SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers regarding Ghostface’s identity in Scream 7. Please watch the movie before continuing if you don’t want to know who the killer isn’t.

Considering what happened at the box office, I was far from the only person hitting up the theater to see Scream 7 this weekend, and while I understand why critics didn’t exactly think it was a franchise-best (our own CinemaBlend review of Scream 7 gave it just 1.5 stars out of 5), I had a lot of fun and wasn’t able to suss out who the killer was. In fact, I didn’t even try, because I was so convinced I’d figured it out, based on just how criminally underused one actor was.

Timothy Simons Was Barely In Scream 7

I was delighted when I learned that Timothy Simons was joining the Scream universe for the franchise’s seventh movie. I have been a fan of the actor’s since he was cast on Veep, and his fame has only grown over two seasons of Nobody Wants This. His comedic sensibilities seem like a no-brainer for this mix of horror and comedy, too.

So why was he barely in the movie? Simons played George Willis, the drama teacher at Tatum’s high school, and I only know that because I looked it up — if they said his name in the movie, I do not remember. The role consisted of being a jerk to Tatum (Isabel May) for not being able to see in her dog costume and then mean-mugging Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) amidst a crowd of on-lookers after one of the killings.

That's it! What a disservice to this comedic talent!

Why I Thought Tim Simons’ Drama Teacher Was Ghostface

I watched the majority of Scream 7 thinking Simons was being hidden away so the audience would forget about him until his ultimate, triumphant unmasking! Of course, that’s not how things turned out, and I was frankly disappointed that he was essentially wasted with just one speaking scene.

Speaking of that scene, however, it is another reason why I was so dang sure the drama teacher would end up being Ghostface. George (or Mr. Willis, or whatever) laid into Tatum for not having her mother’s audacity, and it wasn’t long after that Sidney received her first call from “Stu,” who made a similar comment about her not being as feisty as she used to be.

The point was also made that whoever killed Hannah (Mckenna Grace) would have had to have been very familiar with the theater. Was Simons’ character meant to just be a red herring? I’m not sure we even got enough from him for that to be the case.

In the end, I’m definitely not upset that the Nobody Wants This actor was cast in Scream 7, just disappointed because I want more Timothy Simons. But, who knows? Maybe this was just the beginning of George Willis’ journey and he’ll make a resurgence in Scream 8 as the Sidney-obsessed, disgruntled theater teacher who snaps and starts his own killing spree.

In the meantime, if you want to check out more of Tim Simons, you can stream Nobody Wants This with a Netflix subscription and Veep with an HBO Max subscription.

No matter what side of the aisle you sit on, I think we can agree that it’s sad to know that the 2025 TV schedule will continue to be devoid of new episodes of Veep. Through its seven-season run on HBO, the satirical ensemble comedy led by Julia Louis-Dreyfus took blistering aim at American politics, with very few subjects spared. Apparently, someone took the time to dig into that very show on a recent flight, and it was captured by none other than the Seinfeld cast vet herself, complete with a very sweet message.

As you’ll see in the embed from Louis-Dreyfus’ Instagram stories, she spotted this Veep fan taking flight and captured the moment. But pay close attention to the text at the bottom:

Honestly, if I knew Julia Louis-Dreyfus was sitting behind me as I was watching Veep, I’d kinda be nervous. For all I know, the Selena Meyer moments I find to be the funniest would vastly differ from the ones she favors. Not to mention, her thoughts on the series finale may differ from mine, as I consider Season 7’s “Veep” to be one of the best final episodes of a sitcom ever.

Though looking at the final bit of text signaling that Ms. Louis-Dreyfus was a fan of making that HBO Max subscription driver has me convinced of one thing: we’d probably both agree with her emotional reaction to Veep’s final filming day. But at the same time, it’s not like she’s been sitting around, obsessing over what Selena Meyer’s presidency would have been like.

In her post-Veep years, Julia Louis-Dreyfus has kept the wheels turning with a variety of projects. Indie darlings like A24’s well-received You Hurt My Feelings have helped mix things up alongside her continuing role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also, the blockbuster corner of her resume saw another appearance as she was part of Thunderbolts*’ impressive cast.

But even with that MCU project keeping the villainously funny Countess Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the frame, my mind returns to the seven years spent with Veep. Let's be honest, Val does sometimes feel like Selena in a PG-13 environment - especially when we see her pulling the levers of power in D.C.

Since she’s so fond of that previous series, I wonder if Julia Louis-Dreyfus would be up for a Disney+ series that followed her Marvel character’s continued efforts to gain power - and the foils that keep getting in the way? While no one wants a mere imitation of creator Armando Iannucci’s darkly comic cable hit, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have something similar in nature to bridge the gap between films.

That’s probably just something I’d be interested in, especially seeing as Marvel's TV shows are going to be more stand-alone prospects in the future. But feel free to see Thunderbolts* in theaters and weigh in on that subject yourselves. Meanwhile, you can see all seven seasons of Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep, as they’re still streaming on HBO Max.

They say that “Mother knows best,” but I can think of a few movies and TV shows that challenge that belief. The following are some of the rudest, most cruel, and just plain evil fictional moms whom I am eternally thankful I never had to grow up with.

Margaret White (Carrie)

Sissy Spacek's title character from Brian DePalma's 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie possesses telekinetic abilities that make her a danger to others, but she is not the villain of the story. That would be her mother, Margaret (Piper Laurie in an Oscar-nominated performance), who is an abusive, extreme religious fanatic with deluded reasoning for cruelly punishing her daughter, whom she even considers to be a punishment for her own past sins.

Lucille Bluth (Arrested Development)

There are very few members of the Bluth Family from Arrested Development who do not boast hilariously despicable personalities. The worst of them all might just be the matriarch, Lucille (Jessica Walter), whose self-serving, elitist ego drives her to manipulate and arrogantly berate all of her "loved" ones, with her own children facing much of the brunt.

Momma Lift (Throw Momma From The Train)

In the 1987 dark comedy movie, Throw Momma from the Train, Owen Lift (Danny DeVito, who also directs) agrees to kill the ex-wife of his writing professor, Larry Donner (Billy Crystal), in exchange for murdering his mother. Honestly, it is hard not to empathize with Owen when Anne Ramsey first appears in her Oscar-nominated role as the loud, nasty, belligerent, and physically abusive Momma Lift.

Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)

Every Sopranos character has their standout qualities, but Livia Soprano (Nancy Marchand) has absolutely none. Her gangster son Tony (James Gandolfini) enters therapy to get over issues stemming from his terrible childhood living under her roof. However, she committed her worst sin against him when he was grown up, attempting to orchestrate his murder.

Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)

You could look at any iteration of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, and the title character's wicked stepmother could be considered an all-timer in this category, based on her unjustifiably horrid treatment of the innocent young woman. However, Eleanor Audley's portrayal in the Disney animated classic from 1950 is perhaps the most bloodcurdlingly cruel and chillingly intimidating.

Selina Meyer (Veep)

In Armando Iannucci's hilarious political satire, Veep, Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) uses and abuses as many people as possible to rise in the ranks of the United States Government. Receiving the worst treatment, however, is her own daughter, Catherine (Sarah Sutherland), whom she constantly belittles and shamelessly uses as a tool in her campaigns.

Mary Jones (Precious)

One of the most stunning examples of a comedian giving a stellar dramatic performance is Mo'Nique's Oscar-winning role in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire as the title character's mom, Mary Jones. Not only does she physically and verbally abuse her teenage daughter (played by Gabourey Sidibe), but she also stands by when her husband takes advantage of her, only to blame her for the situation and accuse her of "stealing her man."

Cersei Lannister (Game Of Thrones)

In the world of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, there are many noble royals who breed despicable children, and just as many noble royals bred from despicable parents. However, Cersei Lannister (played by Lena Headey in HBO's Game of Thrones cast) is an example of a sadistic woman who also bred sadistic children, all of whom would end up meeting a bitter end as a result of her manipulative ways.

Joan Crawford (Mommie Dearest)

Arguably, the mother of all mean movie mothers is not a product of complete fiction, but allegedly based on fact. Faye Dunaway gives a frighteningly over-the-top performance as Academy Award winner Joan Crawford in a 1981 adaptation of Mommie Dearest, a memoir by the screen legend's own adoptive daughter, Christina.

Cookie Lyon (Empire)

The dog-eat-dog nature of the music industry has rarely been captured better than in Lee Daniels and Danny Strong's hit series, Empire, especially as seen through the eyes of Loretha "Cookie" Lyon. Portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in a Golden Globe-winning performance, the record executive and former convict is not opposed to pitting her own children against each other to benefit her own influence over the family's company, Empire Entertainment.

Pamela Voorhees (Friday The 13th)

If you really think about it, Pamela Voorhees (portrayed by Betsy Palmer in the 1980 horror movie classic, Friday the 13th) is not, in essence, a bad mother. It was her loving commitment to her son that drove her to murder the camp counselors she believes were responsible for his fatal drowning. In fact, proof that the sympathetic horror villain was a good mom lies in the mysteriously resurrected Jason and his bid to continue killing debaucherous teens in her honor.

Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)

On the beloved TV sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frank Barone (Peter Boyle) is the more outwardly spiteful parent to Ray (Ray Romano) and Robert (Brad Garrett). At least he does not treat his sons like children, even as grown-ups, like his wife, Marie, does. Doris Roberts' multi-Emmy-winning role might be an even worse mother-in-law, with the way she puts down Ray's wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), at seemingly every chance.

Lavona Golden (I, Tonya)

I believe the key to Allison Janney's Oscar win for portraying Tonya Harding's mother, Lavona Golden, in I, Tonya is how persuasively she argues that she is responsible for pushing the Olympic figure skater (played by Margot Robbie) to greatness. However, she takes absolutely no responsibility for instilling qualities of poor sportsmanship, incessant verbal and physical abuse, and her shamelessly manipulative ways.

Evelyn Harper (Two And A Half Men)

Holland Taylor is dynamite in her ferocious, four-time Emmy-nominated performance as the cold and vindictive Evelyn Harper on Two and a Half Men. It is no wonder that her sons, the commitment-phobic Charlie (Charlie Sheen) and hopelessly dissatisfied Alan (Jon Cryer), turned out to be, when you imagine what living with her must have been like.

Petunia Dursley (The Harry Potter Movies)

What makes Petunia Dursley (Fiona Shaw) easily one of the most despicable Harry Potter characters is her terrible role as a parent, but in more than one way. She treats her son, Dudley (Harry Melling), far too well, spoiling him beyond repair. Yet, her treatment of her eponymous orphaned nephew (played by Daniel Radcliffe) is abhorrent, from locking him in a cupboard under the stairs as punishment to making him into her home's indentured servant.

Colleen Donaghy (30 Rock)

Elaine Stritch earned five Emmy nominations for appearing on 30 Rock as the domineering and mercilessly critical mother of Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), Colleen. Jack once accidentally hit her with his car and, as a result of her unfavorable behavior, proceeded to wait eight minutes before deciding to call 9-1-1.

Ruth DeWitt Bukater (Titanic)

Frances Fisher's role in the Titanic cast, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, is an essential example of an overbearing, elitist, and manipulative movie mother. Perhaps her worst offense is forcing Rose (Kate Winslet) to marry her loathsome fiancé, Cal (Billy Zane), purely for the social status it will earn their family.

Brianna Barksdale (The Wire)

On The Wire, the only thing standing in the way of D'Angelo Barksdale's (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) switch to the right side of the law is his mother. Brianna (Michael Hyatt) is constantly manipulating her son into giving up so much for the benefit of their family's unlawful business, including serving a long prison sentence on behalf of his uncle, Avon (Wood Harris).

Eleanor Shaw Iselin (The Manchurian Candidate)

Discovering that you have been brainwashed into becoming a political assassin is terrifying. Discovering that your own mother is involved in the conspiracy, like what Eleanor Shaw Iselin (Angela Lansbury) does to her son, Raymond (Laurence Harvey), in the 1962's The Manchurian Candidate, is simply devastating.

Endora (Bewitched)

Some of the funniest moments on Bewitched would come courtesy of Agnes Moorehead as Endora, a literal witch who never once held back from expressing her resentment toward her mortal son-in-law, Darrin Stephens (original Dick York and later Dick Sargent). Of course, Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) is as much a victim of her mother's domineerance, and one can only imagine what sorts of wicked things she must have put up with while growing up with her.

Mrs. Robinson (The Graduate)

Watching The Graduate from the perspective of Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) makes the 1967 dramedy an even more maddening trip. It is bad enough that her mother (played by Anne Bancroft) attempts to ruin her relationship with Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), but to discover that he is her lover, too, sounds like a nightmare.

Irina Derevko (Alias)

To get a more authentic look at what the life of a spy must be like, I would not recommend checking out the James Bond movies, but the hit ABC series, Alias, which follows the adventures of double agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner). She was prepped for the traumatic hardships of espionage at an early age when her mother, Irina Derevko (Lena Olin), faked her death, but even that could not prepare her for when Irina betrayed her daughter in favor of the KGB.

Beverly Sutphin (Serial Mom)

The central character of writer and director John Waters' uproarious dark comedy, 1994's Serial Mom, is Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner), a suburban housewife who would never harm her own children. However, she has absolutely no qualms about brutally harming other people for the sake of her children, which does not make things any better, of course.

Maya Lewis (Scandal)

Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) had dedicated her life and career to making crises disappear on Scandal. On the other hand, her mother, Maya Lewis (Khandi Alexander), has, ironically, dedicated her life to making them happen. However, Olivia did not know that for almost two decades, and, in fact, she was under the impression that her mother was dead that whole time.

Mrs. Windle Vale (Now, Voyager)

Bette Davis stars in director Irving Rapper's 1942 drama, Now, Voyager, as Charlotte Vale, who longs for independence from her overbearing mother (played by Gladys Cooper), who constantly belittles her with comments about her being an embarrassment to their family. Apparently, Mrs. Vale could not stand the idea of her daughter protesting her dominance because the day she does just happens to be the day she succumbs to a sudden heart attack.

Ida Welker (Malcolm In The Middle)

While Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) could be seen as a mean mom, in retrospect, she put up with a lot while raising her five boys (six if you count Bryan Cranston's Hal) on Malcolm in the Middle. While I have nothing but respect for her, I have nothing but disdain for her mother, Ida (Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman), who is a cold, conniving, and downright horrid woman right to her core.

Zinnia Wormwood (Matilda)

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, 1996's Matilda stars Mara Wilson in the title role of a young girl gifted with telekinetic powers but cursed with despicable adult peers, including her uncaring parents. Not only is her mother, Zinnia Wormwood (Rhea Perlman), a vain, airheaded narcissist, but her father (played by Danny DeVito, who also directs) is just as bad.

Dr. Beverly Hofstadter (The Big Bang Theory)

Almost every member of CBS' The Big Bang Theory cast has a mother with a strong personality, to say the least, but Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) has that claimed unmatched. Psychologist Beverly Hofstadter (Christine Baranski) never bothered to show Leonard any affection, considering she only had children for experimental and research purposes anyway.

Alice Ward (The Fighter)

Melissa Leo gives an Academy Award-winning performance in 2010's fact-based, acclaimed boxing movie, The Fighter, as Alice Ward. The portrayal paints her as a woman who is more concerned with what is best for the athletic careers of her sons, Micky (Mark Wahlberg) and Dicky (Christian Bale), than what is best for their well-beings.

Constance Langdon (American Horror Story)

As one of the most frequent recurring American Horror Story actors, Jessica Lange has played an amusing variety of characters on the seasonal horror anthology TV show. However, her scariest role may be the first, Constance Langdon, whose horrid parenting skills and refusal to take responsibility for them have resulted in chaos in her household and for others affected by her children's actions.

Lilly Dillon (The Grifters)

One might assume that Lilly Dillon (Anjelica Huston) would be happy that her son, Roy (John Cusack), has found love with Myra (Annette Bening), who is in the same line of work as she is: con artistry. However, Lilly is the type of mother who does not believe any woman is good enough for her son, which is why she plots to murder Myra in 1990's The Grifters.

Norma Bates (Bates Motel)

We never actually meet Norma Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's seminal 1960 thriller, Psycho, but we can imagine, from the way her son, Norman (Anthony Perkins), takes on her likeness when murdering people, that she was not an easy person to get along with. The A&E original series, Bates Motel, offers an inside look at the complicated relationship between Norma (Vera Farmiga) and young Norman (Freddie Highmore), which is littered with lies, manipulation, and murder.

When it comes to specific channels on television, there is but one that has produced television shows that have genuinely taken the world by storm and got people talking for years on end. And that, my friends, is HBO. The premium channel – known as “Home Box Office” – has created some of the biggest shows of the last thirty years or so. And here are some that truly got the world talking.

Game of Thrones

You knew Game of Thrones would be on here somehow. The series, based on the novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin, was the biggest show for years on HBO, with several huge Game of Thrones shocking moments and a Game of Thrones cast that exploded onto the scene and became household names. It’s one of the best shows of the last decade.

Westworld

Running for three seasons, Westworld was a sci-fi western based on the novel of the same name. It was a huge show when it first came out. The Westworld cast was large and impressive, and the story took so many twists and turns that it was almost hard to keep up with it.

The White Lotus

Did you ever think a series about guests at a five-star hotel resort would become the phenomenon that it’s become? Because I sure didn’t. The White Lotus, which began as a limited series, has run for three seasons so far and has captured the hearts and attention of viewers worldwide, with views growing steadily with each new season.

Insecure

Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, Insecure is the kind of comedy-drama that everyone needs to see. With five seasons total, the series followed two young Black women who are navigating their twenties and just trying to survive everyday life. It’s hilarious, won several awards, and was popular for all the right reasons.

True Detective

With a new cast each season and a new mystery to solve, True Detective kept coming back with even better stories and excellent acting. From the lands of California to the snow landscape of Alaska, this series finds new ways to surprise its audience each time, making viewers return for more whenever a new season is confirmed.

The Last of Us

Based on the video game franchise of the same name, The Last of Us ended up becoming one of the biggest shows on the channel, as well as on Max, the streaming platform for HBO. The series follows the life of Joel, a smuggler in the apocalypse, and Ellie, a girl who is immune to the virus. They journey across the United States, where her immunity might be the cure to this whole thing. The series is beloved by most, and is one of the best video game adaptations out there.

Deadwood

Considered one of the best Western shows, Deadwood is the series to watch if you want a good, classic crime drama with some of the best acting. Featuring an all-star cast with so much to love, the show was so popular that it spawned a movie after it ended, which also premiered on HBO.

Euphoria

While there have been years between seasons of this show, there’s no denying that Euphoria is one of those series where, when it premieres, the world stops to watch. Starring an impressive Euphoria cast led by Zendaya, the dark teen drama altered pop culture when it premiered and has remained iconic years later.

Big Little Lies

Based on the novel of the same name, Big Little Lies is a mystery and dark comedy in which you never truly know who to trust. With two seasons and cast members who are mega-stars like Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and more at the helm, this series got people talking and more.

House Of The Dragon

While the Game of Thrones universe has continued to expand, the first series that came out after the main show concluded was House of the Dragon, based on the novel Fire and Blood. With more dragons than ever before, a civil war that has fans on the edge of their seats, and acting that takes your breath away, this series was primed to become one of the biggest shows out there the moment it premiered.

Six Feet Under

For five seasons, one of the biggest shows on HBO was Six Feet Under, a series that followed the lives of a family who ran a funeral parlor. I know, at first, that kind of premise sounds like it wouldn’t mean much entertainment, but this was a very well-received series and one that fans absolutely loved.

The Wire

Whenever anyone thinks of an HBO show, one of the first that comes to mind is always this one. The Wire was a crime drama set in Baltimore and told a different storyline each season about a new institution of the city, from drugs to the lack of education in the city. It’s extremely well-told.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

There are some comedies out there that become huge, and then there’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, a show that ran for twelve seasons, 120 episodes, and continued to remain critically praised for years. Fans could not get enough of Larry David in the lead role and the hilarity of the story that his fictional self would get into in this iconic HBO series.

Mildred Pierce

A miniseries on HBO, Mildred Pierce, is based on a book by the same name and stars Kate Winslet. Through five episodes, we watch a divorcee of the Great Depression trying to find herself again and establish a business within the restaurant industry while also dealing with her problems. The miniseries was a massive hit for HBO and earned several Emmy nominations – and a couple of wins.

Big Love

Running for five seasons, Big Love was a drama that took the world by storm. It followed the story of a Mormon man and his three wives who lived in modern-day Utah. The series was another huge hit for the channel and earned several major awards during its run.

The Sopranos

I mean, obviously, I have to include The Sopranos. I feel like The Sopranos is as synonymous with HBO as Game of Thrones is. The series made the channel huge and won many awards. The Sopranos cast is filled to the brim with incredible talent, and even now, years later, it has a long-lasting legacy.

Girls

Created by Lena Dunham, Girls was a comedy-drama that aired over six seasons and followed the lives of four women living in modern-day New York City. It had some hilarious storylines but wasn’t afraid to dive deeper into modern themes and darker subjects, which made the show such a hit.

Chernobyl

When I think of some of the best miniseries on HBO, Chernobyl is one that comes up every time. The series tells the true story of the Chernobyl disaster and was critically praised for its acting, accuracy, and fantastic cinematography. Once you watch Chernobyl, you’ll never return to who you were before.

Veep

I could go on and on for hours about Veep and how amazing it was. Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the Veep cast was hilarious. It told the story of a U.S. vice president and how she tried to deal with the modern-day politics of America while also working with an idiotic president next to her. It’s hysterical in every way, shape and form.

Watchmen

Based on the same comic series, Watchmen is an HBO miniseries that truly redefines the superhero drama of television. It tells bold and dark tales of a world of crime and justice. It also has an incredible cast that only cemented its legacy on HBO. I always wished there was a Season 2, but I’m content with it running for the one miniseries we got.

Barry

For four seasons, Barry was the best dark comedy on the channel – and later, it really turned into more of a drama than anything else. The series, starring Bill Hader as the lead of the spectacular Barry cast, tells the story of a hitman who finds some purpose in acting in L.A. and begins to question his life. The show takes twists and turns you would never expect.

Mare Of Easttown

This miniseries, Starring Kate Winslet, was a huge hit for HBO. With seven episodes, it tells the story of a detective who investigates a murder in a small town outside of Philadelphia while also dealing with her own personal life. The series won several Emmy Awards and was talked about for weeks.

The Leftovers

The Leftovers ran for three seasons, but it cemented itself on HBO’s roster the moment it did, and people still talk about it today. The series follows the lives of people on Earth who were left behind when 2% of the entire population of the world vanished. Now, it’s up to the leftovers to survive.

The Righteous Gemstones

The Righteous Gemstones is one of those series that has a cast that is too good to be true. The show stars Danny McBride, Adam DeVine, John Goodman, Walton Goggins, and so many other major stars – and what makes it better is that it’s so funny. With four seasons, the series follows a family of televangelists and their personal lives, and it’s just as hysterical as you can imagine it would be.

Band Of Brothers

The miniseries Band of Brothers was based on the novel of the same name and is a war drama that was praised for its impressive Band of Brothers cast, as well as how realistic the series was. The show was so popular that it spawned two spinoff shows years later – The Pacific and Masters of the Air.

Succession

Oh, you knew this show would be on here somehow. Succession was a huge HBO show that followed the story of a family fighting for control over their father’s media conglomerate when his health was put into question. The series was praised for its acting, from the incredible Succession cast, as well as its storyline that anyone could get into.

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

While it’s not a scripted series like many of the others on this list, this talk show has become a massive hit for HBO and has won several Emmys throughout the years. Starring John Oliver, the talk show covers what has happened in the world in a funny way, mostly regarding politics, and always features clips that end up becoming huge on social media.

Silicon Valley

Running for six seasons, Silicon Valley is a comedy series that is exactly what you expect it to be—a series about tech bros in the iconic Silicon Valley of California and the struggles of working there. The series earned plenty of award nominations during its run, including Emmys, and was a major hit.

Oz

If you’re looking for a prison drama, then Oz is one that you have to check out, and it became a huge deal for HBO. The series follows the lives of prisoners and guards and everyone else involved in a maximum security prison, with enough drama to last a lifetime that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I May Destroy You

This single-series show took the world by storm. I May Destroy You is a black comedy about a young writer who is trying to rebuild who she is and her life after suffering a horrible sexual assault. The show was nominated for many awards and was a significant success for the channel.

Sharp Objects

Starring Amy Adams and based on the novel of the same name, Sharp Objects is about a reporter who is covering the murder of two girls and has to return to her hometown. Her hometown is filled with memories of her past that haunt her to this day. The miniseries was an award-winner and earned several acting nominations.

Mr. Show With Bob And David

While it’s one of the oldest shows on this list, Mr. Show with Bob and David was what kickstarted the careers of Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. The series was a sketch comedy that ran for four seasons with hilarious bits and moments that really cemented the two lead stars in the world of comedy.

There are so many other great HBO shows that people loved, but these are just a few of the ones that I enjoy watching every time I get the chance. If you haven’t checked them out, you need to now!

The so-called "Golden Age" or "Peak TV era" of television is broadly (and roughly) defined as the running from the debut of The Sopranos to the finale of Better Call Saul. This isn't a perfect description, as there are still some really amazing shows that continue part, like, say, Severance, just to name one. But, for this article, we're going to stick to those parameters. Without further ado, here is our list of some of the truly great shows from the Peak Era of television.

Game Of Thrones

We certainly couldn't make this list without the grand dragon on them all, HBO's Game of Thrones. Though the ending made a lot of people mad and you can argue that the show declined greatly in its last couple of seasons, it doesn't diminish the greatest of the show's early years. With some of the most shocking moments in TV history, the show was must-watch TV for all eight seasons.

Atlanta

Creator and star of Atlanta Donald Glover proved yet again that he is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Over six years and four seasons the show and its star were showered with acclaim and industry awards, including multiple Golden Globes and Emmys. Not only did Glover win an Emmy for acting on the FX series, but he became the first African-American to win Best Director at the Emmys in the show's first season.

The West Wing

There aren't a lot of network TV shows on this list, but one that simply has to be is The West Wing. For seven seasons in the early 2000s, the NBC hit was one of the best shows in network history. Featuring a long list of stars that included Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, and many other cast members, The West Wing gave us all a look into all that government can be if we want it to be.

Lost

Pardon the pun, but it's fair to say that ABC's Lost lost its way towards the end. A confluence of events, including a writer's strike, left fans more than a little annoyed with the show's final couple of seasons, but those first few years were simply incredible. The show, which debuted in 2004, was one of the first shows that was ever described as "bingable" and with good reasons, the cliffhangers were amazing.

Mad Men

In a lot of ways, AMC's Mad Men kind of came out of nowhere. Set in the 1960s, it was unlike anything on TV at the time and the longer it went on, the better it got, which is rare for any show. It made a star out of Jon Hamm and fascinated viewers each week both with its wonderful storytelling and its look back at one of the most turbulent and interesting decades in American history.

The Office

In an era when sitcoms were evolving and struggling to keep up with their dramatic counterparts, The Office was one of the biggest shows of all time (that's what she said). Steve Carell's performance as the worst boss in the world became one of the most quotable and memed shows ever. It's true the NBC show did suffer some when Carell left after Season 7, the legacy of the show was well-established by then.

Downton Abbey

If you had bet on a period piece set on an opulent estate during Edwardian England would be a massive hit, most of the time, you'd lose. If you placed that bet on Downton Abbey, however, you'd have won big. There are no action sequences, stunts, or special effects. It's simply a wonderfully told story with fantastic characters played by excellent actors.

Better Call Saul

As a spinoff to another Peak TV era show, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul found its own place in television history. It's a very different show from the show that birthed it, as it's a little more surreal and, frankly, funny. In some people's eyes, the AMC's show's finale in 2022 marks the end of an era.

The Wire

Famously, The Wire was never a monster hit for HBO. Certainly not on the level of The Sopranos, which ran during roughly the same few years. Still, it has maintained a spot at the top or near the top of almost any list of "Best TV Shows in History." The Wire plays out like a 60-hour movie or a great book. The character development is unrivaled and the storytelling is heartbreaking, uplifting, and frustrating (in a good way). There is no doubt that the show will be remembered as one of the best for a long, long time.

Breaking Bad

What can we write about Breaking Bad that hasn't already been written. Widely considered the best (or close to the best) TV show of all time, the Bryan Cranston-led show was wildly popular with both fans and critics alike. It is one of the darkest shows in history, but that never diminished the love for it.

Narcos

Netflix landed itself a massive hit with Narcos in 2015. Wagner Moura, who played the kingpin Pablo Escobar stole the show with his uncanny and incredible performance as the notorious drug lord and Pedro Pascal found a new level of fame as one of the DEA agents trying to bring Escobar down. The show's third season, which shifted away from the Escobar story after the character's death wasn't quite on the level of the first two, but the show was popular enough to launch a spinoff, Narcos: Mexico, which ran for three seasons as well.

The Sopranos

The Sopranos' debut on HBO in January of 1999 marks the unofficial beginning of the Golden Age of Television - or at least the modern Golden Age. The production value, storytelling, and acting on the show were unlike anything anyone had ever seen. the characters were fully formed almost from the moment they first hit the screen and the story that unfolded, about a mafia boss played by the late, great James Gandolfini trying to keep both his crime family and his actual family together was simply unparalleled. Right down to the end and the show's much-talked-about finale.

Grey's Anatomy

As one of the longest-running prime-time shows in history, Grey's Anatomy has run for almost the entire era of "peak TV." Since its debut in 2005 and over more than 20 seasons and 400 episodes, the show has just kept chugging along with a devoted fanbase who stayed with it over the decades and though the endless cast changes can be frustrating, the show is remarkable.

24

One of the very first "bingable" shows would have to be 24. The Kiefer Sutherland-led action show from Fox kept viewers on the edge of their seats for nine seasons, one TV movie (24: Redemption), and a couple of spin-offs. It all made 24 one of the most bankable franchises of the era.

Six Feet Under

The early 2000s were an incredible era for HBO. Along with The Sopranos and The Wire, the network had another one of the best shows of the era with Six Feet Under. The show told the story of the Fisher family and their trials and turbulations running the family business, a funeral home. Mix in some supernatural elements and HBO had a unique hit on their hands.

Modern Family

Network sitcoms that enter the general cultural zeitgeist are few and far between these days. Certainly not like they were in their heyday of the 1970s and '80s. There are still a few that break through though, like Modern Family. For a time, it seemed as those everyone in the country was watching the ups and downs of the most dysfunctional and wonder families in TV history. For 11 seasons, the ABC hit dominated the ratings and is still a hit on streaming years after airing its finale in 2020.

Orange Is the New Black

Orange Is the New Black wasn't the first "prestige TV" show from Netflix, but it's safe to say it solidified Netflix's spot among the biggest players in the industry. For seven seasons over six years, the prison comedy-drama told the semi-autobiographical story of Piper Kerman, whose book of the same name was the basis for the show. Kerman spent a year in prison and many of the stories in the show reflected or told the experiences she had while in jail.

Deadwood

Many of the best Westerns on film came out many decades ago. On TV, there were big hits in the '50s and '60s like Gunsmoke and Bonanza, but the best Western television show of the 21st Century, Deadwood has almost nothing in common with any of those. The show was dark, crass, and unlike anything else on TV. The verbose language and insane moments made must-see TV at the time. Sadly it was never quite as popular as it should have been and that made for some herky-jerky starts-and-stops between seasons, but the show never dipped in quality.

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose," from a speech by Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in Friday Night Lights has become part of the television canon, just as the show has. Based on the movie starring Billy Bob Thornton about the spectacle that is high school football in Texas, the show has outshined its source material in almost every way.

Veep

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is unique. She not only starred in the biggest sitcom of the 1990s, Seinfeld, but she's followed it up with two more hot shows. First in the '00s she won awards for The New Adventures of Old Christine and then in the 2010s had maybe her best performance as the hapless, power-hungry Vice President on HBO's Veep for which she won an incredible seven Emmys in a row.

House Of Cards

In 2013 Netflix loudly announced it was ready to be a player in the Peak Age of TV with House Of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Based on a British show of the same name, the show highlighted the darkest corners of politics and despite the show losing some steam when Kevin Spacey got caught in the middle of a serious legal battle forcing him off the show and effectively ending his career, it still deserves recognition for all six seasons it ran for.

The Walking Dead

Over 11 seasons and 177 episodes, it's fair to say that not every moment on The Walking Dead was peak TV. That doesn't tell the whole story though, because when The Walking Dead was great, it was really great. The AMC zombie show was a ratings monster and cultivated one of the most dedicated fanbases ever, which led to multiple spinoffs that will seemingly run forever.

Boardwalk Empire

When Boardwalk Empire premiered on HBO in 2009, it came with a lot of hype as the mind behind it, Terrence Winter, had been of the key creative minds behind The Sopranos. While Boardwalk Empire never quite reached the lofty heights of The Sopranos, it was still one of the best shows on TV in its time.

Sons Of Anarchy

Like a few other shows on this list, FX's Sons Of Anarchy isn't a perfect show. There were some ill-advised plot decisions, like moving the gang to Ireland for a while, but like those other shows, when SOA was good, it was really, really good. The characters became our own dysfunctional family who we laughed, cried, and died with over the show's seven seasons. A spinoff, Mayans M.C., wasn't as good, but it also found a fanbase and lasted for five seasons.

The Americans

Of all the shows on this list, the one that maybe flew under the radar more than most has to be The Americans. The FX show was just... cool. It was a spy thriller that brought the Cold War back to U.S. television. Set in the '80s and starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the show ran for six great seasons and never really fell off as so many other shows do.

30 Rock

How do you follow up an incredible run as a star and head writer on SNL? Well, if you're as talented and funny as Tina Fey, you create one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 21st Century with 30 Rock. If nothing else, the show left us with the important bit of advice that you should never go with a hippie to a second location.

Justified

FX's Justified updated the Western for the 21st Century. Based on a book for Elmore Leonard and starring Timothy Olyphant as a 21st-century lawman with with his heart in the 19th Century, Justified was as noir as you'd expect from a story by Leonard and the acting is, across the board, fantastic.

