Sitcoms or situational comedies have been a staple on TV for decades now – from Rosanne and Frasier to Seinfeld and Friends, they are always there to cheer you up and make you feel like your problems are much more manageable. The following shows are light-hearted but can address serious topics, and at only 30 minutes an episode, are the perfect size for a well-deserved study break during Revision Week.
1. “Black-ish” (2014 – )
This show is so hilarious and yet deals with some very real topics, like being black and fearing undue police harassment. Anthony Anderson plays the patriarch of this weird and wonderful family, and you should really watch for him alone. If that’s not enough, the kids are extremely adorable as well.
2. “Fresh Off the Boat” (2015 – )
Another ABC show that deals with the problems that can come with being a certain race within suburban America – this show is centered around a Taiwanese family that moves from Chinatown in Washington, D.C. to Florida in the late 90s. It is narrated in the style of “How I Met Your Mother” in that the present day version of one of the children is detailing what is happening to the family. The sitcom is actually based on the chef Eddie Huang’s memoir by the same name, and the narrator is in fact “Eddie” as well.
3. “Mom” (2013 – )
This show also deals with some serious issues like teen pregnancy, drug abuse and alcoholism and domestic violence, but it does so in the most heartwarming of ways. The two leads are played by Allison Janney of The West Wing fame and Anna Faris, known for The House Bunny. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows, and I highly recommend you start watching.
4. “Everybody Hates Chris” (2005 – 09)
I absolutely adore this show and it saddens me that so few people have seen it. This is one of the classics in my book. Narrated by Chris Rock, it follows his life as a teenager in Brooklyn during the 80s. There are four seasons of this show and each is absolutely hilarious. And you’ll definitely recognize the dad, who is played by TERRY CREWS.
5. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013 – )
Forget about just sitcoms, this is probably one of my favorite shows ever. It’s in the middle of its fourth season right now, and each is better than the last. The show, which is about the 99th Police Precinct in Brooklyn, has an amazingly diverse cast and is just so damn funny without resorting to the usual cheap and often offensive shots other shows seem to make. Also, Andy Samberg is adorable. Oh, and it also has Terry Crews. Please go watch this show.
Happy watching, St Andrews!