Top 60 Sitcoms...In 30 Days! - Part V(b)

We have reached the Top 10 of our Countdown.  With this part of the list, we shall take "baby steps."  We will go day by day until Friday when I will reveal what Sitcom has earned the #1 spot on our list.  So, let's begin to get our Top 10 toes wet!

THE 60 BEST SITCOMS - PART V(b)

Click here for Part I: #'s 60-49.

Click here for Part II: #'s 48-37.

Click here for Part III: #'s 36-26.

Click here for Part IV: #'s 25-16.

15. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
14. Barney Miller
13. Murphy Brown
12. Frasier
11. I Love Lucy


10. Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS (1996-2005)
This multiple Emmy-winning series brought the Family Sitcom back to the top of the ratings game.  Loosely based on the life comedy of star Ray Romano, Romano played Ray Barone, a New York sportswriter who (with his wife and three young children!) lived across the street from his parents on Long Island.  The situation alone lends itself perfectly to Sitcom standards.  But interestingly enough, the show was one of the first successful Family Sitcoms since Bewitched where the main couple dealt with In-Laws on a regular basis.  And what a cast to put up with!  Patricia Heaton won 2 well-deserved Emmy Awards for her work as Ray's beleaguered wife Debra as she constantly put up with the daily interruptions that were her husband's family.  Her "archenemy" in the universe of Ray was Ray's domineering and intrusive mother, Marie (played to 4 time Emmy-winning perfection by Doris Roberts).  Marie doted on Ray so much and Debra's very existence was the thorn in her side.  The other thorn in her side was her irascible and big-mouthed husband Frank (the late Peter Boyle).  Frank was loud and in-your-face and he was always hungry for Marie's cooking.  You would think that Ray's parents were bad enough for poor Debra, but then there was also Robert, Ray's policeman brother.  As Robert, Brad Garrett (another multiple Emmy-winner!) was tall, brooding and hilarious as he whined about being ignored by his parents in favor of Raymond.  The dynamics of this cast was amazing and added to the weekly enjoyment audiences took in their quirky relations.

9. Night Court, NBC (1984-1992)

This show is the other most underrated Sitcom in TV History (and it was created and produced by the same people behind Barney Miller!).  The show centered around the goings-on during the night shift of a Manhattan Criminal Arraignment Court.  Not typical Sitcom subject matter, but who ever would have guessed?!?  Comedian/Magician Harry Anderson played the wacky yet wise Judge Harold T. Stone.  His cohorts included the charming Markie Post as Christine Sullivan, the perky Public Defender; Charles Robinson as Mac Robinson, the smooth and sensible court clerk; Richard Moll as the dimwitted and large bailiff Bull Shannon; and John Larroquette (in a breakout and Emmy-winning role) as Dan Fielding, the narcissistic and sex-obsessed Prosecutor.  Much of the show's humor was drawn from the several quirky characters brought before the bench.  Some of the "criminals" became staples of the show's weekly antics.  Early in its run, it was very much like its predecessor Barney Miller and dealt with eccentric characters, dry humor and sometimes realistic situations.  As the show progressed, it took on a broader and more slapstick style of Comedy and it often threw normal logic out the window for more out-of-the-box ideas.  In a sense, it was a forerunner to a lot of the Sitcoms we see more of nowadays (re: The Office and Community).  The show was big favorite in my household growing up as it was one of my brother's favorite Sitcoms.  The Sitcom is slowly being released (Season by Season!) on DVD but not fast enough for the fans of this major TV cult favorite.

8. Seinfeld, NBC (1989-1998)

The show about "nothing," and yet it seemed (at times) to be about "everything."  Jerry Seinfeld was one of the rising stand-up Comedy stars in the 1980s and when he finally got his self-titled series in the summer of 1989, critics became slowly charmed.  Seinfeld played himself as he went through everyday life with his circle of friends.  At first, the show seemed very similar to the style of a Woody Allen comedy.  Soon though (through the dynamics of the cast and their crazy characters), the show drifted into something that even the most die-hard fans cannot describe (at least without making it complicated!).  As the show grew, so did its popularity.  It became one of the highest rated shows of the 1990s.  Seinfeld and his three fellow cast members became the highest paid Sitcom stars of the time (until another show came along, see below!).  The cast included Jason Alexander as Jerry's best friend George Costanza, a grouchy and pathetic schlub (loosely based on co-creator and head writer Larry David); Emmy-winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes, the smart-yet-selfish publishing assistant who was Jerry's ex-girlfriend; and Michael Richards (yet another Emmy-winner) as Cosmo Kramer, Jerry's eccentric (and I'm being kind here!) neighbor.  Together, the four encountered some of the weirdest people (like Jerry's Uncle Leo, an unseen George Steinbrenner and the Bubble Boy!) and the strangest circumstances (like George's fiancée dying from the glue on a cheap envelope!) and yet no one could stop watching the award-winning hit.

