Everyone loves a good sitcom. Whether it’s the silly catchphrases, likeable characters, or relatable situations, sitcoms are popular among viewers for a reason.
They’re practically the only type of show I watch, as while I was growing up, my parents would always have them on. I’ll watch them anywhere, whether that’s before I go to bed, on road trips, or while I’m doing my homework. Some of the catchphrases from my favorites have even made it into my daily vocabulary.
With Thanksgiving and winter break on the horizon, here is a list of my top five favorite sitcoms, as well as my favorite episodes from each show.
1. ‘Abbott Elementary’
While this sitcom is one of the newest on this list, it takes the cake as my favorite. I began watching it based on a recommendation from my family. Created by comedian Quinta Brunson, it follows the goings on of Abbott Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and its teachers.
Like The Office, it’s filmed in a mockumentary style, with the teachers at Abbott giving confessionals throughout the episode. It stars Brunson, alongside Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Chris Perfetti. Since it’s a newer show, it takes modern trends and puts them in funny situations with the teachers at the school. With Janine’s optimism, Melissa’s spunk, and Gregory’s side eyes, it makes for an extremely fun show to watch. With the episodes being just over 20 minutes, it’s also very easy to binge. It’s easily accessible for fans on Hulu and has a total of five seasons, with season six currently airing on ABC.
Favorite Episode: Season 4, Episode 17, “Karaoke.”
2. ‘The Middle’
Starring Patricia Heaton, Charlie McDermott, and Neil Flynn, The Middle follows the life of the middle-class Heck Family in Orson, Indiana. It started airing on ABC in 2009, and that’s when I started watching it with my mom. Spanning across nine seasons, you see Mike and Frankie’s three kids, Axl, Sue, and Brick grow up from middle school, to high school, to college.
While the earlier seasons are a little bit slower to get through compared to the newer ones, all the plot lines are equally as funny. If you have a big family with their own idiosyncrasies, like most do, you’ll be sure to laugh out loud and relate heavily to the episodes. Like Abbott Elementary the episodes are around 20 minutes and are easy to binge. It’s easily accessible through Peacock. If you’re looking for a fun show to watch during the holiday break, I would highly recommend starting with this one.
Favorite Episode: Season 6, Episode 9, “The Christmas Wall.”
3. ‘The Big Bang Theory’
When you think of sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory is often what comes to mind. Starring Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco, it follows a group of scientists in California. One day, a girl named Penny moves across the hall from their apartment and turns their lives around. It spans across 12 seasons, and is the perfect sitcom to start with if you’re looking for a light and funny show to watch.
Out of all of these sitcoms, this is the one I started watching most recently, and after the first few seasons of the show, I was hooked. As a nerd myself, I loved all of the nerdy Star Wars and Star Trek references throughout the show, and the funny comparisons to various scientific phenomena. Since it’s a science show, you’ll also definitely learn a thing or two, and can stream it on HBO Max.
Favorite Episode: Season 6, Episode 13, “The Bakersfield Expedition.”
4. ‘Seinfeld’
In my family, watching the entirety of Seinfeld is a right of passage. Compared to the rest of the sitcoms on this list, it’s a little bit older, with the first season having aired in 1989. It’s the brain child of comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, following a group of friends and their daily lives living in New York City.
Like all of these sitcoms I’ve listed above, it takes normal everyday situations and pokes fun at them. Over its nine season tenure, it’s had a lot of famous episodes including “Festivus,” the famous holiday where you air your grievances at the dinner table two days before Christmas. You can stream this show on Netflix, and if you’re looking for an older show with comforting vibes, I highly recommend Seinfeld.
Favorite Episode: Season 3, Episode 3, “The Pen.”
5. ‘The office’
Out of all the sitcoms I have listed, The Office is by far one of the most popular. So, if you haven’t watched it yet, use this downtime over break to begin binging. It follows Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and the employees who work for the company alongside their boss Michael Scott. It stars Steve Carrell, John Krasinski, and Jenna Fischer. It spans across nine seasons and has a mockumentary style, where it feels like you’re just a fly on the wall at this company.
It’s available to watch through a Peacock subscription, and the episodes are easy to binge as they’re also around 20 minutes each. Out of all the shows I have listed above, I really enjoy the character development in The Office, especially with Pam and Jim who are played by Fischer and Krasinski.
Favorite Episode: Season 6, Episodes 4 & 5, “Niagra” Parts 1 and 2.
With winter break on the horizon, I highly recommend taking a moment to sit back, relax, and binge these sitcoms. Happy watching!