By 1990 the sitcom was ready to be blown up. The traditional family sitcom, as defined at the time by ABC’s TGIF block, was strictly kid’s stuff, and the MTM / Norman Lear model of smart shows written for adults had fallen out of favor with both the public and the networks. Something new was needed. The self-aware, post-modern comedy of Late Night with David Letterman was ready to go primetime, most notably in a show that was proudly “about nothing.” Simultaneously, the growth of new broadcast networks led to a new era of comedies starring and created by Black artists. The best comedies of the era weren’t necessarily on traditional networks, with some of the most important sitcoms of the decade airing on cable. Meanwhile, a new network struggling for an identity was about to give a weird, ugly animated short from a low-rated sketch comedy show a shot as a weekly half-hour program; it would go on to establish animation as a viable medium for primetime comedy, while also dominating pop culture for the next three decades (and counting). The ‘90s were both an end to TV as it had been known for a half-century at that point, and the launching pad for the overwhelming, option-rich entertainment world of the ‘00s, which first overfilled with hundreds of cable channels, and then went digital with a dizzying array of streaming services. It was the last time when a TV show could become a true mainstream phenomenon, before the viewing audience permanently fragmented into a kaleidoscope of niches, and as a result the biggest sitcoms of the decade are still popular today, airing regularly on cable, in syndication, and on streaming services. You’ll find those shows on the list below, along with several other hits, cult classics, and overlooked gems. These are the 20 best sitcoms of the 1990s.
20. Will & Grace
Years: 1998-2006, 2017-2020
Created by: David Kohan, Max Mutchnick
Stars: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Megan Mullally, Sean Hayes
Original Network: NBC
Will & Grace remains a pivotal show for gay culture and the representation of gay characters on a sitcom. It received an absurd 83 Emmy nominations throughout its original run—the series returned for a ninth season in the fall of 2017—and each of the four regulars, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally, won an individual Emmy, making it one of only three sitcoms ever to achieve that feat. The stories, revolving around life and love in New York City, may have been sitcom boilerplate, but the subject matter (gay/Jewish identity), the rat-a-tat one-liners, the blockbuster guest stars, and the main cast’s chemistry were anything but: Will & Grace isn’t just a landmark TV series, it’s a rollicking good time. Most of its run happened in the ‘00s, which is why it’s not higher on this list about the ‘90s.—Jim Vorel and Matt Brennan
19. Red Dwarf
Years: 1988-1999, 2009-
Creator: Rob Grant, Doug Naylor
Stars: Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Norman Lovett, Hattie Hayridge
Network: BBC Two
Produced mainly due to an unexpected surplus in the BBC budget, Red Dwarf was a fluke program that ended up becoming one of the most innovative and successful British sitcoms of all time. The central premise concerns Dave Lister, a slovenly crew member on the titular Red Dwarf spaceship, who is put into suspended animation as punishment and—after a catastrophic radiation leak—awakens millions of years later as the last surviving human. Left alone, Lister’s only companions are the ship’s computer, the sentient hologram of his former boss and a cat that, thanks to millions of years of evolution, has developed into a conveniently humanoid figure. Originally presented as a more traditional, multi-cam sitcom, wherein the cast (including a scene-stealing “mechanoid” named Kryten in later seasons) would bicker about the various problems and threats that emerged week after week, the creative team soon proved to be much more ambitious in their storytelling aspirations, incorporating plotlines centering on parallel dimensions, genetically modified monsters and terraforming (not to mention displaying a significant upgrade in production design quality). At times, the show would even downplay its farcical elements in favor of a more dramatic approach. And though behind-the-scenes disputes have resulted in the (sometimes temporary) departure of several key cast members and creative figures throughout the years (including co-mastermind Rob Grant), Red Dwarf’s enduring legacy has carved it a secure place in television history. One part Alien and one part Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Red Dwarf remains a beast all its own.—Mark Rozeman
18. Everybody Loves Raymond
Years: 1996-2005
Creator: Philip Rosenthal
Stars: Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Madylin Sweeten, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle, Monica Horan
Network: CBS
Everybody Loves Raymond was the quintessential “family/marriage sitcom” of its decade, never genre-bending but generally solid, always dependable. The insecurities of its characters were certainly relatable, from Ray’s struggles to assert himself in any facet of his life to the general concerns of age and sexual inadequacy. Between them, Ray and Debra seemed like people who could easily be living across the street from you, which was the whole idea. Of course, the characters of Ray’s parents and his brother Robert were just as important if not more so at times—look no further than the show’s Emmy history, where Doris Roberts and Brad Garrett led the series in wins. If Ray is the gravitational center of the show, Garrett is the heart and Roberts is the verve. —Jim Vorel
17. Daria
Years: 1997-2002
Creators: Glenn Eichler, Susie Lewis Lynn
Stars: Tracy Grandstaff, Wendy Hoopes, Julián Rebolledo, Marc Thompson
Network: MTV
Significantly more influential than one would have expected from a Beavis and Butt-head spin-off, Daria is without a doubt the defining show of angsty teens of the late ’90s who couldn’t quite get over the death of grunge. It’s a paean to the lazy, the slackers, the cynical and the sarcastic, as Daria and her friend Jane bemoaned the plight of a broken society by watching tabloid shows with titles like Sick, Sad World. Its fatalism was deep, dark and often hilarious, and one got the sense that few shows have ever actually captured the zeitgeist of their subjects more accurately. Every teen who ever shrugged their shoulders and sighed in frustration after being asked how their day at school was by Mom was clearly thinking, ‘My life is just like Daria.’ —Jim Vorel