7. Friends, NBC (1994-2004)

This Sitcom's popularity seemed (at times) to put even network cohort Seinfeld to shame!  The ongoing tempestuous troubles of six single people in Manhattan was a ratings dynamo especially in the late 1990s.  Audiences and critics loved following the lives and loves of Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey (despite his ill-conceived spin-off after the hit show ended in 2004!).  Stars Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Courtney Cox (Monica), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Matt LeBlanc (Joey), Matthew Perry (Chandler) and David Schwimmer (Ross) were a perfect mesh of goofy, sarcastic, quirky, charm and sex appeal as they inspired trends (remember the haircut known as "the Rachel?!?"), sold a #1 theme song on the music charts, won awards (both Aniston and Kudrow won Emmys for their work during the show's run) and made a coffeehouse a cultural icon (come on, who didn't want to have a big cup of coffee at Central Perk?!?!).  The use of this great Ensemble was a huge inspiration to many of the Single-buddy Ensemble Sitcoms we see nowadays (see How I Met Your Mother and the like!).  It even inspired non-Sitcoms like Sex and the City!  Like Seinfeld above (and Frasier and Murphy Brown earlier!), the show was defining sitcom of the 1990s.  And much like Seinfeld, the cast infamously stuck together and cornered NBC into a record-breaking deal to become the highest paid Sitcom stars in TV History (each earning, by the end of the show's run, over $1 million per episode!).  It set the standard that now various online magazines (like Entertainment Weekly or TVLine.com) frequently report on the salaries of current TV stars (both Comedies, Dramas and even Reality TV!).

We have just inched our way into the Top 10.  Tomorrow, we shall continue our inching.  And who knows where we'll go?  Maybe Miami...Maybe New York...Maybe Boston...or Maybe even Korea!  No matter where it takes us, we shall make it closer to the #1 Sitcom of All-Time!

Top 60 Sitcoms...In 30 Days! - Part V(a)

When I was starting this list, I first thought that it could be a feature on my frequent 10 FAVORITES column. I thought I could pick my 10 FAVORITE Sitcoms of All-Time and, at first, I did.  But as I was discussing the idea with friends and family, there were 5 shows that came up in conversations and were becoming the "Honorable Mentions."  I then thought why have 5 "Honorable Mentions," when I can have a whole list of Sitcoms.  Hence, the list of Top 60 Sitcoms was born.  And now we are down to those Top 15 that inspired this list to begin with.  These 5 listed below are the 5 shows that didn't quite make it into my original Top 10 (which you will see beginning tomorrow!).  But these 5 Sitcoms are just as worthy of the honors and have been equally influential over the past decades of TV hilarity.

THE 60 BEST SITCOMS - PART V(a)

Click here for Part I: #'s 60-49.

Click here for Part II: #'s 48-37.

Click here for Part III: #'s 36-26.

Click here for Part IV: #'s 25-16.

15. The Mary Tyler Moore Show, CBS (1970-1977)
This landmark Sitcom broke barriers, charmed critics and amazed audiences with its delightful ensemble and its sophisticated writing.  Mary Tyler Moore gained several fans after her work on The Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1960s.  In 1970, CBS decided to take a chance and give the star her own eponymous series.  It was one of the first Sitcoms to show a single woman with a professional career (in TV Journalism!).  As Mary Richards, Moore was surrounded by a top-notch cast as some of the most endearing characters in TV history: There was Ed Asner as her irascible boss Lou Grant; Valerie Harper as her outspoken friend and neighbor Rhoda Morgenstern; Gavin McLeod as her sarcastic co-worker Murray Slaughter; the fabulous Cloris Leachman as her nosy landlady Phyllis Lindstrom; the timeless Betty White as the slutty TV home expert Sue Ann Nivens; and who could forget the late Ted Knight as the incompetent but lovable anchorman Ted Baxter?  The show set the standard for Ensemble Comedies and was the show to watch of the 1970s when it came to critical acclaim and high ratings.  The only reason such a worthy show is as low as #15 is because (though I have seen many episodes, including all the infamous ones like "Chuckles Bites the Dust" below!) it was a show that I didn't see much of growing up.  And when it was on in my house, my father (who was never really a fan of the show!) would wince and (in his own way!) deride the program.  As this is a list that includes my own personal taste, #15 was as high as I could get it and still be true to myself!