True Detective

One of the darkest shows during the Peak Era of TV had to be True Detective, especially the first season. The unconventional storytelling was brought to life brilliantly by stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and while the show was still great for a couple of more seasons, it really was that first season that stood out and above the others.

Succession

On HBO's Succession, the entire Roy family are all awful people. It's a show entirely made of characters we love to hate. We hated them so much, we couldn't wait to tune in each week to see what awful things they would do and it made the show unique and magical in that way.

Homeland

Showtime's Homeland started with a bang in its first season, or rather, almost ended its first season with a bang that never happened. The spy thriller starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis was the ultimate nail-biter as no one really knew how the season would end. While the end of that first season was probably the pinnacle of the show, it ended up airing for seven more excellent seasons.

Battlestar Galactica

Interestingly, though there are some exceptions, Sci-Fi wasn't a huge part of the era. One of those exceptions was Battlestar Galactica, a reboot of the old series from the 1970s. The new version was a mystery wrapped in a space adventure and featured some of the craziest twists of any show from the time.

Barry

It's always cool to see an actor known primarily for their comedic talents take on a more serious role and Bill Hader in Barry is a perfect example. Sure, there is some dark comedy in the show of course, but, especially as the show went on, the character played by Hader was as complex as any character we've seen on TV and Hader is amazing.

There are so many shows out there that are perfect for your next binge. They could be one of the best shows to watch on Netflix or even be an original series for a streaming service – either way, they are full of life and hilarity. And if you're looking for a new show to watch, you might want to consider any of the following options for your next best sitcom.

Friends

I can't have a sitcom list and not write about Friends. The series was a huge hit for several years, running for ten seasons and making the Friends cast the vast stars they are today. The series follows a group of friends who live in New York City and follow their personal and professional lives.

How I Met Your Mother

For nine seasons, How I Met Your Mother dominated the world. The How I Met Your Mother cast was exceptionally popular, with skyrocketing careers, and featured some of the funniest jokes ever. If you ignore the finale (which most tend to do), it's honestly one of the best shows out there. The series follows the main character as he tells his children about how he met their mother.

30 Rock

Created by Tina Fey, 30 Rock ran for seven seasons and was a hilarious addition to the sitcom's run. The series follows the lives of workers at a fictional sketch show in New York City, based on Fey's time working on Saturday Night Live. The 30 Rock cast is hilarious in so many ways.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Okay, so this series is the definition of a long binge. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has run forever, it seems. It follows the story of a group of friends (and one annoying father) who live in Philadelphia and get up to the craziest things (usually illegal). I mean, this series is iconic—it can't really get better than this one.

Abbott Elementary

Abbott Elementary is on the fast track to becoming an all-time great show. The series follows the lives of teachers who work at a public school in Philadelphia and the struggles they have to go through to make their children happy and give them a good environment, as well as their own personal lives.

Frasier

Running for eleven seasons, Frasier is a spinoff of Cheers and follows the psychiatrist Frasier Crane, who travels back home to Seattle and documents his personal and professional life. Talk about an incredible spinoff – and it earned a reboot several years later on Paramount+.

The Office

I mean, obviously, I have to include The Office. Running for eleven seasons, the series followed the lives of workers in a paper company in Scranton and is considered one of the best mockumentary sitcoms of all time. The Office cast is super iconic, and after one watch, you'll be returning to this show like a security blanket.

Community

With six seasons, Community is a fun one to watch. It follows five misfits who go to a community college and form a study group together – which gets them into hilarious situations. The series is hysterical, and while Season 5 is a little iffy (in my personal opinion and many others), it's still worth a binge – especially since a Community movie is in the works.

Cheers

Running for eleven seasons, Cheers is one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. The show mainly revolves around patrons and friends who gather at a bar as we follow their lives both in and out of the world. The series is responsible for creating several big stars, such as Ted Danson, Kirstie Alley, Kelsey Grammer, and Woody Harrelson.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

While it only ran for four seasons, I personally love Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The series follows a young woman who was locked away in a bunker for several years only to emerge and find herself a stranger in this new modern world. With the help of some unlikely friends, she finds her path.

Two And A Half Men

As someone who watched Two and a Half Men for the first time a few years ago, I find this series hilarious. Running for twelve seasons and originally starring Charlie Sheen (before switching over to Ashton Kutcher years later), the series follows a man who houses his brother and his son during a divorce and the craziness they get into as time goes on. This series is wild, so be prepared for some jokes that most likely did not age well but are still fun.

Parks And Recreation

Parks and Recreation aired a few years after The Office ended, and people loved this show just as much. The series mainly follows Leslie Knope, who works at the Parks Department in a fictional town and cares deeply about her job, causing headaches for others. If you take a look at the Parks and Recreation cast, you'll see a ton of familiar faces.

That '70s Show

Running for eight seasons, That '70s Show was a series that raised me as a kid. The series follows a group of teenagers who are living in the 1970s and their experiences with the culture there. The series was so popular that it spawned a spinoff years later called That '90s Show, although it was short-lived.

Seinfeld

I mean, obviously, I have to put Seinfeld on here. Created by comedy legends Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, Seinfeld is "a show about nothing," following the lives of a fictionalized version of Seinfeld and his friends in New York City during the 1980s and 90s. The series ran for nine seasons and created the famous Seinfeld cast.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

Where was he raised? In West Philadelphia, of course. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air starred Will Smith and followed the story of a young man who is sent to his uncle in Bel-Air after getting into trouble back home in Philly. His mother hopes that his uncle can straighten him out, and it just turns into hilarity for this fresh prince. The series ran for six seasons.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast is hilarious in every way possible, and I thoroughly recommend this series with my whole heart. The series follows the lives of workers at a fictional police station in New York City, from their professional lives to their own, and how they all intertwine.

The Golden Girls

I have to recommend The Golden Girls. Running for seven seasons and just as iconic as you would expect, the show starred Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty as four older women who lived together in their later years in Miami and the crazy lives they got into.

Bob's Burgers

Animated shows are probably some of the best series to binge because they often have so many seasons, and Bob's Burgers is an excellent example of that. The series, which has been running for fifteen seasons and counting, follows the lives of a family who own a burger shop and what they get up to when they're not in the kitchen—as well as the drama that unfolds in their restaurant. It's hilarious, and I highly recommend it.

I Love Lucy

Of course, I have to put the original sitcom here. I Love Lucy is a classic sitcom starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as Lucy and Ricky, a couple living in New York City, and the shenanigans that Lucy gets into all the time. I'm often not the best person to recommend older TV shows because most tend to miss the mark, but this is one of the best you can watch. The series ran for six seasons.

Modern Family

Modern Family is an absolute icon, and yes, you need to watch it. Running for eleven seasons, It is exactly what you would expect it to be—it follows the lives of a modern-age family and the craziness they get into. The Modern Family cast is hysterical, and I can assure you that you will laugh several times throughout the show.

The Nanny

"She's the nanny, the nanny named Fran!" I can assure you that the theme song for this show will be stuck in your head by the end of this binge. Running for six seasons, The Nanny, starring Fran Drescher, follows the lives of a fashionista who decides to take on the role of a nanny for three children when she needs the money, only for her life to intertwine with their father, Peter Marc Jacobson.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Created by Larry David and running for twelve seasons (despite that twenty-four-year-long streak), Curb Your Enthusiasm is a hilarious HBO series that stars David as a fictionalized version of himself as he lives in Los Angeles and his days as a retired TV producer and writer, and the stuff he gets into as he deals with all the drama Hollywood can bring.

Full House

The Full House cast is iconic because of how great this series was and how many of us were raised on it, honestly. Full House follows the lives of three men, one a widow, one a brother-in-law, and the other a best friend, who all live in the same house, and work together to raise the children of one after his wife passes away. The series ran for eight seasons.

The Simpsons

Obviously, I have to put The Simpsons on this list. The Simpsons is probably one of the most iconic TV families ever, following the animated tales of Homer and his family as they get into the craziest shenanigans you could ever think of and more.

The Big Bang Theory

Running for twelve seasons, The Big Bang Theory was an extremely successful modern-day sitcom that followed several people living in California. It mainly followed the lives of Leonard and Sheldon, who they ran into as total science nerds, and the friends they surround themselves with.

South Park

South Park has some outrageous episodes, but this is the perfect binge if you want something that's way more adult. The series follows the lives of four fourth-graders in the world of South Park, a fictional town in Colorado, where literally nothing is off the table for the drama they get into. This series is just a lot to handle but so freaking hysterical.

Scrubs

Created by Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso, Shrinking) and running for nine seasons, Scrubs is the medical sitcom that you're in need of. The series follows the lives of workers at a hospital, following the medical interns as they work their way up in the world and the hilarious things that happen to them.

Schitt's Creek

While Schitt's Creek only ran for four seasons, its impact on pop culture is widely known. The series follows the lives of the Rose family, who suddenly lose everything in their name except for a little town the father bought as a joke years ago – Schitt's Creek, the place where they will begin their return to wealth. The Schitt's Creek cast is absolutely hysterical.

Veep

Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and running for seven seasons, Veep is a hilarious HBO sitcom and political satire show that will make you laugh for hours on end. The series follows the life of political figure Selina Meyer, who is the Vice President of the United States, and how she deals with what is thrown at her, as well as working with the president who drives her nuts.

Rick And Morty

Created by Dan Harmon, Rick and Morty is one of those animated sitcoms where you never know what is going to happen next, but you know it'll be hilarious. Rick and Morty follows the scientific adventures of Grandpa Rick and his grandson, Morty, as he takes him across multiple dimensions and into situations that really no young boy should ever experience.

Arrested Development

Running for five seasons, with two of them happening in the later years of the 2010s, Arrested Development is the type of show that will make you laugh for hours. The series follows a formerly wealthy family as they try to adjust to normal everyday life – and they most certainly have a hard time doing it.

Everybody Hates Chris

Created by Chris Rock, Everybody Hates Chris stars Tyler James Williams and is loosely based on Rock's life when he was a teenager and what it was like living in New York City back in the 1980s as a teenager. It ran for four seasons (but to me, it should have ran for way more).

Any of these shows would be excellent picks for you to watch next. Now, I feel like I need to have a TV marathon. It's time to dim the lights and get the popcorn once again.

Some TV shows stumble their way to the finish line, such as these series that went on way too long. But others end the race cruising to victory, with final seasons and series finales that satisfyingly wrap up the journey their characters were on over the years. From classic comedies like Cheers to acclaimed dramas like The Americans to sci-fi standouts like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, here are TV 32 shows that absolutely nailed their farewells. (WARNING! Obviously there are spoilers ahead!)

Succession

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong could have milked all of that Shakespearean family drama for one or two more seasons but smartly decided to end the hit HBO drama after four seasons because "this was simply how this story had to go," Armstrong told Vulture. And it ended in brutally brilliant fashion, with outsider Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) sniveling his way to the top of Waystar Royco over Roy siblings Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Armstrong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Shiv (Sarah Snook). 

Breaking Bad

It was inevitable: after five seasons of greed and ruthlessness, chemistry teacher-turned-meth cooker Walter White (Bryan Cranston) had to die. But what a way to go, with an explosive, critically acclaimed final run — both halves of season five won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2013 and 2014 — that not only offered up some of the drama's greatest episodes ("Ozymandias" is one for the history books) but cemented the TV series as one of the best ever.

Newhart

Nowadays, the "it was all a dream" twist has become a cliché but when the CBS sitcom Newhart pulled that very move back in 1990, it cemented itself as one of the most memorable moments in pop culture history. In the final minutes of the comedy's series finale, lead character Dick Loudon (Bob Newhart) woke up after getting knocked out by a golf ball in Vermont — the surprise was that he was now in a Chicago bedroom as Bob Hartley, his famous The Bob Newhart Show character, with TV wife Emily (special guest Suzanne Pleshette) by his side.

Mad Men

Fitting for an iconic and complicated character like Don Draper (Jon Hamm) — and finally earning the actor that much-deserved Emmy for Best Actor — Mad Men left viewers with quite an ambiguous conclusion when it ended in 2015 after seven seasons. The existential finale saw the advertising executive searching for inner peace at a meditation retreat, or was he really just tapping into some Zen as inspiration for that famous Coca-Cola advert? We'll never know!

The Leftovers

Grounded by a standout performance by Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, the conclusion of HBO's The Leftovers was ambiguous yet sentimental, a gratifying and thematically fitting send-off for the complex drama. Following Nora in her decision to enter a radioactive machine that could reunite her with her husband and children who vanished in the "Sudden Departure," the series finale didn't so much answer all of our questions about all the ones who left — we still don't entirely understand the quantum mechanics of it all — as it did give hope to the ones left behind. 

30 Rock

The seventh and final season of 30 Rock said goodbye to Liz (Tina Fey), Jack (Alec Baldwin), Tracy (Tracy Morgan), Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) in equal parts hilarious and heartfelt fashion, with all of the nostalgic callbacks, witty one-liners and delightful absurdism that fans have come to know and love from the NBC sitcom. The series finale also movingly said farewell to the real-life behind-the-scenes folks from 30 Rock by casting them as the TGS crew. 

Parks And Recreation

Co-written by lead Amy Poehler, the series finale of Parks and Recreation warmly said goodbye to both beloved characters and the city of Pawnee. The sweet two-parter took place mostly in the future, with happy endings for all: Garry (Jim O'Heir) being elected mayor (with Christie Brinkley as his wife, no less); Andy (Chris Pratt) and April (Aubrey Plaza) becoming parents; Ron (Nick Offerman) taking over as superintendent of the Pawnee National Park; and Leslie (Poehler) continuing her life of political service...potentially all the way to the White House?

Fringe

The final episode of the Fox sci-fi drama Fringe was a bittersweet one for Olivia (Anna Torv), Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Walter (John Noble). The fifth season had jumped far into the dystopian future overtaken by the Observers. Walter sacrificed himself and took Michael (Rowan Longworth) into a wormhole even farther into the future to stop the Observer invasion from ever happening in the first place. In the process, the story reset back to 2015, where Walter sadly no longer existed, but through time-travel magic, he still managed to send his son a drawing of a white tulip.

Justified

The story of Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) continued with the sequel series Justified: City Primeval, but the end of its predecessor Justified was a more than satisfactory closing chapter in and of itself, especially in wrapping up Raylan's rivalry with friend-turned-foe Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins). The Harlan County criminal was an endlessly quotable character across all six seasons of the FX drama, but his final words — “We dug coal together" — prove he saved the best line for last.

The Shield

One of the most gripping crime dramas of the 2000s, The Shield lived up to its own reputation with its bold finish, which saw Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) trying so hard to stay out of prison that he got a fate worse than incarceration: with blood on his hands, his family running from him, and him banished to a desk job. With police sirens blaring in the distance, Vic grabbed the gun from his desk drawer and left the ICE building. Where he went, we'll never know, but it surely can't be good. 

Cheers

It can be hard to leave those special places where everybody knows your name, but if you have to, at least take "One for the Road." Such is the title of Cheers' standout series finale, which poured one out for all of our beloved barflies: Woody (Woody Harrelson) was elected Boston councilman; Norm (George Wendt) finally got his coveted city job; Cliff (John Ratzenberger) was promoted at the Post Office; and Sam (Ted Danson) chose between reconciliation with the one who got away, Diane (Shelley Long), and the real love of his life, the bar itself. 

MASH

It's the most-watched finale of all time for a reason: seen by a TV audience of 121.6 million, the 1983 end of MASH beautifully brought closure to the dysfunctional members of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. With the Korean War coming to a close, the camp had to go their separate ways, but no departure tugged at our hearts quite like the one between Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell), which saw the former leave on a helicopter only to spot the latter's parting message: the word "GOODBYE" spelled out with rocks on the ground below.

The Sopranos

One of the most polarizing TV finales of all time was also one of the most powerful. That shocking The Sopranos ending was a masterclass in embracing ambiguity and racking up tension, with Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) seemingly enjoying a simple diner meal and some Journey tunes with his wife (Edie Falco) and son (Robert Iler) while keeping an eye on every patron entering the establishment. As the diner door opened and the bell rang, Tony looked up — and the screen cut to black. Was it Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), who finally found a parking spot? Or was it someone far more nefarious? Frustratingly and fantastically, we will never know. 

Six Feet Under

It seems so obvious now to end a series about a family that owns a funeral home by fast-forwarding into the future to see how each character dies, but the laying to rest of the HBO drama Six Feet Under felt clever and emotional when it aired back in 2005. An episode of television dominated by death doesn't sound all that cheerful, but getting to see the Fishers years down the line — particularly Claire (Lauren Ambrose), the last one standing at 102 — felt as right and cyclical as life itself. 

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose." Such was the motto of football coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and the showrunners of Friday Night Lights took it to heart when it came to graduating the high school-set drama series. Despite the gleam of game glory blurring his vision — the East Dillon Lions happily won that tense match-up against the Dillon Panthers — Coach Taylor clearly saw that it was only right for him to leave Texas behind by the series' end, moving to Philadelphia to support his beloved wife Tami (Connie Britton) and her new job as dean of admissions at Braemore College. Couple's goals, much?

The Wire

One of the best episodes of The Wire is its last, which managed to wrap everything up while also leaving things intriguingly open. It showed that Baltimore and all of its complexities would continue long after the credits roll. Things could change — Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) could become governor, Templeton (Tom McCarthy) could win a Pulitzer, Michael (Tristan Wilds) could become the new Omar, McNulty (Dominic West) could leave the police department — but, devastatingly, many things would always stay the same. 

The West Wing

The end of The West Wing was the end of an era — literally, as the seventh and final season chronicled the last weeks of President Jed Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) administration. The series finale was a heartfelt farewell to the former POTUS as well as all of the government employees and officials in his orbit, including C.J. (Allison Janney), Leo (John Spencer), Josh (Bradley Whitford) and Donna (Janel Moloney). But it didn't languish in nostalgia: "What are you thinking about?" Stockard Channing's Abbey asked Jed at the show's end. "Tomorrow," he replied. 

ER

The medical drama came full circle for its grand finale, which echoed its premiere episode 15 years prior by taking place over the course of 24 hours in the emergency room of Cook County General Hospital. The cases are dramatic and dizzyingly varied, from emergency cesarean sections to terminal cancer diagnoses to triage patients from an industrial explosion. As the theme music played, the camera pulled out for ER's final, effective shot: the entire exterior of the hospital, seen for the first and only time in the show's history, with all of that curative frenzy happening within. 

Battlestar Galactica

After years spent traversing the stars and avoiding being blown to smithereens by enemy Cylons, the Battlestar Galactica crew and the last remaining humans finally made it to Earth — well, the Earth of the distant past — at the end of the Sci-Fi Channel series. That primitive planet eventually evolves into modern-day civilization and the epilogue picks up 150,000 years in the future, where half-human, half-Cylon Hera has been announced as a "Mitochondrial Eve," the progenitor of modern-day humanity. Leaving us with Jimi Hendrix's warning cry "All Along the Watchtower," the finale chillingly questioned whether humans are doomed to repeat themselves. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

There's a lot of pressure with being the "Chosen One," as Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) no doubt learned through seven seasons of the iconic fantasy series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But after 140-plus episodes of single-handedly saving Sunnydale and suffering greatly in the process, Buffy recognizes that she doesn't have to do it all alone. In the series finale, the Hellmouth crumbles and Sunnydale is destroyed but Buffy has the Scooby Gang and a new crop of Slayers by her side, and a whole future ahead of her.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

"We kept putting off writing that last show," said executive producer Allan Burns as he accepted The Mary Tyler Moore Show's Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1977. "I think it said what we wanted it to say. It was poignant." Poignant, yes, but also plenty funny, with Mary (TV icon Mary Tyler Moore), Lou (Edward Asner), Murray (Gavin MacLeod) and Sue Ann (Betty White) ultimately getting fired from WJM-TV. From that group shuffle to the tissue box to the swan song of "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," the finale had us laughing and crying in equal turns.  

The Americans

With a high-stakes show like The Americans, it seemed only inevitable for Russian spies Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) to be exposed and have to flee the United States for Mother Russia. Despite that eventuality, the FX drama still managed to end on a tensely unexpected and devastating note, with both their American-born children Paige staying behind. That shot of Paige (Holly Taylor) standing on the platform as Philip and Elizabeth's train pulled away will haunt us for years to come.

Parenthood

Over six seasons, Parenthood fans came to love the Braverman clan like their own family, which made it all the harder to say goodbye when the show ended in 2015. But even though the series finale was a tearjerking one, with patriarch Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) dying peacefully in his sleep, a hopeful time-jump showed that all would be well with the Bravermans, with weddings, pregnancies, graduations, vacations and puppies at Christmas all happily in their futures. 

Better Call Saul

It's hard enough to make a great spin-off of an already great show. But to end that spin-off with as much acclaim as its predecessor is a whole other thing entirely. Better Call Saul, part of the Breaking Bad universe, did just that with its sixth season, which saw Jimmy McGill-turned-Saul Goodman-turned-Gene Takavic (Bob Odenkirk) finally facing the consequences of his choices. However, as co-creator Peter Gould told AMC, Saul's end can actually be seen as hopeful: "In spite of the fact that he's in prison, which is terrible, Jimmy is Jimmy again. He's recovered his soul."

The Good Place

Though diehards of The Good Place would have wanted to spend eternity with all of its beloved characters, the NBC afterlife comedy did come to an end in 2020 after four seasons and 53 episodes. But it did so with a characteristically funny and cathartic conclusion, which saw Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper) and Jason (Manny Jacinto) ready to step through the door and move on from the Good Place, and Michael (Ted Danson) made human and allowed to live out a normal life down on Earth. 

Angel

Trying to save the world from evil forces is a nearly impossible but always worthwhile task, as the Angel series finale "Not Fade Away" powerfully showed. After a season of loss, including the deaths of both Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Fred (Amy Acker), it would have been very easy for Angel (David Boreanaz) and the rest of the Angel Investigations team to wallow in their grief and raise a white flag. But, even knowing that it would likely end in their own demise, Angel, Spike (James Marsters), Gunn (J August Richards) and Illyria (Acker) chose to go into battle against the supernatural baddies and fight for good.

Friends

What Friends got so right in its tenth and final season was showing how transient of a town New York City is, especially when you grow from those lively twentysomething years to your more settled thirties. "The Last One" saw Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) adopt twins and move out of that famously purple-walled West Village apartment for the suburbs. After Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and the recently reunited Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross (David Schwimmer) returned their keys, Chandler landed one final hilarious quote before they went — where else? — to Central Perk one last time.

The Office

Sure, there's an argument to be made that The Office should have ended after Steve Carrell's Michael Scott left Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and Scranton, PA, at the end of season seven. But though the show was shaky in the years following that character's exit, if it had ended years earlier, fans wouldn't have gotten that sentimental happy ending, with Michael pulling off the perfect surprise at the wedding of Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) to serve as best man and drop the final "That's what she said." 

Star Trek: The Next Generation

All good things must come to an end, and that includes the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In the farewell to sci-fi favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Jean-Luc Picard mentally jumps around in time: from the present, then back to the ship's first mission seven years ago and then 25 years into the future. In each era, Picard makes it so that the Enterprise stops a temporal anomaly, which destroys the ship but saves humanity. It all ends up being a test from Q (John de Lancie) but Picard passes, and in the present, he finally joins the crew's poker game.

Fleabag

After the brilliance of Fleabag's first season, it seemed impossible that Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Co. could match the sharp wit and gut-punching emotion with a season 2 of the BBC One dramedy. But PWB managed to prove every naysayer wrong with that devastatingly romantic and electrifyingly funny second — and, judging by that fourth-wall-breaking final scene, last — season, which famously saw our nameless heroine meet and fall for a "quite hot" priest, played by Andrew Scott. 

Veep

The end of Veep, one of the most consistently hilarious shows in all of television, saw Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) get everything that she always wanted: namely, the Oval Office. Yes, the seemingly perpetual Vice President became POTUS by the series finale, a ruthless political rise that saw her betray those closest to her, especially her loyal aide Gary (Tony Hale). But Selina gets a viciously hilarious comeuppance when, 24 years in the future, coverage of her funeral is interrupted by the breaking news that American icon and "Philadelphia 2 star" Tom Hanks has died. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The epic four-part finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender not only gave every major character their chance to shine but also cemented it as one of the best-animated shows of the 21st century. In his spectacular final face-off against Ozai, Aang stays dedicated to pacifism and decides not to kill Fire Lord Ozai, instead using energy bending to remove his firepower as punishment for his crimes. In doing so, the final installments offer up a philosophical exercise that's far more mature and sophisticated than anyone would expect from a "kiddie" show. 

Though television programming existed in various forms for more than a decade before the first situation comedies officially arrived in the late 1940s, the sitcom quickly became one of the most popular and duplicated genres for the next 80+ years. From stand-up comics to Hollywood icons, sitcoms are responsible for some of pop culture’s biggest stars, from Jerry Seinfeld to Jennifer Aniston to Dick Van Dyke to Lucille Ball, as well as some of the most memorable catchphrases.

Despite broadcast networks no longer championing sitcoms as much as in years past, with streaming services picking up the slack — Netflix is now more known for multi-camera sitcoms than any of the Big 4 — TV comedies will likely continue to keep audiences breathless with laughter for many more years to come. As such, CinemaBlend’s staff came together to celebrate and rank the 100 best sitcoms of all time, with the order stemming partially from our writers’ sharing scores for more than 200 different series, along with other contributing factors.

So sit back in your favorite recliner, grab an extra-large Squishee (or an ice-cold Duff, if you’re of age) and settle into the coziness, comfort, and occasional cringeworthiness of the best TV sitcoms of all time, according to CinemaBlend.

100. Bewitched

You know a show is a classic when even Marvel is drawing inspiration from it nearly 50 years after its end. The fantasy sitcom Bewitched worked its magic at CBS for eight seasons, partially due to the phenomenal comedic acting of Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York, who was famously replaced by Dick Sargent due to York's worsening health issues. Add in an equally impressive ensemble cast including Agnes Moorehead, David White, and Paul Lynde (just to name a few), and it's no wonder Bewitched was a nose-twitching delight of a show that doesn't need supernatural abilities to be great.

99. Laverne and Shirley

Arguably the most successful Happy Days spinoff, as well as one of the best TV comedies of all time, Laverne & Shirley followed two best friends and bottle-cappers as they navigated life and everything it threw at them in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (later Burbank, California). Though similar in tone to its predecessor, this long-running sitcom relied more on the physical comedy talents masterfully pulled by stars Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams. And when it comes to iconic opening credits sequences, Laverne & Shirley was in a league of its own with all those shots of the fictional Shotz Brewery along with that classic theme.

98. Beavis And Butt-Head

No Beavis And Butt-Head fan will argue that the show isn’t dumb. Because it is. It really, really is, in each of its iterations. The two eponymous characters rank as two of the most unambiguously stupid protagonists to ever grace a TV screen, and every word they say is unadulterated idiocy. Ironically, though, that’s the genius of Mike Judge’s creation. The impossibly dumb leads allow for stories that no other sitcom can reasonably or responsibly touch with any degree of verisimilitude, while also permitting some outrageously weird takes on music videos (and social clips) across various eras.

97. Hogan's Heroes

War stories are often suited for prestige dramas, but Hogan's Heroes proved that a P.O.W. camp comedy could be just as awards-worthy. During its 168-episode run, Bob Crane's titular leader and his squad constantly thwarted Nazi enemies with fast-talking and constant hijinks (many of which were put into play by future game show legend Richard Dawson). Lasting as long as World War II did itself, Hogan's Heroes showcased how reflecting on past tragedies with humor can make for memorable art.

96. How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother may be higher on this list if not for fan opinions of the final season, but I would 100% say that it’s worth watching despite a lackluster ending. This show is about finding out how Josh Radnor’s Ted met his future wife, but it really thrives as a series about best friends. As Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney Stinson would say, this ensemble is legen–wait for it–dary, and those who check it out will definitely be invested in what the cast is doing now that the series is over.

95. Mork & Mindy

Today we all know what an immense talent Robin Williams was, and the absolutely wild places he could take comedy. Imagine not knowing any of that, and then turning on an early episode of Mork & Mindy, where he must have come across quite like somebody from another world, much like the character he played. Mork from Ork gave Williams the freedom to do almost anything on screen opposite Pam Dawber’s Mindy (and later Jonathan Winters), and it’s no surprise he took over Hollywood after four successful seasons.

94. The Adventures of Pete and Pete

Plenty of shows focus on the weirdness of suburbia, but Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete still stands awkwardly as one of the best. As Older Pete (Michael Maronna) and Younger Pete (Danny Tamberelli) navigate the oddities of Wellsville, life lessons and warm memories are gifted to viewers by creators Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi. Pete & Pete delivers its homespun tales with a deep-seated love of ‘50s and ‘60s pop culture, and with one of the more impressive celebrity guest star rosters of kid-centric TV. Where else will you find REM’s Michael Stipe as a conspiratorial ice cream man?

93. black-ish

Watching Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross’ Andre and Rainbow Johnson raise their family amidst navigating various challenges in and around their largely white-populated neighborhood, all while still hanging onto their Black identities, makes for eight seasons of exceptional sitcom storytelling. While black-ish went on to launch two spinoffs, the original still stands as the cream of the crop, expertly balancing pointed social commentary and humor regarding a variety of topics, racial and otherwise. Plus, TV grandfather-dom looks great on Laurence Fishburne.

92. The Munsters

What happens when a family largely modeled after Universal’s Classic Monsters takes up residence in the middle of suburban America’s Mockingbird Heights? You get The Munsters, which slotted in nicely among other comedic offerings in the ‘60s while also satirizing sitcom tropes of the era. Although Fred Gwynne’s bumbling patriarch Herman was often the driving force behind the weekly shenanigans, Lily, Grandpa, Eddie and Marilyn (the only “normal” looking one) were all far more endearing than their monstrous counterparts, making The Munsters a great platform for chaotic, yet heartfelt entertainment.

91. Happy Endings

Best friends are always good sitcom fodder, as David Caspe’s Happy Endings proved for three seasons on ABC ahead of its fan-angering cancellation. Damon Wayans Jr.’s cucumber-cool Brad and Eliza Coupe’s A-type Jane are the group’s PDA-friendly couple, while her sister, Elisha Cuthbert’s confusion-prone Alex, is exes-ish with Zachary Knighton’s dorky-smooth Dave. The group is rounded out by Adam Pally’s schlubbo-sexual Max and Casey Wilson’s serial dater Penny. Perhaps the only sitcom whose leads share a fictional history as Real World vets, Happy Endings is as fun and fancy-free as romance-fueled sitcoms get.

90. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Less than two years after Ellie Kemper played Erin Hannon for the last time on The Office, she sunshine-smiled her way through a bonkers show of her own with Netflix’s original Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The series, which centered on former cult member Kimmy’s surreal and gung-ho acclimation to life in a “real” world she hadn’t lived in for years. One of the more unique shows from creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, Kimmy could have made this list just for turning the multi-talent Tituss Burgess into a small-screen regular. Extra kudos for the follow-up movie Kimmy vs the Reverend.

89. That '70s Show

Starring Topher Grace and running for eight seasons from 1998-2006, That ‘70s Show transports any generational audience who watches back to the late 1970s for the horned-up (and oh-so-slightly drugged-up) exploits of high school besties and their respective parents. The teens were played by actors who would go on to become bona fide stars, including Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Wilmer Valderrama, and Laura Prepon. The Circle in Eric’s basement was always reliable for big laughs, and though its final season suffered from cast exits, Netflix’s That ‘90s Show kept the good times going far more successfully than That ‘80s Show.

88. Extras

Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant followed up on the smash success of The Office by crossing the ocean to HBO for the Hollywood-skewing riot Extras, which hinged on the fraught character trifecta of Gervais’ dispirited actor Andy, his god-awful agent Darren (Merchant) and his kind-hearted and oblivious actress BFF Maggie (Ashley Jensen). While only two seasons and a Christmas special, it’s a modern classic not only for its gloriously cornball faux sitcom When the Whistle Blows, but for bonkers celebrity cameos from Kate Winslet, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan and more. Gervais also delivers an all-time Top 5 spit-take in one episode.

87. The Bernie Mac Show

The late Bernie Mac is still widely viewed as a comedy giant, and his eponymous family sitcom is a major reason for that. The Bernie Mac Show definitely isn’t the first comedy to be headlined by a stand-up, but it’s one of the few that so perfectly utilized the talents of its lead. Mac’s signature brand of no-nonsense humor is especially hilarious when he bounces off his A+ co-stars. But, overall, what makes this series one of the great modern Black sitcoms is its funny, warm and nuanced depiction of familial dynamics amongst African Americans.

86. Gilligan's Island

Before The Brady Bunch (but after The Red Skelton Show), screenwriter and producer Sherwood Schwartz launched 1964's smash-hit Gilligan's Island, and the fictional voyage was far more doomed than the show's. Starring Bob Denver and Alan Hale, the sitcom won over viewers with plots hinged on island inventions, unexpected visitors, dream sequences, and random items washing up ashore. While the show famously never hit one hundred episodes, its premise was beloved enough to spark several TV movies and the truly baffling Saturday morning cartoon spinoff Gilligan's Planet.

85. Mad About You

Chemistry is usually all it takes to keep a sitcom afloat, whether its shared by an ensemble (see: Friends) or tethered to a winning duo like Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt in Mad About You. It helps that both actors lent their movie-level wattage to the sitcom for eight seasons, exploring marriage and eventually parenthood in New York City. (Reiser previously co-starred in My Two Dads, to be sure.) But despite the parade of stellar comedic co-stars — Hank Azaria, Lisa Kudrow, Carol Burnett, and Mel Brooks? Come on! — it was Paul and Jamie keeping us invested. We were mad about them, and maybe a different kind of mad about Mabel.

84. Three's Company

Three’s Company is an interesting case-study in dated sitcom writing, as 90% of the jokes that prop up the show wouldn’t fly today. Almost every single line can be construed as sexual innuendo, and the plot twists of a given Three’s Company episode are so driven by silly miscommunications, the formula is basically cliche. However, John Ritter’s deep reservoir of charm, when combined with his incredible chemistry with the female roommates that came in and out of his orbit, made it an overall win, and one of the most memorable and breezy sitcoms of the 1970s and ‘80s.

