15. Kath and kim

Few shows have captured the uniquely awkward charm of suburban Australian life like Kath and Kim. The comedy about a mum and daughter duo from fictional Melbourne suburb Fountain Lakes was delightfully low-stakes and unapologetically daggy, but its biting social satire and quotable one-liners (“Look at moi!”) made it a cult phenomenon. It skewered consumerism and aspirational middle-class life with some hyper-localism. Boganism at its best.

14. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It’s Always Sunny is the longest-running live-action sitcom in TV history, and for good reason. Its characters are objectively horrible sociopaths who run a decrepit bar, but the show’s brilliance lies in how it weaponises their depravity to parody society’s worst impulses. It’s fearless, endlessly creative (musicals, found footage and meta episodes abound), and the gang’s chaotic energy never gets old, even after 17 seasons.

13. Fisk

Kitty Flanagan’s deadpan gem Fisk follows Helen Tudor-Fisk, a no-nonsense lawyer working in wills and probate. Sounds boring, right? But it’s not. It’s dry, yes, but also heartwarming at times and a perfect example of how Australian comedy shines brightest when it embraces the small stuff. The show’s sleeper-hit status only adds to its charm.

12. Abbott Elementary

One of the few ongoing sitcoms on this list, Abbott Elementary is still going strong after four seasons and a fifth is on the way. The show centres on the underpaid and overworked teachers keeping a Philadelphia public school afloat – Philadelphia is a popular setting for sitcoms, it seems. Its mockumentary style evokes the golden age of workplace sitcoms, but its sharp writing and standout performances give it a freshness all its own.

11. Freaks and Geeks

It is genuinely a tragedy that Freaks and Geeks only got a lone season before being cancelled, but even still, its towering cultural influence earns it a place on this list. Created by Paul Feig and executive-produced by Judd Apatow, it launched the careers of a generation of stars. James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini and Busy Phillips all owe their careers to getting a start in Freaks and Geeks, while young Shia LaBeouf, Rashida Jones, Ben Stiller and Jason Schwartzman all make briefer appearances. The series captured the painful mess that is adolescence and might even benefit from being forcefully kept short and sweet.

10. Schitt’s Creek

Nobody expected Schitt’s Creek to become one of the most beloved comedies of the 2010s, but its slow-burn success was a joy to witness. What began as a fish-out-of-water tale of spoiled elites stuck in a backwater town transformed into a heartwarming story about found family. Eugene and Dan Levy created (and starred in) a world that was immersive and undeniably hilarious.

9. Arrested Development

A sitcom that rewarded paying attention, Arrested Development was ahead of its time in every way. Its rapid-fire jokes, layered callbacks and dysfunctional Bluth family created a universe so tightly written it practically demanded rewatching. Though later seasons struggled, that original run (especially the first three seasons) remains one of the most ambitious and hilarious sitcom achievements ever.

8. Parks and Recreation

Rarely does a show grow into itself like Parks and Rec did. What started as a rip-off of The Office became something entirely its own. Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope is one of TV’s great idealists, and the ensemble cast (Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt and many more) is one of the best in sitcom history.

Side note: the three-year time jump between seasons five and six is impressive not only for the big swings it takes narratively but because of a number of correct predictions. Most notably, two characters remark in the year 2017 that the city of Chicago has really come alive since the Cubs finally won the world series again. The line aired in 2015, when the Cubs were on a 107-year world series drought. The team went on to win the world series in 2016, just in time for the line to make sense for when the scene was set. That particular detail has always stuck with this writer.

7. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

A police procedural might not sound like a tonne of fun, but Brooklyn Nine-Nine managed to balance out the crime aspect with constant hilarity. It broke ground with its representation, and its blend of silly humour and meaningful storytelling made it a fan favourite. The 99th precinct gave us countless classic cold opens and one of the all-time great sitcom bromances in Jake and Boyle.

6. Cheers

The sitcom that made “where everybody knows your name” a pop culture mantra, Cheers was the gold standard for ensemble comedy. Its Boston bar setting was the perfect stage for witty banter, romantic tension and occasional emotional depth. Ted Danson, Shelley Long and later Kirstie Alley led an iconic cast that made viewers feel like part of the family. It’s a cornerstone of classic TV.

5. Modern Family

With its mockumentary format and multiple intersecting storylines, Modern Family redefined what a family sitcom could be. Over eleven seasons, it managed to stay remarkably consistent, blending slapstick, sentimentality and social commentary with grace – although they never explained why the cameras they were speaking to were there to begin with!

4. Seinfeld

What was frequently called a show about nothing was actually about everything: social norms, neuroses, soup, shrinkage – the list goes on. Seinfeld changed the language of comedy with its now-ubiquitous catchphrases and iconic bits. Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer formed a Mount Rushmore of misanthropy, and the show’s refusal to bow to sentiment made it a pure distillation of observational comedy and appointment viewing. Still the blueprint.

3. How I Met Your Mother

Based on the unique premise of a father telling his kids how he met their mother over the course of nine seasons, HIMYM was equal parts love story, mystery box and comedy. Through its nonlinear storytelling schtick, running gags and moments of overt sentimentality, it became something much more than a Friends clone. The finale may have divided fans, but the fact that the series held viewers’ attention for nine years before revealing the identity of the mother is truly impressive. And of course, the ride getting there was legen – wait for it – dary.

2. Friends

Yes, it’s basic a basic choice for one of the best sitcoms of all time. But come on, it’s still brilliant. Friends tapped into the insecurities, absurdities and affections of young adulthood like no other sitcom. It became the gold standard for all sitcoms to aspire to and defined a generation of television. Its warmth, wit and Ross-and-Rachel debates are eternal – they were on a break, okay?

1. The Office (US)

The king of the brand of comedy that makes you cringe, The Office is the modern sitcom. Its mockumentary style paved the way for a new era of TV and inspired multiple other entries on this list. It took the blueprint provided by the UK version and made it more palatable and ultimately, more funny. Its legacy lives on through memes, rewatches and some of the most quotable lines in television history.