Ahh television, a medium we don’t cover as much as one may hope, perhaps because most of us don’t watch that much TV. But, don’t worry you boob tube lovers out there, today is your lucky day because I’m listing off my twenty favorite TV shows of all time! For this list, I tried to stick mostly to sitcoms, but there are a few sketch based shows I just couldn’t abandon. And though I’m a fan of some news programs, informational shows, and goofy “talk shows” like Springer, I decided to save those for another segment. Now, there are a few programs that I enjoy, but did not make this list. This is strictly favorites. From 20 to 1, Hey Ho! Let’s Go!

20) Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007-2010)
I just recently got turned onto T & E and of all the shows featured on this list, this is most definitely the oddest. T & E minimizes comedy down to it’s barest essentials: something to laugh at. I specifically admire how they can go so far beyond the concept of a “joke” and just swerve the viewer into any direction possible. This duo understands TV, they just don’t give a shit about conventions, they would rather poke fun at them, and they have successfully done just that.

“Screech at the Beach”- this is what he did before Wavves haha

19) Saved By the Bell (1989-1993)
Admittedly, there are several corny shows on this list, but without a doubt SBTB is the corniest. Thank God for Kelly Kapowski and fourth wall breaking!

18) That 70s Show (1998-2006)
I once read somewhere that of all the shows that premiered in the fall of 1998, “That ’70s Show” was the only one to last past one season. It just goes to show you that most sitcoms blow. Luckily, this one didn’t (well perhaps toward the second half of it’s run…) and treated us to a wonderful cast of characters and numerous highly memorable episodes. Out of all the period sitcoms out there, with the exception of perhaps “Freaks and Geeks,” this is by the far greatest.

17) The Adventures of Pete and Pete (1993-1996)
Only 62 people on Facebook “like” this show and I don’t mean 62 of my friends (none of them do!), I mean 62 people in general. 62 fucking people?! What is this world coming to? For my money, Pete and Pete was Nickelodian at its prime and alas this show has fallen through the cracks over the years, either people have totally forgotten about it or they never heard of it. Naturally, it was a little before my time, so most of the kids my age, reasonably are unaware of it. Poor souls, they are missing out on one of the most unique teen shows in the history of television. Pete and Pete was innocent, strange, and wonderfully off kilter. I mean what other shows feature a metal plate in your mother’s head, a tattoo, and Artie the Strongest Man in the World as characters? This show also wins my vote for top opening theme with Polaris’s catchy “Hey Sandy,” which also added to the show’s neat character.

16) Home Improvement (1991-1999)
This here is a goofy, mainstream Americana, family programming and while at times extremely preachy and represents everything KLYAM repudiates, actually is (or was) a highly memorable and well written show. Wilson’s character alone is a reason for this show to stick with me till the day I die.

15) Seinfeld (1989-1998)
And what’s the deal with “Seinfeld” being at number 15?! Okay okay I know. If this was a “Greatest Shows” list then without a doubt it would appear in the top 3, hands down. But this is MY favorites list and though I do love Seinfeld, I don’t enjoy it enough to put it higher on the list. All in all, what else can be said about the show, it is etched in our American psyche as one of the wittiest and certainly funniest sitcoms of all time.

Boy Meets Man…
AKA:

14) Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
I grew up with this show, this was my “Wonder Years.” As a kid, I thought this was an accurate portrayal of youth and high school, until I grew older and realized it was anything but. Yet that’s what I adore about BMW. The show’s little idiosyncracies are what makes it a classic. So, most of us don’t have our next door neighbor for a junior high, high school, and college professeur, but at the end of the day it’s just an amusing kids show and a great one at that.

13) Beavis and Butthead (1993-1997)
Everybody’s favorite headbangers! Beavis and Butthead set the standard for raunchy, animated, adult programs. I remember being five, sneaking around and watching this with my brothers because it was the “bad” show haha! Watching it now, I really do feel like it was a fucked up series and sadly one not as many folks watch anymore; reruns should be up and running on a major network like Comedy Central. It’s the comedic, cartoon version of the darkside of America seen in such disturbing visual films as Gummo (1997). Seriously, think about it!

12) Saturday Night Live (1975-Present)
The one, the only. For all intents and purposes I’ll eschew the past decade or so and focus on the good times! Personally, my favorite cast is the early 90s-Sandler, Farley, etc. group, but I love various eras of the sketch comedy. For me, SNL is the equivalent to a series of excellent scenes in a film. When it was great, it was great. When it sucked, it sucked. And everything in between. But, the show has certainly created some of the funniest and most memorable sketch bits/characters in the history or comedy. Oh and for those that are not fans, I feel bad for you poor ignorant sluts out there.

11) Chappelle’s Show (2003-2006)
Some shows on this list I look at and think “man, they should have curtailed this series years earlier,” but it is the exact opposite for Mr. Chappelle. I know for some this is bold placing Chappelle ahead of SNL, but what can I say I find his sketches more amusing. From Negrodamus to crackhead, Tyrone Biggums, CS has given us some of the craziest characters to hit the airwaves. This show is smart, confrontational, and overall hilarious.

10) Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
Here’s another show I just got turned on to (wish I had much earlier). This is truly a fantastic show that served as vehicle for several future stars (Seth Rogan, Jason Siegel, James Franco, etc) and all of them offer engaging and entertaining performances. I also applaud the series for creating hour long episodes (44 minutes without commercials) and never losing the audience’s attention span, a rare feat for a comedy. F & G straddles the line between a wholesome Dazed and Confused and a risque episode of “Boy Meets World”; simply put it’s just a great, fun look at teenage life. It is what shows like “Malcolm in the Middle” wish they were.

9) Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)
Okay, so not the most original or unpredicatable show out there, but ultimately the strength of the show relies on its chracters. We know Ray will fuck up and try to fool Debra, his intrusive parents and jealous brother will worm their way into the situation and make it worse, etc. etc. With this show, the joy actually comes from seeing the disaster a mile away and watching the mess enfold. Also, as far as sitcom families go, this is the one I can most relate to. Unfortunately, like many of the others on this list, Raymond’s clone shows like “King of Queens” never quite emulated the magic of its predescessor.

8) Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)
The best thing Will Smith ever did with his career. Another one of my favorites from my childhood; this show has the rare quality of never overstaying its welcome. In other words, out of six seasons not one was a bad apple, which can only be said for a few shows on this list. Perhaps greatest lyrics to an opening theme?

7) The Cosby Show (1984-1992)
Speaking of comedians/actors in their prime, without a doubt this is Mr. Cosby’s finest work. A massive disinction should be made between this show and banal bullshit of the “Full House” variety. Sure, Cosby was a family show, but it was smart and didn’t condescend its audience. It never bombarded the viewer with too much emotion to get its point across. At the end of the day, Bill himself summarized it best, “There is nothing here, but a whole bunch of fun… that’s all.”
Best Season: 2

6) Friends (1994-2004)
Looking over my list, I’ve realized a lot of great shows are based in New York, and by far this one integrated the city into its plot the most, practically making it a character. “Friends” may not have the wit of “Seinfeld” or the social satire of “South Park,” but it knows what show it is and tries to be neither. To quote Brian Johnson “in the simplest of terms, in the most convenient of definitions” this is just good TV, not much more you can ask for in a comedy series about six friends in New York City.
Best Season: 2

5) Summer Heights High (2007)
We live in an age of Reality TV, side interview driven programs, ultimately shows that boost the egos of their subjects. With SHH, creator, actor, etc. Chris Lilley skillfully creates a world that duplicates all of this noise to the point of it feeling like our own life experience. Lilley’s acting is tremendous; he plays a sixteen year old girl (Ja’mie) so well it’s scary! You seriously forget you are actually watching a grown man. This is true of his other two chracters (Jonah and Mr.G) and with those in mind it seems all the more impressive that he can pull off all three performances and make them so distinct and true to life. Besides his brilliant acting, the show works on various other levels. In terms of conventions, it is not groundbreaking, but he uses the popular/cliched mockumentary genre and combines it with elements of a sitcom. This is what makes us want to watch more and learn more about the characters. It’s too bad SHH only aired for one season, but at the same time, there is a feeling of completeness at the very end and extending it beyond that would only kill a truly terrific season. In some ways, it’s best to think of it as one, long comedy movie.
Best Season: 1 (the only season)

4) Family Guy (1999-Present)
Let me just start by saying I am only a devoted fan of the first three seasons of FG. Following that, the series began to plunge downhill, with a few decent shows in Season 4 and flashes of amuesment here and there. Too bad. Those first three seasons are for me some of the funniest entertainment I have ever seen. So many classic quotes, I just loved the show for that reason alone and its total randomness. Back then it still had wit and when those episodes were new I wondered why most people didn’t tune in and now it’s vice versa. It might not be the most original or creative show, but for a brief time it was arguably the funniest.
Best Season: Season 2

3) South Park (1997-Present)
Perhaps the most imortant show on television right now. It’s impressive to think of how long SP has entertained, shocked, and informed its viewers as well as its detractors. The series should be applauded for its longevity and the fact that for nearly fourteen years now Trey Parker and Matt Stone have enriched our lives with four foul mouthed kids and the fucked up world they (WE!) live in. For my money, this is the longest running series that has never lost its quality. By this point in time, for my tastes “The Simpsons” had already slid downhill. But, SP is still very much funny and as poigant as ever. True, sometimes the morals are too forced, but overall I look forward to them and seeing what spin Trey and Matt put on every issue from sex education to stem cell research.
Best Season: 4 (but not real positive on this one, they’re all pretty kickass!)

2) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-Present)
This show was built as “Seinfeld on crack,” and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe it. For the past five years, Sunny fans have watched easily the five most dispicable characters in all of sitcom (or television for that matter) history. But, at the same time we love them for those very reasons. With Sunny, we finally have the live action version of what the raunchy and/or satire based prime time cartoon shows like “The Simpsons,” “Beavis and Butthead,” “South Park,” “Family Guy,” etc. have been doing for years; touching upon or poking fun at controversial issues in every episode. The gang has given us meaning to the words Paddy’s Pub, Rickety Cricket, Kitten Mittens, Dayman, Nightman, and who could forget GREENMAN! The show proves that you don’t need a laugh track to tell your audience when to laugh, if it’s funny enough, they know when.
Best Season: 2

1) The Simpsons (1989-Present)
What else did you think would be number 1? King of the Hill?! I’ve watched “The Simpsons” for my entire life and it is more apart of my tastes in art and entertainment than any other sitcom. I’m going to say right now this is the greatest and most important TV show ever made, no contest. I can’t think of any other series with as many quality seasons as “The Simpsons.” The show is the wittiest, best written TV show known to man. The characters have all become part of our American consciousness and as a whole this show reflects America better than anything else on the tube. Overall, it should be remembered for opening the door for all sitcoms, but especially for cartoons; it was the first or at least the most relevent animated series to force its audience to take it just as a serious as anything else on air. If Homer Simpson isn’t on your best character list, your list ain’t shit.
Best Season: 4 (8 is extremely close though)