14. Barney Miller, ABC (1975-1982)
One of the most underrated Sitcoms in TV History and a workplace Sitcom that defied the convention of what the typical Sitcom workplace could be.  In the tradition of other 1970s Sitcom fare like All In the Family and Maude, this show took serious (and oftentimes controversial) subject matter and dealt with it in an honest (yet of course humorous!) manner.  Like Mary Richards above, Tony Award-winner Hal Linden played the title character, a police captain surrounded by an array of quirky fellow detectives.  The highlight of the show was the fact that the jail cell for the criminals was in the detectives' squad room, adding another element of wackiness as the many criminals they brought in had their own eccentricities.  In addition to Linden, Gregory Sierra, Ron Glass, Max Gail, Jack Soo, Steve Landesburg and Abe Vigoda were among the other actors who played Miller's fellow detectives.  Vigoda's character Lt. Fish became something of a slight phenomenon as he appeared on both Barney Miller and on his own spin-off show (titled Fish) simultaneously, one of the first TV characters to do so!  The show, though a ratings hit and beloved by the critics, rarely got awards recognition.  It wasn't until its final season in 1982 that the show won the Emmy Award for Best Comedy Series, its only win in its 8 year run!

13. Murphy Brown, CBS (1988-1998)
The TV world is ripe with great Sitcom material (just look at The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the most recent hit 30 Rock!).  And in the late 1980s, acclaimed actress Candice Bergen (daughter of the legendary Edgar Bergen!) took to the airwaves as the brash, outspoken and pioneering (fictional!) TV journalist Murphy Brown.  Modeled much after the likes of Barbara Walters and Diane Sawyer, Murphy was very different from Mary Richards.  She was a recovering alcoholic and was anything but sweet.  Her fellow news anchors (on the fictional news show FYI) were just as professional as she was on camera (or at least tried to be!), but were even wackier in their own personal lives.  The show gained even more viewers in the early 1990s when Bergen's character became unexpectedly pregnant and chose to keep and raise the baby on her own.  At the time, Vice President Dan Quayle made a now infamous speech in which he "called out" Murphy Brown and chided her for setting a poor example for the youth of America and thereby degrading the importance of a Father in the life of a child.  Several Women's groups and Family advocacy groups jumped on the bandwagon of the show and turned the tables on Quayle and his fellow conservative pundits deriding the character.  The show became one of the most popular in CBS' line-up and won Candice Bergen a record 5 Emmy Awards as Best Actress (so much so that after 5 wins in 7 years, Ms. Bergen removed herself from contention and stopped submitting herself for Emmy consideration!).

12. Frasier, NBC (1993-2004)
By far this is one of the most successful spin-offs in TV History.  Kelsey Grammer took his beloved Cheers character from the Boston bar to a Seattle radio station where he became a renowned radio psychiatrist (long before Oprah got behind that Dr. Phil guy!).  To follow an extremely successful sitcom is hard enough to do and what Grammer and company did was nothing short of unpredictable.  Though the energy felt similar to Cheers thanks to Grammer's presence, the comedic elements couldn't have been more different.  Dr. Crane (divorced from Bebe Neuwirth's Lilith) now lives with his irascible father, Martin Crane (played by stage character actor John Mahoney), and his lovable (yet annoying to Frasier!) dog, Eddie.  Also in the house with Frasier and Martin was Daphne Moon (the charming Jane Leeves), who was Martin's live-in physical therapist.  But the true highlight of the series that gave it the special "magic" it needed was the casting of Frasier's brother, Dr. Niles Crane, a fellow psychiatrist.  As Niles, David Hyde Pierce often stole the spotlight, yet his chemistry with Grammer's Frasier was unmistakable.  The two actors are so perfect in these roles and became so well-known as a pair, they even lampooned themselves (and their characters) on The Simpsons!  The Sitcom was a ratings dynamo and was absolutely raved about by the critics, that it was no surprise in Hollywood when it became the most awarded Sitcom in Emmy History.  The show won the Best Comedy Series Emmy 5 years in a row and that's one more than Cheers' own 4 times as Emmy champ!

