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Sitcoms have been with us since the 1950s, filling our evenings with must-watch television. Many of us grew up watching them, and the sitcoms we loved as kids and teens can take us back to simpler times on a rewatch. Whether you're streaming sitcoms as an escape, a comfort, or as a reflection of the time they're from, these shows are worth watching again.
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The American version of “The Office” ran for much longer than the original BBC show, though that's not hard to do considering there were only a dozen episodes. The mockumentary style helped popularize that comedy format, and it's such an ubiquitous show that you can still find fans wearing Dunder Mifflin t-shirts or discussing Jim and Pam's relationship in the wild, and not just around the office water cooler.
Stream Now: Peacock
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Almost 40 years later, the final episode of “M*A*S*H” is still the most-watched single episode of television in history with 105 million people tuning in. The Korean War setting allowed the show to tackle serious issues like PTSD and the toll of war while throwing in some farcical screwball comedy thanks to Alan Alda and Gary Burghoff as Radar.
Stream Now: Hulu
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If you're still trying to make up for lost bar time during the pandemic, now's the time for a rewatch of “Cheers.” The chemistry between Ted Danson and Shelley Long kept the show — and the audience — humming at first, but once Long left, it became a never-ending joke-cracking session among the esteemed barfly regulars and a new romance with Kirstie Alley for more witty repartee. Between the opening tune and the dark wood set, a rewatch is like a comfortable hug.
Stream Now:Hulu, Paramount+
While it's easy to look back at “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and remember the silly gags and catchy theme song, the show tackled some really heavy topics that may have gone over your head the first time. A Black family dealing with class discrimination, racist police, and an absent father all seemed ahead of its time when looking back, and (unfortunately) still resonate today.
Stream Now:HBO Max
If Betty White's death didn't prompt you to rewatch “The Golden Girls,” why not?! Despite the fact that the characters are older than many of its viewers, the team of sassy ladies living their best lives in Miami never fails to entertain. It's a great way to honor the late Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, and Betty White.
Stream Now:Hulu
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There's something cathartic about watching a family grow up on a long-running show. “Modern Family” ran for 11 seasons, so all the kids grew up on screen. The blended, unique family makeups still feel fresh and representative of families today. Ed O'Neill, who had sitcom chops from “Married With Children,” was the big name at first, but the casting and expert writing combining the slapstick with the sweet bolstered the show to a record five consecutive Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy wins and a whopping 85 Emmys during its run.
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Archie Bunker, with his hate-filled views, was a model for modern anti heroes in today's media. “All in the Family” used the character's liberal family as a foil, and audiences at the time found the comedy came from whichever side they agreed with most. But the show portrayed Archie and his views ultimately as an annoyance, and along with the frank discussion of current events and crude humor, it made the show revolutionary.
Stream Now:Pluto TV
Borne from a desire for an “The Office” spinoff, “Parks and Rec” ended up being something completely different and better in many ways. The ensemble cast is packed full of sitcom greats, including Amy Poehler as the quirky and enthusiastic main character, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, and Aubrey Plaza. It's a sweetly funny workplace comedy that will have you grinning when you're not outright laughing.
Stream Now:Peacock
Arguably the best spinoff show ever, “Frasier” plucked the uptight psychiatrist from “Cheers” and took him back home to Seattle, where he hosted a radio show, clashed with his even-more-uptight brother, and took care of his father. The juxtaposition of Frasier's haughty tastes and his father's lowbrow proclivities is where most of the jokes came from, a situation that's plenty relatable today.
Stream Now: Hulu, Paramount+
Broadway star Dick Van Dyke and a then-unknown Mary Tyler Moore starred in this classic show about the life of a comedy show writer in Manhattan. Its sophisticated wordplay and meta commentary about Hollywood make it still relevant today — and a huge dose of nostalgia and that iconic theme song doesn't hurt either.
Stream Now:Fubo
While “Die Hard” was practically Reginald VelJohnson's perfect audition for Officer Carl Winslow in “Family Matters,” it's Jaleel White's Urkel that stole the show halfway through the first season. That breakout character steered the show into solid slapstick territory and helped it become the second longest-running sitcom with a primarily Black cast at the time. It ended up outlasting almost all other 1980s sitcoms.
Stream Now: Max
Before Bryan Cranston was Walter White, he was a goofy, bumbling, but loveable dad in “Malcolm in the Middle.” The absurdist, single-camera comedy also featured mom Jane Kaczmarek, whose just-on-the-edge-of-madness performance made the outlandish situations feel a little more relatable to moms everywhere. If you're a mom now but weren't when it aired, it's worth another look.
Stream Now: Hulu
A show that began airing in the 1990s doesn't seem dated when it's set in the 1970s. “That 70s Show” follows a group of high school friends as they navigate the normal teenage stuff with a backdrop of ‘70s social change and dealing with a parent that constantly wants to kick your ass. The chemistry between the actors was great, which makes sense considering the on-screen couple played by Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis eventually became a real life couple and are currently married.
Stream Now:Amazon
“Black-ish,” a show about a Black upper-middle class family, walks the line between comedy and serious social commentary really well. The father, played by Anthony Anderson, often struggles with how his family is perceived in the Black community, while his wife, played by Tracee Ellis Ross, often brings him and the rest of the family back down to earth. You'll learn something and you'll laugh when you watch, and there's not much more you can ask for in a sitcom than that.
Though Ted Lasso isn't a completed series yet, it's already worth a rewatch for its endless optimism and feel-good storylines. It follows the title character as he goes from coaching American football to English soccer, and it's more wholesome than a comedy has any right to be. It won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Stream Now: Apple TV+
That twist in “The Good Place” that no one saw coming? It's well worth a rewatch to see how all the clues stacked up — and all the froyo puns you missed the first time around. Kristin Bell and Ted Danson get all the hype for their roles, but the ensemble cast is quirky and has real chemistry, making this fast-paced metaphysical comedy about what happens after you die a real treat.
Stream Now: Netflix
A sitcom about life as an employee at a big box chain store in Middle America veers into parody territory with vignettes of head-scratching customer antics and clueless corporate execs. But storylines about unionization, dealing with a pandemic, and equal pay ring even more true now than they did a few years ago when “Superstore” aired. The characters are charismatic, the visuals are pretty, and it's funny even the second time around.
Stream Now: Hulu
“Futurama” is the loveable cartoon that just won't die. The space comedy by Matt Groening of “The Simpsons” fame has been canceled and revived multiple times and by multiple networks, with the latest 20-episode season aired on Hulu in 2023. Though you can catch reruns constantly, it's worth a rewatch from the beginning for its outrageous aliens, musical numbers, and biting satire.
Stream Now:Hulu
Zach Galifianakis' performance in “Baskets'' is nuanced and deeply funny as he navigates his dysfunctional family while trying to realize his dreams of becoming a prestigious clown. It's "sweet, touching, and melancholy," especially thanks to a poignant and Emmy Award-winning performance from Louie Anderson as Chip Baskets' mother.
Stream Now: Hulu
Of all the primetime sitcom cartoons made for adults as much as kids, “Bob's Burgers” may be the most heartwarming. Each member of the Belcher family is neurotic in their own amusing way, which predictably leads to crazy hijinks while they try to operate the family burger restaurant business. Its quirky musical numbers have spawned albums and its burger specials have spawned cookbooks, yet the show is still somehow relatable and down to earth.
Stream Now:Hulu
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