Entertainment
10 Sitcoms That Are Amazing From Start to Finish
Sitcoms make for the best comfort shows, due to their familiar characters, frequent jokes, and cozy settings. Sometimes, these series will get the opportunity to go on for a number of seasons, following the characters and their dynamics through the years. This can be a real gift for sitcom fans, but sometimes, the shows can lose steam in their later seasons. Some of the very best sitcoms have at least one season that fans can generally agree is weaker than the rest of the show, including New Girl, The Office, and Friends.
There are some sitcoms, though, without a single bad season. Some of these are shorter series that never got the opportunity to really hit the ground running, while others had a full run, but still managed to stay strong throughout. These shows are excellent both upon a first watch and upon rewatching, because there is no noticeable dip in quality at all over the course of their run. These are the sitcoms that are amazing from start to finish.
‘One Day at a Time’ (2017–2020)
Based on the 1975 sitcom of the same name, One Day at a Time follows the Alvarez family: Penelope (Justina Machado), her children, Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz), and her mother, Lydia (Rita Moreno). The four of them all live together, and often clash in hilarious ways due to being in such close quarters together. They are also unusually close with their landlord, Schneider (Todd Grinnell), who is always popping in and out of their apartment.
One Day at a Time had an unusual run, in which it was cancelled by Netflix after three seasons, then only got to air an incomplete Season 4 on Pop TV. Still, though, every season of One Day at a Time is still very strong. The series combines a number of funny moments, like the running gag of Lydia dramatically opening the curtains to her bedroom, with much more heartfelt scenes of the family supporting each other.
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2019–2024)
Based on the 2014 film of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary-style sitcom that focuses on the lives and afterlives of four vampires and their familiar. They all live together in a Staten Island mansion, and the series follows their antics as both housemates and vampires. Once sent to New York City to conquer the tri-state area, the vampires often get caught up in much more mundane day-to-day activities.
What We Do in the Shadows is wildly funny throughout its six seasons, with the inclusion of new characters, shocking plot twists, and well-written pieces of lore throughout. The vampires’ afterlives change throughout the series, as they try out new jobs and hobbies, and take on new roles within both their community and their neighborhood. At the center of What We Do in the Shadows, though, is a hilarious living situation made up of five very different beings.
‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015–2020)
Schitt’s Creek follows the wealthy and famous Rose family: longtime married couple Johnny (Eugene Levy) and Moira (Catherine O’Hara), and their adult children, David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy). When all the Roses’ money gets stolen, they end up having to move to Schitt’s Creek, a small town that Johnny once bought as a joke. Throughout their time living in Schitt’s Creek, the Roses get close to each other again, and they reevaluate their priorities.
Although Schitt’s Creek really hit its stride about halfway through, each one of its seasons is absolutely fantastic. The Roses are such well-written and unique characters, that even the most ordinary errands and scenarios become wildly funny when they are involved. The show has the perfect balance of humor and heart throughout, as the Roses’ core flaws and personality traits stay the same, but they all each experience a great deal of growth.
‘Santa Clarita Diet’ (2017–2019)
Santa Clarita Diet follows Sheila (Drew Barrymore) and Joel Hammond (Timothy Olyphant), a happily married couple who also work together as a realtor duo. They live a quiet, comfortable life in the suburbs of Santa Clarita, until Sheila suddenly starts exhibiting some odd behaviors. Alongside their daughter, Abby (Liv Hewson), and neighbor, Eric (Skyler Gisondo), Sheila and Joel soon learn that Sheila is now undead.
With the perfect blend of creative zombie lore, hilariously morbid antics, and high stakes, Santa Clarita Diet is a fantastic dark comedy. It is a classic family sitcom with a wild supernatural twist, in which Sheila is thrilled about her newfound zest for life – until she realizes that she now has to kill and eat people in order to survive. Santa Clarita Diet was sadly cancelled after just three seasons, but each one of its seasons includes new twists and turns that elevate the show.
‘Crashing’ (2016)
Even with only six episodes, Crashing is an absolute delight of a hangout comedy. The sitcom follows a group of people who all live together in an abandoned hospital, where they are property managers in order to save money. The group dynamic shifts after they host a party, when two new people move in: Lulu (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), whose childhood friend lives there with his fiancée, and Colin (Adrian Scarborough), who is struggling after a divorce.