11. I Love Lucy, CBS (1951-1957)
This is the Sitcom that pretty much started it all.  It is one of the most popular Sitcoms of All-Time and it has been that way ever since its very beginning.  Former dancer Lucille Ball became a TV pioneer as she, and her husband Desi Arnaz, began a series that showed the antics of a Night Club performer's housewife as she tried desperately to work her way into show business.  As Lucy Riccardo, Ball became the ultimate clown.  So many of her wacky moments have become the stuff of legend.  Just think of the stomping of the grapes, the Vitameatavegamin commercial, the candy conveyor belt (below) and the many celebrities Lucy tried to meet (from John Wayne to William Holden to Bob Hope to George Reeves to even Harpo Marx!).  You might be wondering why this show is not in the Top 10 (as many of you might think it should be!).  Well, like The Mary Tyler Moore Show above, this is yet another show where I grew up knowing about its legendary history but never really got into watching it.  Sure, I've seen several episodes and some of those famous moments listed above (and they of course tickled me!), but again my father was not that much of a fan of Lucy (or Desi/Ricky...or Fred and Ethel Mertz!).  Therefore, the show didn't leave the kind of impression on me it has obviously left on several (and I mean several!) fans.  So #11 seems like the perfect place for this landmark series.

Now, I know what you are all thinking.  If these are the shows that couldn't eke their way into the Top 10, then what did?!?!  Well, tomorrow you shall see the beginning of that honored 10, with a little shared each day until Friday when I shall reveal the Sitcom that earned the #1 spot in our Countdown!  So Stay Tuned...because the end is near!

Top 60 Sitcoms...In 30 Days! - Part IV

We're over halfway through the Countdown of the 60 Best Sitcoms of All-Time.  Let's dive right into the Top 25!

THE 60 BEST SITCOMS - PART IV

Click here for Part I: #'s 60-49.

Click here for Part II: #'s 48-37.

Click here for Part III: #'s 36-26.

25. Bewitched, ABC (1964-1972)

Before this show, no Sitcom had ever showcased a supernatural being or a strange creature.  Then along comes Bewitched, a series that highlights the hi-jinx of a suburban housewife who just happens to be a magical witch.  The series was popular with audiences thanks to its many lovable characters, especially Elizabeth Montgomery as the charming Samantha and the brilliant Agnes Moorehead as her truly witch-y mother Endora.  And who could forget Samantha's husband Derwood...I mean...Darrin (played first by Dick York and then later Dick Sargent).  The series is one of the most popular classic sitcoms in syndication runs.

24. Soap, ABC (1977-1981)

Remember in my introduction to this list how I pointed out how several Comedy shows now tend to drift more towards the Dramatic?  Well, those shows (like Desperate Housewives and Glee) take their cues as much from Soap Operas as they do from traditional Sitcoms.  This Sitcom was among the first to parody the Daytime genre and it did it quite well.  The writing (which included writers who had written for shows like All In the Family and would later write for shows like The Golden Girls, but more on those later!) was so fresh and witty and made sure the audience was very much aware of the genre they were satirizing.  The cast was a delightful ensemble which included some of the best comedic actors including Katherine Helmond, Richard Mulligan, Billy Crystal and Robert Guillaume (as the butler Benson, who later got his own series, but we already talked about that!)

23. Roseanne, ABC (1988-1997)

When you think of the family Sitcom, one thinks of the classic Ozzie & Harriet prototype or even the Huxtables of the '80s (soon to come!) or the more recent success of Modern Family. All of those TV families display a certain level of functionality.  But in the late '80s (from the producers of The Cosby Show!), a brash and in-your-face comedienne brought her blue collar outlook on work and family to our Televisions.  Roseanne Barr took the TV Mom to a whole new level.  She said what she felt like and she ran the roost (however she could!).  With the help of dynamic character actors like John Goodman (as her TV hubby) and Laurie Metcalf (as her scatterbrained sister), the show was a mega-hit with audiences and with critics.  Both Roseanne and Laurie Metcalf won Emmys for their work on the program.

