The 50 Best Sitcoms Of All Time (According To IMDb)

What are the best sitcoms of all time? Critics debate the point often and almost everyone has a favorite choice. From weird and wild animation to single-camera comedy about the mundanity of everyday life, there’s certainly something out there for every type of viewer and IMDb may hold the answers to the question. The best sitcoms to watch right now can be found across a wide range of streaming platforms, which are always changing their libraries, so it’s important to keep track of where everything is available.

Updated on January 17th, 2023 by Colin McCormick: Sitcoms have been a staple of television entertainment from the very beginning. And while they can sometimes be seen as more disposable shows, the best sitcoms rank among the most popular television series of all time. With plenty more of the top sitcoms, from modern hits to older classics, there are some other great titles to add to the list. And with so many streaming options, fans will have the best sitcoms to watch anytime.

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Gravity Falls (2012–2016): 8.3

• Available on Hulu and Disney+

This highly acclaimed mystery-comedy series aired on Disney Channel and Disney XD for two seasons between 2012 and 2016. Though it was aimed at older kids, it was definitely not just a kid’s show.

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The series focuses on Dipper and his twin sister Mabel, who enjoy their summer vacation in Gravity Falls, Oregon, with their great uncle. There, they run a local tourist trap while uncovering the secrets behind the paranormal activity in town. Mixing warmth, wit, pop culture, and charm, the show received many positive reviews.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021): 8.4

• Available on Peacock Premium

Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows the exploits of a fictional NYPD precinct headed by a serious captain who must contend with the antics of his detectives, Andy Samberg’s immature Jake Peralta in particular. The show received widespread acclaim and developed a devoted fan base for its likable characters and the chemistry between the talented cast. However, being considered by fans as one of the best sitcoms of all time still did not result in the smoothest ride for the series’ production.

Originally canceled after five seasons, the beloved Fox series found a new home at NBC, which continued the series for several more years before ending in the eighth season.

All In The Family (1971-1979): 8.4

• Available on Pluto TV

All in the Family is one of the many legendary shows brought to life by television titan Norman Lear. The show focused on Archie Bunker, an ultra-conservative man who complained about the changing world around him as he became increasingly out of touch.

Fans might be shocked to re-watch the series now and witness the bigotry of a sitcom protagonist like this. However, the show used Archie and his politically incorrect humor to touch on subjects like racism and homophobia when few shows would.

Broad City (2014-2019) – 8.4

• Available on Hulu

With a show about two female friends living in New York City and navigating the worlds of love and work, Broad City might sound like a very typical sitcom. However, that premise does not prepare viewers for how weird and wild the show is.

Creators and stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson have perfect chemistry as the best friends and neither is shy about the hilarious and awkward things they do throughout the series. And as absurd as Broad City is, it was always about that central friendship in the end.

Police Squad! (1982) – 8.4

• No streaming options available

There are a number of great movies based on TV shows, but not too many people might know that the hilarious comedy Naked Gun started out on the small screen. Like the movie, Police Squad! stars Leslie Nielsen as hard-boiled detective Frank Drebin as he solves puzzling cases.

The show only lasted for six episodes before it was canceled, but those episodes are packed with enough sight gags, ridiculous concepts, and hilarious one-liners that it delivers more laughs than some sitcoms that reach 100 episodes.

You’ll Never Get Rich (1955-1959) – 8.4

• No streaming options available

There are a number of classic sitcoms revolving around the military, from Hogan’s Heroes to M*A*S*H. But one that might be forgotten by many television viewers is You’ll Never Get Rich.

It follows the adventures of Sgt. Bilko, an officer overseeing an army camp who is far more interested in his various get-rich-quick schemes and working as a con man. The old series has so much fun and charm from its entertaining setting to its hilarious and likable lead character.

M*A*S*H (1972-1983): 8.4

• Available on Hulu

There are not too many series that could be set in a war and still provide big laughs for several seasons. But that is exactly what M*A*S*H did as it focused on the wild and odd medical officers working at an American military base during the Korean War.

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The famous joke related to the show’s success is that it ran longer than the actual war it was depicting. While the show always remembered to deliver laughs and silly scenarios, it also tackled heavier subject matter.

Veep (2012-2019): 8.4

• Available on HBO Max and Spectrum on Demand

While Julia Louis-Dreyfus was already a sitcom legend with Seinfeld, she scored another huge hit with Veep. She plays Selina Meyers, the perpetually frustrated Vice President of the United States struggling with her dysfunctional staff to become a bigger player in Washington.

As one of the best HBO comedy series, Veep was a terrific political satire filled with eccentric characters. Louis-Dreyfus gave a powerhouse performance in the lead role, making Selina a hilarious and despicable politician all at once.

Scrubs (2001-2010): 8.4

• Available on Hulu

While there are some fans who feel Scrubs shares a lot with medical dramas like The Resident, it was also a very funny and quirky show. Taking place in Sacred Heart Hospital, the show followed the various staff members working there while narrated by intern J.D. as he observed the strange and sometimes tragic world they worked in.

The show has an imaginative spirit, always willing to be absurd and ridiculous. This mixed with the moments of sadness surprisingly well.

