The best sitcoms of all time
The top 3 according to 38 votes from people: Cheers · The Simpsons · I Love Lucy. (Updated Apr 18, 2026.)
The top 20 of Rolling Stone's 100 Best Sitcoms of All Time (2021), plus the audience favourites that just missed out: The Office, It's Always Sunny and Friends.
Top 25
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1
Cheers
NBC, 1982–1993. The Boston bar 'where everybody knows your name'.
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2
The Simpsons
Fox, 1989–. Springfield's yellow family; Rolling Stone's number one for the 'sheer density of humor' of its first decade.
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3
I Love Lucy
CBS, 1951–1957. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz; it invented the three-camera sitcom.
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4
M*A*S*H
CBS, 1972–1983. A field hospital in Korea; its finale is still the most-watched scripted broadcast in US history.
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5
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
CBS, 1970–1977. A single woman working in a Minneapolis newsroom.
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6
The Honeymooners
CBS, 1955–1956. Jackie Gleason as bus driver Ralph Kramden, in just 39 classic episodes.
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7
Parks and Recreation
NBC, 2009–2015. Leslie Knope and the parks department of Pawnee, Indiana.
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8
The Larry Sanders Show
HBO, 1992–1998. Garry Shandling behind the scenes of a late-night talk show.
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9
The Dick Van Dyke Show
CBS, 1961–1966. A TV comedy writer at work and at home, created by Carl Reiner.
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10
Curb Your Enthusiasm
HBO, 2000–2024. Larry David playing himself in improvised social disasters.
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11
Frasier
NBC, 1993–2004. The Cheers psychiatrist moves to Seattle; five consecutive Emmys for Best Comedy.
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12
The Andy Griffith Show
CBS, 1960–1968. Sheriff Andy Taylor in the small town of Mayberry.
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13
Arrested Development
Fox, 2003–2006. The dysfunctional Bluth family; cancelled and revived by Netflix.
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14
Taxi
ABC/NBC, 1978–1983. Drivers at a New York cab company, with Danny DeVito and Andy Kaufman.
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15
Roseanne
ABC, 1988–1997. A working-class family in Illinois, rarely seen on TV at the time.
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16
BoJack Horseman
Netflix, 2014–2020. An animated, depressed former sitcom star horse; the only animated show in the top 20 besides The Simpsons.
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17
Community
NBC, 2009–2015. A study group at Greendale Community College and its paintball episodes.
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18
Malcolm in the Middle
Fox family sitcom (2000–2006) created by Linwood Boomer, starring Frankie Muniz and Bryan Cranston.
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19
Seinfeld
NBC, 1989–1998. 'A show about nothing' by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.
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20
The Cosby Show
NBC, 1984–1992. The Huxtables of Brooklyn; the most-watched show in the US for five seasons.
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21
30 Rock
NBC, 2006–2013. Tina Fey runs a sketch show under Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy.
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22
The Office
NBC, 2005–2013. Michael Scott and Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch; number 23 for Rolling Stone and a streaming giant.
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23
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
FX, 2005–. The worst people in Philadelphia run Paddy's Pub; the longest-running live-action US sitcom.
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24
Friends
NBC, 1994–2004. Six friends in Manhattan and Central Perk; number 38 on the list but loved worldwide.
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25
Fleabag
BBC/Amazon, 2016–2019. Phoebe Waller-Bridge breaks the fourth wall; six Emmys for its second season.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 25… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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26
Fawlty Towers
John Cleese and Connie Booth's BBC sitcom (1975–1979) about a disastrous Torquay hotel, only 12 episodes.
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27
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Police workplace comedy (2013–2021) created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, starring Andy Samberg.
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28
All in the Family
CBS, 1971–1979. Archie Bunker and the sitcom that tackled racism and politics head-on.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (3)
Friends at #23 lol the comments are gonna be fun
Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Malcolm in the Middle deserve a spot too
No Fawlty Towers?! Only 12 episodes and every one is perfect.