22. The Odd Couple, ABC (1970-1975)

Not many shows are successes on TV and on Film and on Stage.  In this Sitcom, we have that triple threat package.  Neil Simon wrote his comic masterpiece and debuted it on Broadway back in the mid-1960s.  It was an immediate hit (winning several great reviews for its stars Art Carney and Walter Matthau).  In 1968, the equally successful film version (starring Matthau and Jack Lemmon) cemented Simon's work into the cultural landscape.  But that wasn't enough.  Producer Garry Marshall felt it was ripe to be developed into a TV series.  Starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall in the iconic roles of Oscar Madison and Felix Unger, respectively, the Sitcom defined sophisticated humor of the early 1970s.  The chemistry between Klugman and Randall particularly made it one of the great TV pairings of all-time.

21. Family Ties, NBC (1982-1989)

In that echelon of great TV Families, there are several who have earned their place (the Huxtables, the Bunkers, the Riccardos, the Barones and the Simpsons, all of whom are soon to come in the Countdown!).  The Keatons are another TV family that belong on that list.  With its relatable characters and their typical family situations, they were the iconic '80s family.  Parents who were activists during the flower-child days of the 1960s; a son who embraced the yuppie-ism and pre-neo-conservative ideals of the Reagan Era; a vapid daughter who spent more time at the mall than she did at the library; and a sarcastic daughter who yearned for normalcy despite her surroundings.  The show was also a break-out hit for young Michael J. Fox, who one three of his five Emmy Awards for his work as Alex P. Keaton, a man who when it came to money: enough was never enough.

20. 30 Rock, NBC (2006-present)

When it comes to smart and sophisticated humor today, Tina Fey is one of the first people to come to mind.  Her work as the first female Head Writer for Saturday Night Live in the early 2000s was a training ground for the success that came her way when she created her own Sitcom.  As Liz Lemon (Head Writer of a fictional NBC comedy-variety show!), Fey has become one of the most beloved and lauded actress-writer on Television today.  Her show is helped by the zany antics of her crazy-yet-endearing ensemble cast which includes Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski and the very well-respected Alec Baldwin (as the now iconic Jack Donaghy).  The series has won multiple Emmy Awards (including wins for both Baldwin and Fey and the top Comedy prize three years in a row from 2007-2009!).

19. Taxi, ABC/NBC (1978-1983)

This Sitcom showcased one of the greatest Ensemble casts in TV history.  Centered around the New York-based Sunshine Taxicab Company, the characters were a diverse bunch of cabbies whose lives intertwined at the Company garage.  Judd Hirsch starred as Alex Rieger, a sensible cab driver who has become disillusioned with life and has to put up with the antics of his crazy co-workers.  Danny DeVito won praise as Rieger's boss from hell Louie De Palma.  The Ensemble also included Marilu Henner, Tony Danza and the late Jeff Conaway as the various cabbies who filled Alex's life.  The breakout stars from the ensemble though included Christopher Lloyd (as a burnt out hippie turned cabbie) and the late stand-up comedian Andy Kaufman (as the humble immigrant mechanic Latka Gravas).

18. The Dick Van Dyke Show, CBS (1961-1966)

Just like Tina Fey's work on SNL inspired her to create the Emmy-winning 30 Rock, 45 years earlier Carl Reiner was inspired by his work on Your Show of Shows to create this Emmy-winner.  Star Dick Van Dyke played Rob Petrie, a writer for megalomaniacal comedian Alan Brady (portrayed with gusto by creator Carl Reiner).  At work, Rob is surrounded by fellow comedy writers Buddy and Sally (Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie, respectively) and at home, Rob is supported by his loving wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore in her star-making role!).  Every time that theme music starts up and we saw Van Dyke trip over that ottoman, audiences knew they were in for a half-hour of hilarity.

17. The Jeffersons, CBS (1975-1985)

One of the most successful spin-offs in TV history (another one is soon to come!), the family that lived next door to the Bunkers made enough money to "move on up" to an East Manhattan penthouse apartment.  Sherman Hemsley and the late Isabel Sanford delighted audiences as George and Louise Jefferson on All In the Family enough to warrant their own series.  George was as bigoted as Archie Bunker was and Louise was just as exasperated with him as the rest of the Bunker clan was with Archie.  With a sassy maid (played by Marla Gibbs) and a wealthy interracial couple as neighbors (played by Franklin Cover and the late Roxie Roker), George and Louise enjoyed their little lap of luxury.  George was always scheming to get noticed more (particularly by the magnate who owned the building) and his arrogant strut was unmistakable.

