Top 10 Sitcoms You Forgot Were Hilarious

Sitcoms don’t always need to possess original ideas in order to achieve success. “3rd Rock from the Sun” was definitely riffing on “Saturday Night Live’s” Coneheads” sketch with its “aliens hiding out on Earth in human form” premise. Heck, “SNL” alum and “Coneheads” star Jane Curtin even co-stars on the show. However, “3rd Rock” manages to succeed on account of this ensemble cast. There’s remarkable chemistry between John Lithgow, French Stewart, Kristen Johnston and Joseph Gordon-Levitt that’s tough to beat. The “fish out of water” gags always feel earned, and we, the audience, genuinely feel and root for these characters every step of the way. Watching interplanetary tourism never felt so funny.

The world of urban politics may not, on the surface at least, feel like grounds for comedy. Then again, “Spin City” manages to point out all the absurdities of this world in a very funny and charming way. This is thanks largely to the strength of its lead, Michael J. Fox, an insanely likable actor who managed to elevate the “Spin City” material to minor classic status. Additionally, the show added Heather Locklear in the fourth season, a television powerhouse with a proven track record. Fox’s Parkinson’s may have led to the actor leaving the series, but his work on “Spin City” remains a high point on his small-screen résumé.

The story of “The Hogan Family” is a complex one, especially for what was, normally, a routinely funny sitcom. The show originally starred Valerie Harper, and went under the titles of “Valerie” and “Valerie’s Family.” However, the actor left the show following a financial dispute, and was replaced in the lead role with Sandy Duncan. Now titled “The Hogan Family,” the show wrote off Harper’s character in dramatic fashion (she died in a house fire), but this didn’t stop it from continuing on as a reliable sitcom. We know we’re bringing down the room, but this doesn’t change the fact that “The Hogan Family” did just the opposite for many fans throughout its six-season run.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus has enjoyed an embarrassment of riches when it comes to sitcom casting. After all, she’s one-fourth of arguably the greatest sitcom of all time with “Seinfeld.” However, this shouldn’t take away from the fact that Louis-Dreyfus has done plenty of other great work on the small screen. “The New Adventures of Old Christine” may not be as heralded as “Seinfeld,” but it more than holds its own within the sitcom conversation. The “Old Christine” gimmick is cute, but this wouldn’t be enough to hold up a show. Not in lesser hands, anyway. Instead, Louis-Dreyfus’s comedic capability helps carry the show as one worthy of your time, especially if you didn’t catch “Old Christine” during its run.

“Soap” has to be one of the most unheralded sitcom hits of the 1970s. It was surprisingly forward-thinking in its inclusion of an out, gay character, Jodie, played by Billy Crystal. Additionally, “Soap” absolutely pushed the envelope with regards to content. This was thanks largely to its soap opera premise: a world of exaggerated storylines where implied sexuality was never far behind. This boundary-blurring resulted in just about everyone talking about “Soap,” a controversy that eventually led to critical and commercial success. And the show holds up wonderfully today as well, a great time capsule of truly daring sitcom screenwriting.

There are a number of factors that, retrospectively, worked to make “Designing Women” a unique sitcom. For starters, there’s the refreshing visual of a female-focused lead cast, one that includes Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, Jean Smart and Delta Burke, amongst others. Additionally, the show possesses an ability to balance out political commentary in a way that never feels preachy or undeserved. “Designing Women” actually focuses on many different themes throughout its run, including friendship, family and faith. What always remains its focus, however, is humor: “Designing Women” is a really funny show, both then and now.

“Night Court” may have received a 2023 revival, but can we please all rise for the honorable OG? Said simply, there’s no sitcom quite like the original “Night Court.” This is a show that managed to filter out multiple characters throughout its run, yet rarely fumbled or lost any steam. It has consistently funny storytelling, with a charismatic ensemble and hilarious guest stars. The setting of a city court at night means that all kinds of wild and weird situations can occur at any time… and usually do. Additionally, actors like John Larroquette, Harry Anderson, Richard Moll, Markie Post and more all put in the work to make this show iconic. “Night Court” really was that good.

The phrase “underrated” gets tossed around a lot, and it’s true that many shows can feel this way to their fans. “NewsRadio,” however, is something special. It’s not only fondly remembered by those who watched it during its initial run, but also by fans of Phil Hartman, who tragically passed away during production. The episode where the characters are forced to say goodbye to Hartman’s character Bill McNeal stands amongst the most heart-wrenching TV moments of all time. It’s important to note, however, that “NewsRadio” brings so much joy to the lives of those who laugh along with the WNYX radio gang. Hartman may be gone, but he and his co-stars were absolutely brilliant on this show.

If you’re of a certain age, it may be the theme song to “Taxi” you remember, as opposed to the actual program. This may be because it was the show your parents watched before they went to sleep. However, if you do remember the original run of “Taxi,” then you’ll also recall how this ensemble cast made the most out of a very simple premise. The lives of city cab drivers may not seem like grounds for comedy, but “Taxi” possesses powerhouse talent like Danny DeVito, Judd Hirsch, Christopher Lloyd and Marilu Henner. And this says nothing about the anarchic comic whirlwind that was Andy Kaufman and his fan-favorite character of Latka Gravas. Truthfully, “Taxi” is ripe for rediscovery, no matter how old you are.

Before we name our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions!

“’Til Death” (2006-10)
Humorous Musings on Family Life

“Still Standing” (2002-06)
Underrated & Classic Family Fare

“Mama’s Family” (1983-90)
“Carol Burnett” Alumni Do Sitcom Gold

“Barney Miller” (1975-82)
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Before There Was “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

“The Drew Carey Show” (1995-2004)
Cleveland Rocks!

“NewsRadio” wasn’t the only sitcom to make the most out of its radio station setting. “WKRP in Cincinnati” is something a bit different. This is a rock ‘n roll show, a musically obsessed and ultra-hip sitcom for the turn of the ‘80s. Characters like Dr. Johnny Fever and Venus Flytrap let loose with the tunes, while Bailey Quarters and Jennifer Marlowe set off water cooler heartbreak debates that still rage to this day. It’s the quirkiness of these characters that make them so memorable, combined with the fact that “WKRP” was never afraid to get outright silly. Case in point? The infamous Thanksgiving episode. We’re not going to spoil it here, we’ll just let Gordon Jump’s “Arthur Carlson” do the honors.