My Top Ten Television Comedies of All time.

10 South Park - This is the first of three animated shows that will make my list.  Trey Parker and Matt Stone have balls.  Big huge grapefruit sized balls.  They attack everyone in their show.  Rather it be Barbara Streisand as a giant city killing mechanized godzilla or the ping pong shooting Winona Ryder.  I have laughed so hard at this show and to be honest for how many years that it has been on the air I really don't see a drop off in the quality.  The animation alone cracks me up.  How can you forget memorable characters such as Chef, Big Gay Al, Butters, Mr. Garrison, and lets not forget the 4 main kids. 

9.  Happy Days - I absolutely loved this show when I was a kid and wish it played more today.  The Fonz was the coolest guy on television back then...the funny thing is when I look back at the Fonz he is so short and unintimidating but back then you didn't mess with him.  Of course I also loved Richie, Ralph Malph, Potsie, Mr. C, and even Joanie and Chachi....I can't pass a juke box without thinking of just hitting it with my hand to make it go.  I loved the episode where Fonzie jumped over the shark (Even though many people saw that as the end of show being entertaining...they even made a site devoted to signifying the moment where a sit com stops being entertaining called jumptheshark.com)  I even remember the episode with Mork from Orc as a guest star.  (Fonzie voice) HEEEEYYYY!

8.  Family Guy This is a television show that almost never was.  The show originally debuted and didn't get good ratings at all.  It was off the air for a while but Fox eventually brought it back and then it exploded on the air.  It has spawned two other shows created by it's creator Seth McFarlane and looks like it will be here to stay for a very long time.  Peter Griffin is easily one of the funniest characters any cartoon has ever put forward.  The talking baby son Stewie is a riot with his plots to kill his mom, or the subtle hints of his sexuality.  There is the talking family pet Brian who thinks he is the smartest member of the family although when the simplest of dog stereotypes comes up it brings him back down to earth.  Meg is the tormented daughter who is constantly made fun of throughout the series and the socially awkward son Chris who is the target of the neighborhood Pedophile.  The neighbors are pretty hilarious especially Glen Quagmire..Giggity Giggity.  This show has no rhyme or reason to it.  One episode you may have Stewie and Brian traveling across the country on some great adventure or other episodes may see Peter fighting a guy in a Chicken costume for like 10 minutes straight.  To say this show uses pop culture references would be an understatement..this show is a huge pop culture reference. 

7.  Night Court - This show had such a good cast of wacky characters.  The show was about the New York courtroom of one Harold T. Stone.  Every character on that show was entertaining.  I really believe that John Larroquette's character of Dan Fielding was one of the best of all times as the sleazy District Attourney.  The goofyness of that show always makes me laugh still to this day.  Richard Mol as Bull Shannon was great.  I loved the episode where he won a contest and passed up money and a new car and chose the Toupee called the Shatner 2000.  I had a crush on Markie Post, who played Christine Sullivan throughout my teen years.  Mac, Roz, even the blind guy who ran the newsstand......just flat out loved this show.

6.  The Office - This is a show whose ensemble cast is perhaps the funniest of all time.  I think each and every character on this show brings something to table funny.  Stanley, Creed, Tobey, Andy, Meredith,  the list goes on and on but the core group of Pam, Jim, Dwight, and Michael Scott really make this show one of the best ever.  I have never seen a character quite as insane as Dwight K Schrute.  The fact that in time away from work he runs a bed and breakfast from his beet farm is hilarious.  I think I may stay in the irrigation themed room there.  Steve Carell is perfect as Michael Scott....sometimes the character shows its dark side and it seems a bit uncomfortable...especially when he dealing with his nemesis Toby but for the most part he is hilarious.  I kinda hope they change their mind on trying to replace Michael Scott after Carell leaves after this season.  I really don't think they can replace him but if they do, I will still watch.

5.  Simpsons -  Wow....22 seasons..that's insane.  Hard to believe that this was just a small skit on the Tracy Ullman show.  The voice talent and the writing on this show is hands down the best of any animated series.  There are so many entertaining characters in the Simpson Universe that it would take me all day to write about them.  I still to this day get excited about the Tree House of Horror episodes every year around Halloween.  Homer Simpson is probably my favorite cartoon character of all time.  The donut eating moron makes me laugh more than just about anyone on TV.  Bart is also pretty damn funny but if I had to choose it would be Homer.  I kinda wish the show would never go off the air but I have noticed the quality of the shows has diminished a little but when you have been on for 22 years thats going to happen.  It is still better than 90% of the crap the networks put out there.  If you think back at all of the shows that have been around the Simpsons on Sunday nights over the years..the number is staggering.  Long live Springfield!

