Best Comedies on TV

[Doc Dan]

In my opinion, most of the "comedies" done in the last decades are simply not funny. It is like some alien computer virus that understands nothing about humor is writing the scripts. However, there have been some very funny shows on TV. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Red Skelton Show
I Love Lucy
Amos and Andy
The Carol Burnett Show
The Addams Family
The Munsters
Home Improvement
Laugh In
Andy Griffith Show
The Tim Conway Show
Third Rock From The Sun
Happy Days
MASH
Night Court
Three Stooges (these guys were the most brilliant social commentators ever)
The Burns and Allen Show

What are some of your favorites that are actually funny?

[SpyderNut]

I recognize most of those shows and I certainly agree with you, Dan. I grew up watching Don Notts in Gilligan's Island and a few other shows and always thought he was a natural at comedy.

As for today's shows, I'd definitely say The Big Bang Theory is a favorite. There aren't too many others that are overly funny, IMHO.
A lot of today's comedies are somewhat of a turnoff with the over-use of the F-bomb and other choice words. :)

[Ankerson]

Watched most of the ones on the list.

Could add, same general time periods.

All in the Family

The Jefferson's

3's Company

I do agree these days the writers have no clue and with bad acting and bad writing they are pretty bad.

[bh49]

original two and half men
Shameless (this is not for everyone. sometimes it is tottaly discusting, but always fanny)

[remnar]

Seinfeld and The Office were two of my favorites but there hasn't been very many shows in the last decade or so that I find that funny. The Big Bang Theory is about the only current comedy that I find amusing but I don't think of it as a "must watch" show.

[paladin]

M*A*S*H...until Klinger hang glided around the base <talk about jumping the shark> :rolleyes:
Chappelle's Show...some of his stuff is--- laugh out loud, all by yourself, till tears stream down your face---FUNNY. I've literally laughed at the Rick James / Charlie Murphy skit so hard I got a cramp in my ribcage! :D
The Honeymooners...genius live TV with The Great One in his prime..."BANG! ZOOM! To the moon!" :D
Newhart...deadpan master in his element....remember "Larry, Darryl, & Darryl" suntanning on the Riviera <not the coast of France> but on the hood of the old Buick out back!!!! :D
*The Tonight Show w/ Johnny Carson... especially when Don Rickles was a guest-- true must see TV for me! :D

*I wish Gary Shandling had assumed the mantle from Carson...Jay Leno was hilarious as a guest on Letterman, but I didn't like him as much as the full-time Tonight Show host.

And perhaps it's just me getting older, but I found David Letterman seriously UNFUNNY when he changed over to CBS-- maybe it was his writers? :confused: The goofy asides with Paul, inside jokes <apparently only HE got most of the time>, and silly catch phrases really got to be too much for me. IMHO, major-league STUPID and intellectually lazy, even for latenight comedy. Plus Dave got super creepy as he got older...disgraceful.

[remnar]

paladin, I forgot about Newhart. That was a good show and Bob Newhart is funny in just about anything that he does. :)

[farnorthdan]

I dream of Jeannie and Hogans hero's, a couple of fav's from my youth, I had a serious crush on Barbara Eden :D

[SpyderNut]

Chappelle's Show...some of his stuff is--- laugh out loud, all by yourself, till tears stream down your face---FUNNY. I've literally laughed at the Rick James / Charlie Murphy skit so hard I got a cramp in my ribcage! :D

And perhaps it's just me getting older, but I found David Letterman seriously UNFUNNY when he changed over to CBS-- maybe it was his writers? :confused:

A huge YES to the Chappelle Show!! Now that was a hilarious show! I too loved the Charlie Murphy in True Hollywood Story and Rick James skits. :D

Here's a favorite:

Charlie Murphy: Hey Prince, you got a towel? It’s kinda hot in here.
Prince: Why don’t you purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka?

:D

Edit: Forgot to add -- Agreed on Dave Letterman. Never thought that he was very funny at all. :confused:

[SG89]

I thought Mama's Family was hilarious. I watched it growing up in syndication. Currently, I would say Veep is the funniest show on TV (HBO).

[whateverls15]

https://youtu.be/zVRVA3mun3Q

[Studey]

I am a huge South Park fan. It gets maligned due to being crass, and while it is that, there's a lot of great commentary and parody there. It's a lot more intelligent writing that people give it credit for.

Similarly, Archer is absolutely hilarious. One of the funniest shows I've ever seen. Actually, I was introduced to this at Hannibel Lecter's place.

For non cartoons, I always loved Red Green.

[Doc Dan]

BEAN!

[QUICKSILVER]

Of the current comedies, I like Mom, Big Bang Theory and Last Man Standing.

Bill Maier

[Squawk]

For me it's "The IT Crowd", hands down.
[singing] 0118 999 881 999 119 725-3! [/singing]

[Malfeasant]

Bobs Burgers, Rick and Morty, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Futurama Had to add a few more. There are more but I'm not sure if anyone else will think they're funny... kinda sacrilege in the humor..

[camporama]

I love most that were mentioned, and my personal favorite now is 30 Rock.

[Knivesinedc]

Bobs Burgers, Rick and Morty, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Futurama Had to add a few more. There are more but I'm not sure if anyone else will think they're funny... kinda sacrilege in the humor..

+1 on Parks and Rec. I laughed harder at that show than any other I've seen.
But my two personal favorites are "I Love Lucy" and "The Andy Griffith Show". Don Knotts is just hilarious all by himself. His reactions, his body movements his voice. Its all great.

[twinboysdad]

There is a new Eugene Levy show "Schitts Creek" that is on Amazon prime and there is a season 2 coming soon. Not a greatest of all time but best in a while.

[SpyderNut]

Life In Pieces is one of my other favorites.