Top 10 Sitcom Crossovers

“Everybody Loves Raymond” (1996-2005) & “The King of Queens” (1998-2007)
CBS saw the success that other networks were having with crossovers and wanted a piece of the action. Enter the wonderfully self-aware Shameless Crossover Monday. The first crossover occurred on the night of November 16, 1998, when Ray Barone and Doug Heffernan appeared on each other’s shows. The “King of Queens” episode “Road Rayge” was particularly heavy on Ray Barone, as Doug gets himself into trouble after allowing Ray to cheat on a driving test. This would be the first of many crossover episodes, as Ray was a frequent guest star on “The King of Queens.” He would appear in three other episodes following the success of “Road Rayge.”

“The Bob Newhart Show” (1972-78) & “Newhart” (1982-90)
Bob Newhart was one of the most successful TV comedians of the ‘70s and ‘80s. In “The Bob Newhart Show,” he played a psychologist named Robert Hartley. Following the wild success of that program, he starred as inn owner Dick Loudon on “Newhart.” And they’re both responsible for one of the greatest crossovers in television history. The famous twist ending reveals that the entirety of “Newhart” was a dream concocted by Robert Hartley from “The Bob Newhart Show.” It was a brilliant parody of “Dallas,” and it ended the sitcom on a rather unpredictable note. Many insiders have claimed that the idea for the ending came from Newhart’s real wife, Virginia Quinn.

“Sabrina the Teenage Witch” (1996-2003), “Boy Meets World” (1993-2000), “You Wish” (1997-98) & “Teen Angel” (1997-98)
ABC saw enormous success with TGIF, a scheduled block of teen-based programming that included “Boy Meets World” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Two new shows were introduced in the late ‘90s, and they were marketed through a clever crossover event that occurred on November 7, 1997. Sabrina’s cat Salem swallows something called a Time Ball, allowing Sabrina to visit different time periods - and shows. Throughout the night, the titular witch appeared in episodes of “Boy Meets World,” “You Wish,” and “Teen Angel.” While the event was very enjoyable and clever, it didn’t really work. Both “You Wish” and “Teen Angel” were canceled after one season, despite ABC’s strongest efforts.

“The Golden Girls” (1985-92), “Empty Nest” (1988-95) & “Nurses” (1991-94)
Susan Harris was perhaps the most powerful voice in television by the late ‘80s, having helmed a number of iconic programs. “The Golden Girls” was incredibly successful, spawning a spin-off titled “Empty Nest.” This show was also a triumph and spawned its own spin-off called “Nurses.” Yep, by 1991, NBC had a little MCU-like interwoven universe set in Miami, Florida. All three shows joined forces on the night of November 9, 1991 for something called “Hurricane Saturday.” A special two-hour crossover event, it saw a deadly hurricane affecting all three shows at the same time. A climactic scene at the “Nurses” hospital sees Rose Nylund, Julie Milbury, and Laverne Todd all joining forces to help those in need.

“That's So Raven” (2003-07), “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” (2005-08) & “Hannah Montana” (2006-11)
You can probably imagine what shows this cleverly-titled crossover contains. If you’re not up on mid-2000s Disney Channel, it combined “That's So Raven,” “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” and “Hannah Montana.” Like “Hurricane Saturday” and the Time Bomb series, this crossover event aired over a single night - July 28, 2006. It began in the “That’s So Raven” episode “Checkin' Out,” continued in “Zack & Cody’s” “That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana,” and concluded in “Hannah Montana’s” “On the Road Again.” The crossover was later released on DVD as a movie. It was a wild success for Disney, drawing up to seven million viewers and allowing “Hannah Montana,” which was in its first season, to flourish.

“Cheers” (1982-93) & “Frasier” (1993-2004)
One of the most successful sitcoms of the ‘80s, “Cheers” took place in a Boston bar and starred a character named Frasier Crane. Frasier joined the show in Season 3 and became a regular in Season 5. The character was an enormous success, and he earned his own eponymous spin-off, which aired for eleven seasons from 1993 to 2004. The show sees Frasier moving from Boston to Seattle to start anew, but he just can’t manage to shed his old life. Numerous “Cheers” characters appeared on “Frasier,” including Woody, Sam, and his old love interests Diane and Lilith. Frasier even revisits Boston in the season nine episode “Cheerful Goodbyes” and meets up with the old gang, including fan favorite Norm Peterson.

“Full House” (1987-95) & “Family Matters” (1989-98)
Steve Urkel was one of the most popular TV creations of the 1990s. While he was written as a one-time character on “Family Matters,” audiences adored his presence and wacky catchphrases, and he soon became the protagonist of the series - not to mention a cultural phenomenon. He became such a success that he began seeping into other programs for cameos, including “Step by Step” and the beloved family sitcom “Full House.” Urkel appears in the latter’s fourth season episode “Stephanie Gets Framed” and helps the titular character overcome her anxiety about getting glasses. The biggest character on TV in one of the biggest sitcoms on TV? This was a monumental crossover for the ages!

“New Girl” (2011-18) & “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013-21)
While both belonged to Fox, “New Girl” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” took place in separate universes. Or so we thought. That illusion was shattered in the “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” episode “The Night Shift.” Jake Peralta commandeers a vehicle, and when he peers through the window, we see that it’s being driven by “New Girl’s” Jessica Day. It was quite the surprise, and the moment is cleverly acknowledged with a funny pun from Jess. Jess and the gang were in New York for a high school reunion, and they hilariously interacted with the Brooklyn squad in the follow-up “New Girl” episode “Homecoming.” The two shows blended wonderfully, containing smart writing and dedicated performances from the large crew.

“Mad About You” (1992-99; 2019) & “Friends” (1994-2004)
NBC dominated the early ‘90s with the hit sitcoms “Mad About You” and “Friends.” And wouldn’t you know it, Lisa Kudrow was on both shows. The network used this to their advantage, placing both within the same fictional universe. On “Mad About You,” Kudrow played a waitress named Ursula. It was eventually revealed that Ursula was the lost twin sister of Phoebe Buffay, and the two interact throughout various episodes of “Friends.” But that wasn’t the only instance of a crossover. “The One with the Blackout” is directly tied to events that occur in “Mad About You,” and “The One with Two Parts” sees Fran and Jamie visiting Central Perk and mistaking Phoebe for Ursula.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Abed Is a “Cougar Town” Devotee, & He Even Appeared as an Extra in Season 2

All 3 Shows Came Together for the Ultimate Thanksgiving Dinner

“Laverne & Shirley” Was a Spin-Off, & Characters Frequently Swapped Shows

Another Spin-Off with Numerous Crossover Events & Shared Characters

These 2 Teen Shows Crossed Over in the Cleverly-Named Movie “iParty with Victorious”

“The Jeffersons” (1975-85) & “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1990-96)
“The Jeffersons” had been off the air for five years when “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” premiered in 1990. But that didn't stop George and Louise Jefferson from making some memorable cameos on the show. In the fifth season episode, “Will Is from Mars,” Will and Lisa meet George and Weezy at couples counseling, resulting in a fight for the ages. But perhaps the best cameo came in the series finale “I, Done,” when the Jeffersons contemplate buying the Banks' house. It’s nice to know that George and Weezy had such a happy ending, and it’s a respectful way for “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” to honor “The Jeffersons” and its historic contributions to Black culture.