4.  Cheers -  Another comedy that had a perfect ensemble cast.  The show is about a retired Red Sox pitcher who is the proprietor of a popular Boston bar.  The patrons of the bar are the real stars of this show.  Cliff Clavin and Norm Peterson...two of my favs of all time.  John Ratzneberger's portrayal of Cliff is one of the all time best.  I never got sick of hearing his ridiculous knowledge of obscure trivia.  Norms love of beer and staying aways from his wife Vera never got old to me.  Frasier Crane, the crazy psychiatrist was able to bounce himself into a whole other TV show that ran for like 10 years.  My favorite episodes were those where they were at war Gary's Old time Tavern, usually losing to them in some sort of prank war.  This show would have been number 3 on my countdown if not for a little show that debuted in the early 2000s.

3. Arrested Development  This show never got a chance to be what it could have been.  Fox is to blame because of their terrible promoting of this show.  The show lasted barely 3 years but what a 3 years!  The Bluth family made me laugh until it hurt.  The writing on this show was bar none the best I've ever seen on a comedy.  The only reason that this show isnt number 1 is that it only last for 3 years.  Jason Bateman, David Cross, Portia degeneres..haha, and Will Arnett had such good comedic timing and worked so well together.  Its  hard to believe but a young Michael Cera...began his career of being an Awkward teen on this show....he has been playing that role for almost a decade now.  My favorite parts of Arrested Development dealt with Will Arnetts character Job's stuggle to become a magician and David Cross joing the Blue Man Group. The little things about that show would make me laugh.....When David Cross became a Blue Man the house would be littered with blue handprints and paint everywhere.  They didn't even reference it which was genius.   I absolutely loved the Charlie Brown episode where everone walked around like a dejected Charlie Brown.  I miss that show and wished that it  could have lasted longer.  F you Fox.

2. Married with Children -  Al Bundy is my favorite TV dad of all time.  Ed O'neals physical humor was genius in that show.  I know alot of people will disagree with this choice so high in my countdown but remember its my freaking countdown..and to you guys who would have put Friends here...you can all go to hell....lol I loved the Bundys.  They were the Anti-Cosbys and i loved it.  Who wants to see a family get along all the time?  Thats not realistic!  The relationship between Al and Peg was much more realistic than that of Cliff and Claire Huxtable.  My married contingent should attest to that.  The episodes were over the top and they pushed the boundaries of television and thats what made them great.  They were willing to take a chance and present a product that wasnt the norm.  I would imagine the creators were fans of All in the Family because that show also pushed the boundaries.  I have probably watched every episode of the show 3 or 4 times over.  They were Fox's first scripted show to air on their network and in my opinion thes best comedy Fox ever had. 

1. Seinfeld  I'm sorry if you were expecting some big surprise at number 1 but I am going with the popular choice of Jerry and the gang.  I loved every thing about this show.  The main characters are easily the best quartet of comedic actors ever to be on a sitcom.  George Costanza was the break out star to me though.  There is always an argument who was funnier..Kramer or  George?.....Kramer is great dont get me wrong...but I related with George...I still to this day feel like I am alot like George.  The whole story arc with him marrying Susan and having her die unexpectantly was great.  I just loved his reaction when they told him that his wife had just died....."SO...you guys want to get a cup of coffee?"..Classic.  This show had so many great episodes....Soup Nazi, Puffy Shirt, Spongeworthy, etc..the list goes on and on.....The supporting characters of Newman, Dave Putty, Kenny Banya, and the parents of both George and Jerry really make this show a cut above the rest.  I enjoyed the reunion this past year on Curb your Enthusiam (Which by the way barely didnt make it into my top 10)...I wish that these guys could collaborate on something else but it looks like Jerry has retired, Kramer is a Racist, George plays too much Poker, and Julia Louis Dreyfuss is busy being Old Christine....which isnt a bad show.  This show will be hard to dethrone but im sure it will be someday.