I ramble incessantly about my favorite shows nowadays, almost all of which (save Scrubs) are dramas. This is because I firmly believe that, all other things considered, a drama is better than a comedy. While there is something to be said for the laughs you get from a comedy, dramas tend to be better written, acted, and more engrossing. Good ones which stand the test of time tend to be some of the best television around.
But enough about dramas. Despite all this, and despite my general distaste for the sitcom genre, there have been several great comedies throughout the ages - but only a handful really stand up to be classics in my mind. I figured it's time that they got their due and received some well-earned discussion on this site...
But first, a couple rules:
sit·com ('sit-"käm)
noun.
: a radio or television comedy series that involves a continuing cast of characters in a succession of episodes
Hold on to your butts, here we go...
What a classic show. Best known for its lead character Sam Malone (played by Ted Danson) and his arrogant yet hilarious swagger, Cheers showed the softer side of those people who spend most of their life in bars. It boasted one of the strongest ensemble casts in history - Danson, Shelley Long, Kirstie Alley, Kelsey Grammar, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, and others. Everyone fit their character perfectly. The show's writing was strong enough to withstand a death among the cast (the beloved "Coach", in 1985), and continue to grow strong after major cast changes (the departure of Shelley Long and replacement with Kirstie Alley). Wendt was the show-stealer as Norm, the guy who practically lived in the bar. But the strength of the show lie in Sam's relationship with the women on the show, particularly Shelley Long in the early seasons. Their argumentative relationship probably boasted the most sexual tension of any on-screen duo in history. Oh, and it gets major points for one of the best TV theme songs ever made. You know you sing along whenever you hear it.
Classic Scene:
Sam: You are the nuttiest, the stupidest, the phoniest fruitcake I ever met!
Diane:You, Sam Malone are the most arrogant self centered son-of-a...
Sam: Shut up! Shut your fat mouth!
Diane: Make me!
Sam: Make you?... My God I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna bounce you off every wall in this office!
Diane: Try it and you'll be walking funny tomorrow... or should I say funnier?
Sam: You know, you know I always wanted to pop you one! Maybe this is my lucky day, huh?
Diane: You disgust me! I hate you!
Sam: Are you as turned on as I am?
Diane: More!
(They kiss passionately)
Ruthlessly funny, proudly defiant in constantly pushing the edge, it's one of the funniest and sharpest shows ever made, if you can get past the crudeness of the language and imagery. The premise is simple: the writers choose something to make fun of each episode and satirize it through the show's characters. Eric Cartman is one of the all-time great TV characters: selfish, arrogant, vicious and vindictive, patronizing... all the traits of someone you just love to hate. What's best about South Park is that, even when they choose to poke fun at a current event or issue, they do a good job of lambasting both sides. That's what separates satire from propaganda - and South Park is about as good as it comes. It's starting to suffer nowadays as they keep adding more characters and run out of original voices, plus they're a little too current on their current events. Despite this, its razor wit is still as sharp as ever.
Classic Scene
(Cartman is REALLY PISSED at Scott Tenorman and plots his revenge at the Chili-Con Carnival cook-off)
Cartman: Hey this is great!
Scott: It's a special recipe
Cartman: Ah, this is really good Scott.
Scott: I'm glad you like it so much, because now that you're almost finished, I have something to tell you.
Cartman: What??? You mean how you put pubes in your chili???
Scott: What......???
Cartman: Yes, I'm afraid this isn't your chili Scott. I switched it with Chef's. It's delicious, Chef! I hadn't planned on that. What I DID plan on however was that my friends Stan and Kyle would betray me and warn you that the Chili-Con Carnival was a trap. I assumed they would tell you that I had trained Jenkins' pony to bite off your weiner. What they didn't tell you was that Jenkins is a crazy redneck who shoots tresspassers on sight. Knowing that you would try to do something to the pony I warned Mr. Jenkins that violent pony killers were in the area. I also knew that you wouldn't go yourself for fear of having your weiner bitten off. You would most likely send your parents. And I'm afraid that when Mr. Jenkins spotted them on his property, he shot and killed both your parents.
Scott: My Mom and Dad are dead....???
Cartman: I came just in time to see Mr. Jenkins' giving his report to Officer Barbrady.....and of course to steal the bodies. After a night with the hacksaw I was all ready to put on my Chili-Con Carnival, so that I could tell you personally about your parents demise. And, of course, to feed you your chili. Do you like it.........? Do you like it Scott.......? I call it: Mr. and Mrs. Tenorman Chili.
(Scott begins crying... Cartman begins to lick the tears off his face.)
Cartman: Oh, the tears of unfathomable sadness! Yummy!
How in the world did a show about nothing catch on? Probably because it's a mirror of real life. For 9 seasons Seinfeld and his buddies carried on ridiculous and hilarious conversations and situations about completely meaningless crap. Sporting one of the best ensemble casts in history and some of the wittiest teleplays, Seinfeld's ability to last almost 10 years while staying true to its original premise says a lot about how funny this show was.
Classic Scene
George Costanza: So, did you get your new plates?
Cosmo Kramer: Oh... yeah. I got my new plates. But they mixed them up. Somebody got mine and I got their vanity plates.