16. Happy Days, ABC (1974-1984)

Like Bewitched, this Sitcom has also enjoyed an extreme fan growth in its syndication runs.  And in its original airings on ABC, the show enjoyed really high ratings.  So much so that ABC made it the first Sitcom to have two airings within the week (One on Tuesday and another on Thursday).  The show's nostalgic look at the culture of the 1950s starred Ron "Opie" Howard as Richie Cunningham as he dealt with life as high school teen in suburban Wisconsin.  His parents (brilliantly played by Marion Ross and the late Tom Bosley) were the prototypical 1950s parents and his friends were the prototypical 1950s buddies.  The breakout star though was Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli (aka The Fonz), who was originally only supposed to be a recurring character, but the audience response to his laid-back character was so great that (like Steve Urkel on Family Matters) the show became synonymous with The Fonz.  The show has even inspired several TV Tropes that have since become colloquialisms of the TV culture (most particularly "Jumping the Shark!").

Next week, as we wind down our Countdown, we explore the top quarter of the list.  Each day next week, I will take you through the 15 shows that I consider the definitive of the genre.  Each of those shows inspired, delighted, provoked and (most importantly) entertained.  So, be prepared to see some old "friends" (HINT!) like Mary, Murphy, Lucy, Ray, Jerry, Homer, Archie, Cliff, Hawkeye and Norm! (If you can't figure out some of the Top 15 from these clues, then live in suspense until next week!)

Top 60 Sitcoms...In 30 Days! - Part III

Let us continue with the Countdown!  Today, we will go from #36 to #26, taking us right up to the Top 25.

THE 60 BEST SITCOMS - PART III

Click here for Part I: #'s 60-49.

Click here for Part II: #'s 48-37.

36. Perfect Strangers, ABC (1986-1993)

Part The Odd Couple and part Laverne & Shirley, this show helped to launch ABC's hugely successful TGIF nights.  The chemistry between stage actors Mark Linn-Baker and Bronson Pinchot (as Larry Appleton and his distant Greek cousin Balki Barthokomous, respectively) was, to put it bluntly, "perfect."  So, "don't be ridiculous," because this was a great show!

35. How I Met Your Mother, CBS (2005-Present)
When this Sitcom first started, I was not too impressed by its premise: The voice of a Father (inexplicably Bob Saget!) tells his kids the story of the show's title.  But the show has managed to work its way into the cultural lexicon thanks in large part to the scene-stealing performance of supporting player Neil Patrick Harris (as womanizer Barney Stinson).  Let's face it, NPH has made this show "legen...wait for it...dary!"

34. Three's Company, ABC (1977-1984)
What made this show so popular?  Was it the late John Ritter's constant pratfalls and clownish antics?  Was it the many, many, many misunderstandings?  Was it the reactions of the landlords (played by Norman Fell and Don Knotts, respectively)?  Or was it the likes of Suzanne Somers scantily clad and the constant sexual innuendos?  I think we have a winner!

33. Arrested Development, FOX (2003-2006)
Talk about a show that gained a huge fanbase in such a short time.  The show only survived three poorly rated (yet highly acclaimed!) seasons, yet this Emmy winner has managed to gain more fans by the minute.  Fans of the show got to rejoice recently thanks to the news released at the show's reunion panel.

32. Newhart, CBS (1982-1990)
Bob Newhart's second Sitcom was another success for CBS and it fit right in the comic's comfort zone of humor.  Newhart played a travel writer who, with his wife, purchased a Vermont Inn and was surrounded by the strange characters in the New England town.  The show has become more famous thanks to its legendary series finale.

31. Maude, CBS (1972-1978)
This All In the Family spin-off starred Bea Arthur as the outspoken, liberal and flustered Maude Findlay.  Like its predecessor, Maude covered topics of the 1970s that were oftentimes controversial.  It is notorious for one of its first season episodes in which Bea Arthur's Maude (who was middle-aged!) became pregnant and decided that she should have an abortion.

