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The 10 Best Sitcoms on TV? I can’t believe I’m even typing that. It’s been years since you could even point to five funny sitcoms on TV at the same time. With occasional exceptions over the last decade—Arrested Development, Sports Night, The Office, Scrubs—the post Seinfeld landscape was mostly dotted with unfunny, unoriginal, brainless, multi-camera, laugh-tracked half-hour blocks of misery.
Then came Tina Fey. And then premium cable channels started to build on the success of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Now, all of the sudden, TV is funny again. We created a list of our 10 favorite current sitcoms because we realized that we could, without reservation, recommend 10 sitcoms. And we’re talking live-action, half-hour TV comedies, not hour-long dramedies, animated hilarity, or biting fake news shows. And that’s with Curb taking the year off. Crazy, huh?
Here are the 10 funniest sitcoms currently on TV:
10. Bored to Death
(HBO)
Writer Jonathan Ames’ new series features Jason Schwartzman as a writer named Jonathan Ames who decides to advertise his private investigative services on Craigslist. Our favorite comedian Zach Galifianakis plays Ames’ best friend, Ted Danson quickly makes us forget he was ever in Becker, and the guest stars have included Kristen Wiig, Jim Jarmusch and Patton Oswalt. But its Schwartzman’s absurd mix of self-obsession and sincerity that makes the show so fun to watch. Schwartzman told Paste last fall that he loves that the real Ames is “not ever winking at the camera, making fun of the genre of mystery. He has no ability as a human being to detect irony. He doesn’t write his books from a place of mean or sarcastic humor. What I love is that his characters are always trying to do the right thing. They just keep fucking it up and end up hurting people, but it’s never intended.” — Josh Jackson
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Good list, for the most part. It does seem strange, though, that Modern Family tops your list despite all of the scathing reviews you've given to several episodes.
Wow, that's an insanely old picture from 30 Rock. Heck, it even predates Season One since Rachel Dratch was dropped very early on as one of the main characters.
No Big Bang? Yes, it has a laugh track...but so did Seinfeld.
...and when I say laugh track, I mean a live studio audience.
The Big Bang Theory almost made it on the strength of Sheldon, alone. And yes, we've had negative reviews of some Modern Family episodes, but it's still the funniest sitcom according to several of our staff, including me.
Number one should be Better Off Ted (it's not officially canceled yet, now matter how much a formality that is at this point).
Decent list. Definitely agree with the top 3 although I feel like Modern Family has plateaued a bit. And they need to stop doing the happy family ending every week. I am not an angsty/emo person but the last 5 minutes of every episode is predictable and needlessly takes away my enjoyment of the first 25.
30 Rock had a slow start to the season (as they do every season) but I really love their recent run. Really nothing like it on tv. I think Community is its successor in terms of quirkiness.
I like every show you listed except "Community". What were you thinking. I sat through the frist 3 episodes wanting to like it sooooo bad, but couldn't. I laughed maybe once. Where is CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM?
I'm kind of ashamed to admit it, but I love Cougar Town. It's kind of hilarious.
How Kevin feels about Community is how I feel about Modern Family. I watched the first few episodes and I just couldn't make myself like it as much as I felt like I should.
Cougar Town, Big Bang Theory and The Office should be on there. Not sure if Nurse Jackie is a sit com. NJ is a good drama with comedic overtones but so are Treme and Mad Men. Is Weeds a sitcom? Californication? Now, what about the 'toons? Family Guy, Simpsons, South Park, American Dad, Cleveland Show. I am inclined to agree with the spirit of the list and say, yeah, this is a golden age for decent comedy on TV.
I'm really glad to see Party Down made it into that list. I feel it's very underrated.
I need to check out Party Down and watch more of HIMYM, but I have to say this is a good list to me! I like Modern Family and Community a lot and I commend you for not including Big Bang Theory or Glee because both are overrated.
Am I getting old? What IS the definition of "funny" these days. Most of the scenes rehash old, stupid cliches that weren't even funny the first time! Come on! A few disagreements - "Nurse Jackie" isn't really a sitcom because it's usually more serious (and a hell of a show). "Parks and Recreation" sucked big time the first time around (as funny as Amy Poehler is) and apparently nothing has changed. Same with "Community". I won't even touch on "The Office". The exceptions to the rule are "30 Rock", "Bored to Death" and often "Modern Family". Cruelty is the new comedy. You've been dumbed down! Somebody bring back the laughs! Bring back "Better Off Ted"!
WTF, Paste? No "Steven Seagal Lawman"?
A&E's formula for perfect comedy:
Cops + Steven Seagal Sweating > Jay Leno x CarrotTop
Never seen Modern Family but looks like I'll have to check it out. Love Community, pop culture reference-fest is very clever and reaonsably layered. Plus, I love the way they keep taking the piss out of Seacrest, he must have a decent sense of humour.