George Costanza: What do they say?
Cosmo Kramer: Assman.
Jerry: Assman?
Cosmo Kramer: Yeah. Assman, Jerry. I'm Cosmo Kramer, the Assman!
Jerry: Who would order a license plate that says "Assman"?
George Costanza: Maybe they're Wilt Chamberlain's.
Jerry: It doesn't have to be someone who gets a lot of women. It could be just some guy with a big ass.
Cosmo Kramer: Yeah, or it could be a proctologist.
Jerry: Yeah. Proctologist.
George Costanza: Come on! No doctor would put that on his car.
Cosmo Kramer: Have you ever met a proctologist? Well, they usually have a very good sense of humor. You meet a proctologist at a party, don't walk away. Plant yourself there, because you will hear the funniest stories you've ever heard. See, no one wants to admit to them that they stuck something up there. Never! It's always an accident. Every proctologist story ends in the same way: "It was a million to one shot, Doc. Million to one."
What an amazing show. Underrated on the comedy scale because it's often considered a "family show", but when it was on its game it was often unparalleled in comedic value. Bill Cosby was a genius and in his prime he was the father that everybody wished they had. Bonus points for being often educational and constructive for the whole family. More bonus points for shedding light on what the modern African-American family was really like in the 80's/90's, shattering all kinds of misconceptions.
Classic Scene
(Theo tells his father Cliff he doesn't need to go to college, that he can get a job and be just like "regular people". Cliff uses monopoly money to teach him a lesson.)
Cliff: So how much do you expect to make a week for 'regular people'?
Theo: $250
Cliff (pointing to the bed): Sit down. I will give you $300 a week. $1200 a month. (Cliff hands the money to Theo)
Theo: I'll take it!
Cliff: And I will take $350 for taxes.
Theo: Whoa!
Cliff: Oh, yeah. See, the government goes for the regular people first. So, how much does that leave you with?
Theo: $850.
Cliff: Okay, now you'll need an apartment because you are NOT living here. Now an apartment in Manhattan will run you at least $400 a month.
Theo: I'll live in New Jersey. (Theo takes back $200)
Cliff: Now you'll need a car. (Cliff takes $300)
Theo: I'll drive a motorbike. (Theo takes back $100)
Cliff: You're gonna need a helmet. (Cliff takes $50) "Now figure $100 a month for clothes and shoes.
Theo: Figure $200. I wanna look GOOD.
Cliff: So, how much does that leave you with?
Theo: $200. So, no problem.
Cliff: There IS a problem! You haven't EATEN yet! (Cliff takes $100)
Theo: I can get by on bologna and cereal. (Theo takes back his $100) So I've got everything under control PLUS $200 left for the month.
Cliff: You plan to have a girlfriend?
Theo: For sure.
(Cliff takes the remaining $200)
Cliff (pointing at Theo's empty hand): Regular people.
Completely underrated, often misunderstood, and widely unknown, NewsRadio redefined the sitcom during it's somewhat-brief 5-year run. It sported the best ensemble cast in history; virtually every member of the cast has gone on to later success, despite being practically unknown when the show debuted. NewsRadio pushed the limits of what was considered the standard for network television. It was lightning-paced, interspersing visual-physical comedy with subtle wit. It also had a hard edge, oftentimes being darker than other comedies were willing to be. No show could ever make me laugh as loud or as often as NewsRadio did. Despite the death of Phil Hartman after season 4 (and the eventual end of the show one year later), it was the most creative and spontaneously ingenious sitcom ever made.
Classic Scene
I can't seem to find a quote from my absolute favorite scene (where Mr. James runs for President and then claims to be Deep Throat just to meet girls), so I will offer a few alternatives:
Lisa: He won't even admit that he's jealous. That is the thing that just drives me crazy.
Beth: You know, I do not blame you. If my boyfriend acted like that, I would go absolutely bitch-cakes.
Lisa: Bitch-cakes?
Beth: I just made that up. Think it's gonna catch on?
Dave (to Mr. James): Normally at a time like this I'd ask you for advice, and you'd say something that would make no sense at all, but somehow it would all fit together. Like, I would tell you, "Sir, I have a problem," and you'd say, "Well, what is it?" and I'd say, "Well, sir, Lisa wants to have a baby, but she doesn't want to get married," and you'd say "Dave, why milk the cow when you have a fridge full of steaks?" And I'd say, "Sir, that makes no sense," and you'd say, "Well, it sure made sense when that guy Chuck Connors said it in that movie Chinatown," and I'd say, "Sir, Chuck Connors wasn't in Chinatown," and you'd say, "Dave, if I wanted to have this conversation I'd have hired that guy Siskel Ebert to do your job," and I'd say, "Sir, Siskel and Ebert are two people," and you'd say, "Dave, just because the man is fat is no reason to make fun of him."
Lisa: Dave, tell me your deepest, darkest fantasy.
Dave: Oh, no.
Lisa: Oh, come on. You can tell me.
Dave: No, it's too embarrassing.
Lisa: Come on, please?
Dave: Oh, OK. Ever since I was 14 years old, I've always fantasized about making love on the space shuttle...
Lisa: That's very cute.
Dave: ...with a space prostitute.
Pure genius.
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