83. Family Guy

What can be said about Family Guy that hasn’t already been said? While Seth MacFarlane’s first mega-hit doesn’t feel quite as crude as other late night animated fare these days, it quickly cemented itself as an envelope-pushing primetime entry thanks to its murderous baby, they hyper-perverse Quagmire, and the less said about Herbert, the better. The series made a meme-worthy artform out of cutaway gags, man vs. chicken fights and lowbrow pop culture spoofs. At this point, the Griffins are basically as widespread as the Simpsons, and Brian would certainly drink to that.

82. Malcolm In The Middle

Malcolm in the Middle was a key part of Fox’s Sunday comedy lineup for six of its seven seasons from 2000-2006. At the time, the Frankie Muniz-starring comedy was a rare example of a single-camera sitcom that eschewed a laugh track and had its lead regularly breaking the fourth wall. The family was known to deal with serious issues in the background of the shenanigans of the sibling trio, which helped the sitcom win seven Emmys. It was also Bryan Cranston’s breakout primetime TV role, proving he was a comedy legend years before dipping into drama for Breaking Bad.

81. The Facts Of Life

A spinoff of Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life is one of the most successful TV offshoots that shares little with its predecessor, and for good reason. The coming-of-age sitcom explores adolescence in a way that neither its predecessor nor follow-up projects ever could, with a perfectly cast ensemble of young actresses led by the incomparable Charlotte Rae. This sitcom exists because of Rae’s previously stellar work, and her warmth and charm in the role of Mrs. Garrett helped make a family out of her girls, from Natalie to Tootie to Jo to Blair and the rest.

80. The Addams Family

Although The Addams Family started off as a single-panel New Yorker comic strip published from 1938 to 1964, it was the TV series premiering that same latter year which made the family a pop culture favorite. Watching Morticia, Gomez, Uncle Fester, Wednesday, Pugsley, Grandmama, Lurch and Thing freak people out with their macabre tastes and supernatural antics never got old, and without the popularity of this show, it’s doubtful these ghoulish characters would have returned in a variety of live-action and animated projects in later years.

79. My Name Is Earl

My Name Is Earl earned its way to sitcom greatness thanks to star Jason Lee’s all-in performance as Earl Hickey, as well as the great premise that sees Earl attempting to right the litany of past wrongs committed against seemingly everyone he’d ever met. (The concept also helps make it easy to drop in on any random episode without really needing to see what happened beforehand.) Ethan Suplee, Eddie Steeples and Jaime Pressley are equally brilliant in their respective roles, and we can still relate to Earl to this day anytime we struggle to keep our eyes open while taking a picture.

78. The Middle

Every once in awhile, a show sneaks it way into the zeitgeist and in our memories. The Middle, a show about a quirky middle-class family from the Midwest ran for nine years and hit home for a wide and nostalgic audience. It was a breath of fresh air and an honest take on class and what it was really like to grow up in, well, “the middle” of everything. Ironically, it was the ending of the show that stuck with most, but all good things must come to an end. 

77. Dave

This whole entry could be spent talking about how Dave is driven by the exceptional talent of David “Lil Dicky” Burd, who has a truly offbeat world perspective to go along with his legitimate gifts as a rapper. But that would be a disservice to Davionte "GaTa" Ganter, who proves over the course of the three seasons to be the NSFW series’ true heart. It gets funny and ridiculous, but it can also deliver a nice, solid gut punch courtesy of your investment in the characters’ plights for recognition.

76. Spin City

Arguably TV's least polarizing political sitcom, Spin City was a winning candidate for its six-season term in part due to co-creators Bill Lawrence and Gary David Goldberg. The latter also created Family Ties, and brought Michael J. Fox into the lead role here as well, with Charlie Sheen successfully taking over in Season 5 after Fox's medical-related exit Spin City is also a melting pot of TV excellence, boasting Connie Britton, Carla Gugino, Richard Kind, Alan Ruck and more greats filling out the NYC mayor’s office.

75. The Andy Griffith Show

One of the most iconic and wholesome sitcoms of the 20th century, The Andy Griffith Show gave audiences nearly 250 episodes with the residents of the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, centering on local sheriff Andy Taylor, played with aw-shucks charm by Griffith. Characters like Barney Fife (Don Knotts), Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier), and Opie (a young Ron Howard) made for plenty of the early highlights in sitcom history, both in black-and-white and color.

74. Family Matters

Airing for nine seasons from 1989-1997, Family Matters became a beloved sitcom for multiple generations regularly tuning into ABC’s TGIF lineup. The spinoff of Perfect Strangers followed the highs and lows of the Winslow family, with Die Hard vet Reginald VelJohnson becoming an iconic sitcom dad as Carl Winslow. Of course, Jaleel White’s Steve Urkel famously stole the spotlight as the nerd-tastic breakout star, sporting the signature “Did I do that?” catchphrase. Yes, he certainly did, if by “that” he meant annoying his unrequited love Laura or creating alternate versions of himself via sitcom science.

73. The Wonder Years

The Wonder Years aired from 1988-1993, but very fathfully recreated the late ‘60s and early ‘70s to invite audiences into the lives of the Arnold family. Starring Fred Savage in his breakout role (alongside fellow greats Dan Lauria, Alley Mills, and Danica McKellar), the coming-of-age comedy touched on Vietnam War politics, high school romance, deaths of loved ones, sibling rivalries and more, with Daniel Stern's narration a key source of its charm and emotional heft. From using Joe Cocker’s unforgettable “With a Little Help from My Friends” to its powerful-yet-unplanned finale, it’s no wonder that this classic eventually inspired a reboot.

72. The Flintstones

The Flintstones is arguably the first animated project to prove itself as much of a classic sitcom as anything in live-action. Premiering back in 1960 and running for six wildly successful seasons, the sitcom follows the titular family within a fictional and idealized version of the Stone Age. Its popularity kept it airing in syndication for decades,later inspiring spinoffs, live-action movies, TV specials, ice cream pops, and (of course) the most memorable vitamins down the medicine aisle.

71. The Proud Family

The Proud Family was one of the standout shows of ABC’s One Saturday Morning programming block, walking the line between cartoony kids show and legitimate family drama quite well. Disney+’s more recent Louder And Prouder revival is evidence of that popularity and storytelling skills. Kyla Pratt’s Penny Proud is as relatable a TV teen as can be, and Sugar Mama (voiced by Family Matters’ Jo Marie Payton) is the kind of grandmother anyone would appreciate, sans bodyslams.

70. The Drew Carey Show

Long before he became host of The Price is Right, Drew Carey jumped from standup comedy to sitcom stardom with The Drew Carey Show, which ran for nine increasingly zany seasons from 1995-2004. The comedian starred as a fictionalized version of himself living in Ohio, working at a mundane job surrounded by a core group of friends with hijinks to spare. (Particularly during the A+ April Fool’s Day episodes.) This was the first big scripted TV role for cast members like Christa Miller, Diedrich Baker, Ryan Stiles, Craig Ferguson, and John Carroll Lynch. Hopefully fans can agree with the show on one thing: Cleveland Rocks!

69. Designing Women

If watching four sassy, professional ladies flourish, flounder, and tell it like it is sounds like something you can get behind, then look no further than Designing Women. The comedy starred the all-time great cast of Dixie Carter, Young Sheldon’s Annie Potts, Delta Burke and Hacks star Jean Smart as co-workers sharing their personal and professional trials and triumphs to side-splitting effect over several seasons. Even better, the show managed to work in a lot of social commentary that’s still relevant today, and no one has ever taken down bullies and bigots like Carter’s Julia Sugarbaker.

68. Night Court

Many sitcoms can be vehicles for a single great comedian to shine, but the strength of the original Night Court was its ensemble. (And that sax-y theme.) Harry Anderson played de facto leader Judge Harry Stone alongside John Laroquette, Markie Post, Richard Moll and more, and the jury of TV audiences gave the verdict of Night Court being guilty of hilarity. Despite the fact that the show’s format could seem as formulaic as real-life courtroom dockets, silliness often ensued, and fans were happy to watch these talents play off each other for an enviable nine-season run. Its popularity endures with Melissa Rauch’s 2023 revival.

67. The Honeymooners

TV shows have a way of changing the pop culture landscape by being quotable, and The Honeymooners is one of the earliest sitcoms whose influence is definitely still felt in that category, with “One of these days Alice…” and “To the moon!” persisting so many decades later. The all-time classic follows two New York City couples and the various shenanigans they get into, with Ralph and Alice famously played by Jackie Gleason and Audrey Meadows, respectively. And while the empty threats of domestic violence might be jarring for newcomers, The Honeymooners significantly set the stage for so many sitcoms to follow.

66. Raising Hope

Wacky isn’t always a word that comes up when discussing family sitcoms, but Raising Hope fits that description to a T. The Chance family is filled with more lovable and well-meaning weirdos than you’d think could possibly fit into half-hour eps, but they all have their odd (and potentially relatable) quirks. From dad Burt (who picks his nose by using all 10 fingers), to matriarch Maw Maw (who can frequently be found shirtless and/or braless and giving off old people smells), you’d be hard-pressed to land on an episode that doesn’t make you choke on your big dill pickle.

65. Fresh Off The Boat

Everyone loves a good family sitcom, and while Fresh Off the Boat is technically about the young, hip-hop-obsessed son within a Taiwanese-American family in Orlando, the real comedic meat of the show is his mom, Jessica (Constance Wu). We’ve never seen a mom like Jessica Huang before. Yes, she’s loving, but it’s an absurdly tough, uncompromising love that pushes her nice, America-loving husband and three sons to excel. She’s also fiercely competitive and not someone to mess with, which diners-and-dashers can attest to, and is a big reason why Fresh Off the Boat will always be watchable.

64. Everybody Hates Chris

Abbott Elementary fans can attest to Tyler James Williams’ comedic chops, but he first honed them from his younger Hollywood days as the star of Everybody Hates Chris. Created by Chris Rock (who narrates) and Ali LeRoi, the show is based on the stand-up legend’s teenage years, and finds ways of making everyday occurrences the most hilarious things in the world, often landing a wide-eyed Chris in trouble. From James’ impressive performance as a teenager to the rest of the cast (including a stellar Terry Crews’ dad mode), Everybody Hates Chris is a must-watch for comedy lovers of all ages.

63. Get Smart

Secret agent movies were big in the 1960s, so how could one go wrong with a spoof comedy series created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry? Get Smart stars Don Adams’ Maxwell Smart (aka the bumbling CONTROL Agent 86) often teaming up with Barbara Feldon’s more-than-capable sidekick, Agent 99, to thwart the evil, if not entirely professional, efforts of the cabal KAOS. From the series’ iconic opening credits to Max’s shoe phone, Get Smart stands the test of time, with some great catchphrases to boot, including “MIssed it by that much,” and, “Would you believe…?”

62. Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

We sometimes wonder how well creator Nahnatchka Khan’s Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 would have fared if it lasted beyond its celebrated two-season run. And we wish we were given the chance to actually see that hypothetical third season for ourselves, as the 26 episodes we did get were spot on. Pairing Dreama Walker’s naive June with Krysten Ritter’s scheming Chloe made for an odd couple who knew how to have exciting adventures. Frequent appearances by an early-career Eric André and an always charming James Van Der Beek only made this ABC series all the sweeter.

61. Good Times

A quality sitcom spinoff can be a challenge. Repeat what worked on the original, or try to do something totally different? Good Times spun off from Maude (which itself was an All In The Family offshoot), and succeeded through carving out its own authentic niche centering around the hard-working and cash-strapped characters of Florida (Esther Rolle) and James Evans (John Amos). The two leads were excellent throughout, though Good Times eventually shifted its primary focus to Jimmie Walker, the sitcom’s breakout star who coined the phrase “Dynomite!” and rode that marketing freight train to global superstardom. A series that lives up to its name, and then some.

60. The Nanny

The Nanny has long been synonymous with its star Fran Drescher, who played the titular Nanny Fine throughout the show’s six-season run on CBS. Despite being a quintessential ‘90s sitcom, the show’s comedy still feels super fresh and contemporary, even if the pop culture references are dated. Descher is truly unbelievable as Fran, and The Nanny has one of the best TV theme songs of all time. And it’s a show that younger generations absolutely NEED to binge-watch, amidst the ongoing hope for fans to see more.

59. Archer

If Archer were merely an expertly crafted James Bond parody, we’d still love it. However, this long-running FX staple’s greatness comes from the lore-heavy, spy-fi universe that creator Adam Reed’s built atop the back of loving send-ups to the espionage subgenre. H. Jon Benjamin anchored an all-timer voice cast that delivered dialogue and performances as sharp as Lana’s switchblade. The show veered from staleness by aping different genres for Danger Island and other “Coma Seasons,” further widening the comedic field of play, and I can’t imagine anyone wouldn’t finger Archer as the wildest workplace sitcom to date. Phrasing, BOOM!

58. Happy Days

When one thinks of Happy Days, the first image that likely comes to mind is Henry Winkler’s Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli giving a cool-as-hell thumb’s up. Though he was initially just a minor player, the leather-donning jukebox-smacking ladie’s man quickly became the show’s most popular character. But its picturesque version of the 1950s and 1960s is just as iconic, as is the entire Cunnhingham family (except maybe for the disappearing brother Chuck) and further ensemble, which spawned a whopping seven spinoffs. And if you don’t agree with all that, well, sit on it!

57. Martin

A couple of years before he became an action movie king in Bad Boys, Martin Lawrence created and starred in his own sitcom, which gave fans five seasons of over-the-top episodes. Lawrence’s Martin Payne is a loud, rambunctious, and highly opinionated Detroit disc jockey who constantly finds himself in all kinds of trouble both at work and at home with Tisha Campbell’s Gina. (A dynamic that shifted in the final season for BTS reasons.) Martin himself was fun, but his various other personas —Sheneneh Jenkins, Rosco, and Dragonfly Jones — gave the sitcom a fun and unique spin, foreshadowing Lawrence’s later career.

56. Living Single

Living Single is one of those sitcoms that thankfully managed to age well , premiering back in 1993 and following a group of friends residing together in a Brooklyn brownstone. With a killer cast including Queen Latifah (who also performed the outstanding theme song), Kim Coles, Kim Fields and Erika Alexander, Living Single’s formula succeeded ahead of Friends reaching more sensational heights, and the topic of influences there has made for many discussions. Regardless, the sitcom is a Black TV treasure, and boasts a trove of terrific musicians, athletes and comedians as guest stars, from Flip Wilson to Chaka Khan.

55. Will and Grace

Will & Grace might as well have also had Jack and Karen in the title as well, such was the strength of this foursome as they unsuccessfully dated and schmoozed their way to making LGBTQ+ history. The NBC Must See TV classic was an Emmy darling during its initial eight-season run, and its ongoing popularity beyond the “final” season inspired NBC to revive it for another two seasons. Which thankfully meant more from the bevy of guests and recurring stars that popped up over the years, from Matt Damon to Matt Bomer to Madonna.

54. Murphy Brown

Sure, Murphy Brown fulfilled the sitcom basics of starring a single, middle-aged working woman (whose eventual single-mom status shook up the status quo), being funny, and serving up great characters — Jim Dial, slugger — to support the Aretha Franklin-loving titular lead. Arguably most important, though, its its rare delivery of a flawed female main character (recovering alcoholic) who’s frequently irascible, dedicated to her job as a journalist, and unafraid to speak up in a male-heavy industry, giving audiences every reason to root for through every uproarious rant and unnecessary assistant change. There’s a reason Candice Bergen earned five Emmys from seven nominations for her work across ten seasons.

53. The Bob Newhart Show

Nobody can do deadpan humor quite like the eponymous star of The Bob Newhart Show. The beauty of this 1970s sitcom was that it allowed Bob Newhart to play off of those stand-up comedy strengths, acting as the straight man to his psychologist Bob Hartley’s many unique patients. Co-starring Suzanne Pleshette as Bob’s beloved wife Emily — the two made sitcom history together on his next sitcom as well — and Peter Bonerz and Bill Daily as his pals, The Bob Newhart Show remains exemplary for its character-driven laughs.

52. Sanford And Son

The laughs that Sanford and Son delivers from episode to episode are fairly unique compared to other sitcoms. Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson are perfectly cast as Fred and Lamont Sanford, respectively, playing off of each other in ways reminiscent of comedy duos in vaudeville and radio shows. The writers also deserve a lot of credit for effectively employing racial humor, considered edgy at that time, as well as for bringing in hilarious characters like “Aunt” Esther Anderson and Grady Wilson. But Foxx – who just oozes superior comedic timing – steals so many scenes with his energetic performances. “This is the big one!”

51. Superstore

All things consumerism considered, it’s almost surprising so few workplace comedies are anything like Superstore. For six seasons, viewers watched Amy (Oscar nominee America Ferrera), Jonah (Ben Feldman) and their wacky big box store co-workers readily getting into myriad insane scrapes and intriguingly complicated relationships, while trying to maintain order (or causing disorder) within the retail sphere. Superstore gives fans peak workplace sitcom, with innumerable sight gags for those watching closely, as well as a low-key, slow-burn mystery involving feet showing up all over the store. It’s a hilarious win-win that theoretically helps everyone see their jobs aren’t as bad as they could be.

50. The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

Before the Men in Black and Bad Boys franchises and that Academy Award-winning role in King Richard, Will Smith veered away from his successful rap career to introduce viewers to…Will Smith…for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Just saying its name instantly brings its classic theme song to mind.

Following a kid from West Philly sent off to live with his affluent uncle’s family in Bel-Air, this sitcom oozed ‘90s sitcom charm and hilarity, helping Will Smith expand his comedic talents opposite the great James Avery, Janet Hubert (for a spell) and more. From the Carlton dance to that classic “very special episode” where Will gets shot, Fresh Prince features plenty of justification for its continued success in syndication and streaming.

49. Family Ties

Eventually, Family Ties became known as “The Michael J. Fox Show,” and it was hard to avoid. Fox was a charismatic ball of energy who became a bona fide superstar during the run of the show, and even eclipsed famous guest stars such as Tom Hanks when they appeared.

But before Fox reached all-star status, Family Ties won over audiences as a warm, endearing, and relatable sitcom about liberal parents trying their best to raise their three kids – one of whom happened to be a briefcase-toting, card-carrying Republican. We all saw ourselves in at least one member of the Keaton family, and tuned in weekly to appreciate the ties that bound them all together.

48. Mr. Bean

Rowan Atkinson would have been amazing during the silent film era, but is thankfully a more modern talent, since we otherwise might never have known the childlike, frustration-spiked foibles of Mr. Bean. Co-created by the comedian’s Black Adder partners in hilarity, Ben Elton and Richard Curtis, Mr. Bean is an idiosyncratic sitcom in that its five-year stretch comprised 15 sporadically aired one-off episodes, as opposed to seasons, which inspired a pair of feature films, an animated series, and more pop culture greatness.

Atkinson brings his physical comedy mastery to a plethora of disaster-laden circumstances, from nonchalantly changing into a swimsuit to getting ready for the dentist while driving to being locked out of a hotel room and dozens of other awkward moments.

47. The Mick

Only two seasons of The Mick aired between January 2017 and April 2018, telling the story of a foul-mouthed dirtbag forced to be the guardian of her affluent niece and nephews, and all 37 episodes are send-you-doubled-over-off-your-couch hilarious. Which means a lot of people were sleeping on this brilliance when it aired, and we’re still sore about it.

Led by Kaitlin Olsen, the entire cast is spectacular (with a special hat tip to the brilliant Scott MacArthur as the oft-injured ne'er-do-well Jimmy), but what truly makes this show exceptional is its beyond-dark sensibilities and unwillingness to accept the idea of a “line” that can’t be crossed. The final scene of the series finale is actually a perfect ending in that sense, and we’re sure that more seasons would have pushed it higher up the rankings.

46. The Jeffersons

Norman Lear & Co.nailed it when they moved George, Louise and Lionel Jefferson from All in the Family to their own show. The Jeffersons is 30-minute comedy at its finest, offering an excellent premise, and an array of interesting stories built on it. Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford are electric as George and Lousie, effortlessly conveying their on-screen marriage with warmth, humor and occasional contention, all while surrounded by a strong supporting cast.

There’s also the series’ impact on Black culture and the TV landscape as a whole. It’s one of the earliest shows to have depicted an upper class African American family – and the complexities of such a dynamic. We should all be grateful that these characters moved on up.

45. 30 Rock

If there were any doubts that Tina Fey could transport her magic touch from SNL to a scripted sitcom, 30 Rock proved them pointless. The show-within-a-show’s very first season won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and scored nominations for Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin. (Both went on to win elsewhere in the NBC comedy’s seven-season run.)

The show is infinitely quotable, thanks in large part to Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski, and recruited standout part-time stars ranging from Matt Damon to David Schwrimmer to – of course – Steve “How do you do, fellow kids?” Buscemi. Plus, it imparted the following important lesson from Tracy Jordan: “Live every week like it’s Shark Week.” No SNL knowledge is needed to appreciate the sketch-skewing humor, but it’ll help.

44. Scrubs

Hospital dramas have become as commonplace as any TV offering, so having Scrubs around to follow its doctors, nurses and Sacred Heart staff through a comedic lens continues to be a welcome respite. Not to say Scrubs wasn’t without its emotional and poignant moments, since one could argue it functions nearly as well as a dramatic series when in that mode.

But the humor is where Scrubs’ gets surgical with it. Whether we were joining J.D. in his wild daydreams, or the crazy events unfolding between characters while treating patients, this show excelled at delivering the laughs. If only we could witness John C. McGinley’s Dr. Cox ranting at residents while a nameless Janitor pranks people within a real-life hospital. Additionally, J.D. and Turk are one of TV’s all-time best-buddy pairings.

43. Bob's Burgers

In all of sitcom family-dom, few clans are as relatable in their middle-class weirdness as the Belcher family that serves up the titular meals and good-time goofiness on Bob’s Burgers. The beloved series from creator Loren Bouchard has followed sitcom standards to a T while building up its hilarity-filled universe of Italian restaurateur rivals, handyman besties, and plenty of schoolchildren I’d much rather watch on TV than deal with at home. But it’s the Belchers that keep us coming back.

From H. Jon Benjamin’s expertly exasperated attempts to get by to Louise’s rebellious sadism to Tina’s butt fascination, Bob’s Burgers is as timeless as the hamburger itself, and isn’t afraid to mix sweetness into the juvenile hijinks. A must-watch for pun enthusiasts.

42. The Cosby Show

Decades after its debut on NBC, The Cosby Show remains a seminal piece of TV work. This sharp family comedy offers a warm look at a family (who just happened to be Black) and, while the Huxtables are quite pristine, they never feel unrelatable, except perhaps where sweaters are concerned. The impeccable ensemble boasts the likes of Phylicia Rashad, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Keshia Knight Pulliam masterfully playing off the series’ titular star. Give the writing staff credit, too, for formulating some eternally classic episodes, like “Goodbye Mr. Fish” and “Happy Anniversary.”

Of course, the show’s legacy has been further evaluated due to Bill Cosby’s legal entanglements, and understandably so. That debate will surely continue, though what’s hard to deny is the sitcom’s game-changing position in the cultural lexicon.

41. Party Down

“Are we having fun yet?” The oft-used sarcastic throwback to Henry’s (Adam Scott) singular professional achievement is actually a pretty fitting way to sum up the careers of the motley crew of caterers on Party Down. The aspiring actors and writers who comprise the eponymous catering company would certainly rather be pursuing their passions than serving drinks and apps to their rich customers, but with each episode plunking them into a different bougie event, it was delightful to see the ridiculous and usually cringey situations they would get themselves into.

On top of a fabulous ensemble cast featuring the likes of Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Lizzy Caplan and Martin Starr, Party Down featured A+ cameos at each catering function. That Steve Guttenberg episode? Chef’s kiss, or at least a caterer’s kiss.

40. The Boondocks

We may never get another animated series about American society as unabashedly insightful as The Boondocks, which was created by Aaron McGruder and based on his comic strip of the same name. Each episode provides a thoughtful examination of the Black experience, principally seen through the eyes of young intellectual Huey Freeman and his gangster-wannabe brother Riley (both voiced by Oscar/Emmy Award-winner Regina King), under the spotty guidance of their John Witherspoon-voiced Granddad.

Not only does McGruder's bold writing provide clever observations about everything from rap music to movie theater decorum, but the anime style continues to remain eye-popping and brilliantly utilized. Especially with the killer kung-fu sequences, which demonstrate a deep love for both the animation medium and the martial arts action genre.

39. Abbott Elementary

Arguably one of the best sitcoms currently airing, Abbott Elementary took the world by storm when it premiered in 2021, introducing the world to Quinta Brunson’s brilliance as Janine Teagues. The Black Lady Sketch Show vet created, writes, produces and stars in the show centering on a Philadelphia school’s staff, and her care and love for it is infectious.

Between Gregory and Janine’s will-they-won’t-they relationship, hilarious talking heads and well-established characters with silly interests (like Ava being a doomsday prepper), this show has all the hallmarks of classic mockumentaries. However, its setting at an elementary school and the unique chemistry the incredible cast has developed make this ABC comedy one that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. (And it won’t need a stool like Janine, amirite, Ava?)

38. The IT Crowd

As if Graham Linehan’s entertainment legacy wasn’t already assured by Father Ted, the man went and crafted another all-time Britcom with The IT Crowd. (Okay, Black Books, too.) The basic premise follows the lives of corporate climber Jen (Katherine Parkinson) and IT department slackers Roy (Chris O’Dowd) and Moss (Richard Ayoade). A classic workplace sitcom trio if there ever was one.

In execution, the 25-episode run was far more fun and unpredictable than the set-up. Skewering corporate culture and malfeasance, as well as all things personal and pop, The IT Crowd feels like a cheeky mix between Seinfeld and Spaced. Not to mention this being a great place to get a Matt Berry fix.

37. Community

It’s difficult to summarize what makes Community such an exceptional sitcom. Its meta awareness and deep love of pop culture is a key ingredient, executed principally through the genius character that is Danny Pudi’s Abed Nadir. But that’s an example of the phenomenal way the show balances the unique voices of its seven main characters – be it the confident idiocy of Donald Glover’s Troy Barnes, the extreme selfishness of Joel McHale’s Jeff Winger, or ridiculous uptightness of Alison Brie’s Annie Edison.

These characters planted in an environment of ever-growing weirdness that is Greendale Community College permits wild, creative, and clever single episode stories… but also not to be slept on are its effective emotional swings (Like I said, it’s really Dean-ficult to sum up!)

36. Modern Family

Modern Family was one of the first family sitcoms to eschew studio audience laughter for the single-camera format, and its massive success and influence was undeniable. Running for eleven seasons, the star-studded sitcom gave viewers a front seat to watching the blended Pritchett and Dunphy families grow up together.

But what makes Modern Family one of the best sitcoms ever is its relatability and ability to tap into all the emotions. There’s plenty to laugh at, thanks to hilarious deliveries from Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell and others, and more episodes than can be poignant, whether it’s about love, sexuality, growing up, or plenty of other feelings to connect to.

35. Arrested Development

At the far end of the “wholesome sitcom family” spectrum is the Bluth clan responsible for the majority of the conning and downward spiraling on Arrested Development. (Ron Howard’s Narrator: “They really were.”) With too many A+ cast members to namecheck in one breath, the fourth wall-breaking comedy is technically about the legal troubles surrounding the family company following a major scandal, but it’s really about the family’s myriad other problems.

Let’s see, we have twin-fidelity, oedipal complexes galore, PTSD from both Army (Mother!) and loss of limb, rampant alcoholism, potentially incestuous foreplay, hair metal magic, and never-nudism, though that’s a corner of a snowflake atop the tallest mountain of comedic quirks. Come for the brilliant performances, stay for the smartest callback jokes on TV.

34. WKRP In Cincinnati

WKRP in Cincinnati is one of those shows that never seems to receive its flowers quite enough alongside others from the era. Airing for four seasons between 1978 and 1982, the comedy takes place at a struggling AM radio station in the heart of the Midwest, and boasts everything one would want in a sitcom: great jokes, iconic characters, and unforgettable TV moments.

Despite early schedule struggles, WKRP eventually found its footing on CBS, thanks to audiences loving the comedic stylings of Howard Hesseman’s Dr. Johnny Fever, Tim Reid’s Venus Flytrap, and Richard Sanders’ Les Nessman. It’s always been a hit with radio DJs, for good reason, and produced quite possibly the greatest Thanksgiving TV treat (that doesn’t have Charlie Brown in it) with “Turkeys Away.”

33. The Critic

In the wake of The Simpsons’ success, creators Al Jean and Mike Reiss shaped a cult classic with The Critic, focused on bitter film critic Jay Sherman, voiced with gusto by Jon Lovitz. The animated sitcom took after its spiritual cousin, offering up both heartfelt and cuttingly satirical gags, and bouncing from ABC to Fox only sharpened the show’s edge.

Keenly lampooning the world of show business, The Critic’s writers crafted A+ parodies of classic films, fake cinematic atrocities so bad they’re funny, and welcomed cameos from actual critics. Anyone wanting to see Siskel & Ebert in a fist fight need look no further. Two words aptly sum up how we feel about this series not lasting nearly as long as The Simpsons: “It stinks.”

32. Married...with Children

With Frank Sinatra’s “Love and Marriage” performance as its subversively optimistic theme song, Married with Children is the gleefully bawdy archetype for sitcoms about miserable people. Ed O’Neill’s misogyny-encrusted slopfest Al Bundy stiff-arms his way through life with affection-seeking wife Peg, blonde joke incarnate daughter Kelly, and lazy hornball son Bud. And Katey Sagal, Christina Applegate and David Faustino are the epitome of “the family you love to watch, but would hate to live with.”

As the live-action series that put Fox on the map, Married with Children has long been celebrated for its politically incorrect humor and cartoonishly offensive storylines, and it remains among the most offensive TV shows of all time. But it worked because the Bundy’s always came out worse than anyone else.

31. Gravity Falls

Gravity Falls’ offbeat sitcom greatness truly deserves recognition for a show that may be written off for being a Disney Channel original. Creator and cast member Alex Hirsch crafted a well-animated, off-kilter show that wins over younger viewers with its thrills, humor and heart, while also capturing older viewers with overarching mysteries, surprisingly deep lore, and barrages of callbacks, clues and pause-required animation details. (Long live Bill Cypher!)

At the center of all the madness is the perfectly realized Pines family — Grunkle Stan, Dipper and Mabel — and their friends and co-workers like Wendy, Soos and others. With two seasons and 40 episodes under its belt, Gravity Falls is a tight show that builds to a very satisfying conclusion, even if fans railed against its cancellation at the time.

30. Parks And Recreation

When Parks and Recreation premiered, SNL and UCB vet Amy Poehler was its biggest name, but the careers of co-stars such as Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Retta and Aubrey Plaza exploded in the years after. And it’s no surprise, since the NBC sitcom is where they were able to hone their characters distinct personalities for seven seasons.

Parks and Rec follows the misfit-lite group running Pawnee, Indiana’s parks department Indiana, and had little trouble getting into the wildest hijinks in each 30-minute runtime. The episode “Flu Season” delivers the goods in a nutshell, between Amy Poehler pretending she’s not sick, Chris Pratt’s physical comedy, and Nick Offerman perfectly portraying Ron Swanson’s disdain for government work. Parks and Rec is a quirky and lively show that deserves a spot in everyone’s lives.

29. Letterkenny

It's not often that a show can lean heavily on both the importance of morals and the notion of violence, but Letterkenny managed to strike an amazing balance between the two for twelve seasons. The Canadian sitcom is known for its amazingly paced banter and extensive wordplay and unique phrasings. As if the amazing comedic timing wasn't enough, one of the main themes continues to acknowledge the importance of standing up for what you believe in and striving to do good in the world. "If a friend asks for help, you help them."

Creator and star of the show, Jared Keeso, has also recently hit another comedic home run in the Letterkenny extended universe with the spinoff Shoresy.

28. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Four years after winning TV audiences’ hearts for the last time on The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Tyler Moore struck further gold with her own titular sitcom, earning a spot high on the pyramid of inspirational female pop culture icons. For seven seasons, Moore’s Mary Richards worked diligently amidst other colorful characters in the MJM newsroom, such as Gavin McCleod’s snarky Murray, Ted Knight’s dimwitted Ted, and Ed Anser’s ever-stoic (and spinoff-bound) Lou Grant. Not to mention Betty White’s ego-puff Sue Ann.

Outside the office, some of the Emmy-amassing show’s best scenes featured Mary mixing it up with her neighbor buddies Rhoda and Phyllis, portrayed with respective pizazz by Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman. “Chuckles Bites the Dust” and “The Last Show” are as good as sitcom TV gets.

27. Friends

“Best sitcom” conversations can’t happen without mentioning Friends once or a dozen times. As the epitome of Must-See TV in the 1990s and early aughts, the sitcom skyrocketed its six stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox. Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer — to fame. Decades later, the reruns are ever-present on TV and streaming, and the gang’s catchphrases continue to resonate as new generations make their way through Central Perk’s doors..

You don’t even have to have been a regular viewer to have heard Ross’ infamous “Pivot!” shout, to have a favorite Chandler quote, or to take a side on the Ross and Rachel “we were on a break” debate. Such universal recognition is relatively rare for a show that’s been off the air for 20 years.

26. The Office (UK)

We never would’ve met Steve Carell’s Michael Scott if there hadn’t been David Brent. Ricky Gerais and Stephen Merchant brought The Office to UK small screens in 2001 and, through two brief seasons and a Christmas special, introduced audiences everywhere to a new level of cringe in the form of this hilarious mockumentary series (one which kept its documentation scenarios realistic).

This dry and occasionally super-awkward comedy follows one branch of a paper company and its workers — played by Gervais, Martin Freeman, Mackenzie Crook, Lucy Davis and several other talented actors — as they attempt to get through each and every workday, dignity optional. It’s the simplicity of the show and the way the characters played off one another that made The Office a true gem.

