Everyone must watch at least one episode of these 20 sitcoms

The Office is the mockumentary to end all mockumentaries. There are plenty of people who aren't fans of The Office, but you’ve got to watch at least one episode to decide for yourself. It set the tone for every other mockumentary to follow this century. 

Anyone who claims to be a fan of comedy needs to be familiar with both Jerry Seinfeld and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Seinfeld made Jerry into the figure he is today, and it set Louis-Dreyfus’ career on an incredibly successful path. You need to see where it all began. 

MASH is important for all television lovers to watch. It’s still the most-watched finale of any TV show ever, and it would take a legitimate miracle for that record to be broken. This show is beyond pop culture history; it’s just plain history. 

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. It’s still referenced in pop culture, and it had a direct influence on many comedies that followed in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. 

Is an explanation required for why you need to see at least one episode of The Simpsons? It’s arguably the most popular animated sitcom of all time. The Simpsons is another series that has transcended pop culture history and has had a direct influence on the culture at large. 

If you like sitcoms — heck, if you just like television — there’s no excuse not to have seen at least one episode of Friends. The series has been on air or syndication since 1994, and there’s no way it’s stopping anytime soon. It’s a classic if there ever was one. 

Some sitcoms from this era don’t hold up, but Cheers does. It was clever and had great classic sitcom tropes, like one of the best sitcom will-they-won’t-they couples to ever grace the television screen. Cheers also birthed another iconic sitcom, just adding to the dozens of reasons to watch it. 

Arrested Development is a master class in sitcom characterization and running jokes. It’s so well written it’s hard to pick up on every joke, so to do the series justice, you should give it a few rewatches. But at the very least, watch one episode. 

Modern Family ushered in a new era of mockumentaries and racked up a bunch of Emmys doing so. It married different styles of comedy to make perhaps the best sitcom of the 2010s. 

If there’s a sitcom to compete with Modern Family for best of the 2010s, it’s The Big Bang Theory. This show had an epic run, and its spin-offs are still being spun. The Big Bang Theory has carved an important place in television history. 

I Love Lucy is one of the best television shows of all time. Sitcoms wouldn’t be the same without its influence, and there are too many iconic lines and scenes to name. Everyone should watch at least two episodes of I Love Lucy. 

The jokes-per-minute in 30 Rock is impressively high. The writing on this show is excellent, and it’s a great example of how eccentric characters can fit well together. 

Community was a thing entirely of its own. It’s technically a sitcom, but it feels like it was so much more than that. An unsung cultural touchstone, Community took risks that most sitcoms wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole. 

Mary Tyler Moore is a legend, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show is legendary. The original sitcom about a working girl, The Mary Tyler Moore Show gave other TV shows license to show women in a modern light, and TV has been better for it since. 

Sex and the City is another series with great writing. So many episodes are still discussed to this day, and Carrie Bradshaw is as important a figure in pop culture as any character on TV now, perhaps more so. 

When watching All in the Family now, much about it is problematic. However, it still has a place in TV history and has played an important role in getting television to where it is now. This show can be celebrated for its contributions while being criticized for areas in which it could’ve been better. 

Putting aside Bill Cosby’s issues, The Cosby Show is an excellent sitcom. The writing is hilarious, and the performances are great. It was an important sitcom for many years, and it’s worth even just 20 minutes of your time. 

Happy Days deserves to be watched because of its massive influence. It jumpstarted multiple careers, some still alive and well today. It’s also been referenced in more TV shows than can be counted. 

There’s a reason It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been on for so long. It’s got a huge crowd of loyal fans, and they’re all there for a reason. This show is smart. It’s the sitcom for audiences who don’t normally go for sitcoms. 

There are few people who have had as big of an influence on comedy as Larry David. He’s an absolute living legend and, when considering just how influential he’s been, a bit of an unsung hero. Everyone needs to see at least one episode of his magnum opus, Curb Your Enthusiasm.