30. Married...With Children, FOX (1987-1997)
The series that helped launch the fledgling FOX network was raunchy, in-your-face and entirely controversial (thanks to its gratuitous nature!).  The everyday lives of the Bundys was a favorite especially with the very much coveted 18-25 demographic.  The show came at a time when the Family Sitcom (which had been exemplified in shows like The Cosby Show) was changing and showing more families that were slightly dysfunctional (like Roseanne and The Simpsons).

29. Laverne & Shirley, ABC (1976-1983)
Who says that the girls can't be as clownish as the guys?  One of the few successful Sitcoms that centered on two single women, this show allowed its female stars (Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall) to be as physically comedic as Lucille Ball was 20 years earlier.

28. Hogan's Heroes, CBS (1965-1971)
Only a few Sitcoms have been about soldiers and war (we'll see a very successful one real soon!), but this one had the fast pace and the quick wit of an old-fashioned Marx Brothers film.  The show centered around the antics of the American and British prisoners in a German POW camp during World War II.  Led by Col. Robert Hogan (played by Bob Crane), the prisoners were able to weekly turn the tables on the German officers running the camp, particularly the constantly fooled Col. Klink (played brilliantly by Werner Klemperer) and the always frightened Sgt. "I Know Nahzing!" Schultz (perfectly played by John Banner).

27. Will & Grace, NBC (1998-2006)
Nobody expected much out of this Sitcom when it first began, but after a season or two, the show became a critically acclaimed (and Emmy-winning) hit.  The friendship between gay lawyer Will (the charming Eric McCormack) and ditsy designer Grace (the hilarious Debra Messing) became a cultural icon (especially for women and their gay friends!).  The scene-stealing performances of Sean Hayes and Megan Mulally (as the flamboyant Jack and the wealthy Karen) were just icing on this beloved ensemble.

26. The Andy Griffith Show, CBS (1960-1968)
Every time you hear that opening whistle, you just want to run to a place like Mayberry.  Star Andy Griffith was quaint and delightful as Mayberry Sheriff Andy Taylor.  He was surrounded by a great supporting cast that included young Ronny Howard (as his son Opie), Frances Bavier (as his beloved Aunt Bea), Jim Nabors (as the goofy Gomer Pyle, who got his own series eventually!) and, lastly (but most importantly), the hilarious Don Knotts (as Andy's befuddled and quirky deputy Barney Fife).

Next week, we shall delve right into the Top 25.  25 Sitcoms that have shaped and influenced the Television landscape and, by extension, the culture.  We'll have a little nose twitching and we'll move on up.  We'll find out what we would do, baby, without us and who can turn the world on with her smile.  We'll see shows about nothing and shows that are golden.  We'll love Raymond and Lucy and we'll go where everybody knows your name.  That's just about a third of the 25 Best Sitcoms of All-Time.

Top 60 Sitcoms...In 30 Days! - Part II

Hello Readers!  We shall continue on with the Countdown of the 60 Best Sitcoms of All-Time.  Last week, we did Part I (#'s 60-49).  This week, we will cover the next 12 (#'s 48-37).

THE 60 BEST SITCOMS - PART II

Click here for Part I: #'s 60-49.

48. Family Matters, ABC/CBS (1989-1998)

How many shows became a phenomenal success on the strength of a character that was only intended to be in one or two episodes?   This show may have had Abbott and Costello-like comedy when it came to Steve Urkel's interactions with the family (particularly patriarch Carl Winslow!), it was tempered with typical family issues like parent-child relationships, school problems, friendship and dating (even covering topical issues like gun violence, gangs and racism).

47. NewsRadio, NBC (1995-1999)

This workplace comedy had witty writing and a dynamic cast (that included Dave Foley, Maura Tierney, Andy Dick and the late Phil Hartman).  Unfortunately, it was cut short because of the tragic murder of its biggest supporting star (SNL alum Hartman was murdered by his wife in 1998.) and a poorly rated (and poorly received!) final season.

46. Benson, ABC (1979-1986)

Robert Guillaume's sarcastic and caustic butler Benson DuBois was one of the most popular characters on the highly successful ABC series Soap in the late 1970s.  It was only natural that he would lift out into his own show.  Benson became the household manager of the Governor of Connecticut and had to put up with the quirky staff members of both the Governor's office and his house.  It was a great highlight of my childhood TV watching thanks in big part to the likability of Robert Guillaume.