25. Roseanne

Whether viewers are from the working class midwest or other parts of the country, Roseanne found a way to be relatable to so many. Through the sea of picture-perfect television families came the tidal wave that is the Conner family, who bickered, joked and suffered through enduring hard times. At the core of it all was a family raised by two parents, portrayed by Roseanne Barr and John Goodman, whose love remained strong throughout.

The Conners were never the idealized family everyone strives to be, but still feels like a mirror of what blue class households are really like. And despite the baffling retconned lottery season, and Barr’s off-screen controversy, Roseanne’s comfort-TV legacy remains as timeless as the family’s living room furniture.

24. The Dick Van Dyke Show

There are great workplace comedies and there are great domestic family comedies, but The Dick Van Dyke Show somehow stands out among the best ever in both capacities. From the moment Van Dyke goes barreling over that ottoman, you know you’re in for something special, as the star’s gifts for physical and verbal comedy are nearly unparalleled. He’s often not even the one delivering the best jokes, because his reaction to his legendary co-stars is the true punchline.

Speaking of, the show was very much a group effort, despite its single-star title. Conceived and written by co-star Carl Reiner, and co-starring the incomparable Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, and Maury Amsterdam, all the pieces come together perfectly to make one of the most consistently high-quality sitcoms of all time.

23. What We Do In The Shadows

What We Do in the Shadows is a bonkers TV show that shouldn’t work, just like the vampires yelling “Bat!” shouldn’t work as a catchphrase, but it all absolutely does. The mockumentary, spunoff from the co-creators’ film of the same name, follows a group of ridiculous, socially out-of-touch bloodsuckers — save for energy vamp Colin Robinson and human familiar Guillermo — trying to prove their worth in Staten Island.

Despite how silly and NSFW the show is, movie-level prosthetics and visual effects help to elevate and add shocks to the narrative. The cast is truly outstanding, as it goes for any Matt Berry-infused cast, and WWDITS has earned as much awards recognition as any TV horror comedy. With murder and duplicitousness afoot, the series still hits all the sitcom benchmarks, including a fun neighbor (the mind-sapped Sean), a great theme song, and a bunch of A+ celebrity cameos.

22. The Office (U.S.)

Following the success of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s brilliant U.K. series of the same name, Greg Daniels’ adaptation of The Office took the mockumentary style of its predecessor – along with some of the more amusing traits and dynamics of its characters – and set out to tell new stories with office workers in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Whether it’s the hilarious standout ensemble of characters (led for most seasons by Steve Carell’s cringe-perfecting boss Michael Scott), the way it embraces the mundanity of office life, or how it follows years of these workers’ lives over years while squeezing every drop of humor along the way, The Office continues to be funny, relatable and — for many of us — a comfortable place to return to in the years since its fantastic 9-season run ended. Not to mention the timeless romances of Pam and Jim, Dwight and Angela, Phyllis and Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.

21. South Park

With more than 25 seasons and a growing number of one-off specials, South Park reigns supreme as a long-running pillar of TV satire. A look at the 20 best episodes from the series is an easy way to effectively understand just how relevant this series has been on so many levels, evolving from a Kenny-killing, catchphrase machine to a show with a lot more to say than T-shirt fodder.

What other TV series, much less animated comedy, has taken on major religious institutions, accused killers, wild dieting trends, controversial music superstars and world politics throughout its run? If others exist, they probably didn’t do it as well as South Park does, and there’s still no end in sight to the Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s pop culture phenomenon, even if the duo have understandably been less prolific animators in later years.

20. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

From some of the best TV cold opens – “I Want It That Way” sung by suspects, I mean, come on, it’s genius – to ongoing gags ike the annual heist, and “title of your sex tape” that make you laugh so hard your side hurts, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a wild sitcom that is surprising in the best ways and absolutely irresistible as comfort comedy.

Led by Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Melissa Fumero, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews and Joe Lo Truglio, this team of detectives quite literally never gets old, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine only got better in time as everyone grew comfortable in their roles and leaned into the silliness of their surroundings. Especially the all-time terrible cop duo of Hitchcock and Scully.

All around, what Dan Goor and Michael Schur created was so special, and as Jake Peralta would say “cool, cool, cool.”

19. Newhart

Bob Newhart struck TV gold a second time (not counting his stand-up appearances) with the endlessly cozy treasure Newhart, which centered on the comings and goings within the Stratford Inn in small-town Vermont. You know, the kind of small town where a man named Larry can have one brother named Darryl, and then also another brother named Darryl. It’s there where the star comedian and Mary Frann’s Dick and Joanna Loudon take over after a move from New York City, but their big-city know-how can’t quite compete with the quirkiness of their fellow residents.

Nothing ever gets old when it comes to watching the core cast — including Tom Poston, Julia Duffy and Peter Scolar — and the revolving door of recurring actors and guest stars bounce their energies off of Bob Newhart’s. And we’d be remiss not to give Newhart its flowers for shattering TV reality with its truly iconic finale twist.

18. All in the Family

All in the Family is arguably one of the most important TV series ever made, sitcom or otherwise, and shows don’t get the chance to change television if you’re not also good enough to stay on it in the first place. Not only was All in the Family successful enough to span eight seasons, but it also spawned five spinoffs. Despite the fact that the show’s primary character Archie Bunker was specifically designed to be the most bigoted person you know, it somehow all works so incredibly well. You love him even while you hate him, which is a testament to the abilities of creator Norman Lear and star Carroll O’Connor.

Dealing with, and poking fun at, topics that had been seen as taboo to even address previously, All in the Family courted its share of controversy and certainly ruffled some feathers. But that’s just further proof that it left an indelible and influential mark upon audiences everywhere.

17. Frasier

For a TV spinoff to be anywhere near as popular as its parent show is a huge accomplishment, and NBC’s Frasier pulled off just such a transition following Cheers’ conclusion. To be sure, it was plainly great to see Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier Crane taking center stage after all those stool-sat years as an ensemble character. However, it’s unlikely the sitcom would have been nearly as successful without the supporting cast of David Hyde Pierce’s Niles, Jane Leeves’ Daphne, Peri Gilpin’s Roz and John Mahoney’s Martin.

These five characters’ unique personalities and the dynamics they share with one another make them one of the best sitcom casts of all time, and we’ll throw Eddie a bone there as well. Let’s not gloss over the intelligent writing Frasier consistently delivered, which was part of the show’s 37 Emmy wins over its eleven years on the air. Its continued popularity even sparked the Parmaount+ revival of the same name.

16. Taxi

Speaking to Taxi’s greatness takes little beyond listing the murderer’s row of talent yukking it up for five seasons at the Sunshine Cab Company: Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Andy Kaufman, Tony Danza, Jeff Conaway, Christopher Lloyd, and Carol Kane. Theoretically, these actors could have struck gold with any TV narrative, but the New York setting provided the comedically ideal edge and neuroses that earned the show 18 Emmys and millions of fans. (Not that Kaufman’s Latka Gravas was a local.) Not to mention the quartet of sitcom royalty in creators James L. Brooks, Stan Daniels, David Davis, and Ed Weinberger.

Despite such over-the-top personalities, Taxi excels at grounded and heartfelt storytelling as much as broader humor, never shying away from the characters’ relatable struggles or the hot-button issues of the time. Extra points for its appearances from future Cheers stars Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman and George Wendt.

15. The Golden Girls

The Golden Girls is excellent enough to convince audiences that spending your twilight years in a shared living space with your mother and two roommates is a blueprint for endless laughs, when that might not match up with reality. It’s a credit to the stellar cast comprising Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty. Queens, one and all. Amidst all the drama, the endless insults thrown around, and the cheesecake, the foursome’s friendship really shines through in this show.

It’s indeed that friendship that causes the gals to get into some absolutely wild adventures. Who can forget the time Rose nearly ended the Cold War with the Soviets with a letter? Not every narrative goes quite so big as that, even if Blanche plays up her romances as such, but it’s always a helluva fun ride.

14. Curb Your Enthusiasm

After Seinfeld concluded its historic run in the late ‘90s, series co-creator Larry David could have ridden off into the sunset atop a horse made from residual checks. Instead, the stickler for human behavior not only created true sitcom brilliance, but also broke new ground for HBO and self-deprecating celeb cameos.

Curb Your Enthusiasm — far more than a pretty, pretty, pretty good show — never failed to inspire laughs and shocks in equal order, following David’s over-the-top fictionalized version of himself (think George Costanza on shame-eliminating steroids), facing so many provocatively awkward situations with a vast array of friends, colleagues, contemporaries, and eventual enemies. (R.I.P. Richard Lewis and Bob Einstein.) The largely improvised show found new ways to be both relevant and funny across 24 years and 12 seasons, a task that’s easier said (and avoided) than done. And it also delivered an all-timer of a finale, poking fun at Seinfeld’s polarizing conclusion.

13. The Larry Sanders Show

As host of the fictional late night talk show The Larry Sanders Show, Garry Shandling implores his audience to stay tuned, ordering them, “No flipping!” It was an easy command to obey when it came to HBO’s The Larry Sanders Show, still one of the bravest, funniest, and most insightful programs that happily sinks its teeth into the Hollywood hand that feeds.

Larry is just an exaggerated caricature of Garry Shandling, who let all of his own neurosis and anxieties fly out of the mouth of his insecure comedic television personality who desperately wanted to be liked by his chosen industry. And the show got a lot of mileage out of real-life celebrities appearing and poking fun at their public personas. (David Duchovny for the win.) But it’s the supporting cast – led by the late Rip Torn and the wonderful Jeffrey Tambor – that elevates Larry Sanders to legendary status. There’ll never be another as biting and satirical as this.

12. Spaced

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s long history with director Edgar Wright includes the so-called Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End). Before that, though, they rocked the sitcom landscape with the UK gem Spaced. A relatable premise is vital to a good sitcom, and it was so easy to fall in love with pro slacker Tim (Pegg) and the uber-dramatic Daisy (Jessica Stevenson) while shrewdly securing their affordable apartment under the watchful eye of Julia Deaken’s landlady Marsha.

In addition to watching Tim and Daisy maintain their ruse of being a “professional couple” while figuring out the whole adulting thing, Spaced — one of Simon Pegg’s best projects — packed in endless horror movie references, video game easter eggs, and more pop culture love. (The pantomime gun fight is everything.) It also featured a supporting cast of hilariously exaggerated characters that will NOT have you wanting to “skip to the end.”

11. The Good Place

Sitcoms are, by design, often stagnant, with the same characters facing similar situations week after week. If the jokes land, everything works, but if not, well… Then along came The Good Place to throw those preconceptions out the window. If creator Michael Schur had just repeated Season 1’s twisty premise for five seasons, it would have still been good, but The Good Place achieved true greatness with its storytelling.

Fronted by Kristen Bell and Ted Danson in top-tier fashion, The Good Place takes massive risks with its afterlife-set narrative, changing elements from one season to the next. The house of (God) cards would have tumbled down had it not all worked as infallibly as the big man himself, but it never even wavered. Indeed, The Good Place is simply forking unbelievable from beginning to end, buttressed by fully realized characters portrayed by co-leads William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, Manny Jacinto, and D’Arcy Carden. Stream the show for everyone now, Janet. Janet..?

10. Fawlty Towers

As part of Monty Python’s sextet of comedy masterminds, John Cleese had already conquered the world of sketch comedy and film, so the next obvious move was to craft a largely perfect sitcom with then-wife Connie Booth, and Fawlty Towers was just such perfection across twelve increasingly fraught.

Set within the non-existing titular hotel in Torquay, Cleese’s Basil Fawlty suffers the existence of everyone around him, especially Prunella Scales’ Sybil, his oft-demanding wife, and the language issues of Andrew Sachs’ Manuel, the establishment’s Spanish waiter. Booth’s chambermaid Polly gets slightly less irritation for being regularly competent. A hotel owner who hates his clientele is in the high-concept echelon, and the series offered up an eternally memorable selection of frequent and one-time guests, as well as builders, inspectors and others whose actions bring Basil’s blood pressure to a proper boil.

Similar to other classic ‘70s and ‘80s sitcoms, Fawlty Towers has been both celebrated and derided for its politically incorrect humor. It's perhaps exemplified best by the series’ marquee episode “The Germans,” and is something Cleese intends to replicate with the revival series he’s creating with daughter Camilla.

9. Cheers

Locations can mean everything to a sitcom. Memorable shows are set in places to which we want to return, from Mel’s Diner to the Dunder Mifflin offices to, of course, the bar from Cheers – where everybody knows your name. Audiences became such regulars to the comfortable sitcom, we practically expected to hear our own names shouted out, a la Norm, when we turned the program on.

The familiarity and welcomeness of Cheers kept us tuning in, even as some of the cast rotated. We all invested heavily in the “will they or won’t they” relationship of barkeep Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and waitress Diane Chambers (Shelley Long), but stuck around when Diane was replaced by Rebecca (Kirstie Alley); and Southern simpleton Woody (Woody Harrelson) was embraced after first filling in for the departed Coach (Nicholas Colasanto). Not that anyone could ever replace Cliff Clavin.

Television hasn’t been the same since Cheers closed its doors, with Frasier going a completely different spinoff route, and I’m not sure another show can be set in a bar, and reach the high bar set by this program.

8. The Simpsons

I think there’s an argument to be made that The Simpsons should have a place on any top 100 list when it comes to describing the best television, regardless of what additional parameters there may be. Part of the allure of this series, as it heads toward 800 episodes, is that there’s not really anything it hasn’t done at this point. There’s a Simpsons episode for whatever mood readers are feeling that day, though it may take a bit of research to figure out which one that is. 

What I love most about The Simpsons is how the series has evolved with time and how the show has modernized the characters with the times while still retaining the core elements that audiences loved about them. Sure, seeing Homer Simpson send memes to Lisa on a smartphone can feel a bit jarring sometimes, but it’s also 100% on-brand for the patriarch and definitely less weird in the modern day to younger audiences compared to if he was still using a rotary phone. Plus, if you prefer the old stuff, it’s all available to stream on Disney+

7. I Love Lucy

For the majority of TV’s existence as an entertainment platform, sitcoms have been synonymous with Lucille Ball, who achieved icon status several times over during her run as Lucy Ricardo in I Love Lucy (and other incarnations and later series). The series remains a blueprint reference for sitcom-crafting, and was revolutionary at the time for not only its star, but for her real-life husband Desi Arnaz portraying her faux hubby Ricky, and more.

While I Love Lucy could occasionally pull an emotional heartstring or two, its strength was comedy, and Ball maximized that concept throughout its run. Lucy and Ricky are as loud and wild a TV couple as can be, especially opposite their slightly more subdued neighbors Fred and Ethel Mertz. From Lucy’s efforts to get into Ricky’s shows to her attempts to hock Vitameatavegamin to her and Ethel’s conveyor belt struggles, the show regularly produced unforgettable sequences.

I Love Lucy is also revolutionary for women in television, with Ball helping pave the way for so many other amazing female actresses to lead their own successful shows, even if struggles are still real on that front. No need for further ‘splanation: I Love Lucy is TV gold.

6. Schitt's Creek

Schitt’s Creek didn’t truly hit the mainstream until its final season, but when people found it, its popularity exploded and its legacy was cemented. Created by father-son duo Dan and Eugene Levy, the comedy centers on a rich family who loses all their money, with the titular town as their silver lining. Annie Murphy and Catherine O’Hara co-star alongside the Levys in this most hilarious fish out of water story.

Seeing these four totally out of their element within the less-than-chic town is an easy way in for viewers. But the hooks that keep people watching are Catherine O’Hara’s ridiculous fake accent, Dan Levy’s sassy one-liners, Annie Murphy’s over-the-top everything as Alexis, Eugene Levy’s brilliant straight-man reactions, and the heartfelt growth this family goes through as they learn to love each other and the town they now call home.

Since the show became a sensation, lines like “Ew David!” have entered the everyday lexicon, and impersonations of Moira and Alexis can be seen frequently on social media. Schitt’s Creek shined bright when it was on — remember the network Pop? — and since then it’s cemented itself as a permanent part of the zeitgeist.

5. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Rarely does a piece of pop culture offer up a character who constantly proves themself to be unendingly vile, self-consumed, aloof, destructive and terrible for society. But a combination of those words describes literally every single character who speaks in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Of course, the biggest and most hilarious offenders are the central Paddy’s Pub gang made up of possible serial killer Dennis (Glenn Howerton), his slightly less evil Bird…e… sister Dee, the sexually fluid approval-seeking Mac (Rob McElhenny), glue-eating connoisseur and janitor Charlie (Charlie Day) and the shockingly demented and depraved Frank (Danny DeVito).

No stone goes unturned when it comes to shocking viewers with how low these characters will go to achieve even the most meaningless iota of recognition or selfish pleasure. There’s racially charged (and socially questionable) takes on Lethal Weapon and The Wiz, exploiting all manner of substance and behavior addictions, satirical jabs at gun control, welfare, sexual assault, and much more. Its unsanitary hilarity is cherished among fans who have watched it live on longer than any other TV comedy in history, with no end in sight. (Except for Danny DeVito’s bare one, that is.)

4. King Of The Hill

Animation isn’t often a medium for classic sitcoms, but Mike Judge’s King of the Hill delivered on all fronts by settling audiences into the everyday life of the Hill family. Hank, Peggy, Bobby, and an assortment of other Arlen standouts kept viewers rolling and clamoring for more Southern-fried hilarity during its 13-season stretch. (And more is on the way thanks to Hulu’s revival.)

King of the Hill tackles issues while poking fun at them in ways that most viewers can probably relate to — from the stresses of the workplace to the terror of puberty to the awkwardness of family — adding a layer of realism to the two-dimensional characters’ world. To that end, Judge’s series is also atypical for adhering to realism throughout, as opposed to going off the cartoonish deep end for laughs (outside of dream sequences, that is).

Judge’s Hank and Kathy Najimy’s Peggy, along with Brittany Murphy’s Luanne and Pamela Adlon’s Bobby, provide a lot of the show’s heart and soul with their struggles and not-always-brilliant reactions to those struggles. But it always helps to have friends around like the hapless good’n Bill, the conspiracy-obsessed Dale and the mush-mouthed Boomhauer.

3. Seinfeld

It’s joked that Seinfeld is “a show about nothing,” and that’s a fair surface-only assessment. The NBC hit provides no lasting messages or morals, and it focuses the majority of its creative energy on eccentric minutiae of everyday life – be it waiting forever for a table at a restaurant or getting in disputes with cashiers over proper change. Characters don’t grow or change — save for temporary shrinkage and mustache-growing — and there’s no reach for deep themes. They’re not even nice people.

And yet, it’s utterly brilliant, timeless, and endlessly rewatchable.

Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine each have their own unique and hilarious personalities strengthened by the actors’ performances, which in turn drives hilarious stories that unlock the real magic of the show: the way everything intertwines. Kramer golfing on the beach is its own weird gag, but also perfectly sets up George being called into action to rescue a beached whale after previously lying about being a marine biologist. Just about every sitcom since the early 1990s has tried to capture some of the magic of the nine-season series, but there is only one Seinfeld. (A notion that Newman would applaud.)

2. Veep

Veep was the [censored] creation of Armando Iannucci, the mastermind known for The Thick of It and Alan Partridge’s various incarnations, and HBO’s political workplace comedy is dripping with just as much satire and [censored] as anything graced by his Midas touch before or after. It’s one of the fastest and foulest sitcoms to date, with a jokes-per-minute rate that rivals other rapid-paced greats like The Simpsons and Arrested Development, and a [censored]-per-minute rate that is second to none.

As it goes with the best of the best, Veep boasts and expansive ensemble of uppermost geniuses, as led by Emmy magnet Julie Louis-Dreyfus’ Vice President (and then some) Selina Meyer, whose struggles to remain a boss in Washington D.C. means absolute hell for the masses of aides, pundits, strategists, etc. in her orbit. That applies most to her body man and extra appendage Gary, played with aplomb by Tony Hale.

Every Veep co-star brings something perfect to the table, from Anna Chlumsky’s rage suppression as Amy to Matt Walsh’s common sense suppression as Mike; from Reid Scott’s smarm-oozing Dan to Timothy Simons’ arbitrary naysayer Jonah. And we’d just as easily watch spinoffs centered on Kevin Dunn’s Ben and Gary Cole’s Kent, as well as Sam Richardson’s go-getter Richard Splett.

1. BoJack Horseman

One of the best animated TV shows of all time, Netflix’s BoJack Horseman took the adult-toon formula and evolved it into six seasons of one of TV history’s most unique offerings that — at least in CinemaBlend’s perspective — is the sitcom GOAT. Will Arnett is perfect voicing the tragic title character, a past-his-prime ‘90s sitcom star and substance abuser, and he’s bolstered by a who’s who of talented actors portrayed well-written characters, including fan-favorites Diane Nguyen (Alison Brie) and Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins).

After establishing its sitcom formula in its earliest wordplay-embracing seasons, Bojack Horseman begins getting experimental with its format in phenomenal ways, such as with Season 3’s “Fish Out of Water,” a thought-provoking underwater story with no dialogue, or Season 5’s “Big Churro,” a full-length Bojack eulogy following a big character death.

There are certainly laughs to be had, for sure — big, hearty, consistent, gut-shredding, animalistic laughs throughout all six seasons — but don’t be surprised if you end up shedding a tear or suffering an existential crisis or two along the way as well. The show-within-a-show Horsin’ Around probably wouldn’t have made it onto this list, but BoJack Horseman itself is a Triple Crown winner of the highest order.

They say mama knows best, but television has shown us time and time again that isn't always the case. Whether it's a show as sinister as Sons of Anarchy or one as innocent as Modern Family, there's no shortage of moms who don't give the best advice. I'm sure there are plenty of dads as well, to be sure, but that's not what we're here to talk about today. 

Moms make the world go round, but they're not infallible. The following are some shining examples of mothers who aren't always giving the best advice, though I'll concede that some give worse advice far more often than others. Let's dive in!

Roseanne

The point of Roseanne was that the Conners weren't picturesque parents, but they somehow made it work anyway. Pull up any old episode with a Peacock subscription, and you'll hear Roseanne giving some ill-informed advice. Her heart is always in the right place, though, and that's what matters. 

Cersei Lannister

If Cersei Lannister hadn't told her son Joffrey that anyone outside their family was an enemy, he wouldn't have turned into the despicable monster we witnessed on Game of Thrones. Cersei's twisted mindset ultimately led to Joffrey's death, and I don't think I need to bring up her other two children that didn't survive the series, either. 

Connie Tucker

Better known as Meemaw on Young Sheldon, some might not know that Connie Tucker's daughter is Mary Cooper even if they saw them side by side. Between her underground gambling operation in the backroom of the laundromat, and the time she got her grandson Georgie arrested while bootlegging cigarettes across the border, she's not the best role model. 

Linda Belcher

Linda Belcher has her own issues she picked up during her upbringing, and she's instilled some of those values in her children. Encouraging Tina and Louise to cheat in school rather than do the work is a great example, and a hilarious lesson that makes this one of the best animated shows of all time. 

Norma Bates

I think it's possible that if your son turns out to be a mass murderer, you might've had a couple of missteps in instilling some advice. Norma Bates certainly had an unhealthy relationship with her son, and her general advice not to trust other women not only led to their deaths, it eventually led to her own. 

Lucy Ricardo

I can't even imagine the shenanigans Little Ricky got up to having Lucy Ricardo as his mother. The I Love Lucy character was always getting into hijinks, and landed herself in quite a bit of trouble with her various schemes from time to time. It's hard to imagine she didn't cook up some shenanigans with her son, and landed him in some trouble as well. 

Bonnie Plunkett

Bonnie Plunkett being an imperfect mother was more or less the point of Mom, as the recovering addict helped her daughter, Christy, work through her own recovery. She wasn't the best mother during Christy's upbringing, and she made her mistakes during the series, too. That said, she does love her daughter, and the family she helped raise. 

Lois Griffin

You don't need to see more than ten minutes of a Family Guy episode to see that Lois Griffin isn't the best parent. That said, she's definitely changed throughout the series, and become almost as unhinged as Peter in recent episodes. 

Skyler White

Skyler White gets a lot of flak, considering Walter White was the true villain of Breaking Bad, but it's hard to not fault her from taking Walt Jr. and getting out of the drug ring operation the moment she became aware of it. Other than that she was a good mother, but that one mistake is pretty hard to overlook. 

Kitty Forman

Whether it was That '70s Show or That '90s Show, Kitty Forman had a knack for instilling some bad to occasionally twisted advice to teenagers with a heavy dose of sugar. It's hard not to love her anyway, despite that, and the characters were so iconic that it's always worth keeping tabs on what Debra Jo Rupp and the rest of the That '70s Show cast is up to now. 

Cookie Lyon

I can honestly say that Cookie's decision-making and advice is no worse than any other member of the Lyon family in Empire, but they all make some terrible decisions. Between her spitefulness and scheming, she landed her sons in some sticky situations, some of which were more than a little dangerous. 

Betty Draper

Mad Men's Betty Draper might have the worst maternal instincts of any other TV mom on this list. Unfortunately, a lot of the ways she brought up their children was likely inspired by her own childhood, and gave many viewers the impression she disliked them or didn't care about them. 

Marge Simpson

I would say that, for the most part, Marge Simpson is a great mom. The Simpsons' matriarch does have her moments, however, and in those chaotic times can impart some bad advice. Perhaps the worst was telling her children to aim low in life as to not disappoint others, which seems like terrible advice for Bart, in particular. 

Joyce Byers

Joyce Byers has had a rough number of years, so it feels unfair to judge her based on the last time we saw her in Stranger Things. With that said, she was barely holding the homefront down and seemingly only had bad haircuts to hand out to the teens as they all dealt with life. 

Catelyn Stark

The Seven Kingdoms takedown of the Stark family was pretty wild, but Catelyn's campaign to avenge her husband might've led to some tactical missteps on her own end. Let's not forget the trauma we all endured watching the Red Wedding, which she had a part in.

Jessica Huang

Jessica Huang is a fantastic tv mom, but she also has a way of getting things done that may not always be the best way of doing things. She can be crafty and devious, but almost everything she ever does is out of love for her sons and family. 

Selina Meyer

Veep's Selina Meyer progressively gets more unsympathetic throughout the series, but her parenting skills may make some people dislike her from the start. Pushing her daughter into ending relationships due to political optics for her own career is just one of many ways she was a bad parent to come to with a problem. 

Wendy Byrde

When you loop your children into your operation of laundering drug money for the cartel, you're bound to give a lot of bad parenting advice along the way. Wendy doles out plenty of bad advice throughout the course of Ozark, making her one of the worst offenders on the list. 

Malory Archer

Malory Archer wasn't the best mother to her child, Sterling, and her self-centered nature and skewed view of the world due to her extreme wealth made her even worse to come to for advice. With that said, it's a bit ironic that her line "Do you want ants? That's how you get ants," is some great advice fans frequently reference. 

Claire Dunphy 

Claire Dunphy's advice to her children, at times, could come off as controlling. There are definitely points in Modern Family where her advice is molded by what she would like her children to do, rather than what is best for them. Her advice to Haley about not living in the past when Dylan came back into her life feels like a great example.  

Benny Lopez

George Lopez's mother, Benny, often created more problems for him than not on The George Lopez Show, and from what we know about his upbringing, she wasn't a great mother. Part of this was due to the fact Benny was also raised by bad parents, but fortunately, George was able to break the cycle and be able to overcome the mistakes of his upbringing despite his mother's poor advice. 

Sophia Petrillo

Sophia Petrillo doled out countless pieces of advice to her daughter and roommates on The Golden Girls, and I would say a good chunk of it was solid. Sophia is a wildcard, however, and occasionally, some of her advice was informed by her occasionally reckless lifestyle, which made it less useful to the women, but hilarious for viewers. 

Francine Smith

Francine Smith gives out tons of bad advice, but given the kookiness that can go down on American Dad, it's hard to fault her for it. Sometimes, you just gotta train your son to fight a school bully when you've had about two-hundred, or "two-fiddy," battles of your own back in the day. 

Dr. Beverly Hofstadter

The Big Bang Theory plays Leonard's relationship with his mother for laughs a lot, but the fact that she treated her child more as a test subject and imparted advice that crushed his self-confidence and shaped his anxiety definitely makes her one of the worst mothers on the list. Despite that, they do reconcile, if only because she felt like him marrying Penny was something he did right for once. 

Gemma Teller-Morrow

Gemma Teller-Morrow never had to drag her son into the life of motorcycles, guns, and crime, but every time Jax tried to leave she pulled him back. I think it's more than fair to say Gemma was driven by her own interests and would actively work against any others, which led to quite a few times where she offered bad advice. 

Evelyn Harper

Two And A Half Men's Evelyn Harper was a terrible mother, and in the small number of times she'd actually parent her sons, she had a litany of bad advice. Some would argue her upbringing is what led both Alan and Charlie to have such dysfunctional relationships with women, which I totally get. 

Livia Soprano

Livia Soprano gave out her fair share of bad advice, and even worse, tried to push it off like she was innocent in it all. Her subtly pushing Uncle Junior to put out a hit on Tony is just one of the moments that makes The Sopranos one of the best shows streaming on Max. 

Lucille Bluth

Neither Lucille or George Bluth were great parents when their kids were growing up, and that continued when they turned into adults. Whether it's her business advice to her children or the coddling of Buster, it's surprising the Arrested Development matriarch wasn't treated like a child more than the actual teens.  

Peg Bundy

Peg Bundy's parenting style was just about as outrageous as her clothing choices, but there's no denying she loved her kids. The mom from Married...with Children bucked just about every cultural norm of the traditional housewife, and wasn't the best at giving out advice. In her defense, she owned it, and never claimed to be someone she was not. 

Briana Barksdale

Not many mothers would convince their sons to not tell on drug dealers if it meant they'd spend a considerable time behind bars. Brianna Barksdale from The Wire isn't most people, however, and was able to convince her son, D'Angelo, to do just that rather than to sell the operation out to the authorities. She also managed to pull him back into the business when he'd try to pull away, so she's not winning mother of the year awards any time soon. 

Marie Barone

Raymond's mother, Marie, was number one at meddling, and would even use her advice as opportunities to conspire against her daughter-in-law, Debra. It seemed like Marie was always working an angle to get what she wanted, and she was not above doling out bad advice if it got her that much closer to the goal she ultimately had. 

Monica Gallagher

Monica Gallagher wasn't around her children often in Shameless, but did try to give advice with the best intentions. Unfortunately, someone in her position wasn't really able to always give the best advice even if she meant well, and the children often ended up trusting themselves more than their mother.  

As I mentioned before, some moms are better than others, and no mom is perfect. I'd reckon that, provided someone is at least making sure they aren't in line with the worst offenders on this list, they're doing a solid job. 

Have you ever been asked to picture your favorite character from your favorite TV show, but no picture came to mind? There is actually no shame in admitting that because we don’t even know what many of our own favorite TV characters look like. Take a look back at some of the most iconic characters on television that we never got any screen time, or were, at least, kept partially hidden.

Charlie Townsend (Charlie's Angels)

On Charlie's Angels, the Angels never physically met their boss, Charlie Townsend, who was voiced by John Forsythe in the original series and the first two cinematic spin-offs. The reason the retired detective never revealed his appearance and only communicated by via intercom was out of protection for his agents.

Vera Peterson (Cheers)

At Cheers, everyone knew Norm Peterson (George Wendt), but no one knew his wife, Vera… or, at least, what she looked like. She was often mentioned on the long-running, Emmy-winning NBC sitcom, but was rarely seen with her accountant husband, save one time when she was covered by a pie accidentally thrown in her face by Sam (Ted Danson).

Bob Sacamano (Seinfeld)

Outside of the main four Seinfeld cast members, Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards) had friends like Newman (Wayne Knight) and Mickey Abbott (Danny Woodburn). His one buddy we never met was Bob Sacamano, but the seminal sitcom dropped enough hints in conversation about his scheming behavior and terrible luck that he was just as memorable as the former two.

Stan Walker (Will & Grace)

For the first few seasons of Will & Grace, Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) was married to the wealthy Stanley, before his affair, imprisonment, and death hoax caused issues. We never actually saw what the man looked like -- save a few shots of his hands and feet and the outline of his silhouette — but we know he is a heavy-set toupee-wearer.

Danny Valladeo (The X-Files)

While investigating cases on The X-Files, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) would reach out to an FBI agent named Danny. Fans have theorized that this Danny and another unseen character on the hit sci-fi show named Danny Bernstein are the same person, but creator Chris Carter has confirmed that this particular Danny’s last name is “Valladeo.”

Robin Masters (Magnum P.I.)

Even though some Magnum P.I. fans — and Tom Selleck’s titular private investigator himself — suspected John Hillerman's Johnathan Higgins was the real Robin Masters, the elusive novelist was officially billed as the voice of Orson Welles for six episodes. The character would be expanded in the Jay Hernandez-led modern reboot, in which he employs Magnum as a consultant, but still remains unseen.

Maris Crane (Frasier)

Originally, Frasier creators David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee wanted to, essentially, prank viewers of the Cheers spin-off into thinking Maris Crane was another Vera Peterson (Norm's unseen wife) before revealing her appearance later on. However, descriptions of Niles' (David Hyde Pierce) wife became so absurd over time that she was ultimately deemed impossible to cast and remained unseen for all 11 seasons.

Ercole "Eckley" DiMeo (The Sopranos)

Before Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) took over as the head of the DiMeo Family Mafia, the syndicate’s longtime leader was Ercole DiMeo, who was otherwise known as "Eckley.”Until he was portrayed by The Sopranos creator David Chase in the 2021 prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark, Eckley was never seen on the original HBO series, due to his incarceration.

Debbie Wolowitz (The Big Bang Theory)

Howard Wolowitz's overprotective and overly loud mother, Debbie, was voiced by the late Carol Ann Susi on The Big Bang Theory cast. It was not until Pamela Adlon portrayed a younger version of the character on Young Sheldon that she made her first official on-screen appearance.

