*Disclaimer: This ranking is extremely biased and totally based on solely my opinion. However, I think I am right.
I’ve spent a lot of time watching TV shows during quarantine. And even before that, I was always drawn to multiple season shows that were funny and easy to binge watch. I think my first ever “adult” sitcom was How I Met Your Mother. I watched all seven seasons in a little over a month during my freshman year of high school. I loved it. After that, I watched Friends. I loved that, as well. I seeked out more sitcoms and now have compiled a ranking of some of the more popular sitcoms that I have seen. This list includes shows that I’ve seen multiple times, shows that I have seen multiple seasons of, and one that I have only seen multiple episodes of.
1. New Girl
Coming in first on my list is New Girl. I can’t remember when I first watched it, but I have definitely seen it through at least four times. It probably comes first in all the tv shows I’ve seen. Each character is well thought out and all get their own arcs. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, and I can watch it over and again. There are certain episodes that I find myself gravitating towards, like “Kryptonite”, “Cooler”, “Virgins”, and “Five Stars for Beezus.” This show is so funny and I personally think it ends really well. New Girl is definitely my favorite show and sitcom.
2. Parks and Recreation
This might be controversial, but I like Parks and Recreation better than The Office. I watched all seven seasons of Parks and Recreation in six days. I don’t think I’ve laughed as much or cried as much for any show. It’s so hilarious and heartwarming. I think every character is likeable, even when they are annoying. This show has one of my favorite fictional love interests, so that’s a plus. Parks and Recreation is so uplifting and good through its last episode. Sadly, Netflix took it off their site, so I have not been able to rewatch this show in its entirety, but I have been watching Youtube clips, and I desperately want to watch it again.
3. Schitt’s Creek
Characters and character development are important to any show, but it is the most important thing for me. If I hate a certain character, it gets really hard for me to keep watching a show. With Schitt’s Creek, some of the annoying characters redeem themselves throughout the show and make it even more enjoyable. It also helps that there are some characters that just shine the entire time. I think David Rose is one of the best characters on television. The comedic timing and the acting is perfect. I only recently heard of it, but watched it through so quickly. I got so many of my friends to watch it, and they love it, too. There’s a reason why it won nine Emmys this year!
4. Community
I admit, I have only seen four seasons of Community. I’m a few episodes into the fifth season, and it’s definitely slowing down. But when I think about the first four seasons, I loved them. I loved those seasons more than the entirety of The Office. They have such a diverse cast, not so much ethnically, but personality wise. Each character is so unique and special. It’s also really funny. I watch sitcoms to relax and laugh, and Community is a hoot. I also think this show is different than most of the other shows I’ve seen because they keep introducing new scenarios; it does it differently than other shows. Obviously sitcoms stand for situational comedies, but Community has some wild situations. It keeps the viewer on their toes, and does it hilariously.
5. Friends
Next on the list is Friends. I love this show. It was one of the first sitcoms I’ve seen and I think it’s really funny. It is long, but I’ve seen it through multiple times. Compared to some of the other shows I’ve seen more recently, it lacks something for me, but I still love it. I think Friends is timeless, and that’s one of my favorite things about it. New Girl and Friends is really similar, but if I had to compare, New Girl pulls ahead by a mile.
6. The Office
Now for The Office. I watched the entire show in two weeks after my freshman year of college. I felt left out because everyone I knew had seen it. Years ago, I had watched the first season and did not like it. I honestly hated Michael Scott. I did not think “Diversity Day” was funny and I didn’t want to keep watching. After college, I joined the bandwagon and watched it through. They have some great episodes and funny moments, but the show goes through so many changes that it’s hard to stay consistent. Youtube clips and compilations of The Office are where the show really shines. I would sometimes go back and watch my favorite episodes, but since they took it off of Netflix, I don’t really seek it out anymore.
7. How I Met Your Mother
I know I said this show was what got me into sitcoms, but it ranks pretty low on my list. I have seen so much TV in the seven years since I first watched HIMYM, so here it is. I think it’s a great show. Terrible ending, but I enjoyed the journey. I learned a lot from the show, and I liked watching it. I started rewatching the show from the beginning last year, but with all the Hulu ads, I couldn’t get into it again. There were too many other shows calling me.
8. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
I’m adding this show because something has to come last. Personally, I could not even get through the first season. I know a lot of my friends like this show, but I don’t think any of the characters are likeable. It was difficult to watch. One of my friends explained it as “bad people doing bad things” and I think that is a pretty accurate description from what I’ve seen. Maybe when I’m really bored and have nothing else to do I’ll go back and try it again, but for now, I’d rather watch any of the other shows on this list.