The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966): 8.4

• Available on fuboTv, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Tubi, Redbox and Crackle

Created by television legend Carl Reiner, The Dick Van Dyke Show is one of the most influential sitcoms of all time. Dick Van Dyke stars as a television writer balancing his work and his life at home.

Along with establishing Van Dyke as a television star, it also served as the breakout role for Mary Tyler Moore who played his loving wife. The show mixed the comedy of domestic and professional life to great effect and many shows would follow in its footsteps.

The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998): 8.5

• Available on HBO Max

It seems that audiences love shows about the making of a show and The Larry Sanders Show is one of the best. Garry Shandling stars as the titular late-night host who deals with show business and the behind-the-scenes drama of his job.

Though its legacy might not be as well-known as some other series, its influence cannot be overstated. It helped usher in a new era with no studio audience, a single-camera approach, and imperfect characters. It also used its many celebrity guests in hilarious ways.

I Love Lucy (1951-1957): 8.5

• Available on Paramount+

When thinking of the biggest icons in sitcom history, it is impossible to forget about Lucille Ball. The television legend might have had countless shows throughout her career, but I Love Lucy is certainly her most famous and popular.

Ball stars alongside her real-life partner at the time, Desi Arnaz, but she gets the spotlight as the fun-loving and eccentric wife who always finds herself in ridiculous scenarios. The show helped change sitcoms in its time while delivering huge laughs.

Derry Girls (2018-2022): 8.5

• Available on Netflix and Netflix Basic

Though it has just ended following its third season, Derry Girls managed to gain a lot of popularity in a short time. The 90s-set series follows a group of female friends (and their one overlooked male friend) living in a small Irish town and attending a Catholic school.

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Though the show deals with the tension in Ireland at the time as well as the hardships of these girls’ lives, it is also hilarious with lovable characters, wild misadventures, and an undeniable Irish charm.

Louie (2010-2015) – 8.5

• Available to buy on Amazon

Sometimes developments outside of a show can taint the audience’s enjoyment of it. Such is the case with Louie, a hilarious and ambitious sitcom from Louie CK. The show was a fictionalized version of his life as a comedian taking him on increasingly pathetic misadventures.

Unfortunately, the comedian’s transgressions in real-like make it hard to revisit the show for many fans following its abrupt cancellation, but it remained a very acclaimed series before its disappointing end.

Modern Family (2009-2020): 8.5

• Available on Hulu and Peacock Premium

The family dynamic has always been a strong part of sitcom history and Modern Family proves that approach is still going strong. The series takes a look at three separate units within the same family, offering different glimpses of what makes a family.

From Modern Family’s saddest episodes that show its heart to the endlessly hilarious moments, it made for a hilarious new take on a familiar format. With standout characters like the child-like family man Phil to the intense and loving Gloria, fans fell in love with this extended family over eleven seasons.

Futurama (1999-): 8.5

• Available on Hulu

From the brilliant minds that created The Simpsons, Futurama took fans into the 30th century with plenty of laughs and colorful characters. The story follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza boy from 1999 who is accidentally frozen and wakes up 1000 years later.

The show offered wall-to-wall jokes, exploring the strange and hilarious world of the future as well as new planets and creatures. Yet it also matched the humor with some truly heartbreaking and emotional moments fans won’t soon forget.

Silicon Valley (2014-2019): 8.5

• Available on HBO Max and Spectrum on Demand

It seems like the tech world of startups was ripe for satire and Silicon Valley brilliantly skewered this world and its figures. The sitcom follows a group of young tech entrepreneurs who struggle to stay afloat in the high-pressure world with things constantly going wrong.

The series was elevated by some truly intelligent writing that crafted big laughs, interesting story developments, and more than a few surprises. And the terrific ensemble kept delivering laughs for six acclaimed seasons.

The Office (2001–2003): 8.5

• Available on Hulu and Brit Box

Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, with Gervais starring in the lead role also, this hit UK series only lasted for two seasons but made a huge impact, propelling Gervais in particular into stardom and eventually being remade into the beloved US version.

Following the employees of a dreary office for a paper company, The Office became well-known for its cringe style of comedy, homing in on the most awkward aspects of workplace interactions and finding a lot of relatable comedy in the process.

The IT Crowd (2006-2013): 8.5

• Available on Netflix and Netflix Basic

Another British series, The IT Crowd followed the three-person tech support office squatting in the basement of a larger company, the nerdy misfits being comprised of two traditional computer geeks and their largely computer-illiterate manager.

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The relatively small core group of the show was often joined by equally talented supporting characters, but the simplicity of the setup allowed the main trio of actors to really shine, particularly Richard Ayoade as the exceptionally dorky Maurice Moss, a character who would prove to be an interesting precursor to the socially awkward Dr. Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory.

Cobra Kai (2018– ): 8.5

• Available on Netflix and Netflix Basic

There have been several great TV show based on movies, but few expected The Karate Kid movies would make for such a good series. Cobra Kai continues the story 34 years after the events of the original. In it, Johnny Lawrence decides to open the Cobra Kai dojo back up, which causes his former rivalry with Daniel LaRusso to reignite.

The YouTube Premium show has been widely praised for its fleshed-out characters and for reviving the excitement of the original movies. With five seasons to date, it has been great fun seeing where many Karate Kid actors are now.