Lars Lindstrom (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)

On The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mary’s self-absorbed friend, Phyllis (Academy Award nominee Cloris Leachman), and her dermatologist husband, Lars, were never seen together, despite being married for 15 years at the time the sitcom began. When Phyllis got her own self-titled spin-off in 1975, which lasted two seasons, we never got the chance to finally, officially meet her spouse as he had died by then.

Dr. Claw (Inspector Gadget)

Disney's live-action feature adaptation of Inspector Gadget reimagined the titular half-cop, half-machine’s arch-enemy as a man with an actual claw for a hand, played by Rupert Everett. In the animated series, Dr. Claw had both hands, but that was all we ever saw of the master criminal, who was originally voiced by Frank Welker.

Ugly Naked Guy (Friends)

For obvious reasons, viewers were never allowed a clear view of Monica (Courteney Cox) and Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) neighbor from across the street whom, the Friends cast only referred to as "Ugly Naked Guy." We did, at least, see the back of his head when Ross (David Schwimmer) visited him in hopes of taking his apartment when he moved out.

Heather Sinclair (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

One of the most talked about students at the eponymous high school from Degrassi: The Next Generation was Heather Sinclair. However, despite her notoriety among her classmates, fans of the hit Canadian teen drama never had the chance to put a face to the name.

Cousin Jeffrey (Seinfeld)

Fans had the "pleasure" (in some cases, at least) of meeting many of Jerry Seinfeld's family members on Seinfeld, except for his cousin, Jeffrey. However, some might feel they know him quite well anyway with how often Uncle Leo (Len Lasser) talks about him "like he split the atom" and the main gang’s description of his horse-like face.

Wilson W. Wilson (Home Improvement)

This one is a special case because the Taylors’ next-door neighbor is never completely unseen. For no discernible reason, only the top half of Home Improvement cast member Earl Hindman's face was ever visible, with the bottom half typically hidden behind his fence.

Mrs. Columbo (Columbo)

Peter Falk's beloved, eponymous detective from Columbo spoke about his wife often but never bothered to show her in public, or at least to the camera. However, the role would be embodied by Kate Mulgrew in Mrs. Columbo — a spin-off most people have forgotten (or at least would prefer to), which is why we still count the character as unseen.

Juanita Beasley (The Andy Griffith Show)

Juanita Beasley is a woman whom Barney Fife (Don Knotts) took quite a liking to and would spend a lot of time chatting with over the phone. If only The Andy Griffith Show ever put a camera on her, we might have been able to see the appeal.

Erica (Bojack Horseman)

Many times on Netflix’s Bojack Horseman, Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins) would shout off-screen toward someone named “Erica.” Based on what the Labrador Retriever has said about his friend on the acclaimed animated TV show, we know that she has lost a few appendages (but "has the right number of ears") and has been banned from Disneyland. Her true identity and supposedly bizarre appearance remain a mystery.

Adults (Peanuts)

You could say the shorts and TV specials based on Charles Schultz's Peanuts comic strip made up the ultimate children's program because the only people you saw were children. Of course, there were some adult characters — such as Charlie Brown's teacher, Miss Othmar — but they were largely kept offscreen and spoke in a language that could be described as the somber wail of a trombone.

Epstein's Mother (Welcome Back, Kotter)

On Welcome Back, Kotter, Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes) often used notes to get out of homework assignments signed, "Epstein's Mother," whom, based on the lack of a first name provided, was likely not the one doing the actual signing. The truth may never be revealed since Epstein's real mother was never given a chance to show herself on the sitcom.

President Stuart Hughes (Veep)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Emmy-winning role as Vice President Selina Meyer might as well have been the Commander in Chief from the beginning of Veep. Her former superior, President Stuart Hughes, is never actually seen in the White House, which makes discussions of his irresponsibility all the more convincing.

Carlton (Rhoda)

When Valerie Harper's character on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda Morgenstern, got her own self-titled spin-off, she had a doorman named Carlton (voiced by series co-developer Lorenzo Music) who was almost exclusively heard through her building's intercom, save a few glimpses of his arm. The only time the character was fully visible was in a 1980 animated special that depicted his daily tasks.

Donald (Seinfeld)

In one of the best Seinfeld episodes, "The Bubble Boy," a visit to a fan of Jerry's with an immune deficiency ends in disaster when he and George (Jason Alexander) get in a fight over a Trivial Pursuit card misprint. Jon Hayman voiced the memorable one-episode role whose face was never revealed, even after his fight with George causes a puncture to his germ-free enclosure.

Dr. Herb and Diane Roberta Urkel (Family Matters)

After, almost literally, stealing the show from the rest of the Family Matters cast, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) basically adopted the Winslows as his family. Despite his irritating antics, Urkel’s neighbors did seem more welcoming of the squeaky-voiced nerd's presence than his actual parents, Herb and Diane Roberta, who kept their distance even when their son married Laura (Kellie Shangyne Williams).

Sally Reardon (Felicity)

When Felicity Porter (Keri Russell) starts college, she keeps in touch with a friend from her hometown named Sally Reardon by exchanging tape recordings. Sally's voice was provided by Janeane Garofalo, but the comedian never showed up to play the very supportive and wisdom-spouting role on camera.

Nanny (Muppet Babies)

The most we ever saw of the woman who took care of the Muppets' infantile counterparts on Muppet Babies was her legs. At least Nanny (originally voiced by Barbara Billingsley) had a distinct fashion sense that made those appearances memorable.

Tino (My So-Called Life)

One of the coolest students at Liberty High School who never once made an appearance in class (or off campus) on My So-Called Life was Tino. Plenty of fascinating information was provided about the teen — from his wicked parties to his lead singer position in Jordan Catalano’s band, The Frozen Embryos — but the seminal ‘90s series ended too soon for his official reveal.

Mr. And Mrs. Gibbler (Full House)

The TGIF era was filled with characters who just sort of hung out at the central family's home more than their own, such as Andrea Barber's Kimmy Gibbler on Full House. Even when Kimmy got married in the finale of Netflix's Fuller House, giving us a chance to finally meet her mother and father, they never showed up.

Envelope Assistant (America's Funniest Home Videos)

In the original incarnation of America's Funniest Home Videos, the late Bob Saget was handed an envelope revealing that week's winner by someone who never showed more than their hand to the camera. The host would always be sure to make conversation with the Envelope Assistant by asking what their evening plans were or remarking about a recent change to their wardrobe or physicality.

Dr. Richard Nygard (Parks And Recreation)

Chris Traeger (played by Parks and Recreation cast member Rob Lowe) expresses such high praise for his therapist, Dr. Richard Nygard, that it almost seems to border on cultism. Or, perhaps, their close doctor-patient relationship just seems strange and mysterious because we never got to see the man throughout the hit mockumentary sitcom’s run.

The Gooch (Diff'rent Strokes)

On Diff'rent Strokes, Arnold (Gary Coleman) was tormented on multiple occasions by a kid known only as "The Gooch." The sitcom managed to paint the character as the stuff of legend — like how most youngsters may see their school bullies — by never actually revealing what he looked like.

Dr. Kahn (Salute Your Shorts)

On the classic Nickelodeon series, Salute Your Shorts, Dr. Kahn would frequently make announcements of a positive or disciplinary variety on a loudspeaker to the youngsters at Camp Anawanna. However, that was as far as our interaction would go with the camp director, voiced by series creator Steve Slavkin.

There is a part of us that still wishes we could have finally seen some of these classic TV characters (or seen them better, at least). Yet, in retrospect, it is their enigmatic presence that makes them so memorable.

It's often said that the United States and the United Kingdom are two countries divided by a common language. They are also two countries that share a lot of entertainment crossover. When Hollywood tries to adapt hit British shows, both of those things are true. Sometimes the best British shows adapt perfectly, sometimes, they totally bomb in the U.S. Here is a list of times Hollywood tried to adapt British shows, and what the results were. 

The Office

The British version of The Office made Ricky Gervais a worldwide star. When it was adapted by NBC for the U.S. market fans were skeptical. The U.S. version quickly forged its own identity, after lifting quite a few jokes in the early episodes. Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is a doofus, like Gervais' David Brent, but he's not as mean, and the show has a softer heart than the British version. 

American Idol

Pop Idol was a runaway hit in the U.K., so it was only a matter of time before it was brought over to the U.S. In fact, the same team that made it a success in Britain, creator Simon Fuller and judge Simon Cowell, came with it, and brought American Idol to Hollywood. The rest, of course, is history. 

Shameless

The British Shameless debuted in 2004 to wild acclaim and ran for 139 episodes over 11 seasons. About seven years later to the day, the American version premiered on Showtime. It was a huge success, running for a total of 134 episodes, also over 11 seasons. 

Cuckoo

BBC Three had an immediate hit on its hands with Cuckoo. Season 1 revolves around Andy Samberg as an American hippie who is a fish out of water after marrying into a typical British family. Samberg left the show due to other commitments after the first season, but the show continued to be a success for four more seasons. That success was impossible to ignore, and in 2015 NBC ordered a pilot, with Michael Chiklis and Cheryl Hines starring, though the show wasn't picked up. 

Top Gear

Around 2010, one could make the argument that BBC's Top Gear was the most popular TV show in the world. It was shown in dozens of countries each week and was wildly popular in its home country. That led to international versions all over the globe, including the first American version, which ran for six seasons, starting in 2010. A reboot, Top Gear America, aired for three more seasons starting in 2017. 

Dancing With The Stars

Dancing With The Stars wrapped up its incredible 32nd season in December of 2023. It's hard to believe the wildly successful show has been on since 2005. DWTS was born from the also-massively successful Strictly Come Dancing in the U.K., which first aired about a year earlier, in 2004, on BBC One. 

Skins

During its seven-season run on E4 in the United Kingdom, Skins proved to be both controversial and very popular. That popularity led to an American version produced and aired by MTV in 2011. The controversy followed Skins, but the popularity did not and the show was canceled after just one season. 

Veep

HBO's Veep ran for seven amazing seasons, winning countless awards, and again proving HBO is the most consistently great network for original content. The Julia Louis-Dreyfus vehicle was based on a British show, The Thick of It, which, like Veep, was created by Armando Iannucci, and was similarly lauded over its four-season run. 

Dear John

NBC had a magical run of successful sitcoms in the 1980s and '90s. One of those, Dear John, starring Judd Hirsch, was taken from a popular British sitcom of the same name (not to be confused with the Taylor Swift song, also of the same name). Both shows revolved around a recently separated man trying to find his way by joining a divorce support group. 

Undercover Boss

Undercover Boss has been one of the most popular shows on American television for years now. Like so many other reality shows, it has its origins in the U.K. It started small there, with just two episodes in the first series in 2009, but it, like the U.S. version, has also been wildly popular in the years since. 

Antiques Roadshow

Is there anything more quintessentially British than Antiques Roadshow? First airing on BBC One in 1979, it has since aired hundreds and hundreds of episodes. It took a while for the Americans to get on board, but in 1997, PBS launched its version and it too has now aired hundreds of episodes. The format remains very popular on both sides of the pond. 

Cracker

The British detective show Cracker, starring the late, great Robbie Coltrane, has an enduring legacy in the U.K. The same cannot be said for the American version, starring the late Robert Pastorelli, which aired for less than one season in 1997 and 1998. 

Us & Them

Us & Them was a very short-lived sitcom starring Jason Ritter as Gavin and Alexis Bledel as Stacey. Originally intended to air on Fox in 2013, it didn't see the light of day until seven episodes streamed on Crackle in 2018. In the U.K., the show it was based on, Gavin & Stacey, helped make James Corden a star. 

House Of Cards

For American viewers, it might be hard to believe a show as American as House Of Cards would come out of a British series, but it did. The Netflix drama was inspired by a mini-series of the same name, itself based on a book, that first aired in the U.K. in 1990, and followed a similar plot line and production style. 

Too Close For Comfort

Keep It in the Family was a popular sitcom in the early 1980s on ITV in the U.K. The concept of a patriarch living in a house with his daughters in an attached apartment proved a success in the U.S. as well when it was adapted as Too Close For Comfort starring Ted Knight. 

Ghosts

When the 2023 Writers Strike halted the production of CBS's hit Ghosts, the network filled the airtime with the British show it was based on, also called Ghosts. Both shows have proven to be wildly popular with critics and viewers alike, on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Mad Dogs

The psychological thriller Mad Dogs launched on Sky1 in the United Kingdom in 2011 and had a successful five series run. The U.S. version starring Ben Chaplin, Billy Zane, and Michael Imperioli, however, was less successful. Despite solid reviews and what seemed like a decent audience on Amazon Prime, Mad Dogs wasn't picked up for a second season by the streamer

Trading Spaces

It's hard to understand why someone would choose to go on Trading Spaces. It sounds like a nightmare to have someone else decorate your house. Yet, the concept has been a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. First with the British show Changing Rooms, then later with Trading Spaces.

Life On Mars

The best word to describe the BBC series Life On Mars is "cool." The show, about a police officer who goes back in time to the '70s, oozed cool. 1970s Manchester, England was a wild place and the show depicts it brilliantly. The U.S. version, which aired in 2008 and 2009, was less cool. Despite some great sets and great performances from all the stars, it just didn't have the same cool factor and didn't work as well. 

MasterChef

Gordon Ramsey may be English, but he's a star in both countries. One of his biggest hits in the U.S. is MasterChef, a show that first aired in the U.K. in 1990, though he's never been a judge on his home country's version. Still, the format has worked in both the U.S. and the U.K. for years now. 

Payne

One of the most beloved shows in British television history is Faulty Towers starring John Cleese. The show, though just 12 episodes in total, has remained a favorite for decades. There have been multiple attempts to recreate the show in the United States over the years, including Payne, starring John Larroquette. The show lasted just nine episodes on CBS in 1999 before being canceled for low ratings. 

The Great American Baking Show

There is no question that The Great British Bake Off is wildly successful in both the U.K. and the U.S. The American version, The Great American Baking Show has been less of a success, but still somewhat popular. It just doesn't have the same charm as the original. 

Kitchen Nightmares

Who doesn't love watching Gordon Ramsey take apart entitled restaurant owners in Kitchen Nightmares? The show, which was revived in 2023 as Fox went all in on Ramsey after a nearly decade-long hiatus, was born from Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, which was a hit in the U.K. The shows are similar in format, Ramsey visits a failing business and helps revive it, but the tone of the shows are very different. Gordon is much more bombastic in the U.S. version. 

Free Agents

Free Agents is a weird one. It was a moderately successful show on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, but not enough, one would think, to warrant a go in the United States. Yet, in 2011, NBC did have a go, and the results were unremarkable, as the show was canceled after just four episodes aired. 

The Minister Of Divine

The Vicar of Dibley is one of the most popular British sitcoms of all time. It's even been a hit on PBS in the United States. It is also uniquely British and the idea that it could be adapted in the U.S. is, frankly, silly. Yet, that's exactly what Fox tried to do in 2007 with The Minister of Divine starring Kirstie Alley. It was, predictably, a bomb, airing just the pilot episode and nothing else. 

Not Necessarily The News

HBO has been putting out great original content from its beginning and one of the earliest examples was Not Necessarily the News, which aired throughout the '80s. It was basically a comedic fake news show, and was based on hit British show, Not the Nine O'Clock News.

Queer As Folk

The cultural impact of Showtime's Queer as Folk was monumental. The show pioneered showing same-sex relationships on U.S. television. The British version of the same name did similar in the U.K. It starred a young Charlie Hunnam and Aidan Gillen in the U.K., and the drama translated perfectly to U.S. audiences. 

Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen was created by Gordon Ramsey in 2004 for ITV in the United Kingdom. The bombastic TV star left the show to other chefs after the first season when he brought the concept to U.S. televisions in 2005. The show has gone on to massive ratings ever since. 

Sanford And Son

Yep, that's right, even a show as American as Sanford and Son has British roots. the Redd Foxx-led '70s sitcom that lived on for years in syndication was inspired by the British show Steptoe and Son from the BBC in the mid-1960s. 

All In The Family

No show defines 1970s America like All in the Family. It highlights everything right and wrong about America, but it isn't uniquely American. Creator Norman Lear, who died in 2023 at age 101, based the show on Till Death Us Do Part, which was a popular BBC sitcom in the '60s. 

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

Even game shows have been imported from the British Isles to North America. The most notable is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Launched in 1998 in the U.K., it wasn't long before a U.S. version was created, debuting with massive ratings in the summer of 1999. More than 3,000 episodes of the American version have aired since then. 

Gracepoint

The murder-mystery show Broadchurch was very successful during its run on ITV in Great Britain. Even though it was shown on BBC America, it was never very popular in the U.S. Still, that didn't stop Fox from ordering a limited series called Gracepoint in 2014. It even brought in one of the stars of Broadchurch, former Dr. Who star David Tennant. It was a moderate success. 

The Prisoner

The 1960s ITV sci-fi show The Prisoner is one of those shows that even if you don't know it, something you love was probably inspired by it. Long considered one of the most influential shows in television history, it was finally rebooted for an American audience in 2009 in a joint production between AMC and ITV, starring Jim Caviezel as Number 6. It was cool, but not nearly as impactful as the original. 

Sometimes the ideas work and sometimes they don't, but you can be sure that ideas and content will continue to flow back and forth between the United Kingdom and the United States. We can't wait to see what happens in the future. 

When it comes to those channels that we all need to pay a little extra for – such as Showtime, Starz, etc. – they all seem to produce some of the absolute best shows. But you want to know which channel I think has made stars even bigger? HBO. 

The channel, which stands for 'Home Box Office,' has produced some of the best TV shows of the last twenty or so years, and with that, several actors and actresses have come and gone and left their mark, earning plenty of awards recognition for their work in the shows. Today, we'll be going over 32 of them. 

Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones)

Of the Game of Thrones cast, Emilia Clarke probably became one of the most-known actresses in the world after her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen. On the show for the entirety of its eight seasons, Clarke earned plenty of awards recognition and was nominated several times for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the show, including her last nomination in the Lead Actress category. 

Jonathan Groff (Looking)

While Jonathan Groff never earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for his role in the LGBTQ+ show Looking, he did win plenty of other awards for his time on the show. Groff is known to be a triple threat with his acting, singing, and dancing talents. He was even a part of the original Hamilton cast, but his starring role in Looking brought on plenty of recognition.

Zendaya (Euphoria)

The Euphoria cast is filled with talent, but let's be honest – Zendaya is the main star we're all looking towards. Nominated several times for the show for a Primetime Emmy, Euphoria has taken this once Disney Channel star and given her the chance to show off her incredible acting skills, one I'm sure she'll continue to do. 

Peter Dinklage (Game Of Thrones)

Peter Dinklage has been around in movies and TV for some time, but everyone recognizes him as Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones, a performance he did for eight show seasons. Out of the entire cast, Dinklage was the one to be nominated for the most Primetime Emmys – and he won four times. 

Lena Dunham (Girls)

Girls lasted for six seasons and gave plenty of stars shining lights, such as Allison Williams, Adam Driver, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and more, but Lena Dunham was certainly the award-winner of the group. The actress, who also created the comedy for HBO, earned several nominations at the Primetime Emmys, the Golden Globes, and more. 

Tony Hale (Veep)

The Veep cast is highly talented, and Tony Hale is just one of many. And his role as Gary Walsh in Veep is undoubtedly one of his best. Among several other awards that he was nominated for this role, he won the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series twice before the series ended. 

Bill Hader (Barry)

This show – especially Barry Season 4 – was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end, and Bill Hader's performance has been hailed as one of the best of the show. Hader has been nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards, and the show has also been nominated for Outstanding Comedy.  

Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under)

While Michael C. Hall gained a lot of fame for another role he did – the still rewatchable Dexter on Showtime – he gained a lot of fame at first for his role in Six Feet Under, where he played David, one of the brothers who owns a family-funeral home. His role in the show earned him several nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. 

Jeremy Strong (Succession)

Succession’s success is awesome to watch, growing larger and more prominent over the years, and one of the lead actors, Jeremy Strong, has gained a lot of award recognition throughout the series' four seasons. Among Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Drama Series, and more, Strong has also earned nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones)

Cersei Lannister is undoubtedly one of the most-hated villains of Game of Thrones, but I don't think anyone could hate Lena Headey's performance. Throughout the series, the actress earned several nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, among several other awards at the Golden Globes, the Poppy Awards, and more. 

Anthony Carrigan (Barry)

I don't know where it came from, but NoHo Hank became my favorite character in Barry, and I think it's because of Anthony Carrigan's portrayal of him. While Carrigan's character didn't get as much hype at the beginning of Barry, the actor has earned several awards for his role in the show, including Primetime Emmy nominations. 

Diana Rigg (Game Of Thrones)

Olenna Tyrell had to be the best player in Game of Thrones, and I'm pretty sure we all were heartbroken when Diana Rigg passed away. The actress earned several nominations for her role in the show, including Primetime Emmys for her guest appearances. Who could ever forget Olenna? 

Brian Cox (Succession)

I don't think anyone could forget Brian Cox as the patriarch of the Roy family in Succession, Logan Roy, the leading man we were all following for years on end. And, of course, Cox earned plenty of praise for his portrayal in the show, including several Primetime Emmy nominations and wins. 

Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus And Euphoria)

Sydney Sweeney is an exceptional case on this list, as two of her shows on HBO have earned her nominations. She was a part of The White Lotus Season 1 cast, which earned her a Primetime Emmy nod, and for the second season of Euphoria, she also earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Both of which were certainly deserved. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

As the lead of Veep, I don't think we could get through a list like this without mentioning Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her role as Selina Meyer. The series, which ran from 2012 - 2019, was a massive success for her and earned the actress several nominations and wins for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy and the series for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

James Gandolfini (The Sopranos)

We can only have an HBO list by mentioning James Gandolfini from The Sopranos. As the patriarch of the Soprano family, Tony, James Gandolfini won several awards over the series, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the Emmys three times. The show itself also won Outstanding Drama Series several times. 

Evan Peters (Mare Of Easttown)

Mare of Easttown was a limited series on HBO, and the entirety of the cast was incredibly impressive. Evan Peters has gained fame over the last decade for his roles in movies like X-Men and the anthology series American Horror Story, but his role as Detective Colin Zabel has been hailed as one of his best. His portrayal earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, among other awards. 

Henry Winkler (Barry)

Henry Winkler is a TV legend from Happy Days, but his role in Barry is one of my favorites. And the people who award these actors agreed too, as Winkler earned several awards for his character, Gene Cousineau, including Primetime Emmy wins. 

Kate Winslet (Mare Of Easttown)

Kate Winslet was the star of Mare of Easttown, a limited series on HBO, and out of everyone on the cast, she won the most awards for her time on the show. Some of her accomplishments include Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmys, TV Film of Miniseries Lead Actress of the Year for the Gold Derby Awards, Best Television Movie or Miniseries Actress for the Critics Choice Awards, and more. 

Edie Falco (The Sopranos)

For the six seasons of the American crime series The Sopranos, my favorite out of the entire cast was Edie Falco. Carmela was possibly the best TV wife out there and was the only person who would keep up with Tony's mess. Falco's portrayal of her went down in history. The actress was nominated for (and won) several Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and more. 

Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos)

Michael Imperioli played Christopher Moltisanti, the protégé of Tony in The Sopranos and someone who seemed to get some of the best storylines in the show. During his time on the series, Imperioli was nominated for his role in several awards, such as  Emmys, Golden Globes, Prism Awards, and more. 

Jake Lacy (The White Lotus Season 1)

The White Lotus cast for Season 1 had some impressive talent, but everyone seriously loved to hate Jake Lacy's character, Shane Patton. But everyone also loves his performance — which earned the actor several nominations across awards shows, including a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. 

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game Of Thrones)

Game of Thrones created several big names for Hollywood, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is another that we saw plenty of in the awards sphere. His character of Jamie Lannister is often credited as having one of the best character arcs in television and earned several award nominations, including the Primetime Emmys. Game of Thrones itself won Outstanding Drama Series several times. 

Sarah Snook (Succession)

The entire Succession cast is filled with talent, but one of my favorites has always been Sarah Snook, who played Shiv in the popular HBO series. Portraying the character for all four seasons, Snook has been nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. 

Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus, Season 1)

Daddario has been in the industry for some time, but her role in The White Lotus Season 1 is considered one of her best. The anthology series gave the actress the chance to shine as Rachel, and she was nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmys.  

Matthew McConaughey (True Detective, Season 1)

True Detective is an anthology series from HBO, and many lovers of the show agree that Season 1 had one of the best storylines, led by a captivating performance from Matthew McConaughey. The Academy Award-winning actor earned several awards for his lead performance in the first season, including a Crime Thriller Award, a Critics' Choice Award, a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, and more. 

Issa Rae (Insecure)

Insecure is a comedy-drama from HBO, featuring co-creator Issa Rae in the show's lead role. The series was extremely well-received, and Rae was nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys and Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. 

Kit Harrington (Game Of Thrones)

Jon Snow is probably the most known character from Game of Thrones aside from Daenerys and Tyrion – which is not surprising considering the character is getting his own Game of Thrones spinoff series. The actor behind him, Kit Harrington, was nominated for several awards during his time on the show, including the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama for the show's final season. 

Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus, Seasons 1 And 2)

While The White Lotus is an anthology series, Jennifer Coolidge was a part of the main cast for the first two seasons (and only the first two). And her time on the show as Tanya was exceptionally well-received and loved. Among many other awards, Coolidge won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series of Movies. 

Anthony Hopkins (Westworld)

Anthony Hopkins is one of the most critically acclaimed actors of our time, and of course, he has been praised for his TV performances. This time around, it's Westworld, where he earned several nominations from the Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, and more. The series was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Primetime Emmys. 

Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus Season 1)

Murray Bartlett was a part of The White Lotus Season 1 and he was honestly one of the show's funniest characters. For his performance as Armond, Bartlett earned several nominations. The show was also nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series for Season 1.

Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)

Jeffrey Wright is a great actor who has been in various movies and TV shows, but one of his most critically acclaimed roles was portraying Bernard Lowe in Westworld, a series he starred in for some time. Wright earned several nominations, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. 

There are so many amazing actors and actresses who have gone on to do incredible things. And truthfully, this makes me want to see all these shows again to see their talent. Is anyone up for a Game of Thrones rewatch?

Some of the most iconic sitcoms and other great TV shows have been set in New York City or Los Angeles. But for every Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm that has the Big Apple or the City of Angels as a backdrop, there are dozens of others set in other parts of the country or even around the world. 

From classics of the mid to late 20th century to more modern examples, here are 32 famous TV comedies set outside New York and Los Angeles. Oh and, for clarity’s sake, this means no shows set anywhere in those two aforementioned greater metropolitan areas will be included here…

Cheers (Boston)

One of the biggest sitcoms of the ‘80s and early ‘90s was Cheers, a show that primarily took place in the bar where everybody knows your name and filled with characters you'd want to drink with. And that establishment, was famously set in Boston. Sam Malone (Ted Danson) was a relief pitcher for the local Red Sox before opening his famous watering hole, a handful of other references to the city and its culture were made throughout this beloved series.

 Ted Lasso (London) 

The production that's arguably the most popular Apple TV+ original series, Ted Lasso, doesn’t take place in NYC or LA, or even America for that matter. Instead, this Emmy-winning show about an American football coach who becomes the manager of an English football club takes place in London. Though there is a classic episode set in Amsterdam that many believe to be one of the best small-screen achievements in years.

The Office (Scranton)

Though Michael Scott (Steve Carell) did give one of the best tours of NYC in an episode, The Office primarily took place with the offices and warehouse of Dunder Mifflin Scranton in Pennsylvania. The Dunder Mifflin employees would leave the office park and venture into Scranton proper as well as various other locations.

Family Matters (Chicago) 

Over the course of its long run on TV, Family Matters depicted Chicago, where Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) tormented the Winslow family for nine seasons, saying things like “Did I do that?” and “Look what you did.” And while the show didn’t use many Windy City locations, it's hard to forget that incredible title sequence.

Full House (San Francisco) 

Full House was a staple of ‘90s primetime TV and also a show with one of the most iconic opening title sequences in the history of the medium. The shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies and the rolling hills of San Francisco made the intro seem like more of a tourism video than an opening for beloved sitcom, as did countless episodes of the series. You can’t have this series without the City by the Bay.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Minneapolis)

It’s easy to forget that The Mary Tyler Moore Show was set in Minneapolis and not New York City, but that’s the truth. The long-running show, which spawned three spinoffs, was set at the fictional WJM TV station, where Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) broke boundaries and found herself in all kinds of hilarious and impactful situations.

Roseanne (Illinois) 

During its original run and even its brief revival ahead of its cancellation, Roseanne was primarily set in the fictional town of Lanford, which could be anywhere from the greater Chicago area to central or western Illinois. It’s hard to find an episode where at least one character isn’t wearing Bears or the University of Illinois attire. Also, this remains the setting for the spinoff series, The Conners.

The Golden Girls (Miami)

When you have a show about four older women living in a house together, it’s hard to imagine having it take place anywhere besides Florida, specifically Miami. Just about every episode of The Golden Girls took place solely in the Sunshine State, where the core quartet of characters found themselves in all matter of shenanigans.

M*A*S*H (Korea) 

There's a common misconception that M*A*S*H was set in Vietnam, because it came out during the height of the military conflict. However, the long-running sitcom based on a movie actually took place at the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea during the Korean War. 

Veep (Washington, D.C.) 

It’s hard to have a political comedy about the Vice President of the United States without Washington, D.C. being the backdrop for most of the absurd situations that go down. Luckily, Veep didn’t have that problem to deal with. Sure, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer did leave the nation’s capital quite often, but homebase was good old DC.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Philadelphia)

FX’s long-running comedy series, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, takes place in, you guessed it, Philadelphia. For years, viewers have watched, as the group of rowdy, vulgar, and misanthropic misfits who run Paddy’s Pub get into all kinds of trouble in and around the City of Brotherly Love.

Frasier (Seattle) 

After he left the bar in Boston where everybody knew his name, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) made his way to another metropolis on the other side of the country: Seattle. Over the course of Frasier's run, the city's iconography was well utilized, with the titular character even having a prime view of the Space Needle. Interestingly enough, the setting switched back to Bean Town in Paramount+'s revival.

Home Improvement (Detroit)

Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Tim Allen), his family, friends, and crew of Tool Time called the greater Detroit metropolitan area home throughout the course of Home Improvement’s impressive run. The Motor City, with its car industry and sports franchises, was a major part of many episodes. With so much to be proud of, it’s still odd why Wilson hid his face all those years.

3rd Rock From The Sun (Rutherford, Ohio) 

A staple of NBC’s primetime schedule in the mid to late ‘90s and early 2000s, 3rd Rock from the Sun was set on Earth, specifically, Rutherford, Ohio, over the course of its six-season run. That's certainly an interesting setting for a sitcom about a group of extraterrestrials.

 Glee (Lima, Ohio) 

Though you could argue that Glee was a great show that really lost its way by the end, one thing that never changed was the fact that the musical comedy-drama series maintained its Lima, Ohio setting. The students, teachers, and staff at William McKinley High School gave audiences some incredible moments and top-notch musical performances throughout the show’s six seasons.

 Ally McBeal (Boston) 

Over the years, we’ve seen legal shows set in NYC and LA, but the popular comedy-drama Ally McBeal counted Boston as its backdrop. Though the series ended before the city’s sports dominance in the early 2000s, Calista Flockhart’s titular character and crew could have watched Pedro Martinez’s dominant run with the Red Sox in the late ‘90s.

Parks And Recreation (Pawnee, Indiana) 

Besides the time Chris Pratt’s Andy Dwyer went to England in Parks and Recreation Season 6, the vast majority of the NBC comedy series took place in the sleepy Midwestern town of Pawnee, Indiana. In fact, several of Parks and Rec’s best episodes were those that involved the city’s residents one way or another.

 The Bob Newhart Show (Chicago) 

Not to be confused with Newhart, which premiered years later, The Bob Newhart Show was set in Chicago and followed psychologist Robert “Bob” Hartley (Bob Newhart) as he tried to get through his day-to-day life with patients, family, friends, and random people. Oh, and the show might have the best title sequence involving the “Second City.”

The Drew Carey Show (Cleveland)

Years before he became the host of The Price is Right, Drew Carey had a hilarious and successful sitcom consisting of 200+ episodes over nine seasons. And where did The Drew Carey Show take place? None other than Cleveland, hence its title track, “Cleveland Rocks.”

Happy Days (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 

A sitcom that spawned all kinds of spinoffs during and after its run, Happy Days is another show set in the Midwest. But instead of Chicago, Minneapolis, or other Great Lake cities, the show that introduced us to Henry Winkler’s Arthur Herbert "The Fonz" Fonzarelli took place in Milwaukee.

WKRP In Cincinnati (Cincinnati) 

Despite being a sitcom that didn't make it to 100 episodes, WKRP in Cincinnati remains one of the most iconic CBS comedies of the ‘70s, one the network embarrassingly cancelled way too soon. And as the name suggests, this classic show, probably best remembered for dropping turkeys from a helicopter, was set in the home of Skyline Chili, Cincinnati, Ohio.

A Different World (Virginia) 

A branch-off series from The Cosby Show, the NBC sitcom A Different World primarily took place at the fictional Hillman College in Virginia. Needless to say, it was a long way from the brownstones of New York City.

Mom (Napa) 

Set in Napa, California, the popular CBS sitcom Mom ran for eight seasons and 170 episodes, with its story centered on the mother-daughter relationship shared by Bonnie (Allison Janney) and Christy Punkett (Anna Faris) as well as the various folks in their orbit. Drama, comedy, and everything in between went down in this Northern California-set series.

Monk (San Francisco) 

Over the course of eight seasons, the USA Network crime comedy series Monk followed Tony Shalhoub’s titular and quirky detective as he tried to solve all manners of crime. But unlike its contemporaries set in places like Los Angeles and New York, this long-running series was firmly planted in San Francisco.

The Middle (Orson, Indiana) 

With a title like The Middle, it’s not all that surprising that the ABC sitcom was set in the Midwest, specifically, Orson, Indiana. The show’s 215 episodes primarily took place in the fictional town, though the main characters did travel from time to time.

