By Danna Ramos
One of my favorite television genres, and the one I probably watch the most, is comedy. I love sitcoms so much and I can always watch them to lift my mood.
There are three that have my heart and would rewatch ten million times. So, buckle up and hear me talk about the best sitcoms ever. There may be a few spoilers, but none are too big, so you should still watch all of these!
The Office (2005)
The Office is a cult classic. You can’t go wrong with it. I hopped on the love train for this show extremely late, as I just binge-watched it last year. Regardless, I had so much fun watching it!
Starting with the stellar cast, I don’t think there could have been a better actor to portray Michael Scott than Steve Carrell. His comedic timing is impeccable and the emotion he brings to the table is truly the essence of the show.
Having Rainn Wilson and Ed Helms, who play Dwight Schrute and Andy Bernard, as comedic support to Michael was a genius casting decision. When the three had scenes together, this meant guaranteed laughs. The chemistry among the three made me want a friend group like that: dysfunctional, but it just makes sense.
Talking about chemistry, we can’t talk about The Office without talking about one of the best on-screen couples: Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly, portrayed by John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer. I can’t express how much I love them and think they are such a perfect depiction of a healthy relationship. Even when they have their rough spots, they push through it together!
Now, I will say, the comedy would not be aired today for the sensitive topics it goes over. Regardless, I think The Office is such a comfort show and will always be a great rewatch!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is the definition of the perfect mix between conversation about real topics, romance, and comedy. From the first episode, we get to see the great chemistry between all cast members and how funny the dynamics are between this mix of personalities.
The catch phrases said by Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) are so iconic, I basically quote “cool, cool, cool, cool” all the time. His competitiveness with the other officers and his wit gives the show its essence and it helps viewers get hooked onto the show from the get-go.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine shows us the comedic side of what being a police officer is, and although a lot of these are fictional, we get to dig a bit deep into the minds of the police and detectives not only in the workplace, but also when they must balance their personal lives as well.
As I mentioned with the previous sitcom, I totally adore sitcoms relationships, and I might dare to say that Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) are the best sitcom couple. They are so competitive with each other since the beginning of the show, but that leads them to fall in love and have one of the most real portrayals of a relationship.
I also love the work and personal relationships shown between other characters like Captain Holt (Andre Braugher), Sargent Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), and Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) in all episodes, but especially during heist episodes.
I don’t want to spoil it too much, since I would advise everyone to watch it, but Brooklyn Nine-Nine is definitely one of my favorite comfort shows that can always make me have a hoot.
That 70’s Show (1998)
My all-time favorite sitcom must be That 70’s Show. I grew up watching it alongside my sister and it shaped the type of humor I enjoy.
I love the fashion, love the dialogue, and love the jokes that run throughout the whole series like Kelso’s (Ashton Kutcher) “Burn” or Red (Kurtwood Smith) putting a foot up someone’s rear end or even their famous circle.
There are so many memorable episodes from this sitcom like the pilot, their musical episode, their trip to Canada, among many others. The six main characters; Eric, Donna, Hyde, Jackie, Kelso, and Fez, never fail to make me laugh, each in their own way. Each of them follows a stereotype that although it may not sit well with modern-day norms, the writers did a great job making most of the humor a timeless piece.
Two of the characters that I absolutely adore and were who I looked up for fashion, comedy, and relationship were Hyde and Jackie. Their enemies-to-lovers storyline is one of the best from that trope and they deserved to stay together. From season one, they both had the best fashion sense and even though their story was a slow burn one, they showed the best character development when they were together onscreen.
I don’t exaggerate when I say that I have watched this show probably over 15 times in my 22 years of living. To be honest, I haven’t binged on it in a while, but I have a lot of these episodes memorized and engraved in my brain.
That 70’s Show is very dear to my heart and will probably never be topped. I won’t go too much into detail so those who haven’t watched can take the opportunity to take a watch for themselves, but it is one of the most hilarious sitcoms ever!
If you know of any other sitcoms that would make me laugh and that could be added to my list of favorites, please feel free to email me at dvramos@student.uiwtx.edu.
