The situational comedy is one of the pillars of American television. Fred Silverman, one of the greatest producers in TV history (who worked at all three major television networks and who died recently) built his widely successful career on shows like “All In The Family.” His formula was that drama, reality TV and late night were what made networks work financially. This formula went all the way back to black and white programming in the 1950s.
Thanks to syndication, streaming services and on-demand viewing, not just current sitcoms but the full history of these shows is at our disposal. For those who like their comedy with a little bite, shows like “South Park” surely will suffice, as will game-changers such as “Seinfeld” and “Arrested Development.” Then we have crowd-pleasing classics like “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Will & Grace” and “The Big Bang Theory,” which channel the genre’s most lasting traditions through a contemporary lens.
To determine the best sitcom of all time, 24/7 Tempo referred to Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Sitcoms of All Time, a list published in May of this year. We have added user ratings and total number of votes on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon. Cast information is also from IMDb.
The best sitcom of all time is “The Simpsons.” Here are the details:
- Series run: 1989 to present (Fox)
- IMDb user rating: 8.6/10
- Number of IMDb votes: 381,356
- Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner
Click here to read about all the best sitcoms of all time.
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