of Herman Munster is one of the finest sitcom performances ever. It’s a shame, Gwynne himself didn’t appreciate the show.

My Three Sons -- My holy grail of TV shows I want on DVD. I grew up with the black and white seasons with Bub and Mike from Nick at Nite. I also watched the color seasons with Uncle Charley and Ernie when TV Land ran it. I hope that they eventually release all the seasons and redo the first two to include the original music.

NewsRadio -- Not much to say about this show that I already haven’t said before. This is my all-time favorite show ever! I watched most of it in its original run and first became obsessed with it while in high school. I think this is a very cool and funny show with one of the greatest ensemble casts ever assembled. I am proud to call it my favorite.

Night Court -- I’ve always liked this show but I fell in love with it when I watched all the seasons on DVD a couple of years ago. Dan Fielding is one another one of my sitcom heroes. I may be in the minority but I hope he actually got Christine after the series finale.

The Odd Couple -- I love, love, love this show. I hate the DVDs, however, which have butchered the show. Jack Klugman and Tony Randall are a great comedy duo. I’m a bit like Oscar in that I’m a slob.

The Office -- I avoided this show for the longest time but finally gave in and bought the first season on DVD. I fell in love with it but there are only six episodes in that debut season and I didn’t have enough money to buy the second season until the next week. So for the first time since my younger days, I re-watched a season of a show to death. Years later, I requested off work to watch the finale. Michael Scott is yet another one of my sitcom heroes.

Parks & Recreation -- This is a very funny and warm-hearted show. Its first season is a bit cynical but the second season on, it had a lot of heart and was also extremely funny (to me anyway). I love Ron Swanson but I also love Ben Wyatt, who joined the show at the end of the second season. Leslie Knope kind of reminds me of Ellen from her sitcom with a touch of Lucy. Just a touch because no one can come close to the actual Lucy.

Perfect Strangers -- I haven’t seen this show in a long time but I love it. I want this show completed on DVD and I want it now! Larry and Balki just crack me up.

Rhoda -- I like The Mary Tyler Moore Show but I love Rhoda. It’s a more uneven show but it just suits me a bit more. I love Julie Kavner as Brenda.

Step by Step -- It’s been a long time since I’ve watched this show but I loved it when it was first on and it holds a special place in my heart. Cody was a funny character that was up there with Urkel but wasn’t nearly as famous.

Taxi -- This is not only one of my favorite shows but I feel it’s one of the best sitcoms ever made. It’s hilarious. It’s down-to-earth, yet could also be a little off the wall. It’s heartbreaking without having “very special episodes.” It has wonderful music done by Bob James. And a wonderful cast. Just a perfect sitcom.

That ‘70s Show -- This is another show I fell in love once I started watching it on DVD. My favorite era is seasons one thru three but the rest of the show is fun, too.

‘til Death -- Yes, I’m aware this show is considered to be one of the worst sitcoms ever made. I don’t care. I love it. More so the first couple of seasons with the Woodcocks living next to the Starks. This show just cracks me up. It kind of reminds me a The King of Queens.

Wings -- One of my top five favorite sitcoms. This show is just funny with loveable characters. It should have been more popular and yet it seems to be disrespected. While the last season isn’t all that great, it’s got one of the best series finales for a sitcom I’ve ever seen. This show will always be close to my heart.

The Wonder Years -- I didn’t watch this much on ABC but when it was rerun on Nick at Nite I became a fan. The long wait for the DVDs made me feel much love towards this show. When I finally bought the DVDs and watched them that love came through. It’s a great show and I’m so glad to own it in the most complete way it can be on DVD.

There are many sitcoms that I like but don’t quite love. Some of them are…

Three’s Company
Saved by the Bell: The New Class (yes, you read that right)
Norm
Soap
8 Simple Rules…
Dennis the Menace
Make Room for Daddy (I may love this show but it’s been so long since I’ve seen it, I can’t judge it fairly)
The Joey Bishop Show
The Donna Reed Show
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Charles In Charge
The Brady Bunch

[tlc38tlc38]

I "like" many sitcoms, but these are the ones I "love"...


In no particular order:

Mama's Family
I Love Lucy
The Beverly Hillbillies
Petticoat Junction
Green Acres
ALF
Alice (especially seasons 1-4)
Designing Women
The Golden Girls
Hazel
Newhart
The Jeffersons
Family Matters (especially seasons 1-7)
The Torkelsons


Other shows I "love" that aren't sitcoms:

Days of our Lives
Murder, She Wrote
Matlock
In the Heat of the Night
Desperate Housewives
The Carol Burnett Show
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Wheel of Fortune

[Svenfan1234]

Here are some sitcoms I "love":
All in the Family
Maude
One Day at a Time
Family Ties
Newhart
Bewitched
WKRP in Cincinnati
Rhoda
The Bob Newhart Show
Mr Belvedere
Happy Days
Laverne & Shirley
I Love Lucy

Other shows I love that aren't sitcoms:
Remington Steele
The Streets of San Francisco
Quincy, M.E.
Matlock
Diagnosis Murder
Dragnet
The Twilight Zone
Psych
The Carol Burnett Show

[Tubehead]

mine top sitcoms are
#1 family ties
#2 i love lucy
#3 sanfrod & son
#4 night court
#5 the wonder years
#6 boy meets wrold
#7 the hoony mooners
#9 hangin with mr cooper
#10 perfect strangers
#11 the odd couple
#12 court ship of eddies father
#13the Jefferson's
#14 empty nest
#15 the golden girls
$16 saved by the bell
#17 saved by the bell the college years
#18California Dreams
#19WKRP in Cincinnati
#20 Mr. Belvedere
#21 wings
#22 bosom buddies
#23 my two dads
#24 fresh prince of bel air
#25 full house
#26 alf
#27 denison the menace
#28 Mama's family
#29 gomer pyle uscam
#30 the munsters

[treky]

as my mother used to say YEARS ago: you LOVE people; you LIKE things