The Andy Griffith Show (Mayberry, North Carolina) 

One of the most beloved TV comedies of all time, The Andy Griffith Show was set in the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina, where Sheriff Andy Taylor (Griffith), Opie (Ron Howard), aunt Bee Taylor (Frances Bavier), deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts), and others took in all that life threw at them. Small-town shenanigans were abound in this classic series.

The Simpsons (Springfield) 

Is The Simpsons set in Springfield, Illinois, or the Missouri city of the same name, or maybe the Massachusetts town? We may never know, but we do know that the landmark and long-running animated series doesn’t take place in NYC or LA. While Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie have traveled over the years, basecamp is always within smelling distance of the Springfield Tire Fire.

I Dream Of Jeannie (Cocoa Beach, Florida) 

Captain Anthony “Tony” Nelson (Larry Hagman) is an astronaut when he discovers and falls in love with Jeannie (Barbara Eden), a 2,000-year-old magical genie, in I Dream of Jeannie. Their magical and somewhat romantic adventures set in Cocoa Beach, Florida, just miles from Cape Canaveral. 

South Park (South Park, Colorado) 

Set in the fictional mountain town of South Park, Colorado, this groundbreaking, controversial, and long-running animated series couldn’t take place in Los Angeles (too hot) or New York City (too flat). Its decades-long run has allowed fans to meet residents, be introduced to “Humble folks without temptation” and witness just about every situation imaginable in the best South Park episodes.

Eastbound & Down (North Carolina / Mexico) 

During its four seasons, Eastbound & Down followed Kenny Powers (Danny McBride), as the former MLB pitcher attempted to make it back to the big leagues, with only himself getting in the way of achieving that goal. Be it working as a teacher in North Carolina or as a member of a Mexican baseball team, Kenny went all over the place in this HBO classic.

Young Sheldon (Medford, Texas)

While The Big Bang Theory took place in and around the greater Los Angeles area, the prequel series, Young Sheldon, turned its attention to the town of Medford, Texas. That's where Iain Armitage’s eponymous character learned the ins and outs of life, both at school and at home.

Family Ties (Columbus, Ohio) 

The show that turned Michael J. Fox into a household name and almost prevented the actor from landing his iconic role in Back to the Future, Family Ties was set in Columbus, Ohio. Over the course of seven seasons, the show explored the generational divide and the evolving landscape of the American populace in the 1980s.

These are just a couple dozen (and change) examples of great TV shows set outside New York City and Los Angeles. Like the seasons of some of these shows, this list could have kept going and going before hitting syndication.

It's been said that being the star of a long-running show can be both wonderful and terrible. On the one hand, being a part of anything successful is a good thing, but there is a threat for a performer that audiences will only ever think of them for a single role. In the late 1990s, it was suggested that this idea particularly applied to the cast of Seinfeld, and it was actually referred to as a "curse" – but nobody has done more to prove that superstition wrong than Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who spoke about the fake hex in an interview earlier this year.

Since Seinfeld came to an end in 1998, Louis-Dreyfus has been the star of two successful television shows (The New Adventures Of Old Christine and Veep), has had roles in multiple acclaimed films (including Enough Said and the recently released You Hurt My Feelings), and she has even joined one of the biggest blockbuster franchises in the world with her recurring role as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She certainly seems far from cursed, and in an interview with Rolling Stone this past spring, she let her blunt thoughts on the topic be known:

To be fair, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards and Jerry Seinfeld have all had different levels of success compared to what Julia Louis-Dreyfus has done as an actor in her post-Seinfeld career (with Richards notably the subject of controversy in 2006). But they've all done standout work – including the special Seinfeld reunion that was orchestrated in the seventh season of the on-going HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Asked to further reflect on her Seinfeld past in the Rolling Stone interview, Julia Louis-Dreyfus noted that there isn't an episode of the beloved NBC sitcom that she favors more than others, but she does have a special way of reflecting back on her time making the show. Specifically, she enjoys watching the clips of her and her co-stars screwing up scenes:

Anyone who has ever watched a gag reel from Seinfeld will understand why Julia Louis-Dreyfus has a particular fondness for them. The clips suggest that she had a propensity to "break" more often than her co-stars, breaking into fits of hysterical laughter in reaction to well-delivered lines. One of the best examples of this is from the making of the episode "The Little Kicks" from Season 8. One of the last scenes features Louis-Dreyfus' Elaine Benes getting into an argument/fight with Jerry Stiller's Frank Costanza at a police station, and the former repeatedly struggles to keep her composure. Watching it, you can perfectly recognize just how much fun she is having:

That's just one of many amazing gag reel moments, however. If you want to enjoy hours and hours of that kind of hilarity mixed with wonderful stories and interviews, I couldn't more highly recommend buying the Seinfeld DVD box set.

For those of you who are content just watching the show, the entire series is available to stream with a Netflix subscription, and you can see where your personal favorite episode fits into our ranking of Seinfeld best.

When it comes to the latest and greatest in streaming services, there’s no one doing it quite as well as Max, originally known as HBO Max, which is certainly one of the best streaming services to subscribe to. If you happen to have a Max subscription, you’re certainly going to want to take advantage of any of these shows that are on there available to binge right now, some of which are coming out as part of the 2025 TV schedule whether you’re into high-stakes dramas or something that’s a little more family friendly. Let’s get into it.

Fun For The Whole Family

From Teen Titans to some of the best sitcoms out there, here are the best family friendly shows that you can watch on Max right now.

Friends

Probably one of the most iconic TV series of all time, Friends follows a group of friends in their mid-twenties living in New York City and trying to just survive and find their own paths, all while relying on each other along the way. The Friends cast is filled to the brim with talent and all went on to have great careers, and while some of the jokes can be a bit risque, the show still has plenty for families to enjoy.

Stream Friends on Max.

Abbott Elementary

You’ll be feeling that Philly love by the end of this hilarious series. Abbott Elementary takes place at the fictional school in Philadelphia, and follows both the professional and personal lives of the teachers and employees there in a classic mockumentary way. The series has earned several awards, and is absolutely hilarious for the whole family.

Stream Abbott Elementary on Max.

The Big Bang Theory

Think Friends, but with socially inept physicists. The Big Bang Theory follows a group of Caltech graduates who try to solve the mysteries of the universe, but they can’t really do much from their little apartment while struggling to even talk to women. However, when a new neighbor moves in across the hall, everything changes.

Stream The Big Bang Theory on Max.

Adventure Time

I really don’t think I can recommend Adventure Time enough. This show is probably one of the best kids/family shows of the two decades, following the tales of Jake the Dog and Finn the Human as they travel across vast lands to take on the ultimate adventures. The series was so popular it inspired a spinoff series called Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake – but that one is more for adults. Stick to the original Adventure Time for the kids.

Stream Adventure Time on Max.

Full House

It doesn’t really get more family friendly than Full House. Starring the wonderful Full House cast, the show mainly focuses on the widowed Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) and his three daughters, as he raises them from little girls to beautiful young women with the help of his friends.

Stream Full House on Max.

Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

In West Philadelphia, born and raised, a legend was born with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Starring Will Smith, the iconic sitcom follows a native Philadelphian who travels to Bel-Air in order to stay out of the trouble he was getting into at home, and live with his uncle and his family, causing mayhem as time goes on.

Stream The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on Max.

Looney Tunes

I mean, obviously. This iconic series is probably one of the most known cartoons of all time and it pretty much shaped my childhood. Looney Tunes follows a cast of cartoon characters on the most wacky adventures, like Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and many more that I’m sure everyone reading this article knows about. Do I even need to get into why you should watch it? Just watch it. Your family will laugh your butt off.

Stream Looney Tunes on Max.

Regular Show

Hailing originally from Cartoon Network, Regular Show follows the day to day lives of Mordecai and Rigby, anthropomorphic animals who have jobs at the local park as groundskeepers and have to deal with their intense boss, Benson, on a daily basis. As someone who watched this show as a kid, it’s hilarious.

Stream Regular Show on Max.

Big Drama, Crimes Of Passion, And More

Backstabbings, intense fantasy, and so much more – here are the best dramas on the platform that you can watch.

True Blood

Based on the novels, The Southern Vampire Mysteries, this series was a HUGE hit for HBO when it came out. True Blood follows the lives of vampires who are able to live amongst the general public when a synthetic blood product helps them, and how they fight for fair rights while several humans fight against them – all while a human and a vampire fall in love.

Stream True Blood on Max.

Succession

One of the most successful dramas of the last few years is Succession. With four seasons to watch, it follows the story of the wealthy Roy family and the patriarch's work to figure out who is the next one best fit to run their media conglomerate, Waystar Royco. With the great Succession cast, there is so much to love about this show.

Stream Succession on Max.

The West Wing

In this political drama, we mainly follow the (fictitious) U.S. presidency of Josiah Bartlet. Throughout seven seasons, we see what truly happens in the west wing of the White House – and the drama that goes on behind the scenes.

Stream The West Wing on Max.

The Pitt

Starring Noah Wyle, The Pitt is the kind of medical drama that I think all of us love, and since it’s so new, I need to talk about it as much as possible, especially since it was just renewed for Season 2. The series is done incredibly well on Max, and follows a single work-night at an emergency department in Pittsburgh, where each episode is one hour of the 15-hour shift. Yeah, this is serious, and every episode is so incredibly well-done.

Stream The Pitt on Max.

Love And Death

What would you do for love? Kill someone? Love and Death, starring Elizabeth Olsen, is the true story of Candy Montgomery, and how she supposedly murdered the wife of the man she was having an affair with, and the criminal case that came from it.

Stream Love and Death on Max.

Boardwalk Empire

Taking place during the 1920s and ‘30s, Boardwalk Empire mainly follows the life of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, who controls Atlantic City during the Prohibition era and the people (and criminals) he runs into during the time period there. The series earned critical acclaim for its five seasons.

Stream Boardwalk Empire on Max.

The Wire

One of the most popular HBO original shows of all time, The Wire is a crime drama that takes place in the city of Baltimore, and details how crime affects the city, with the stories of a number of criminals, cops, and civilians all explored.

Stream The Wire on Max.

Dune: Prophecy

Oh, you knew this would be on here somehow. Set in the same universe as the Dune films and set as a prequel, the series follows the story of the Bene Gesserit, a group of powerful individuals who gain abilities after years of laborious training. There’s already a Season 2 in the works after the successful first season.

Stream Dune: Prophecy on Max.

The Last Of Us

With Season 2 coming out in 2025, now’s the time to watch The Last of Us. The show, starring the talented The Last of Us cast, follows Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal), a man who is assigned to bring a special young woman all the way across the United States in a world that is infested by monsters and creatures that can kill you in seconds flat, all of which used to be humans.

Stream The Last of Us on Max.

Game of Thrones

What can I say about Game of Thrones that hasn’t already been said? When the king of Westeros suddenly dies, it’s an all out war to see who is the next to sit on the Iron Throne. There are backstabbers, betrayals and so much more in this epic HBO series that made the Game of Thrones cast incredibly popular.

Stream Game of Thrones on Max.

House Of The Dragon

So you’ve watched Game of Thrones but you’re not that satisfied by that ending and you’re still looking for that dragon fix – then this is the show for you. House of the Dragon takes place about two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, and follows the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons, where two heirs to the throne fight for power. There are two full seasons you can watch as we all wait for House of the Dragon Season 3.

Stream House of the Dragon on Max.

The Outsider

This limited series is the kind of show that will make you shudder. The Outsider is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, and is a psychological thriller-horror that follows the story of how a local town tries to solve a young boy’s brutal murder, but there are strange forces surrounding it that turn everything upside down.

Stream The Outsider on Max.

Big Little Lies

When a murder occurs in a small town, it turns the lives of a group of mothers who never thought this would ever happen upside down – especially when they get tangled up in the murder investigation.

Stream Big Little Lies on Max.

Watchmen

Based on the comics of the same name, Watchmen is the kind of dystopian drama that you will absolutely love because I adored it. The series takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma and follows a detective as she looks into the resurgence of a white supremacist group that leads to her finding conspiracy after conspiracy about vigilantes and the plans that run deeper than she ever could have imagined.

Stream Watchmen on Max.

The Sopranos

Arguably one of the best TV shows of all time, The Sopranos is a crime drama mainly following Tony Soprano, a mafia leader, and how he struggles to somehow be a normal everyday man for his family while also keeping the criminals who work for and with him in line.

Stream The Sopranos on Max.

Comedies Of All Kinds

Max has plenty of comedies to laugh at, whether you want something lighter or as dark as comedy can get. Here are the best.

The Boondocks

Based on a comic strip, The Boondocks is an animated show and mainly follows Huey and Riley Freeman as they live their lives in a dysfunctional family after settling into a white neighborhood, offering different takes on social commentary such as stereotypes, social classes and more.

Stream The Boondocks on Max.

Sex And The City

Starring the impeccably talented Sex and the City cast, the show mainly follows Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), a sex/relationship column writer, and her escapades in NYC with her friends (who are in their thirties and forties) as they navigate life, love, and their professions. There’s even a spinoff series called And Just Like That…

Stream Sex and the City on Max.

Barry

Starring Bill Hader, Barry tells the story of the titular character, Barry Berkman, a former Marine who turns to a life of crime in order to make money, but when he travels to Los Angeles for a target that he must kill, he finds his life completely turned upside down by the theater community. The series is entirely complete, so you should check it out.

Stream Barry on Max.

Rick And Morty

Get in on all the inside jokes and Rick Sanchez being the absolute worst. Rick and Morty follows the titular characters as they travel through the galaxy together as grandfather and grandson – while getting into tons of hilarious trouble along the way.

Stream Rick and Morty on Max.

The White Lotus

With two complete seasons and a third one currently airing, The White Lotus is the perfect show to get into if you’re looking for a great comedy that’s a little more mature. Originally a limited series but turned into an anthology because of how popular it was, each season follows vacationers who travel to The White Lotus, a luxurious hotel chain across the world, and the drama they get into. The first season takes place in Hawaii, while the second is in Italy, and the third is currently in Thailand.

Stream The White Lotus on Max.

Veep

Veep is the political satire show that you want to see. Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as well as the incredible Veep cast, the show mainly follows her Selina Meyer as the Vice President of the United States, and how she has to deal with a ridiculous president, and all her crazy political co-workers in a modern day America.

Stream Veep on Max.

South Park

Come on down to South Park, we’ll have ourselves a time! South Park is the iconic animated dark comedy that has gone on for many, many years now, mainly following Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman, fourth-graders who get into trouble consistently at home, whether that means starting the whole COVID-19 pandemic, impersonating Hitler, or something else crazy.

Stream South Park on Max.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Last but not least, we need to take a look at Curb Your Enthusiasm. Starring Larry David, the show takes a fictionalized look at his life, following the man as a semi-retired writer and producer living in L.A., as he gets up to trouble with his former co-workers, other actors, and so much more – all while making you laugh your butt off. There are twelve seasons in its entirety, so check it out.

Stream Curb Your Enthusiasm on Max.

There are truly so many shows to watch on Max, and this is just the beginning of what you could check out. No matter what you pick, you will be entertained for hours.

When it comes to some of the most famous television stars of the last few decades, I’m sure there are plenty that come to mind, but for me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is one who always comes to mind. The actress, known for her roles in hilarious comedy shows such as Seinfeld and Veep, has been around for decades now and has consistently shown just how freaking hysterical she can be. 

We may know her as someone who is funny, but Louis-Dreyfus has actually done plenty of other movies and TV shows that you might not know her from, whether that be her amazing voice roles, other series, or movies where she truly shines. Here is where you can watch the best Julia Louis-Dreyfus movies and TV shows, and where they are streaming. 

Saturday Night Live (1982 - 1985)

I mean, you knew this was going to be on here. It had to be on here. This popular primetime sketch comedy has been around since the 1970s and makes fun of anything in pop culture, politics, and more - with some of the biggest comedy stars getting their start here, such as Eddie Murphy, Maya Rudolph, and more. 

Like many comedy stars, Julia Louis-Dreyfus was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from Seasons 8 - 10, showing off not only her comedic talent but her ability to act as well. It’s hard to see her in something prior to her big role in the legendary Seinfeld, which we will talk about next, but you have to check her out in SNL. She is truly at her funniest - and it makes it even better to watch her host the show years later. 

Stream Saturday Night Live on Peacock.

Seinfeld (1989 - 1998)

You know it, you love it, the show about literally nothing, it’s Seinfeld, starring Jerry Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself in New York City, just trying to get by as a comedian and facing wacky situations with his friends and neighbors. 

Seinfeld is often considered one of the best sitcoms of all time, and it’s partially due to the amazing chemistry that the Seinfeld cast had with each other. Julia Louis-Dreyfus played Elaine Benes, Jerry’s former girlfriend, and wowie did her career explode after her role on this show - and for good reason! She was funny, charismatic, and had a smile that you’ll remember in your dreams with how charming she was. There’s no one quite like Elaine Benes, and only Louis-Dreyfus could really bring that talent to the big screen. 

Stream Seinfeld on Netflix.

Hannah And Her Sisters (1986)

Next up, we have Hannah and Her Sisters, a comedy film directed by Woody Allen with a large ensemble cast that tells the story of a large family that goes through hell and back over two years, including scandals, affairs, and so much more - all of which begin and end with a nice dinner at Thanksgiving. 

Keep in mind that this movie is stacked with stars, so Louis-Dreyfus’ role isn’t that big compared to many of the others featured, such as Mia Farrow, Michael Caine, and more. Her role as Mary is important, and in her minor role, she gets to show just how much of a scene-stealer she really is. The movie itself is super good, too, having won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay, as well as two other Oscars.

Rent/Buy Hannah and Her Sisters on Amazon.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

If you’re looking for a hilarious Christmas movie, be sure to check out National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. In this film, we follow the story of the Griswald family and their crazy hijinks that they get up to, this time during their Christmas vacation, and when other family members come to visit, mayhem occurs. 

Something I love about Louis-Dreyfus’ role in Christmas Vacation is that she plays someone who isn’t a part of the family at all. She plays Margo Chester, a neighbor who usually ends up paying for the antics of the Griswalds and honesty, I relate to her on a whole other level because of how ridiculous this family can be, and she just portrays the role so perfectly you can’t help but like her. This movie is just a great Christmas film and you’ll love it from start to end. 

Stream National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Netflix.
Rent/Buy National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Amazon.

A Bug’s Life (1998)

If you want a fun Pixar film, check out A Bug’s Life. In Pixar’s second animated full-length feature ever, A Bug’s Life follows the story of an ant who wishes to save his colony from a group of grasshoppers, but as he does, he finds the kind of help that he didn’t think he’d ever receive in the form of a strange circus troupe - and learns a little about himself along the way. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays Princess Atta, a queen-in-training and honestly, Atta is such an underrated character for Pixar. Not only is Louis-Dreyfus in this voice role an excellent pick, as she delivers some killer jokes that will make not only children but adults chuckle as well, but the character overall is someone who just wants to keep her people safe - and anyone can relate to that. Plus, it’s always fun to revisit movies like these years later since Pixar has come out with so many other movies since then. We truly wish this could have gotten a sequel.

Stream A Bug’s Life on Disney+.
Rent/Buy A Bug’s Life on Amazon.

Deconstructing Harry (1997)

If you’re looking for a great black comedy, check out Deconstructing Harry. Now this is a crazy ensemble film featuring plenty of stars that tells the story of Harry Block, a writer who is on a journey to receive an honorary degree with three passengers in his car, which flashes back to the past and has characters from his writings that make this trip all the more entertaining. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus played Leslie, a character of Harry's, and while her role in the film wasn’t as big as some of the others, she shined in her scenes and made me laugh several times, because that’s just how skilled she is. And when I say this film has many stars, I mean Billy Crystal, Tobey Maguire, Jennifer Garner, Woody Allen, Stanley Tucci - even Robin Williams! There are so many amazing and hilarious moments, and you’ll surely love it. 

Stream Deconstructing Harry on FreeVee via Amazon.
Rent/Buy Deconstructing Harry on Amazon.

The New Adventures Of Old Christine (2006 - 2010)

If you’re looking for another fun sitcom from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, this is the one you should check out. In The New Adventures of Old Christine, we follow Louis-Dreyfus’ character, Christine Campbell, a recently divorced mother who is trying to maintain her life and make sure her family is in order, while also attempting to maintain a close relationship with her ex-husband. 

This series is plenty of fun and a great return to form for Louis-Dreyfus in terms of her legacy in the sitcom world, and the story is great as well, with funny moments for the whole family to enjoy. Louis-Dreyfus actually won a Primetime Emmy for her performance in the first season of the show, so you know that she’s spunky and great in it - just like she always is in these types of comedic roles. With five seasons to watch, this is a great one to binge. 

Stream The New Adventures of Christine on HBO Max.

Enough Said (2013) 

Are you looking for a romantic comedy? Then Enough Said is the one for you. In this film starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini, we mainly follow Eva, a masseuse who ends up seeing a man named Albert - only to discover that he has a connection to a friend/client. 

I’ll be honest and say that I don’t think Enough Said is one of the best romantic comedies of all time, because the premise itself (at least to me) is a very simple one that we have seen before. However, what makes this film stand above the rest are the performances from both Louis-Dreyfus and Gandolfini. Oh my God, their chemistry was so good and I loved their relationship from the beginning to the end. It pains me that Gandolfini never got to see the film, as he died prior to its release, but he made something special with Louis-Dreyfus that I truly enjoy.

Stream Enough Said on Amazon with Cinemax.
Rent/Buy Enough Said on Amazon.

Onward (2020)

The return of Pixar! Onward is all about two brothers (played by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt), who go on a mystical journey together in order to see their dad one last time using magic, after his passing years ago. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus voices their mother, Laurel Lightfoot, and yes, she is the best mother in all of Pixar and I stand by that. Not only is Louis-Dreyfus the perfect casting for this role, as her comedic timing is on point, but you just can’t help but love Laurel. She is so loving to her boys, cares about them deeply, and is a badass with a sword and I love that for her. I stand by this queen. 

Onward didn’t do so well at the box office, some of which was due to the pandemic, but if you haven’t seen it yet, you really should check it out now. 

Stream Onward on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Onward on Amazon.

Veep (2012 - 2019)

Last but not least, we have Veep, an HBO political satire that starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the lead role for seven seasons. The main premise of this show is that Selina Meyer is the Vice President of the United States (at least for the first few seasons) and has to clean up after the president and all his messes while simultaneously trying to stand out amongst everyone else. 

Louis-Dreyfus was stellar in this role. While the Veep cast is all talented in their own ways, Louis-Dreyfus was truly the standout, and for good reason. Her star power is impeccable and Selina Meyer is just the perfect character for her. She won six consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for her portrayal. That’s right, six. That’s how you know it’s good. 

Stream Veep on HBO Max.

There is no one quite like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and if for some reason you haven’t seen how skilled she is, then you need to check out some of her shows/movies as soon as you can. You won’t regret it. 

When it comes to some of the best shows on TV right now, one that always comes to mind is Better Call Saul. This fantastic prequel to the hit AMC show, Breaking Bad, mainly follows the story of Saul Goodman, otherwise known as Jimmy McGill, and his rise from a regular lawyer to a crooked one. A character who has since gained popularity is Kim Wexler - played by the lovely Rhea Seehorn. 

While Better Call Saul Season 6 is actively airing at the time of writing this - and the show is coming to a close - I knew I needed to write something on Seehorn, because she should be recognized for the wonderful work she has done in both TV and movies. Most may know her as the serious Kim Wexler, but Seehorn has been all over Hollywood and appeared in a variety of genres, from comedies to horror movies. So, if you’re looking for something starring the actress, here are some of her best roles that you should definitely check out.

Veep (HBO Max)

I bet you didn’t think you’d see this one on here. Veep, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, tells the story of the current vice president of the United States, and the struggles that she has to go through in order to put out the fires that her president consistently starts, as well as giving a look into her private life. 

While the main Veep cast is full of talent, the Veep guest stars are even better, and one of those happened to be Rhea Seehorn, who played Michelle York, the White House Chief of Staff during Selina Meyer’s second term as president. She’s hilarious in her role and really shines in this comedy, but it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise, as Seehorn has been in plenty of comedies before. 

Stream Veep on HBO Max.

The Harper House (Paramount Plus)

Next up, we have The Harper House. This Paramount Plus original show follows a mother as she moves her family into a poor neighborhood, but does everything in her power to make sure that they are taken care of while simultaneously trying to get them back to their former, high-level, status. 

Personally, I don’t think that The Harper House is the best animated adult comedy out there, as there are so many that are seriously good, such as Netflix’s adult animated comedy, Bojack Horseman, or maybe even the Apple+ TV show, Central Park, but The Harper House provides some genuinely funny adult moments thanks to Rhea Seehorn’s incredible voice-acting skills as the lead, Debbie Harper. It’s only one season, so if you were looking for something fun to watch on your next weekend binge, this is the one for you. 

Stream The Harper House on Paramount Plus.

Things Heard And Seen (Netflix)

Want to check out a horror film? Look no further than Things Heard & Seen. This Netflix original movie, starring Amanda Seyfried and James Norton, tells the story of a young couple that relocates to a new home in New York due to a job constraint, but when they arrive there, they discover that they might not be as alone as they thought. 

Rhea Seehorn stars as Justine Sokolov, a colleague of George (Norton) and someone who ends up playing an essential role in the movie as a whole, and her performance is really good. It’s not what you would expect in a typical horror film, because Things Heard & Seen is a bit more subtle than that - i.e. she doesn’t end up as a scream queen or anything like that - but it’s the perfect amount of drama mixed with horror that makes you squirm in your seat. Plus, the ending is awesome. 

Stream Things Heard & Seen on Netflix.

The Twilight Zone (Paramount Plus)

If you want to check out a sick anthology series, check out Jordan Peele’s version of The Twilight Zone. In this reboot, we follow Peele as the narrator as he takes us through a variety of twisted tales in a world we know as “The Twilight Zone,” where anything is possible and strange happenings occur often. 

Rhea Seehorn co-starred in the episode, “Not All Men” in Season 1 of the series, and while The Twilight Zone was canceled after two seasons, it’s still some of the best television I have seen in a while, with so many amazing guest-stars. This specific episode, featuring both Rhea Seehorn and Taissa Farmiga, follows the story of a meteor shower that has strange powers and ends up affecting people, specifically men. It's a very interesting episode  - and a well-acted performance from Seehorn. 

Stream Rhea Seehorn’s Twilight Zone episode on Paramount Plus.

Inside Man: Most Wanted (Netflix)

If you want to see Rhea Seehorn in a crime thriller, check out Inside Man: Most Wanted. In this film, an NYPD negotiator ends up working with - and not getting along with - an FBI negotiator when they are both assigned to investigate a mastermind who is planning on committing their biggest robbery yet - stealing the money from the Federal Reserve. 

Rhea Seehorn stars as Dr. Brynn Stewart, the FBI hostage negotiator, and to be honest, I genuinely think this is one of her underrated films. As someone who enjoys a good crime thriller now and again, I feel like this movie is a bit under the radar because it never got the promotion it deserved. Seehorn’s and her co-star, Aml Ameen, who plays Remy Darbonne, have such great chemistry, and really keep you interested in their dynamic as the movie continues. It’s a good time. 

Stream Inside Man: Most Wanted on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Inside Man: Most Wanted on Amazon.

Whitney (Amazon) 

Next up, we have the sitcom, Whitney, starring comedian Whitney Cummings. In this show, Cummings portrays herself living in Chicago with her boyfriend, Alex, who is constantly trying to spice things up with her relationship so they don’t grow bored of each other, often getting help from her friends in order to do so. 

Before Seehorn became Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul, she was a part of the main cast of Whitney, playing Roxanne Harris, a close friend of Whitney's who actually ends up becoming Whitney's boss later on. Seehorn’s time on Whitney continues to show just how versatile she is as an actress because she really is great in comedies and her comedic timing is top tier. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up doing a sitcom again after Better Call Saul, because I genuinely enjoy her in roles like these.

Buy Whitney on Amazon.

Seven Stages To Achieve Eternal Bliss (Hulu)

Next up, we have the black comedy, The Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss, with a cast list that goes on for days. This movie tells the story of a young couple who end up finding the perfect place to live, but just like so much in this world, it ends up being too good to be true, as they find out that it is the place where ritualistic suicides occur for a cult. 

I know from the premise that it sounds like the craziest film out there, but I want to assure you that it’s totally worth the time to watch it. Rhea Seehorn, who portrays Nordheim, is fantastic in her role and again, shows off her comedic timing that we’re all so used to at this point, and the film is just wacky. If you’re looking for a movie that will make you laugh, this is the one for you. 

Stream The Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss on Hulu. 
Rent/Buy The Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss on Amazon.

Better Call Saul (Netflix)

It’s why you’re here, isn’t it? Better Call Saul, which is the prequel to Breaking Bad, follows Saul Goodman as he learns how to be a crooked lawyer, from the beginning of his career all the way to the man that we know him as in Breaking Bad. 

Better Call Saul received critical acclaim from the moment it began in 2015, and has only continued to grow in popularity due to its incredible story and acting. Rhea Seehorn shines as Kim Wexler. While you can see that she’s good in plenty of other genres, there’s nothing quite like her in a drama, and she acts her ass off and is so deserving of that first Emmy nomination for Season 6 of the show. When the series ends, I can’t wait to see what she does next - and hopefully, her character doesn’t die. 

Stream Better Call Saul on Netflix.

No matter what you end up picking on this list, there is no denying that Rhea Seehorn is massively talented, and you’ll enjoy her in anything. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to go re-watch Better Call Saul again - and then Breaking Bad for the umpteenth time, before Walt and Jesse show up on Better Call Saul.

With appearances in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe, hit comedies on nearly all of the major broadcast networks, and a few of the best romantic comedies in recent memory, it’s safe to say that Randall Park has etched a place for himself in today’s entertainment world. Over the years, the talented comedic actor has gone from having small and sometimes forgotten roles on shows like Community and The Office to being one of the leads of WandaVision and other high-profile projects.

And, with more on the horizon for one of the hardest working people in show business today, now is a great time to go through the best Randall Park movies and TV shows and break down where you can watch them streaming or buy them outright. Let’s get started.

Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)

With Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) on house arrest for his role in the events of Captain America: Civil War, the down-on-his-luck superhero has to sneak around to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) in a race to rescue Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) from the Quantum Realm, while also battling a new enemy with ties to group’s past.

Although it’s not at the top of the Marvel Cinematic Universe rankings, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a fun superhero movie with relatively low stakes but a lot of heart and humor. One of the best introductions to the MCU is Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo, the FBI agent who is always one step behind Scott Lang and who is also obsessed with his magic tricks. 

Stream Ant-Man and the Wasp on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Ant-Man and the Wasp on Amazon.
Buy Ant-Man and the Wasp on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

WandaVision (2021)

Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the Disney+ series, WandaVision, follows Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), a.k.a. Scarlet Witch, as she takes control of the small town of Westview, New Jersey in a state of grief and confusion as she attempts to have a life with Vision (Paul Bettany), who has been dead for five years.

One of the best things about WandaVision, besides the introduction of Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), is how it gave smaller MCU characters like Jimmy Woo and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) a lot of time to shine and figure out the mystery surrounding Wanda’s actions. Oh, and the continuation of his fascination with card tricks and magic makes for great long-term character development.

Stream WandaVision on Disney+.

Fresh Off The Boat (2015 - 2020)

The critically acclaimed ABC sitcom, Fresh Off the Boat, spent six seasons following Taiwanese-American couple Louis (Randall Park) and Jessica Huang (Constance Wu) as well as their children and other family members as they relocate to Orlando, Florida, for a new business venture and a new life in the Sunshine State. 

Randall Park had already had some success by the time he was cast as one of the leads of Fresh Off the Boat in 2014, but his portrayal of Louis Huang as he opens a cowboy-themed steakhouse took him to the next level of his career. Charming, funny, endearing, and commanding, Park’s performance over the course of the show’s six seasons on ABC helped introduce the actor to a much larger audience.

Stream Fresh Off the Boat on Hulu.
Buy Fresh Off the Boat on Amazon.

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

After an awkward romantic encounter as teenagers, childhood friends Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) and Marcus Kim (Randall Park) go their separate ways for 16 years before being brought back together by chance. Over the course of Always Be My Maybe the two former besties pick up where they left off while trying to not let their feelings get in the way.

This happy romantic comedy is made all the better with Randall Park and Ali Wong’s on-screen chemistry (the pair also co-wrote the movie) which makes them one of the most likable and adorable couples in recent memory. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that Always Be My Maybe features one of the best Keanu Reeves movie appearances.

Stream Always Be My Maybe on Netflix.

Veep (2012 - 2017)

The long-running HBO political satire comedy series, Veep, spent seven seasons following the political career and personal life of Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), first as Vice President of the United States, and later as Commander in Chief. Over the course of the show, Meyer made friends, enemies, and frenemies with a large number of political figures, including Danny Chung (Randall Park), with whom she has multiple awkward encounters.

Although he was only featured in a handful of episodes of Veep, Randall Park always made the most of his time on the show and was consistently one of the best guest stars, providing some of the show’s best moments.

Stream Veep on HBO Max.
Buy Veep on Amazon.
Buy Veep on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Interview (2014)

Dave Skylark (James Franco) and Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) score the interview of a lifetime with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Randall Park), only to be recruited by the CIA to assassinate the reclusive ruler, who happens to be one of Skylark’s show’s biggest fans.

Often overshadowed by the controversy that preceded the film’s release, The Interview remains one of the funniest movies of the past 10 years and a lot of that is because of Randall Park’s portrayal of Kim Jong Un, which is over-the-top in all the best ways. How he bounces from tyrannical dictator to fanboy throughout the movie really keeps you on your toes.

Stream The Interview on Tubi.
Rent/Buy The Interview on Amazon.
Buy The Interview on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Young Rock (2021 - Present)

Set during Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s fictional 2032 presidential election bid, the NBC sitcom, Young Rock, looks back on the major events of the wrestler-turned-actor’s life with an emphasis on three distinct periods: 1982, 1987, and 1990. In the beginning and end of most episodes, Johnson is shown telling his stories to a fictional version of Randall Park, who was an actor before becoming an interviewer.