Crashing easily could have gone on for many more seasons, but its first season is amazing as is. The series explores the drama and hilarious antics of the residents of the former hospital, with awkward dinner parties, odd confessions in the form of ukelele songs, and a number of bizarrely specific fights. Its single season may be short, but it gives each of the main characters and dynamics some really excellent development.
‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)
The Good Place follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), a selfish woman who suddenly dies and gets sent to The Good Place by mistake. In order to avoid getting exposed and sent to The Bad Place, Eleanor convinces her mistakenly-assigned soulmate, former ethics and moral philosophy professor Chidi Anagonye (William Jackson Harper), to teach her how to be a good person.
Each of The Good Place‘s four seasons is very intentional in how it continues the main story, while also developing a specific arc for that installment. It is a wildly funny show that also gives really incredible character development to each of its main characters, and that contains a number of brilliantly-executed plot twists and reveals. Four seasons was the perfect number to tell this story, and the show’s series finale is easily one of the best in sitcom history.
‘Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23’ (2012–2014)
Even though it was cancelled after just two seasons, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 is still a fantastic sitcom with a satisfying ending. The series follows June Colburn (Dreama Walker), an optimistic woman who moves to New York City for her dream job. When the job falls through, June has to move in with Chloe (Krysten Ritter), a charismatic con-woman and party girl who uses her extra room to scam people for money.
June and Chloe turn out to be the perfect match as roommates, and their dynamic is absolutely hilarious. Each episode of Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 shows Chloe cooking up an elaborate scheme, and June often somehow getting reluctantly dragged into it. Rounding out the main cast of characters are James Van Der Beek as a fictionalized version of himself, alongside his personal assistant, Luther (Ray Ford), June and Chloe’s neighbors, Robin (Liza Lapira) and Eli (Michael Blaiklock), and June’s boss, Mark (Eric André).
‘Happy Endings’ (2011–2013)
Happy Endings follows an extremely close and codependent group of friends living in Chicago: Jane (Eliza Coupe), Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.), Penny (Casey Wilson), Max (Adam Pally), Dave (Zachary Knighton), and Alex (Elisha Cuthbert). When Alex leaves Dave at the altar, the friends have to deal with the awkwardness and anger between the two of them in the wake of their breakup.
Although it was sadly cancelled after just three seasons, Happy Endings is an amazing sitcom throughout each of its seasons. Happy Endings has sharp dialogue, an excellent sense of humor, and a unique cast of characters with detailed lore. It explores the hilarious antics of the group, from their specific traditions and holidays, to lies that spin out of control, to an intense and over-the-top prank war.
‘Galavant’ (2016–2017)
Galavant follows a once-successful knight named Galavant (Joshua Sasse) who’s been moping around since his former love, Madalena (Mallory Jansen), left him for the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson). When the desperate Princess Isabella (Karen David) asks Galavant to help save her kingdom from King Richard, he declines, until she reveals that Madalena misses him.
Galavant then embarks on a quest to King Richard’s castle with Isabella and his squire, Sid (Luke Youngblood). Little does he know, though, the whole thing is a trap so that Richard can kill him. Galavant is such a funny and clever show, with over-the-top musical numbers, epic battle scenes, and some excellent character development. The series was cancelled after two seasons, but each of its seasons is truly fantastic.
‘BoJack Horseman’ (2014–2020)
BoJack Horseman was very intentional with its storytelling over the course of its six seasons. The result is a TV show with careful attention to detail, excellent continuity, and some truly brilliant character arcs. The series follows BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett), a washed-up former sitcom star who’s still clinging onto his previous fame. Throughout the show, BoJack is met with both new career opportunities, as well as difficult situations where he often makes the wrong decision.
BoJack Horseman takes full advantage of its sitcom structure to parody and call out the flaws of the sitcom, while also honoring all the best parts of the genre. The series tells a really heartbreaking and emotional story, which it expertly balances with wild and over-the-top comedy. Each of BoJack Horseman‘s seasons is a little different, yet they all work together perfectly in the build-up to the show’s unforgettable conclusion.
BoJack Horseman
- Release Date
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2014 – 2020-00-00
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Raphael Bob-Waksberg
- Directors
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Amy Winfrey, JC Gonzalez, Adam Parton, Joel Moser, Martin Cendreda, Peter Merryman, Matt Mariska, Mike Roberts, Mollie Helms, Tim Rauch
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BoJack Horseman / BoBo the Angsty Zebra (voice)
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Todd Chavez / Emperor Fingerface (voice)
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