Top 20 Best Sitcoms of the 1990s
#20: “Boy Meets World” (1993-2000)
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In September of 1993, a little show called “Boy Meets World,” premiered, starring the likes of Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel. It began a 7 season run, giving us one of the best sitcoms of the decade in the process. The show became a staple of ABC’s TGIF lineup, and we’re not exaggerating when we say that for many ‘90s kids, it was considered must-see-TV. The sweet coming-of-age sitcom caught the eye of teens, which was positively reflected in the ratings. And of course, it always managed to provide us with laughs, life lessons, and plenty of very special episodes.
#19: “Spin City” (1996-2002)
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Everyone remembers Michael J. Fox on “Family Ties” in the ‘80s. But lest we forget about his run in the ‘90s on “Spin City.” Fox was Mike Flaherty, New York’s Deputy Mayor who worked hard and played hard. Crafted by Gary David Goldberg (who created “Family Ties”) and Bill Lawrence (who would go on to create “Scrubs”), the sitcom had some definite talent behind the scenes. And there wasn’t a lack for talent in front of the camera either. “Spin City” ran for six seasons, though Fox exited after four due to his Parkinson's disease, only returning for a few episodes later on. Charlie Sheen’s character took on the job of Deputy Mayor for the remainder of the series’ run.
#18: “NewsRadio” (1995-99)
We should probably start by explaining that, in the ‘90s, many people got their news from the radio. Okay, with that piece of history out of the way, let's talk about this great show. Set in the offices of an all-news-all-the-time AM radio station, the workplace sitcom featured some pretty big comedy actors, including Dave Foley and Phil Hartman. The well-written series was popular with critics and wasn’t afraid to push boundaries, even taking us to places like space in the process. “NewsRadio” never really got the love it deserved - but we remember it fondly.
#17: “3rd Rock from the Sun” (1996-2001)
Top 10 Television Sitcoms of the 1990s
A show about aliens who come to earth isn’t anything new. But a funny, smart, well-written sitcom about aliens who come to earth and take the form of humans - that’s new. Or at least it was pretty back in 1996 when “3rd Rock from the Sun” premiered on NBC. You can imagine a premise like this would be ripe with comedic opportunities, as the aliens observed and assimilated into the human world. It was, and the show did a great job turning those opportunities into comedy gold. The cast featured a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as well as the wonderful Jane Curtin and John Lithgow. The latter actor snagged Emmy noms in each of the show’s six seasons - taking home the award three times.
#16: “Martin” (1992-97)
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Before he was a “Bad Boy”, Martin Lawrence was, well, “Martin”. Lawrence played DJ Martin Payne on this sitcom - as well as a number of other characters. The series’ comedic energy and timing are just one of the reasons the show was a big hit with the audience. The protagonist’s hysterically difficult relationship with his girlfriend’s best friend Pam is surely another. Although it’s many many years old now, “Martin” has been discovered by a slew of folks thanks to reruns. The series’s popularity was strong enough in 2022 for BET+ to air “Martin: The Reunion”.
#15: “Everybody Loves Raymond” (1996-2005)
Top 10 Hilarious Everybody Loves Raymond Running Gags
The 1990s were a heyday for stand-up comedians getting sitcoms - and one of the best of the decade was Ray Romano’s “Everybody Loves Raymond”. But while he was the titular star, the amazing supporting cast helped make it a true hit - and a show that many consider one of the funniest ever created. It also made Patricia Heaton and Brad Garrett big time TV stars, and helped introduce the awesome Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle to a whole new generation. Smart and funny, the series got to the heart of the love and frustration that is family - something so many of us can understand.
#14: “Family Matters” (1989-98)
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Another member of the TGIF family, “Family Matters” debuted in 1989 as a spin-off of ABC’s “Perfect Strangers”. Focusing on the life of Harriette Winslow, her policeman husband, and their kids. “Family Matters” became one of the most enduring Black sitcoms of all time. The show had a lot going for it, but of course, we have to take a moment to mention Steve Urkel’s impact. Played by Jaleel White, Urkel reportedly wasn’t initially meant to be a central figure. As we all know, the opposite ended up becoming true, as he stole the show and became something of a cultural phenomenon. Needless to say, we were in good hands with Urkel and the rest of the “Family Matters” crew.
#13: “Mr. Bean” (1990-95)
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Many of us may have seen a “Mr. Bean” sketch here and there. But those who remember the ‘90s likely know that it was an actual series, initially running on British television for 15 episodes over a 5 year run. With minimal words actually being spoken, the show hinges almost entirely on Rowan Atkinson’s masterful physical comedy talents, both subtle and not. And talk about widespread appeal. Besides the acclaim and love it received in the UK, “Mr. Bean” has since been broadcast in a slew of different places around the world. Today, the character is instantly recognizable, having appeared in a number of other media, and we owe that to this sitcom.
#12: “Saved by the Bell” (1989-93)
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Although the first and last episodes aired in primetime, “Saved by the Bell” was - as most of us remember - a staple of our early ‘90s Saturday morning viewing. Not only did the Bayside crew make us laugh, but we learned a lot as well. After all, when it comes to “very special” type episodes, one of the first sitcoms that comes to mind has got to be this one. From substance use to women's rights to environmentalism, the series sure didn’t shy away from getting serious. And although it ended in 1993, the rest of the decade was thankfully filled with spinoffs dubbed “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” and “Saved by the Bell: The New Class”.
#11: “Living Single” (1993-98)
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While proper Black representation is often lacking across the entertainment industry, “Living Single” delivered. The underrated gem didn’t necessarily receive the widespread attention it should’ve, but it remains a sitcom staple. Indeed, it remains fondly remembered by its fans, thanks in large part to the smart, funny, and very relatable identity grounding the plot about six friends living in New York. If that description sounds somewhat familiar and reminds you of “Friends,” you’re not alone. Many have even claimed that the latter sitcom (which premiered a year later) was a “Living Single” rip-off.