45. Modern Family, ABC (2009-present)

The show has won multiple Emmys and several critics over with its acerbic mockumentary-style.  The charming cast and clever writing have quickly cemented the show as part of the Television landscape.

44. The Bob Newhart Show, CBS (1972-1978)

Bob Newhart's first sitcom was a breakout success in the 1970s (thanks to its lead-in from The Mary Tyler Moore Show!).  The show seemed to fit closest to the type of humor he displayed as a successful stand-up comic in 1960s.  He played psychiatrist Robert Hartley surrounded by various quirky characters and thankful of the loving support from his wife, Emily (charmingly played by the late Suzanne Pleshette).

43. WKRP In Cincinnati, CBS (1978-1983)

This Sitcom had one of the first theme songs I ever memorized.  Like NewsRadio above, it was a workplace comedy (set at a radio station!) but it used the topical subject of radio stations changing their formats to feature the more popular music by several of the late 1970s best rock artists.  The cast included the hilarious Richard Sanders (as beleaguered newsman Les Nessman), Howard Hesseman (as the cool Dr. Johnny Fever), Tim Reid (as the smooth Venus Fly Trap) and the gorgeous Loni Anderson (as Jennifer, the smart and efficient secretary).

42. The Honeymooners, CBS (1955-1956)

Though the show would go on to appear as sketches off and on as part of Jackie Gleason's many variety shows and specials, the one season that aired as a stand-alone series (known in TV lore as "The Classic 39") has had more impact on the culture than most other series' from the 1950s.  Gleason was brilliant as the loud and in-your-face bus driver Ralph Kramden constantly annoyed by the caustic comments of his loving wife, Alice (Audrey Meadows) and by the antics of his friend and neighbor, Ed Norton (the amazing Art Carney).

41. Wings, NBC (1990-1997)

With interesting characters and a unique setting, Wings stood apart from most other shows of the 1990s.  The writing (especially in its early years) was consistently good (most of the writers also worked on shows like Cheers and Frasier) and the cast was particularly delightful.  Tim Daly and Steven Weber played brothers who ran a small airline out of Nantucket and were surrounded by strange (yet charming) characters (including Crystal Bernard, Thomas Haden Church and future Monk star Tony Shalhoub!).

40. The Big Bang Theory, CBS (2007-present)

Nerds have always been popular subject for comedy (i.e. Steve Urkel or Revenge of the Nerds) and this Sitcom uses "the Nerd stereotype" to its best.  The character of Dr. Sheldon Cooper (perfectly played by Jim Parsons to Emmy-winning effect) alone has made the show quite popular with both fans and critics.

39. Designing Women, CBS (1986-1993)

In the 1980s, there was a strong move for networks to have more sitcoms that featured women more prominently and (more importantly) in a completely honest and more realistic way (just look at shows like The Golden Girls, Murphy Brown or Roseanne, but more on those later!).  This show was one of the more successful that came out of that mold and it was successful primarily because (like the three I mentioned!) it was created by a woman and featured a delightful cast of women.  Delta Burke, Jean Smart, Annie Potts and the late Dixie Carter played Southern women with the right amount of perfect Southern charm mixed with the right amount of Southern gusto!

38. Mad About You, NBC (1992-1999)

Unlike other Sitcoms in the 1990s, this show was about the strength and endurance of a couple's relationship. Like a charming Woody Allen romantic comedy, Mad About You's humor was very much derived from star Paul Reiser's own stand-up in which he talked about his relationship with his wife.  The show was a big hit with critics and with audiences thanks in large part to Reiser's co-star and leading lady Helen Hunt (who won four Emmys for her work on the series).

37. Family Guy, FOX (1999-2002; 2005-present)

Not many shows get cancelled (twice!) and become popular enough in syndication to come back.  Family Guy constantly pushes the limits of what they can and cannot do on their show and often gets comparisons to the raunchier comedy-variety shows of the early 1970s (like Laugh-In, SNL and Monty Python).  It defies conventions enough that creator Seth MacFarlane took a bold move and began submitting the show for the Best Comedy Series Emmy (rather than the usual Best Animated Series Emmy!) and in 2009, the show became the first animated sitcom to be nominated for the award since The Flintstones back in 1961!

Next week, I will talk about the next 11: #'s 36-26! Stay Tuned!