Archer?
I love The Office and agree with the review, love Community even though I don't get most of the references, hated Party Down when I tried the episode with Kristen Bell in it, idk why it made the cut... and I just watched the clip of Nurse Jackie... interesting, looks and sounds like a good show... but it definitely shouldn't have counted as a sitcom.
I love Modern Family [almost] as much as the next person, but I think Community is far superior. It's much smarter, and it's sweetness doesn't smack you in the face the way Modern Family does. We get it, you fight but you love each other very much. We don't need a voiceover telling us so.
Nurse Jackie is brilliant and compelling and one of my favorite new shows, but no way it's a sitcom.
And I wish I could read just one review of HIMYM that didn't only talk about Barney. Yes, he's the best. But the rest of the show's good too.
Solid list, but where the heck is Cougar Town? After an awkward start, it's been the most consistently funny and inspired sitcom of the past several months. On the other hand, Modern Family hasn't given us a great episode since at least three months. How I met Your Mother went stale two years ago. I just fla-out don't like Community. I just In truth, no sitcom has been peerless this season. Each one has had plotting issues and problems with consistency.
My top ten for this season would be:
1. 30 Rock
2. Cougar Town
3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
4. Modern Family
5. Parks and Recreation
6. Curb Your Enthusiasm
7. The Big Bang Theory
8. Party Down
9. The Office/Hung
10. South Park
Really, Parks and Rec and the office...two shows that have overstayed their welcome. Modern Family No.1-even though paste gives better reviews to community? Come on..very disappointed...you can do better
good list, but had to agree with several others, HOW could you leave off Cougar Town?? ... ABC is killing it on Wed nights with The Middle (the middle), Modern Family and Cougar Town! great shows and a booming trifecta of laughs (awkward and otherwise)...
I agree with most of this list. I like Modern Family but I do not get much laugh-out-loud comedy from it like I do How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock, and, yes, Cougar Town. Cougar Town is downright hilarious. "It makes my lady parts beep." "Yay, M&M tea." This is not a guilty pleasure. It's a brilliantly funny show with great characters and relationships. It's a completely different show than 30 Rock but it makes me laugh the same way.
I was going to be mad if you didn't make Modern Family #1. From your list, I do not watch #10 Bored to Death, but will check it out on HBO; #7 How I Met Your Mother, not really a show that would get my attention, #5 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, heard of it and will check it out; and #4 Party Down, never heard of it but will check it out now. I watch Community but don't find it that good of a show. Others I love. nice list!
This is a great list, too much hate for Community in these comments, I would personally put it before Modern Family, it is smart as hell and where you think it's cliche, it's on purpose. Party Down was great but I knew it would get cancelled. The only one I haven't gotten into is It's Always Sunny... just not feeling it. 30 Rock wasn't at it's best this season but still had great moments and HIMYM knows that it was a bad season and plans on coming back strong. I agree that Nurse Jackie is hardly a sitcom but when it is funny it's great. The Office won't be around much longer but it has great rewatch value and still has its moments. Bored to Death took its time but I think season 2 will be awesome. I like this list, it is actually the reason I decided to watch Modern Family. I will agree with the love for Cougar Town too, I think it could take the spot of Nurse Jackie.
How I Met Your Mother, one of the best...lol, lol. Please, you cannot be serious
Nice list, except you omitted the single funniest show of 2010: Louie, starring Louie CK.
30 Rock is the only show remotely close -- and even that is a distant 2nd place.
Yup modern family is the best.
I love this list, and I agree with most of them. Sitcoms have really evolved with television... When I see old episodes of 90s sitcoms, I realize how far the humor has come in intelligence and wit.
I've compiled my own version of this list... a bit different, but with some great shows to check out too!
http://www.best5everything.com/best5ListPages/currentsitcoms58133.php
I love this list, and I agree with most of them. Sitcoms have really evolved with television... When I see old episodes of 90s sitcoms, I realize how far the humor has come in intelligence and wit.
I've compiled my own version of this list... a bit different, but with some great shows to check out too!
http://www.best5everything.com/best5ListPages/currentsitcoms58133.php
Hey I am into Star Wars and sci-fi in general more than most but it cracks me up that there are so many militant people that gripe about such things..http://bit.ly/kKlQcL
it was really so fun to be here..so funny comedy post
Best list ever! I would have put the office higher if they didn't lose Steve Carell.
As for The Big Bang Theory it is only good for a while because the humour is mostly one liners. A good sitcom has situational humour and more diverse characters to keep it interesting. All big bang theory characters are way to similar and are almost always together which doesn't allow the show to branch off to create more humorous situations.
the fact that you think the office is a good show, makes the whole list useless... thanks for the effort though.