16. Friends
Years: 1994-2004
Creators: David Crane, Marta Kauffman
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer
Network: NBC
In terms of pure marketability, Friends was a juggernaut. Everyone watched Friends. Parents watched alongside kids. Its mass appeal is summed up by its incredibly general title alone—I mean really, “Friends”? Its success may be the ultimate reminder that truly populist sitcoms are all about the characters and not necessarily the storylines. Friends simply had the best-defined characters: Nebbish Ross, prickly Chandler, air-headed Joey, domineering Monica, bubbly Phoebe and “I’m very attractive” Rachel. The writing was just clever enough to let a talented bunch of actors grow into their roles and become archetypes that have been echoed in dozens of sitcoms in the decade since the show’s finale. The reach of Friends extends to every end of pop culture, even fashion. Case in point: “the Rachel” hairstyle, which became the decade’s defining ’do. That is the definition of influence. —Jim Vorel
15. Martin
Years: 1992-1997
Creators: John Bowman, Martin Lawrence, Topper Carew
Stars: Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, Carl Anthony Payne II, Thomas Mikal Ford, Tichina Arnold
Network: Fox
A lot of people, Martin Lawrence included, probably thought this would be the peak of the former stand-up’s career in comedy, but they were simply unaware that he would one day make Big Momma’s House. Set in direct opposition to the dominance of NBC’s “Must See TV” block on Thursday nights, Martin became a counterbalance, a story set in urban Detroit with a largely black cast. A bit of a blowhard and a paper tiger, Martin is a funny guy who likes to act tough, but is secretly a softy on the inside, a characteristic only rarely seen by his more serious, long-suffering girlfriend, Gina. The show had a bit of an odd conclusion, as a sexual harassment lawsuit from Tisha Campbell resulted in her being absent through a good portion of the final season. She eventually settled and filmed three final episodes under the stipulation that she wouldn’t appear in any scenes with Lawrence, which certainly sounds like it must have been awkward to witness.—Jim Vorel
14. Sports Night
Years: 1998-2000
Creator: Aaron Sorkin
Stars: Josh Charles, Peter Krause, Felicity Huffman, Joshua Malina, Sabrina Lloyd, Robert Guillaume
Network: ABC
A Sportscenter parody was a pretty ripe idea for a comedy-drama when Aaron Sorkin dreamed it up in the late ’90s, but unlike other Sorkin gems such as The West Wing, Sports Night never ended up finding the popular appeal to match its critical acclaim. One gets the sense that it could have gone over better had it been more squarely in the hands of its creators, but in its first season, ABC insisted the show be a comedy first and foremost. Over time, the laugh track was eliminated and the show began to incorporate many more of the stylistic choices that one would see on other Sorkin shows, such as the witty, fast-paced repartee and the tendency to “walk and talk.” Perhaps this could have eventually breathed some new life into the series, but by 2000 The West Wing was taking off as a hit show and Sorkin left to focus on a sure thing. Sports Night was left behind as a program that displayed a ton of promise but didn’t quite manage to harness it. —Jim Vorel
13. Sex and the City
Years: 1998-2004
Creator: Darren Star
Stars: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon
Network: HBO
Most of us who watched Darren Star’s Sex and the City could not relate to the very specific demographic of women who were showcased. And, for a series whose beating heart was NYC, the show did not do well in its presentation of gay characters or characters of color (whenever they showed up). Hell, even the main character was problematic and difficult to root for at times—Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), the not-so-eloquent writer who was better at choosing a pair of Manolo Blahniks than making decisions in her love life (Team Aiden)? Indeed, this was an infuriating show to experience sometimes, and that’s partly why we loved it. It remains a phenomenon, and as cliché as it may sound, it opened the door for more complex narratives about women and sex, and it did so unapologetically thanks in large part to Kim Cattrall’s role as Samantha Jones. And if Samantha was too much for you, Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) offered up their own unique perspectives, giving the foursome an original, entertaining, and important balance of personalities and feminist (or anti-feminist) outlooks. Whatever class issues, or race issues, or gender and sexuality issues Sex and the City might have swept under the rug (or addressed in an off-putting way), it still functioned as a loud, oft-obscene call for agency among the marginalized. And it did all of this with some of the funniest dialogue and sex talk we’d ever heard. “My man has funky tasting spunk!” will go down in history as one of the most horrifying, incredible TV moments of all time, and that’s just the tip (ahem) of the legendary SaTC iceberg.—Shannon M. Houston
12. Living Single
Years: 1993-1998
Creator: Yvette Lee Bowser
Stars: Queen Latifah, Kim Coles, Erika Alexander, T.C. Carson, John Henton, Mel Jackson, Kim Fields
Network: Fox
In a ’90s kind of world, I’m glad I’ve got my girls! During a decade with many successful black sitcoms, Living Single was the flyest. It remained in the top five most-watched programs by black audiences throughout its five-year run, and eventually knocked Martin out the No. 1 spot. The beloved series had unforgettable style, unparalleled verbal sparring between Kyle (T.C. Carson) and Max (Erika Alexander), and a theme song by Queen Latifah that has since become iconic. Yvette Lee Bowser, a producer on A Different World, drew on experiences from her life to create Living Single, which followed six single black twentysomethings living in a brownstone in Brooklyn, N.Y., and figuring out their personal and professional lives. The cast’s group chemistry produced comedy perfection, introducing a special kind of humor, personality, and heart to network TV that still hasn’t been exactly replicated. —Ashley Terrell
Years: 1988-1997
Years: 1988-1998, 2018
Years: 1988-1993
Years: 1990-1996
Years: 1997-2010
Years: 1990-1992
Years: 1992-1998
Years: 1993-2004
Years: 1995-1999
Years: 1989-1998
Years: 1989-