Randall Park is absolutely hilarious in all of his interactions with Dwayne Johnson throughout Young Rock Season 1, and the pair have an undeniable chemistry that makes their brief segments some of the best scenes of the show. This is especially impressive when you consider all the wrestlers who have been portrayed on the show thus far. Let’s just hope there’s more of both when Young Rock Season 2 premieres.

Stream Young Rock on Peacock.
Buy Young Rock on Amazon.
Buy Young Rock on DVD/Blu-ray starting March 29 on Amazon.

Aquaman (2018)

When King Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson) makes a claim for the throne of Atlantis and attempts to unite the seven underwater kingdoms to wage war on the surface world, his half-brother, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), is forced to rise to the occasion, defeat his brother, and fulfill his destiny as the true Atlantean ruler. But, King Orm isn’t Aquaman’s only problem, as the ruthless Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is waiting in the shadows and preparing to attack.

James Wan’s 2018 blockbuster, Aquaman, features one of the best casts in a non-crossover DCEU film yet with everyone from Willem Dafoe to Nicole Kidman also sharing the screen with Jason Momoa. Another great addition is Randall Park’s Stephen Shin, a conspiracy theorist obsessed with finding the lost city of Atlantis. Park is brilliant in his portrayal of the obsessed and unhinged character, a role that will hopefully be expanded in the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Stream Aquaman on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Aquaman on Amazon.
Buy Aquaman on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Trainwreck (2015)

Serial dater Amy Townsend’s (Amy Schumer) life changes completely when she meets sports doctor Aaron Conners (Bill Hader) for a writing assignment. What starts out as a quick interview and feature story quickly morphs into a love story for the ages, as the crude and uncommitted writer finds new purpose in life.

Although he has a very minor role with not much screen time in Judd Apatow’s 2015 romantic comedy, Trainwreck, Randall Park makes the most of his time with a hilarious performance as Bryson, Amy’s colleague at S’nuff Magazine who looks absolutely heartbroken when his pitch about Dr. Conners is assigned to another writer. The disappointment that overtakes his face is incredible and incredibly sad.

Stream Trainwreck on Peacock.
Rent/Buy Trainwreck on Amazon.
Buy Trainwreck on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Hollars (2016)

The Hollars, one of John Krasinski’s first directorial efforts, follows John Hollars (Krasinski) as he returns to his hometown to help support his mother, who is about to undergo a risky brain surgery. Upon going back to his old stomping grounds, the prodigal son is forced to reconcile with his family, his past, and his place in the world in this emotional comedy.

There are so many good actors in The Hollars — Anna Kendrick, Charlie Day, Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins — it’s easy to overlook some of the smaller roles like Randall Park’s Dr. Fong, who gives a great performance that is both funny and touching at the same time. And, plus, we get to see Jim Halpert and “Asian Jim” on screen together.

Rent/Buy The Hollars on Amazon.
Buy The Hollars on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

With movies like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Strays scheduled for release in 2023, it’s safe to say we haven’t seen the last of great Randall Park performances. If you want to know what else is coming out before then, take a look at CinemaBlend’s schedule of all the 2022 movie releases for the latest.

Space Force returned for Season 2 this year, bringing back the hilarious Steve Carell comedy for more crazy space wars and ridiculous moments. With a killer cast and several things that work well, it's the perfect addition to Netflix’s impressive catalogue of comedies. 

However, one can binge that series like nobody’s business, and struggle to find a new show to watch that might have a similar style. Look no further, as we have some shows like Space Force for you to choose from that you’ll surely love from beginning to end. 

The Office (Peacock)

I know you know this series. The Office is a workplace comedy that takes place at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, a fictional workplace in Scranton, Pennsylvania, that follows the daily lives of its workers and their good-at-his-job boss, Michael Scott. 

If you’ve watched Space Force, you’ll love The Office for a couple of reasons. The first being that Steve Carell stars in this as Michael Scott, and arguably, the character is what put him on the map as an amazing comedic actor and is one of his best performances ever, in my opinion. Space Force was actually co-created by Carell and Greg Daniels, who also worked on The Office, so you can bet that the style of comedy is very similar. 

Stream The Office on Peacock.

Arrested Development (Netflix)

If you’re wondering what happens when a family loses all of their riches, Arrested Development is the way to go. This comedy starring Jason Bateman tells the story of the Bluth family, whose accounts are frozen and they now have to deal with the realities of not having the money that they had before. 

Arrested Development is a great time from beginning to end, and for fans of Space Force’s edgier comedy, this series is like that, too, featuring moments that will truly make you snort in laughter at some of the darker jokes. What makes this show even better, in my opinion, is its focus on inside jokes (which are brought up over the entire series) that only fans who have seen the whole show can understand, making it a more personal experience.  

Stream Arrested Development on Netflix.

Avenue 5 (HBO Max)

If you want a hilarious sci-fi adventure, check out Avenue 5. This HBO original series follows a group of crew members and their captain on an intergalactic cruise ship as they try to deal with their passengers once problems begin to arise. 

For fans of Space Force, you have the sci-fi aspect of this show that Space Force uses sometimes, but what really makes this so great is the workplace comedy part. I mean, Avenue 5 shows that you can really set a workplace comedy anywhere and as long as the people are funny, you’ll love the show. With stars like Hugh Laurie and Josh Gad, Avenue 5 excels.

Stream Avenue 5 on HBO Max.

The Big Bang Theory (HBO Max)

The Big Bang Theory was one of the biggest sitcoms on television for 12 seasons. The series begins with Leonard and Sheldon, two physicists with brilliant minds, but even with all their smarts, nothing could have prepared them for the woman who moves across the hall and changes their lives forever. 

When I tell you this show was huge, I mean it was huge. For fans of Space Force, if you enjoyed the more scientific aspect of the Netflix series, you’ll like the fun facts you learn from The Big Bang Theory, and how science is often infused into the comedy. But, you should watch for so many other reasons. There are so many cool behind-the-scenes facts to know, stars who exploded because of it, and much more, so give it a shot. I promise you won’t regret it. 

Stream The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max.

Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount Plus)

If you’re looking for an adult animation show, be sure to check out Star Trek: Lower Decks. As part of the Star Trek universe, this hilarious series focuses instead on the "lower-deckers" of a starship, showing what they do while the captains and the senior crew members are off trying to save the world from aliens and bigger threats.

If you’re into Space Force, I’m sure you’ve heard of Star Trek or are a big fan of it, and while I do love Star Trek how it is normally, there’s just something so great about Star Trek: Lower Decks. For fans of Space Force, it’s the perfect workplace comedy, but what makes this series even better is that it's raunchier than Star Trek ever is, creating hysterical moments that will have you crying tears of laughter. 

Stream Star Trek: Lower Decks on Paramount Plus.

Veep (HBO Max)

If you’re looking for another take on politics, check out Veep. This very popular HBO series, which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, follows Selina Meyer, a Vice President of the United States who is often cleaning up after her superior while making her own messes, and the daily lives of her dysfunctional team. 

While Space Force has plenty of sci-fi references, it is at its core a comedy that takes a hilarious angle on bureaucracy, and that’s exactly what Veep does as well. From the talented Veep cast to its interesting storylines mixed with very funny jokes, Veep is the perfect political comedy and one that you should definitely watch once you’ve binged all of Space Force. Also, both Veep and Avenue 5 were created by the same man, Armando Iannucci. 

Stream Veep on HBO Max.

Intelligence (Peacock)

2020 certainly was a year for releasing sci-fi dramedies, as the British television series, Intelligence, also released this year. When an NSA agent is assigned to act as a liaison in a cyber crimes unit for the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters, he starts to make himself known for his brashness, creating chaos in the workplace, especially with the cybersecurity team, who have to learn to work under this new leadership. 

What I really like about Intelligence for fans of Space Force is the members of the cyber-security team, because they kind of remind me of the workers of Space Force where they don’t quite necessarily fit together but somehow, they get the job done. David Schwimmer is really good in his lead role as Jerry, as well as Nick Mohammed, the creator of the show, who stars as Joseph. 

Stream Intelligence on Peacock.

The Orville (Hulu)

While we already had a Star Trek pick on this list, let’s take a look at The Orville, which is more of a parody of the Star Trek universe and sci-fi shows in general. Created and starring Seth MacFarlane, The Orville follows an exploration ship and its dysfunctional crew members as they travel across the universe and have new adventures. 

To me, there isn’t really a direct relationship between Space Force and The Orville because it doesn't feel like a workplace comedy like some of the others do on this list. However, I do think that The Orville is a hilarious parody of the space-travel genre and does have an angle of space bureaucracy that you might enjoy if you liked the politics of Space Force. Even so, MacFarlane truly shines in this series and created a fantastic show that will take you to new worlds of laughter. You can only expect the best from him. 

Stream The Orville on Hulu.

Upload (Amazon Prime)

Upload is a science-fiction series that takes place in 2033, where the general public now has the ability to upload their consciousness to a virtual afterlife once they die. Nathan, someone who suddenly dies, experiences this, but finds out that not everything is as it seems in this perfect world. 

While Upload might be a bit of a strange pick, hear me out. It’s not a workplace comedy or even anything remotely close to political, but the main reason why it’s listed is that it’s created by Greg Daniels, the same man who also made The Office and Space Force (alongside Steve Carell). Robbie Amell is great in his starring role, and if you liked him in this, you should check him out in the many other parts he's done. 

Stream Upload on Amazon Prime.

Parks And Recreation (Peacock)

Ready for another workplace comedy? Parks and Recreation is exactly what you would expect it to be - it follows a small team that works for the Parks and Rec division of their local government in Indiana, following their daily lives, specifically focusing on Leslie Knope. 

Fun fact - this show was again co-created by Greg Daniels, who proved once more how brilliant he is with workplace comedies. Featuring a stellar Parks and Recreation cast that is stacked to the brim with stars, the moment you turn on this series, you’ll instantly be reminded of Space Force. The humor is about the same, but what really makes this series shine is the impeccable acting performances, with my two favorites being Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, but everyone is so great in their own right. 

Stream Parks and Recreation on Peacock.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Hulu)

There are so many police procedural shows out there - how about we take a look at a police comedy? Brooklyn Nine-Nine, starring Andy Samberg, is a hysterical comedy that takes place in the fictional 99th Precinct in Brooklyn, New York, and follows the daily lives of its police officers, usually focusing on Detective Jake Peralta and his shenanigans. 

From the moment I started watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine, I fell in love with these characters. Like Space Force, this is a workplace comedy with some themes thrown in there about the politics of the police force, but overall, the show is just a great time from start to finish. There are some truly amazing episodes that will make you both laugh and cry your heart out, and you’ll form emotional attachments to these characters so quickly. Trust me when I say this is a show you definitely want to try out. 

Stream Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Hulu.

Silicon Valley (HBO Max)

Last but not least, we have Silicon Valley. Based on the real work environments of tech companies, but obviously parodied, Silicon Valley mainly follows Richard Hendricks, who founded a small start-up in Silicon Valley, and how his co-founders and friends, must find ways to keep their company going amongst the tech giants of the region. 

Like Space Force, this show offers plenty of commentary on the culture of work in America, showing just how stressful it is, albeit in a very specific industry. However, that doesn't change the fact that this show is still so funny, and what makes it better is the fantastic chemistry the Silicon Valley cast has, making this truly feel like you’re a part of the crazy environment, as well. With six seasons to stream, it’s worth the time for sure. 

Stream Silicon Valley on HBO Max.

With so many TV shows to watch, you almost might have enough to stream until a possible Space Force Season 3 comes out, but no matter what you end up watching, you’ll have a fun time regardless.  

When you think of one of the best TV shows of all time, what are some of few that come to mind? For me, it’s always been Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Seinfeld, what I like to call the trifecta of television, the three pillars on which all other TV shows stand under. Today, we’re talking about the latter, Seinfeld, the definition of what a sitcom comedy should be like. 

With a stellar cast, hilarious jokes, and regular comedy that’s really “about nothing,” Seinfeld is the perfect show to watch when you’re trying to wind down for the day and relax, and it's only gotten more popular over time. With its 2021 arrival on Netflix more and more people have gotten turned onto this fantastic show. 

But, if you’re like me, you probably binged through that show quicker than you would have liked and are in need of something new to watch. Look no further, as these are some of the best shows you can watch right now that might remind you of Seinfeld. 

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (Hulu)

If you’re looking for a show that follows a similar sort of premise - but with more terrible people - than look no further than It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This long-lasting FX comedy follows a gang of friends - siblings Dee and Dennis, their “father,” Frank, and their buddies, Mac and Charlie - in their adventures in Philadelphia. 

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has broken records for being the longest running live-action sitcom ever, with fifteen seasons out and three more on the way in the future. If you want to talk about a loyal fanbase, look no further than this one, especially for fans of Seinfeld. This show is darkly funny, and continues to impress years after its 2005 premiere. 

Stream It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Hulu.

The League (Hulu)

Looking at another FX comedy, did you ever think fantasy football, of all things, could be funny? That’s what The League is all about, following a group of friends who truly love the game, and while they do care for each other, they care about winning more. 

I mean, you want to talk about a friend group that’s always trying to one up each other like Seinfeld, this is your go-to. The League is all about competition and trying to one-up the others to get ahead - even if the way you do it might not be the best way, but damn if it isn’t hilarious. What makes this show even more fun is that, if you’re a fan of football like I am, NFL players tended to pop up regularly in this show. I believe The League deserves a revival for how funny it was. 

Stream The League on Hulu.

Arrested Development (Netflix)

This popular show follows the Bluth family, formally wealthy and affluent in society until their father ends up getting arrested for his accounting practices, leaving all their money to get frozen and for the family to wonder what to do. Now, all that’s left is Michael Bluth, and his urge to try and keep the family together - and stable. 

What I think Arrested Development does well for Seinfeld fans is that it feels like that same familiar experience. While this show features an actual family rather than a close friend-group, everyone in this family is so dysfunctional and has their own issues that you’ll be reminded of the Seinfeld cast in no time. Something else I really love about this show are the inside jokes that only you and anyone else that watches the show will understand. It's so meticulously written, everything flows perfectly. 

Stream Arrested Development on Netflix.

Workaholics (Paramount+)

You ever wanted a cruder version of The Office? Check out Workaholics. This popular Comedy Central show follows three young men who live together and work as telemarketers, following their regular antics and ridiculous moments. 

For fans of the friendship between the main characters in Seinfeld, this show is perfect for you, as that’s what Workaholics is really all about - how having those friendships can change your life. However, the added fact that they all work together only makes it funnier. What makes this show even funnier is the fact that most of the time these guys are high - so you know it’s going to get crazy. 

Stream Workaholics on Paramount+.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO Max)

You just knew this would be on the list. Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Larry David, is a hilarious sitcom on HBO that revolves around a fictional version of Larry himself in his everyday life - only his version of the world is far different than everyone else’s version. 

I mean, it’s hard to explain this show to anyone who hasn’t seen an episode. Larry David was the co-creator of Seinfeld, so you know that it’s going to be hilarious for fans of the former show. But, what makes this show even better than Seinfeld is that it’s on HBO, which means that Curb Your Enthusiasm can dive into topics that the other show never could have done before. Larry David’s character is just as selfish, self-destructive and unpredictable as any of the other characters on Seinfeld - which makes it perfect for you, and there’s so many amazing guest stars that it adds even more fun moments to enjoy.  

Stream Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO Max.

You’re The Worst (Hulu)

Ready for another hilarious FX comedy? Check out You’re the Worst. This fun comedy follows a writer and a PR agent who are both disasters in their own right. So what’s the best way to deal with your problems? Get into a relationship with that other person - right? 

This show is so funny from start to finish. I mean, if you thought some of the things the characters on Seinfeld would do could be uncaring or selfish or any of the above, you are not prepared for what the characters of You’re the Worst do. From start to finish, the relationship that leads this show is ridiculous in all the right ways and you’ll want to watch its destructive path all the way from the beginning. 

Stream You’re the Worst on Hulu.

Veep (HBO Max)

If you’re looking for something that one of the former cast members of Seinfeld did, check out Veep. This amazing HBO show follows a VP who has to fight a lot of battles, both personally and politically, trying to somehow keep the country in check as her chief executive continues to drive her insane. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a gem in this show. Truly, if you loved her in Seinfeld, you’ll adore her in Veep. Her acting is even better, and you can’t help but root for Selina Meyer, as she wants to become a legacy in the political world but often gets held up due to other issues going on - like her ridiculous chief executive. The Veep cast is astounding in all the right ways, but Dreyfus always takes the cake as the funniest. 

Stream Veep on HBO Max.

How I Met Your Mother (Hulu)

In this popular comedy, How I Met Your Mother is the longest story told ever, revealing how Ted Mosby met the mother of his children, following his life in New York City alongside his friends, and the relationships that followed.

While the humor in How I Met Your Mother is a bit different than Seinfeld, the jokes are still hilarious. But the one character that reminds me the most of Jerry in How I Met Your Mother is Barney Stinson. He is the most ridiculous, woman-loving and selfish man ever - but even he has this moments of sweetness, just like Jerry would have. The series also takes place in New York City, which is the same exact setting as Seinfeld. 

Stream How I Met Your Mother on Hulu.

Master Of None (Netflix) 

Moving onto a great Netflix original, Master of None, at least for the first two seasons, follows the life of an actor in New York City, struggling to find work and examines his daily life of trying to find love in the city while also trying to be successful. The third season follows a new couple, and their moments of love in their relationship. 

For fans of the city setting in Seinfeld, I personally think that Master of None is the perfect show to watch. The humor is more subtle and there’s no laugh-track, but I think that’s what makes it so much better than some of the other options out there. Plus, the first two seasons are truly great. Aziz Ansari really shined in his starring role. I wasn’t the hugest fan of the third season ending, but it was still entertaining regardless. 

Stream Master of None on Netflix.

Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee (Netflix)

Last, but not least, we have Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. This Netflix original, starring Jerry Seinfeld, follows the comedian as he goes to several different comedians' houses, drives them around in his cool car, and goes to get a coffee with them and have a nice conversation. 

From the premise, it doesn’t sound like this show would be too interesting, but if you’re a fan of Jerry’s comedy style (as you should be from watching Seinfeld), you’ll love this show. Seinfeld just has a way with words and his conversations with other comedians are always entertaining and you really get to learn a lot about their personal lives. Plus, if you’re into cars, Jerry’s pure passion for cars is super cool to learn about, and him driving around these awesome vehicles while talking with world-famous comedians like Eddie Murphy, Larry David, and more is always fun. 

Stream Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee on Netflix.

Even after nine seasons, Seinfeld still finds a way to drag me in every time to enjoy its hilarity, and even now, you have new shows to turn to once you finish binging the series again. No matter what you pick, it’ll be a fun time for sure. 

We’re in the middle of October, so Halloween celebrations are currently in full swing. While some moviegoers will watch horror movies to celebrate, no Halloween movie hits quite like Hocus Pocus. A sequel is currently in the works, which recently added a Veep star. Sign me up.

While not initially a critical or box office success, Hocus Pocus has become a cult classic in the decades since its release. The generations of fans are eager to catch up with the Sanderson Sisters in the sequel that’s currently in the works for Disney+. And the first new cast member has been announced: Veep star Sam Richardson.

This update about Hocus Pocus 2 comes to us from THR, and is one of the first thrilling updates about the movie. Sam Richardson is best known for starring as Richard Splett in Veep opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus. And now he’ll be working with more legends in the form of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy.

Of course, hardcore Veep fans will know that one of the Sanderson Sisters is already a co-worker for Sam Richardson. Kathy Najimy also had a role in the acclaimed HBO comedy as Wendy Keegan. We’ll just have to wait and see if the pair of actors share much screen time in Hocus Pocus 2. 

It’s currently unclear who Sam Richardson will be playing in Hocus Pocus 2, but it’s definitely a thrilling update about the mysterious project. The plot and rest of the starring cast haven’t been revealed yet, and it should be interesting to see what other names join the project. Honestly, who doesn’t want to join a Hocus Pocus sequel with the original cast?

Given how Hocus Pocus had been passed down across generations, many moviegoers are hoping that more original actors will join the trio of Sanderson Sisters. Allison actress Vinessa Shaw seemingly denied any involvement in the upcoming streaming sequel. Thora Birch seems down to reprise her role as Dani, but it’s unclear if that’s actually happening.

As previously mentioned, the information about Hocus Pocus 2 is pretty limited at this time. Original director Kenny Ortega won’t be back in the director’s chair, with that honor going to 27 Dresses filmmaker Anne Fletcher for the long-awaited sequel. The Disney+ project will be written by Jen D’Angelo (Workaholics), who is crafting an unknown story. 

Production on Hocus Pocus 2 is currently underway, with videos and photos from the set indicating that another flashback to 1960’s Salem. Only time will tell, but clearly there’s an audience who is eager for any updates about the sequel.

Hocus Pocus 2 is expected to hit Disney+ sometime in 2022. As for Sam Richardson, he was recently seen starring in Amazon’s The Tomorrow War, and had a role in Season 2 of Ted Lasso. Be sure to check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

By now, many of you have watched the new Showtime miniseries (limited series if we're acting all fancy) The Comey Rule and probably want to seek out other great politically-minded dramas (and comedies) now that you've done so. But with more streaming services than political ads on television leading up to a general election, trying to decide what to watch, and where to watch it, isn't always the easiest task.

And while we could follow through with the principles of our democracy and take votes on the best political movies and TV shows out there, it might be a whole easier to just name around 11 or so titles that one person thinks is best for the general audience. Call this an executive decision (or at least, a writer's decision) on the best streaming options for some of the most riveting political dramas (and comedies) out there.

The West Wing (Netflix)

Aaron Sorkin's long-running political drama The West Wing followed the lives of the politicians and staffers who worked (and sometimes slept) in the White House. Through good time and bad, the members of the Bartlet Administration proved time and time again that they were up to to task and could weather any storm.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Like in The Comey Rule, the NBC drama series provided great detail about the inner-workings of government offices, including the White House. Despite similarities in the setting and types of characters featured, however, The West Wing does have a lighter and oftentimes calmer tone than the Showtime series.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Recount (HBO Max)

Anyone who remembers the 2000 presidential election between Al Gore and eventual winner George W. Bush knows that it was nothing short of chaos. The 2008 HBO original film Recount serves as a dramatization of one of the most contentious, and confusing, periods in the early 21st Century.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you like the chaos of The Comey Rule or just the insanity of presidential elections in general, then Jay Roach's Emmy Award-winning TV movie is the way to go. From the time the polls close on Election Night 2000 to the Supreme Court decision that gave George W. Bush the election, this tense 116-minute drama has it all.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

All The President's Men (HBO Max)

The Watergate scandal was one of the biggest political controversies in the 20th Century, and perhaps even in the history of the United States, and the 1976 drama All The President's Men follows Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) as they risk their careers and safety to uncover the truth behind the Nixon Administration's actions.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you liked the conspiratorial nature of The Comey Rule or the investigations that took up much of the two-part miniseries, then Alan J. Pakula's political thriller is right up your alley. With shady government officials, truth seekers, and one of the worst examples of a coverup the nation has ever seen, this Academy Award-winning picture has it all.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

House Of Cards (Netflix)

The Netflix fourth-wall-breaking political drama House of Cards follows Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) as he rises from Democratic Majority Whip to the President of the United States before his eventual fall from grace at which point it picks up with his wife Claire (Robin Wright). But even with the change in command, the drama and political games continue.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: It is hard to say which show has the more intentionally unlikable leader of the free world, but that's what makes House of Cards and The Comey Rule so much fun to watch. Fans of the latter's drama, backstabbing, and unsavory characters will surely feel at home with this Netflix series. And plus, both feature Michael Kelly in major roles, and there's no such thing as too much Michael Kelly.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Game Change (HBO Max)

The 2008 Presidential Campaign was unlike anything anyone had seen. There was the first African American on the top of a major party's ticket but also the first female Vice Presidential nominee on the other side in Sarah Palin. The decision by Republican candidate John McCain's campaign to pick the one-time governor of Alaska is retold if spectacular fashion with Julianne Moore leading the charge.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Fans of the political circus surrounding the events of The Comey Rule will enjoy the over-the-top and sensationalistic nature of the HBO original movie Game Change. On top of that, it has some of the best living actors given spectacular portrayals of some of the biggest names in American politics.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Veep (HBO Max)

Before we get into the second half and more dramatic section of this piece, let's take a look at HBO's smash comedy Veep, which followed the life and career of Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as she goes from the Vice President to the Commander in Chief over the course of the show's seven seasons.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: At first you might think that a comedy lampooning politicians and staffers of the White House would have nothing in common with a prestige television version of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but both contain quite a bit of humor. In the case of Veep, however, the comedy is intentional.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Frost/Nixon (Netflix)

A few years after Richard Nixon resigned from the office of the President of the United States, he granted an in-depth interview with British TV personality David Frost, and those conversations, as well as all the planning that went into them, is given the full treatment in the 2008 drama Frost/Nixon.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you were a fan of the contentious relationship between Donald Trump (Brendan Gleeson) and James Comey (Jeff Daniels) in The Comey Rule then you'll love the back-and-forth conversations between Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) and David Frost (Michael Sheen) in Ron Howard's superb political and media drama.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Newsroom (HBO Max)

Aaron Sorkin's HBO cable news drama The Newsroom follows the embattled news anchor Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) as he undergoes a midlife crisis and changes his worldview overnight. With stories based on real events that are then tied into the fictional drama of the show's large ensemble cast, the show dives into the lives of those who cover the news and how their jobs affect their professional and personal lives.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Just like The Comey Rule, The Newsroom finds convincing ways of retelling some of the most important moments of the 21st Century. And while it can be a little too Aaron Sorkiny at times, the HBO drama doesn't hold back in its depictions of the real-world people who appear in the nightly news broadcasts.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The American President (Starz)

Aaron Sorkin's political work isn't found solely on TV as his 1995 political drama, which happened to be directed by Rob Reiner, The American President shows. Centering on President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) when he falls for lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) just as he's running for reelection, the movie explores how someone's love life can become political capital for their opponent.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you enjoyed the battle between personal and professional lives seen in Jeff Daniels' portrayal of James Comey in The Comey Rule, then this slick political drama about love and politics might be a nice palate cleanser.

Stream it on Starz here.

JFK (HBO Max)

Oliver Stone's three-hour political thriller JFK has less to do with President John F. Kennedy than it does with his assassination and the investigation carried out by Jim Garrision (Kevin Costner) as he tries to get to the bottom of a supposed conspiracy. With great performances by Costner, Kevin Bacon, Joe Pesci, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald, there's a lot to enjoy here.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Make no mistake about it, JFK is a full-on conspiracy theory in the form of a movie, and that's what makes it a good option for someone who loved the more conspiratorial side of The Comey Rule. Just don't hold your breath on any answers to the major questions it poses.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Dave (HBO Max)

And then there's Dave, the 1993 political comedy about a presidential impersonator who becomes the actual president for a short period of time. Starring Kevin Kline as the titular character (as well as the real, less than nice president), there's just so much about this movie to love.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If The Comey Rule has you wanting to sit back and relax while still taking in some pretty major political scandals, then this 1993 classic is the movie for you. Seriously, it's probably the greatest movie about the President of the United States.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Those are just 11 great political movies and TV shows to watch after finishing The Comey Rule. Did your favorite make the list? Make sure to sound off in the comments below and let us know.

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2020 is only a third of the way over, and yet the Blu-ray and Digital release calendar has already been a hub of activity. With movie theaters closed we've seen movies hitting digital storefronts faster than ever before, and we now have word from at least one studio that this will become the new normal. As theaters have continued to remain closed, the last films that did see a theatrical release in 2020 have continued to trickle out on physical media. Although, with most of them getting released in May, there won't be much left to release after this month is over.

Scroll down to see the newest releases...

January

We’re heading into 2020, but the New Year still has 2019 on the brain, at least in terms of DVD, Blu-ray and Digital releases. For the next few months, we’ll be seeing some big 2019 content coming out on these platforms, both of the big budget and indie variety.

In fact, the first week of January in 2020 is a huge one for DVD and Blu-ray releases. Todd Phillips’ behemoth hit Joker is hitting those platforms for the first time after hitting Digital just in time for the holidays. It also comes with the “miserable to make” flick The Lighthouse, which is hitting homes just as we head into awards season. (And also was one of our favorite horror movies in 2019.)

HBO’s Big Little Lies Season 2 is also getting a big release at the beginning of January 2020, so it won’t be a light kickoff to the month at all. Diving in deeper, we have family favorites like Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, The Addams Family and more hitting homes. We also have critical favorites like Parasite and some big budget releases like Terminator: Dark Fate coming, as well.

It’s not a bad way to kick off the year, particularly given January is usually a little light on new theatrical releases. So, you and your family can cozy up with some hot chocolate (maybe that only happens in Hallmark movies?) and pick and choose from some excellent releases.

As usual, Digital releases are the same day as the DVD and Blu-ray releases, unless otherwise noted. Take a look at what’s coming up, below.

Tuesday, January 7 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Joker

The Lighthouse

Big Little Lies: The Complete Second Season

A Million Little Pieces

Girl on the Third Floor

The Shed

Imprisoned

Crown Vic

Bulletproof 2

Cosmos

Mine 9

Paradise Hills

Tuesday, January 14 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Gemini Man

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Jexi

Krypton: The Complete Second & Final Season

Running with the Devil

The Big Trip

Veep: The Final Season

Beyond the Law

Code 8

The Death and Life of John F. Donovan

Line of Duty

Macgyver: Season 3

Turkey Bowl

YOU: The Complete First Season

Mister America

Beverly Hills Cop: 3 Movie Collection

Early Digital Releases

Terminator: Dark Fate

Parasite

Motherless Brooklyn

Harriet

Tuesday, January 21 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

The Addams Family

Zombieland: Double Tap

Jay And Silent Bob Reboot

Countdown

Black and Blue

I See You

Pain and Glory

The Knight of Shadows

The Courier

Early Digital Releases

Playing with Fire

Tuesday, January 28 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Terminator: Dark Fate

Parasite

Motherless Brooklyn

My Life Is Murder

Roswell, New Mexico: The Complete First Season

Harriet

Ballers: The Complete Fifth Season

Early Digital Releases

Ford v. Ferrari

We’re just getting the year started, so stay tuned and keep an eye out for the other home entertainment releases coming in 2020!

February

The first month of 2020 brought with it some of 2019’s biggest movies on DVD and Blu-ray. The second month will be no different. Some of the big movies that closed out last year will finally be making their way to our homes so we can enjoy them as frequently as we like.

The end of every year is always so full of potentially great movies looking for awards consideration that it’s close to impossible to see everything, so now we can all catch the great films we missed at a leisurely pace.

The beginning of the month sees the release of Doctor Sleep, a film most critics loved but most clearly didn’t see, so perhaps this will be the movie’s change to find an audience. We’ll also see the release of awards darlings like Jojo Rabbit, and Knives Out, as well as big blockbusters like Frozen II.

As usual, Digital releases are the same day as the DVD and Blu-ray releases, unless otherwise noted. Take a look at what’s coming up, below.

Week Of Tuesday, February 4 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Playing With Fire

Last Christmas

Doctor Sleep

The Good Liar

Arctic Dogs

Waves

The House That Jack Built

Dragonheart: Vengeance

Grand Isle

Keeping Faith: Series 2

Mon Mon Mon Monsters!

Rabid

The Nightengale

Trauma Center

Early Digital Releases

Jojo Rabbit

Midway

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

21 Bridges

Knives Out (February 7)

Week Of Tuesday, February 11 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Ford v Ferrari

After She Wakes

Greener Grass

Hell on the Border

In Fabric

Line of Descent

Preacher - The Final Season

Roma

Swamp Thing: The Complete Series

Shutter Island: 10th Anniversary Steel Book

First Love

Early Digital Releases

Frozen II

Week Of Tuesday, February 18 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Midway

21 Bridges

Jojo Rabbit

Frankie

Disturbing the Peace

The Twilight Zone: Season One

Scandalous: The Untold Story of The National Enquirer

Warriors of the Nation

The Good Karma Hospital

The Dawn

Early Digital Releases

Charlie’s Angels

Dark Waters

Queen & Slim

Week Of Tuesday, February 25 DVD, Digital And Blu-ray Releases

Frozen II

Knives Out

Color Out of Space

Norm of the North: Family Vacation

The Corrupted

The Climbers

The Hunt For the Red October (30th Anniversary Edition)

Early Digital Releases

Uncut Gems

Bombshell

March

The third month of 2020 will take care of nearly every remaining film released in 2019 that had not yet seen a home release. This means a great combination of both awards caliber films and crowd favorite holiday releases are on the way, as well as a few films that may have been looking for awards season recognition but found themselves overlooked.

March opens with a pair of those movies as both Queen & Slim and Dark Waters, which reviewed well but didn’t make many year-end short lists, hit Blu-ray. Perhaps they’ll find their audience at home. We will, however, see the digital release for Jumanji: The Next Level, which is impressive considering the film is still in some theaters.

A few big Oscar movies will be hitting throughout the month of March, including, Bombshell and 1917. But the major release for March, of course, will be Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which will see a Digital release in the middle of the month with the physical release coming on the last day of March.

Check out the full list of March releases below. Everything comes out on Tuesday of the listed week unless noted otherwise.