#10: “Home Improvement” (1991-99)
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While he’s still well-known, the 1990s arguably marked the peak of Tim Allen’s popularity. From “The Santa Clause” to “Toy Story,” the actor was practically everywhere throughout the decade. And it all happened thanks in large part to the small screen – more specifically, “Home Improvement”. The sitcom took Allen’s brand of tool-loving stand up and gave it - as he loved to do - more power! Laughs, heartfelt moments, and Pamela Anderson all helped make this show a success. Indeed, it consistently performed well in the ratings, which is no small feat, and says it all.
#9: “Murphy Brown” (1988-98; 2018)
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Where do we even begin with “Murphy Brown”? It had great writing, quirky characters, and an ability to explore relevant issues without sacrificing humor. We’d also be remiss not to take a second to shout out the title character herself, who cemented her legacy as one of the best sitcom characters around. All of this was all anchored wonderfully by the talented Candice Bergen. The show was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmys five times throughout its run - taking home that specific award on two occasions. Though the 2018 revival was short-lived, we’ll always have a place in our hearts for “Murphy Brown.”
#8: “Married... with Children” (1987-97)
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These days, Ed O'Neill might be best known as the head of the Pritchett clan on “Modern Family”. But for a group of folks who came of age on ‘90s sitcoms, O’Neill will always be the patriarch of the Bundy household. “Married... with Children” was reportedly Fox’s first ever primetime show, and it just so happened to be a great one. The comedy was crass, over the top and, at times, controversial. But we’d say it definitely contributed to giving the network an identity and struck a chord with viewers, lasting an impressive 11 seasons.
#7: “Mad About You” (1992-99; 2019)
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Don’t be fooled by the 12-episode revival in 2019, the original 7-season run of “Mad About You” was fantastic. The on-screen connection - both emotional and comedic - between Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt was the heart of the show, and they brought the goods. The series explored all sides of relationships, both good and bad, and you didn’t have to be living in a beautiful New York apartment to relate to the couple’s highs and lows. Wildly enough, the show never picked up the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series - although it was nominated many times. Helen Hunt did snag a few well-deserved Emmys for her work on the show, though!
#6: “The Nanny” (1993-99)
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She was working in a bridal shop when she got broken up with. She then started going around selling makeup, and ended up at a residence belonging to a producer, who brought her on as his family’s nanny. It sounds like the setup to a sitcom, and that’s exactly what it is. “The Nanny” was a fish-out-of-water tale that plopped the bold and sociable Jewish-American fish Fran Fine into the wealthy and conservative waters of Maxwell Sheffield’s New York. The situations were definitely ripe for comedy and Fran’s sass gave the humor a little bite as well. And who could forget that iconic voice?
#5: “Roseanne” (1988-97; 2018)
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Roseanne Barr’s problematic behavior has perhaps marred the legacy of this sitcom, getting the revival axed (though it was later reworked as “The Conners”) and leaving a stain on it for many fans. While separating the woman from the show is hard, there’s no denying that the series was important for its realistic take on working families and not shying away from issues like sexuality, substance use, and violence. Also, representing plus-sized characters as fully realized people as opposed to one-dimensional sidekicks was pretty unheard of at the time. ”Roseanne” ended the year with top 10-level ratings in 7 of its 9 original seasons, even hitting number 1 in season two.
#4: “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990-96)
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We all know the theme song for this sitcom was awesome, to put it mildly. But that doesn’t mean we can forget about how good the program itself was beyond that opening tune. Will Smith was already a pretty popular rapper, but the success of the series showed he could also act, and was the launchpad for a career that would see him become one of the biggest stars around. “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” could be silly, but it could also be serious and heartbreaking. Case in point: that uncle Phil hug was easily one of the most memorable sitcom moments of the decade. You definitely didn’t have to be from West Philadelphia (or Bel-Air) to love this one.
#3: “Frasier” (1993-2004)
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Given that “Cheers” was one of the best sitcoms of the ‘80s, its spin-off “Frasier” certainly had a lot to live up to. And while spin-offs don’t always reach the preceding show’s heights, “Frasier” came darn close. Some might even argue that Dr. Crane’s 11 seasons in Seattle were better than all those years he spent going to a bar in Boston. The insightful material and top-notch acting earned the series 5 straight Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series. Not to mention the fact that in 2000, the British Film Institute identified it as the “top overseas programme.”
#2: “Seinfeld” (1989-98)
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“Seinfeld” premiered in 1989, and for a second, it looked like it might not quite make it big. Yada, yada, yada, the show ended its nine season run in 1998 with over 75 million people tuning in to watch the series finale. Although it started off slow, the “show about nothing” became one of the best somethings in the history of television. From “shrinkage” to “no soup for you!” “Seinfeld” is easily one of – if not the – most quotable series that’s ever been on television. Disregarding the typical sitcom tropes of heartfelt moments and character development, it mainly cared about one thing… being funny. But boy did it go above and beyond on that front.
#1: “Friends” (1994-2004)
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Iconic and uber-quotable, “Friends” was arguably the pop culture phenomenon of the decade. It practically took over the airwaves, performing strongly in the ratings every single season it was on the air. Indeed, few television relationships took over the zeitgeist like Ross and Rachel’s tumultuous relationship. Even Rachel’s haircut became a major thing. All of these aspects and more speak to the sitcom’s effect on peoples’ lives. After all, we loved these friends right from the start. We related to their lives, their troubles, their ups and downs. They made us laugh out loud and they made us cry. So to “Friends” we give a big, “how you doin’?”.