Week Of Tuesday, March 3 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Queen & Slim|

Dark Waters

Playmobil: The Movie

2 Graves In The Desert

Ana

I Am Fear

The Furies

The Sonata

Titans: The Complete Second Season

No Offence: Complete Collection

Nezha

Early Digital Releases

Jumanji: The Next Level

Richard Jewell

Black Christmas

A Hidden Life

The Jesus Rolls (March 6)

Week Of Tuesday, March 10 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Spies in Disguise

Uncut Gems

Bombshell

Charlie’s Angels

Chesapeake Shores: Season 4

Inherit The Viper

John Henry

The Affair: The Final Season

A Quiet Place (Mondo Steelbook)

The Ten Commandments (Special Two-Film Collector's Edition)

The Witch: Subversion

Little Joe

Early Digital Releases

1917

Little Women

Spies In Disguise

The Grudge

Week Of Tuesday, March 17 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Jumanji: The Next Level

Richard Jewell

Black Christmas

Abigail

Crashing: S3

Superman: Red Son

The Dustwalker

Early Digital Releases

Cats (March 16)

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Just Mercy

The Invisible Man (March 20) (Rental Only)

Emma (March 20) (Rental Only)

The Hunt (March 20) (Rental Only)

Week Of Tuesday, March 24 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

1917

The Grudge

The Song of Names

Clemency

Treadstone: Season One

Early Digital Releases

Clemency (March 23)

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 10 ( March 23)

Dolittle

Bloodshot

The Way Back

I Still Believe (March 27)

Birds of Prey

Call of the Wild (March 27)

Downhill (March 27)

Week Of Tuesday, March 31 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

The Current War: Director's Cut

Mr. Robot: Season 4

The Purge: Season Two

VFW

Coda

Standing Up, Falling Down

Early Digital Releases

Sonic the Hedgehog

Bad Boys For Life

Impractical Jokers: The Movie (April 1)

April

What a difference a month makes. At the end of February, as we were looking forward to what March had to offer on the home entertainment front, everything looked like business as usual. And now, it's anything but. The calendar got reshuffled multiple times over the course of the month, as several releases, mostly digital, were released early to take advantage of the fact that large swaths of the nation are being asked to shelter in place. Even films that were in theaters a month ago are on that list.

While Hollywood is largely at a standstill theatrically, there are still, for the moment, a few months worth of films from the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2019 still waiting for their digital and/or physical home release. This includes Oscar nominees from last year, like Little Women, and what is, largely due to the fact that theaters are closed for business, still the highest grossing movie of the year, Bad Boys for Life.

With so many movies having released digitally already, the pickings for April are now a bit slim, but, early in the month will see the unprecedented release of Trolls World Tour, a film that was originally scheduled for a theatrical run, and rather than simply delaying that release with theaters closed, as other films have done, the movie will debut on Digital platforms April 10.

Here's everything else April has to offer.

Week Of Tuesday, April 7 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Little Women

Dolittle

Cats

Escape From Pretoria

Madam Secretary: The Final Season

Swift

The Cold Blue

The Night Clerk

Strike

Early Digital Releases

The Turning

Ip Man 4: The Finale

Like a Boss

Gretal and Hansel

The Last Full Measure

Citizen K

Paris Wine And Romance

Trolls World Tour (April 10) (Rental Only)

Week Of Tuesday, April 14 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Underwater

Just Mercy

Criminal Minds: The Final Season

Final Kill

The Righteous Gemstones: Season 1

Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge

The Cat and the Moon

Unintended

Inside the Rain (Available April 15)

Early Digital Release

The Rhythm Section

The Gentlemen

Week Of Tuesday, April 21 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Bad Boys For Life

The Gentlemen

Like a Boss

The Turning

Ip Man 4: The Finale

The Last Full Measure

Looking For Alaska

Promare

Fatal Attraction

King Creole

To Catch a Thief

Week Of Tuesday, April 28 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The Rhythm Section

The Assistant

Guns Akimbo

Arrow: The Eighth and Final Season

Just One of the Guys (35th Anniversary)

Early Digital Releases

The Photograph

May

May is here, and with it comes, basically, the last batch of Blu-ray releases of any movies that have yet seen a theatrical release. March saw the release of movies like Pixar's Onward, Vin Diesel's Bloodshot and the well regarded horror movie The Invisible Man and while, at this point, basically everything has seen its digital release, already, for those people who want to own the physical discs, you'll now have your chance. Assuming you're cool with ordering them online, of course.

Other Blu-rays hitting the street in May include the popular Sonic the Hedgehog movie as well as the far less popular Fantasy Island movie. But at this point, can you really argue? You've seen all the good movie by now, only the bad ones are left. Here's the rundown of everything hitting Blu-ray in may 2020.

Week Of Tuesday, May 5 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Gretel & Hansel

Bloodshot

I Still Believe

The Lodge

Greed

Ordinary Love

Tigers Are Not Afraid

Arkansas

Lancaster Skies

Ray Donovan: The Seventh Season

The Jesus Rolls

Early Digital Release

Emma

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War

Week Of Tuesday, May 12 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Birds of Prey

Fantasy Island

The Photograph

Lost Transmissions

Lucifier: The Complete Fourth Season

Narcos: Mexico

Redcon-1

Shameless: Season 10

Stray Dolls

The Traitor

Vivarium

All for Nikki

The Voices

The Queen's Corgi

Early Digital Release

The Invisible Man

Capone

Week Of Tuesday, May 19 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Sonic the Hedgehog

Onward

The Way Back

Brahms: The Boy II

Emma

Wildlife

Behind You

Buffaloed

Call the Midwife: Season Nine

Creepshow Season 1

Fear The Walking Dead: The Complete Fifth Season

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War

Last Moment of Clarity

The Good Place: The Final Season

The Postcard Killings

International Falls

Penance Lane

Zombies 2

Week Of Tuesday, May 26 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The Invisible Man

Adventures Of Rufus: The Fantastic Pet

Endings, Beginnings

Once Were Brothers: Robby Robertson and the Band

Debt Collectors (May 29)

Wildlife

Queen of the South: The Complete Fourth Season

Silicon Valley: The Complete Sixth Season

The Deuce: The Complete Third Season

June

With June we reach the mid point of the year, but we're reaching the bottom of the barrel when it comes to Blu-ray and DVD releases in a lot of ways. While there are still a few items of note if you're a fan of certain TV shows, there's very little left when it comes to theatrical releases. With so many theatrical releases being rushed onto Digital and physical formats much faster than usual due to theater closures, almost everything is already out, leaving just the direct-to-video items, though there one can frequently find a diamond in the rough there from time to time.

If you are looking to pick up some of the last films to see theatrical releases, you're choices are basically Blumhouse's The Hunt, or Portrait of a Lady on Fire. The former was a somewhat controversial film that saw its release date delayed into the worst possible timing. The latter is a French film from 2019, but it didn't see a wide North American theatrical release until 2020. Beyond that, you can pick up HBO's Wachmen limited series as well as the most recent season of Doctor Who.

If, however, you're not so much looking for new films to own as you want to pick up some of your favorite older films in bright, shiny modern formats, there are a few different options there. The John Hughes classic Pretty in Pink is hitting Blu-ray for the first time in June. You can also pick up a new 4K edition of Jaws celebrating the film's 45th anniversary. And if you really love seeing classic movies in new ways, there's the Columbia Classics Collection, which includes a wide range of films from the history of the studio, starting with Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and going to Jerry Maguire. All of the films are hitting 4K UHD, and if this is the only way to see Lawrence of Arabia in glorious 4K, it might be worth it to get the whole set.

Week Of Tuesday, June 2 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Jaws (45th Anniversary Limited edition)

1BR

Abe

Clickbait

Creepshow: Season 1

Debt Collectors

Extra Ordinary

Harley Quinn: The Complete First Season

Robert the Bruce

Rogue Warfare: The Hunt

Watchman: An HBO Limited Series

Witches in the Woods

Week Of Tuesday, June 9 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The Hunt

Doctor Who: The Complete Twelfth Season

Outback

Power: Season 6

Think Like a Dog

We Summon the Darkness

Modern Family: The Complete Eleventh Season

Week Of Tuesday, June 16 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Impractical Jokers: The Movie

Pretty in Pink

2 Minutes of Fame

A Soldier's Revenge

Bad Therapy

Kill Mode

LEGO DC Shazam: Magic and Monsters

Project Blue Book Season 2

Saint Francis

Sniper: Assassin's End

The Etruscan Smile

The Marshes

The Quarry

Colombia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection

• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
• Lawrence of Arabia
• Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
• Gandhi
• A League Of Their Own
• Jerry Maguire

Week Of Tuesday, June 23 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Corpus Christi

Inheritance

Pennyworth: The Complete First Season

South Park: The Complete Twenty-Third Season

The Legion

Burden

Phoenix, Oregon

Early Digital Release

Trolls World Tour

July

It's July, which means summer is in full swing. Normally, that means beating the heat by hiding out in an air-conditioned movie theater checking out this year's biggest blockbusters, but that's certainly not happening any time soon. Failing that, you could catch up on the movies you missed earlier this year on Blu-ray, but...that's not really an option either. The last theatrically released movies before everything shut down were released in June, and while the flow of digital and Blu-ray films haven't stopped entirely, the calendar looks quite different.

There are a few movies hitting Blu-ray in July, but all we have are those few films that were originally going to be theatrical releases, which instead made the decision to release on digital platforms. The first week of July we'll see Trolls World Tour hit Blu-ray, so if you're not one of the people who grabbed the digital rental early, you can now own the movie for around the same price that rental once cost.

In addition, in mid-July we'll see Scoob! hit Blu-ray. Of course, if you're a subscriber to HBO Max, you already have access to it. If family movies aren't your thing, July 14 will also see the release of Josh Trank's Capone.

Beyond that, there's a fair amount of TV hitting physical media, which at least has the benefit of giving you several hours of content, so if you need to complete your collection of NCIS, Orange is the New Black, or Hawaii Five-0, you'll be able to do that.

Week Of Tuesday, July 7 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Trolls World Tour

Belzebuth

Blood and Money

Hope Gap

Proximity

Sorry We Missed You

Sweetness in the Belly

The Lost Husband

The Wild Goose Lake

Mighty Oak

Inmate #1

Slay the Dragon

Early Digital Release

The High Note

Week Of Tuesday, July 14 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Body Cam

Castle in the Ground

Enter the Fat Dragon

The Magicians: Season 5

The Swing of Things

VHYes

Week Of Tuesday, July 21 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Capone

Castle Rock: The Complete Second Season

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 10

Scoob!

DeadTectives

Marriage Story

Resistance

Airplane! (40th Anniversary)

Survive the Night

The Room

Samurai Marathon

Week Of Tuesday, July 28 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

End of Sentence

Fisherman's Friends

Hawaii Five-O: The Final Season

Legacy of Lies

NCIS: The Seventeenth Season

Orange is the New Black: Season 7

The Other Lamb

The Outsider: The First Season

Early Digital Release

Sometimes Always Never

August

If this keeps going much longer one really wonders if there will even be new DVDs to write about by the end of the year. While there are always movies that are planned to go direct to digital platforms and Blu-ray, eventually those movies, just like feature film releases and new television, will stop being produced. We haven't seen a new movie in theaters since March and so there's nothing left to come out from that channel. At the same time, there was a feeling that theaters might be opening up soon, and so it seems that most movies that might have gone that route have decided to hold off on the "premium VOD" plan.

As was the case in July, a lot of what's coming to DVD in August is made up of the TV shows that wrapped up their most recent seasons in the spring coming to physical media for those that still collect every season of their favorite show. There's NCIS: Los Angeles and New Orleans as well as new seasons of The Good Doctor and Blue Bloods and The Blacklist. When it comes to movies, we are seeing home video releases for those couple of films that, in a parallel reality, could have been theatrical films, like The High Note and The King of Staten Island. Here's the full list of what's coming home in August.

Week of Tuesday, August 4 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Dead Ringer

Dispatches From Elsewhere, Season 1

His Dark Materials: First Season

NCIS: Los Angeles: The Eleventh Season

The Good Doctor - Season 3

Swallow

The Resistance Fighter

The Soul Collector

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan - Season Two

House of Hummingbird

Early Digital Release

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons

Week of Tuesday, August 11 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Archive

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

G-Loc

Gold Digger, Season 1

How to Build a Girl

I am Vengence: Retaliation

Max Reload and the Nether Blasters

NCIS: New Orleans: The Sixth Season

The Blacklist - Season 7

The High Note

The Wretched

Valley of the Gods

Michael (Warner Archive Collection)

Week of Tuesday, August 18 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Batwoman: The Complete First Season

Blue Bloods: The Tenth Season

Cursed Films

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons

Emperor

Military Wives

Open 24 Hours

Prevenge

S.W.A.T - Season 3

Sometimes Always Never

The Terror: Infamy: The Complete Second Season

Clara's Heart (Warner Archive Collection)

Week of Tuesday, August 25 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The Burnt Orange Heresy

Chicago Fire: Season Eight

Chicago Med: Season Five

Deep Blue Sea 3

Infamous

One Night in Bangkok

SEAL Team: Season Three

The Flash: The Complete Sixth Season

The King of Staten Island

The Trip To Greece

Yes, God, Yes

Pat and Mike (Warner Archive Collection)

September

It's September and, while movie theaters are still closed in many major markets, theaters are opening back up in some places, and some of the major film releases that have been delayed for months are finally set to come out. That's ultimately good news on the DVD and Blu-ray front because it means that films like Tenet and Mulan will be coming to home media sometime down the road. This is good, because it really feels like there's not a lot left to be released when it comes to brand new DVDs.

That's not to say that there's absolutely nothing coming out on DVD in September. TV fans will continue to have their hands full with box sets of new seasons of everything from Bull to Young Sheldon to Supergirl. We'll also see a few recent movies, like First Cow, which was one of the many films that saw its theatrical release squashed by the pandemic, and the well-received HBO movie Bad Education. If there's a highlight to the September release schedule, however, it may be the underseen horror movie Blood Quantum, which is worth checking out.

If you're looking for some classic movies to revisit. September sees new Blu-ray and UHD releases of everything from Full Metal Jacket to Roman Holiday. It's also the 20th anniversary of Battlefield Earth, so do with that what you will.

Week of Tuesday, September 1 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Blood Quantum

Cut Off

Irresistible

Magnum P.I.: Season Two

Rogue

Young Sheldon: The Complete Third Season

Z

Early Digital Release

Robin's Wish

Week of Tuesday, September 8 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The Big Ugly

First Cow

A Nice Girl Like You

Bad Education

Bull: Season Four

Chicago P.D.: Season Seven

Mighty Oak

Mr. Mercedes: Season 03

Prodigal Son: The Complete First Season

Retaliation

Supergirl: The Complete Fifth Season

Superman: Man of Tomorrow

True History of the Kelly Gang

Vitalina Varela

Waiting For the Barbarians

Ghost in the Shell (25th Anniversary 4K)

Week of Tuesday, September 15 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Weathering With You

No Safe Spaces

Becky

Killing Eve, Season 3

Outlander - Season 05

Succession: The Second Season

Outpost: Season 2

Tommaso

Battlefield Earth (20th Anniversary Edition)

Roman Holiday (Blu-ray Debut)

Shivers

Little Monsters

21 Jump Street (4K UHD)

22 Jump Street (4K UHD)

Week of Tuesday, September 22 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Babysplitters

Babyteeth

Beckman

DC's Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Fifth Season

Rick & Morty: Season 4

Sanctuary, Season 1

The Good Fight: Season Four

Full Metal Jacket (4K UHD)

Whiplash (4K UHD)

Week of Tuesday, September 29 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels Season One

DC"s Stargirl: Complete First Season

Welcome to Sudden Death

October

With October the year begins to draw to a close, which is usually a hot time for home entertainment releases because this would be the point where we would start to see the big summer theatrical films brought home. Of course, in 2020 that's a tad difficult as there were no big summer movies. The entire summer movie season was effectively canceled going to hit extra hard now as it means the secondary revenue stream of home entertainment releases is also missing in action.

Of course, that doesn't mean there's nothing at all on the horizon. In fact, there's quite a bit coming out, at least if you're a fan of television. There are some solid series getting dropped in the first part of October, including the first season of the CBS All Access show Picard. as well as the first volume of Season 6 of Vikings.

And there are even a few movies coming out as films that would have seen theatrical release but instead went to VOD, like David Ayer's The Tax Collector with Shia Lebeouf and The Secret Garden starring Colin Firth. We'll also bsee the Blu-ray release of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie which is great for the 10 people who don't have Netflix.

Week of Tuesday, October 6 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The Tax Collector

American Pie Presents: Girls Rule

Eli Roth's History of Horror, Season 1

Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo

Nancy Drew: Season 1

Save Yourselves!

Star Trek: Picard - Season 1

Tales From the Hood 3

The 2nd

The Last Kingdom: Season 4

The Pale Door

The Secret Garden

Valley Girl

Yummy

To Your Last Death

Early Digital Release

Ben 10 vs. the Universe (October 11)

Week of Tuesday, October 13 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Broil

Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite!

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

The Good Witch: Season 6

The American West, Season 1

Doorman

Vikings Season 6: Vol. 1

Batman: Death in the Family

District 9 (4K/UHD)

Requiem For A Dream: Director's Cut (4k/UHD)

Week of Tuesday, October 20 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Cut Throat City

The Secrets We Keep

No Escape

Spree

Alone

NOS4A2, Season 2

Quiz, Season 1

Scare Package

The Great: Season 1

The Owners

The Vanished

Tremors: Shrieker Island

Early Digital Release

Bill & Ted Face the Music

Week of Tuesday, October 27 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising

Attack of the Unknown

Black Lightning: The Complete Third Season

Friendsgiving

Rambo: The Complete Steelbook Collection (4K/UHD)

Ben 10 vs. the Universe

November

With the end of the year fast approaching, and the fact that we've now officially spent most of 2020 with theaters largely closed and every major theatrical release pushed off for some nebulous 2021 date, Wonder Woman 1984 notwithstanding, it's perhaps more than a little shocking that, somehow, November actually has a few more movies of note hitting DVD and Blu-ray than we've seen in months. This is largely due to the fact that in the last couple months we've seen more studios simply give up on waiting and release movies through whatever means were available.

This means more movies have been dropped as Premium VOD offerings or handed off to streaming services. But if you weren't willing to drop $20 for what was essentially a digital rental, or simply didn't right subscribe to the right service to get access to the movie you want to see. You know have more options. Movies like Bill and Ted Face the Music, Antebellum, and even The New Mutants will be making their home debut in November. If you didn't actually know these movies never really got the wide release they were expecting, you might think things were actually getting back to normal. Here's what's hitting physical and digital media in November 2020.

Week of Tuesday, November 3 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Antebellum

Blackbird

Hard Kill

Misbehavior

The Crown - Season 03

Kick-Ass (4K UHD)

V For Vendetta (4K UHD)

Early Digital Release

Possessor Uncut

Week of Tuesday, November 10 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Bill and Ted Face the Music

A Day in New York

Dark Figures

Guest House

I Met a Girl

Mortal

Schitt's Creek Complete Collection

Spontaneous

Upside-Down Magic

Early Digital Release

Jungleland

Week of Tuesday, November 17 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The New Mutants

Unhinged

The Broken Hearts Gallery

Words on Bathroom Walls

Relic

Summerland

2067

Death of Me

Iron Mask

Paydirt

Pokemon the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back - Evolution

The Devil Has a Name

Westworld S3: The New World

The Resident Evil Collection (4K UHD)

Mission: Impossible - The Original Series (Blu-ray)

Week of Tuesday, November 24 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

After We Colided

Peninsula

Ava

Better Call Saul - Season 5

The Irishman

December

And so we come to the end of another year, and one unlike any other when it comes to DVD and Blu-ray releases, While 2020 was, in some ways, a huge year for watching movies at home, because of the lack of theatrical releases that lasted for most of the year, we simply did not see the same big releases that we have in previous years. That's not to say there was nothing worth picking up, and even December has one very high profile release that's going to be potentially big for a lot of people, Christopher Nolan's Tenet.

Because Tenet actually did release in theaters, the biggest movie of 2020 to do so after theaters initially closed, a lot of people who otherwise would have likely gone to see the film in theaters did not do so. Maybe theaters still weren't open near them, or perhaps they still weren't ready to venture out into theaters in early September when Tenet arrived, but for anybody who wanted to see the time-bending feature from Christopher Nolan, they'll finally have the chance to do so from the comfort of home in December. Here's everything hitting DVD, Blu-ray and Digital this month.

Week of Tuesday, December 1 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The Rental

Made in Italy

Blindspot: The Complete Fifth Season

The Neighborhood: Season 2

Blade (4K UHD)

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (4K UHD)

The Hobbit Trilogy (4K UHD)

Top Gun (4K UHD)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (4K UHD)

Chernobyl (4K UHD)

Perry Mason: The Complete First Season

Popeye (Blu-ray debut)

Week of Tuesday, December 8 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone

Possessor Uncut

She Dies Tomorrow

Faith Under Fire

Proxima

Smiley Face Killers

Yellowstone: Season Three

Collateral (4K UHD)

Hawaii 5-0: The Complete Series

Early Digital Release

Honest Thief

Week of Tuesday, December 15 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Tenet

Infidel

Alone

The Call

The Dark and the Wicked

Avenue 5: The Complete First Season

Aviva

Chick Fight

Echo Boomers

The Beach House

The Expanse: Season Four

The Opening Act

The Reason

The Wolf of Snow Hollow

Week of Tuesday, December 22 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

The War with Grandpa

Kajillionaire

Jiu Jitsu

The Craft: Legacy

The Place of No Words

Shortcut (December 25)

Early Digital Release

Yellow Rose

Week of Tuesday, December 29 DVD, Digital, and Blu-ray Releases

Honest Thief

The Last Shift

Triggered

Staying entertained is of paramount importance right now. Obviously, there are many things one can do while spending every day and night at home. Plant a garden, repaint the walls, draw, learn an instrument, nap, cook, eat, nap some more...but we all know that most of us are using a lot of whatever newfound free time we have to do one thing: watch TV and movies. Now, HBO has made it a lot easier to find a new favorite or revisit something you already love, as the cabler just released The Wire, The Sopranos and lots of other content for free.

Here's how this will work. Beginning this Friday, April 3, you'll be able to get access to nine of HBO's full series and 10 of the network's docuseries or documentaries without having to pay for an HBO subscription. All you have to do is download either the HBO Now or the HBO Go apps, or get yourself over to the website for either streaming platform on your computer. You'll then get to watch the full series of each show that's been made available, which means you'll have hundreds of hours worth of additional viewing options at your fingertips. Here's the list of what you can watch:

Let's face it, with television, especially, it can be hard to keep up with all the prestige / buzzed-about shows that arrive on a regular basis. So, it's not impossible that there are a lot of people who managed to miss out on the wonders that these series had to offer, even if the shows had been completed many years ago.

Just among the scripted shows, there are some marvels to behold. The Wire is my favorite of the dramas listed, and, honestly, I still consider it to be one of the best shows of all time. If you've never seen the series, which chronicles the lives and work of a group of Baltimore cops and the (mostly) gangsters they hunt in every episode, then you've missed out on some of the best writing ever seen on television, along with one awesome catchphrase. You've also missed out on wonderful performances from Idris Elba, Aidan Gillen, Michael Kenneth Williams, a very young Michael B. Jordan and many more.

Thanks to HBO, you can now spend your free time more wisely and binge The Wire, Veep, Succession and other new and old hits and keep that cash in your pocket. We don't know exactly how long all the content will be offered, but HBO did make it clear that this is for a limited time, so be sure to get in on this tomorrow after you finish working in your pajamas or teaching your kid about the War of 1812, or whatever else it is you've been doing all day.

If you still need more ideas for things to watch (Don't worry. It's OK to admit you need more entertainment guidance than usual right now.), check out our Netflix schedule and see what's new on Hulu in April!

With the 2019 Emmy Awards having come and gone back in September, the TV awards season is now able to look forward with focus on the slightly less proper Golden Globe Awards, which will air on NBC in January. With just three weeks or so to go until the big day, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association unveiled its list of high-profile nominees for the 2020 Golden Globes, and there were quite a few surprises to take away from the announcements delivered by Tim Allen, Dakota Fanning and Susan Kelechi Watson.

Below, we've rounded up not only some of the more questionable exclusions from this year's Golden Globe nominations, but also some of the more positive-minded surprises. So without further ado, let's kick things off with one of the most adorable snubs that could possibly exist.

The Mandalorian Was Totally Ignored

Okay, so did I truly expect the very first Star Wars live-action TV series to immediately be embraced by the HFPA less than two months into its first season's run? Not really, but that was back before audiences had a chance to witness the slow and methodical magic of Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian, which instantly made a star out of its tiny puppet Baby Yoda. While it may not be as densely plotted as other top-tier TV dramas, The Mandalorian fills those gaps with gorgeous locations, A+ camera work and a plethora of amazing special effects. Maybe the Globes voters just weren't sure whether to call it a drama or a comedy...

No Veep, BoJack Horseman Or The Good Place

Entertainment awards used to be pretty dependable when it comes to honoring TV series for their final seasons, but the 2020 Golden Globes apparently aren't about that life anymore. Not only did HBO's Veep get completely ignored for its cringe-heightening seventh season, but so did Emmy collector Julia Louis-Dreyfus, whose breast cancer diagnosis postponed the season's production. Beyond Veep, both Netflix's BoJack Horseman and NBC's The Good Place also earned zero nominations, though both still technically have more episodes coming in 2020 that could secure their last shots at the gold.

Apple TV+ Crushed It With The Morning Show

Though the release of the streaming service Apple TV+ didn't seem to put any giant dents into the respective armors of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon, the digital company has already made other waves where it counts by securing a trio of nominations for the similar-to-real-life drama The Morning Show. The high-profile project earned nominations for stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, and it's also up for the top honor of Best Drama Series. Considering the so-so early buzz for The Morning Show (and Apple TV+ in general), it's gotta be a huge boost of confidence for Apple to have its original programming plans vindicated so quickly.

The Complete Lack Of When They See Us

One of the most-watched shows on Netflix in 2019, Ava DuVernay's When They See Us was also one of the most powerful and jarring series of this or any year, focusing on conviction and release of the so-called Central Park Five. Series star Jharrel Jerome took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series, and the show also celebrated another six Primetime Emmy nominations. Meanwhile, the Golden Globes completely left it out of its Limited Series and TV Movie choices. Granted, it's a stocked category, but it seems like When They See Us would stand tall against everything there now.

HBO's Watchmen Was Super-Snubbed

Clearly, comic book entertainment gets the shaft year in and year out when it comes to the most prestigious award shows. But this seemed like the year when the Golden Globes might throw caution to the wind by heaping all the nominations possible at HBO's thought-provoking Watchmen, which has delivered some of the most impressive acting, special effects, writing, directing, etc. in all of TV in 2019. Unfortunately, Regina King, Jeremy Irons and Damon Lindelof got dissed, and fans still aren't sure if it's even getting a second season or not.

Netflix's Unbelievable And The Politician Scored Big

With each year that passes, streaming services gain more awards-worthy ground over traditional network and cable channels, with Netflix being the reigning king of non-linear nominations. Beyond the repeat noms for past successes, the streaming giant also earned Golden Globes love for its based-on-a-true-story limited series Unbelievable, which is up for Best Drama Series, while stars Caitlin Dever, Merritt Wever and Toni Collette are also nominated. On the flip side, Ryan Murphy's first Netflix project, the satirical The Politician, landed a Best Comedy Series nomination, with star Ben Platt securing his first Golden Globe nomination.

Game Of Thrones Got Almost Entirely Ignored

For all the fanfare and goodwill that Game of Thrones earned from its audience base over the years, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss arguably destroyed the show's iron-clad reputation with the HBO drama's truncated eighth season. The six episodes certainly had their share of wondrous moments, but they were few and far between for many, and the Golden Globes apparently thought it was only necessary to recognize Kit Harington for his (fairly limited) final work as Jon Snow. Now compare this single nod to the huge number of nominations Game of Thrones got during the most recent Emmys.

Expect to hear about quite a few of these nominees in the weeks ahead of the 77th Golden Globe Awards, which are set to air on NBC on Sunday, January 5. Be sure to mark your calendars for the first big TV awards of 2020!

It's time to honor the very best that television has to offer. Not through Twitter posts and homemade costumes, but through the 71st annual Emmy Awards, which are set to air later this year.

The Good Place star D'Arcy Carden took the stage with comedian Ken Jeong to announce all the 2019 nominees. After joking about the heights of Jeong's medical education, and a reference to Carden's winning turn on HBO's Barry, they got down to business...eventually...after giving viewers time to go back and reflect on last year's winners. But without further ado, here's the sometimes sordid cream of the crop from the past year of television.

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul

Bodyguard

Game of Thrones

Killing Eve

Ozark

Pose

Succession

This Is Us

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Emilia Clarke - Game of Thrones

Jodie Comer - Killing Eve

Viola Davis - How to Get Away with Murder

Laura Linney - Ozark

Mandy Moore - This Is Us

Sandra Oh - Killing Eve

Robin Wright - House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Jason Bateman - Ozark

Sterling K. Brown - This Is Us

Kit Harington - Game of Thrones

Bob Odenkirk - Better Call Saul

Billy Porter - Pose

Milo Ventimiglia - This Is Us

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Gwendoline Christie - Game of Thrones

Lena Headey - Game of Thrones

Sophie Turner - Game of Thrones

Maisie Williams - Game of Thrones

Fiona Shaw - Killing Eve

Julia Garner - Ozark

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks - Better Call Saul

Giancarlo Esposito - Better Call Saul

Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones

Michael Kelly - House of Cards

Alfie Allen - Game of Thrones

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - Game of Thrones

Chris Sullivan - This Is Us

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Carice van Houten - Game of Thrones

Laverne Cox - Orange Is the New Black

Phylicia Rashad - This Is Us

Cherry Jones - The Handmaid's Tale

Cicely Tyson - How to Get Away with Murder

Jessica Lange - American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Ron Cephas Jones - This Is Us

Bradley Whitford - The Handmaid's Tale

Michael McKean - Better Call Saul

Glynn Turman - How to Get Away with Murder

Kumail Nanjiani - The Twilight Zone

Michael Angarano - This Is Us

Outstanding Comedy Series

Barry

Fleabag

The Good Place

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Russian Doll

Schitt's Creek

Veep

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Christina Applegate - Dead To Me

Rachel Brosnahan - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss - Veep

Natasha Lyonne - Russian Doll

Catherine O'Hara - Schitt's Creek

Phoebe Waller-Bridge - Fleabag

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson - black-ish

Don Cheadle - Black Monday

Ted Danson - The Good Place

Michael Douglas - The Kominsky Method

Bill Hader - Barry

Eugene Levy - Schitt's Creek

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Anna Chlumsky - Veep

Alex Borstein - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Marin Hinkle - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Kate McKinnon - Saturday Night Live

Sarah Goldberg - Barry

Olivia Colman - Fleabag

Betty Gilpin - GLOW

Sian Clifford - Fleabag

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Carrigan - Barry

Alan Arkin - The Kominsky Method

Henry Winkler - Barry

Tony Shalhoub - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Tony Hale - Veep

Stephen Root - Barry

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Fiona Shaw - Fleabag

Jane Lynch - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Sandra Oh - Saturday Night Live

Maya Rudolph - The Good Place

Emma Thompson - Saturday Night Live

Kristin Scott Thomas - Fleabag

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

Peter MacNicol - Veep

Robert De Niro - Saturday Night Live

Adam Sandler - Saturday Night Live

Matt Damon - Saturday Night Live

Luke Kirby - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

John Mulaney - Saturday Night Live

Rufuss Sewell - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Outstanding Limited Series

Chernobyl

Escape at Dannemora

Fosse/Verdon

Sharp Objects

When They See Us

Outstanding Television Movie

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Brexit

Deadwood: The Movie

King Lear

My Dinner with Hervé

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Amy Adams - Sharp Objects

Patricia Arquette - Escape from Dannemora

Aunjanue Ellis - When They See Us

Joey King - The Act

Niecy Nash - When They See Us

Michelle Williams - Fosse/Verdon

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Hugh Grant - A Very English Scandal

Jared Harris - Chernobyl

Benicio del Toro - Escape at Dannemora

Mahershala Ali - True Detective

Sam Rockwell - Fosee/Verdon

Jharrel Jerome - When They See Us

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Emily Watson - Chernobyl

Marsha Stephanie Blake - When They See Us

Patricia Arquette - The Act

Margaret Qualley - Fosse/Verdon

Patricia Clarkson - Sharp Objects

Vera Farmiga - When They See Us

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Ben Whishaw - A Very English Scandal

Stellan Skarsgård - Chernobyl

Asante Blackk - When They See Us

Michael K. Williams - When They See Us

John Leguizamo - When They See Us

Paul Dano - Escape At Dannemora

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

The Late Late Show with James Corden

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Competition Program

The Amazing Race

American Ninja Warrior

Nailed It

RuPaul's Drag Race

Top Chef

The Voice

That's a lot of great nominees, right? Game of Thrones really stepped it up in the acting department across just about all levels. (We won't go into the writing portion of the Emmys here, though, don't worry.) Though the lead performance nominations were limited to Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke, the show earned a wealth of supporting actor noms, and even Carice van Houten got herself some recognition.

Elsewhere, HBO was still all over the place with a ton of nominations for Bill Hader's Barry, with the co-creator himself getting a nod. Not to mention all the other onscreen talent, and those behind the scenes. It even outshined the final season of Veep, though Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale got their expected attention.

Don't forget to tune into the 2019 Emmy Awards when they air on Fox on Sunday, September 22, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet witnessed the hilarity of Veep's latest episode.

Veep's seventh and final season continued on Sunday night with the episode "Discovery Weekend," which centered on a complication-filled retreat in Aspen held by the self-important tech guru Felix Wade, as portrayed with magical aloofness by guest star William Fichtner. By the end, both Selina Meyer and her now-rival (and former lover) Tom James were surprised to see a new opponent enter the campaign trail in Toks Olagundoye's Senator Kemi Talbot. Plus, Jonah is currently facing a #NotMe campaign from women denying they ever dated him.

In other words, it was all in a weekend's work for Veep's movers and shakers, and they let loose with a bunch of predictably hilarious jokes along the way. Let's go over some of the most hilarious (and downright filthy ones) here.

Teddy Slams Jonah 

Only Jonah Ryan would start off a press interview by making a politically incorrect joke about getting men to have sex with Ellen DeGeneres, which wasn't helped by the fact that he was being accused of acting in a sexually inappropriate manner by someone. When Jonah attempted to deny such things, Teddy rhetorically asked one of the most sincerely sourced questions to ever come out of a Veep character's mouth.