Top 50 Live Action Sitcoms
FROM TOP LEFT TO RIGHT: Hundson yang - fresh off the boat, rita moreno - one day at a time, Freddie Prinze - chico and the man, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, Tempestt Bledsoe, and Lisa Bonet - The Cosby Show
By the 1920s, vaudeville became the definitive form of comedic entertainment in American culture. Radio began incorporating elements of vaudeville plays and dubbed them situational comedies, a term colloquially shortened to sitcoms. While radio dramas gained immense popularity during the late radio and early television period, sitcoms were meant for the everyday man that wanted to relax after a long shift. Television capitalized on the rising tensions in cold war America, creating breakthrough sitcoms that would change the way television is perceived.
Comedy is relative, but it often critiques social norms above all else. Comedy exists in a weird space between lowbrow, vapid absurdism and relevant commentary on contemporary social culture, politics, and society’s collective consciousness. It acts as a digestible avenue for widespread cultural discussions while serving as easy entertainment when we need a break from the world. It’s equally as sophisticated as it can be stupid.
American history has not been kind to people of color in comedy, especially during its heyday. Burlesque shows of the 19th century saw the phenomenon of minstrel shows and blackface. This, along with rising tensions after the Civil War, led people of color (primarily African Americans) to employ violent rhetoric in order to survive. Sitcoms never escaped the racial tensions of American popular culture; instead, they embraced it. Shows like Amos ‘n Andy (1951) depicted African Americans as bumbling idiots subservient to their white bosses. Beulah, a 1945’s radio show and sitcom, broke ground as the first television series to star an African American woman, but it also presented African Americans through an overtly racist caricature. Like Black actors of the past, the need for survival came before the need for accurate representation. It’s a sad reality that has slowly evolved over the past couple of decades.
The Golden Age of Sitcoms has past, yet their popularity has come in-and-out of our collective cultural consciousness. The ‘70s saw a rise in politically savvy, tonally cynical comedies that captured the unrest of the ‘60s with the Nixon administration’s politics. Viva Valdez (1976) captured the tumultuous political landscape for millions of Hispanic Americans who lived in fear. The short-lived All-American Girl (1995) was one the first sitcoms to star a predominately Asian American and Pacific Islander cast, despite its harmful stereotypical depiction of Asian Americans. To this day, we continue to receive racially offensive comedies that attempt to capitalize on its offensiveness for the sake of profits.
There are dozens of influential programs that have done the opposite, giving a voice to the voiceless. They’ve allowed marginalized communities to represent themselves and their stories. With many of these series seeing a resurgence on streaming platforms, A Hot Set has curated a list of the 50 best sitcoms of all time. Comedy aims to critique, and these shows have done that in both positive and negative ways for POC.
50. Eve
Network: UPN | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2003-2006
Seasons: 3 | Episodes: 66 | Viewership Average: 2.92 Million
Philadelphia rapper Eve rides the success of her Grammy-nominated second album with Eve, a star-studded sitcom following a group of friends navigating Miami’s complicated dating scene. The series provided a light-hearted look into the interpersonal lives of people struggling to understand love and themselves. The series was canceled in 2006 after UPN merged with The WB to form The CW, but the series remains a staple in African American television despite tepid critical reception.
A niche blend of Friends (1994) and Sex and the City (1998), UPN aimed to recapture the success Moesha (1996) brought to the network with an enthralling portrayal of friendship, heartbreak, and social commentary. The series aimed to portray both male and female perspectives, which led to a diverse writers room and production staff. While not as successful as Moesha or The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), Eve enthralled audiences with its witty dialogue and excellent portrayal of Atlanta’s rich Black Culture.
49. Citizen Khan
Network: BBC One | Medium: Free-to-Air | Original Release: 2012-2016
Seasons: 3 | Episodes: 34 | Viewership Average: 2.6 Million
The BBC’s 2012 sitcom continues to polarize critics and audiences over its alleged Islamophobic sentiment, but if anything, Citizen Khan proves that influence isn’t always morally conscious. The series follows Mr. Khan, the self-appointed leader of his Muslim community, and his family as they navigate the tumultuous cultural differences of England. Many point to Adil Ray’s aloof, patriarchal, hot-headed portrayal of Mr. Khan as sacrilegious mockery and British Pakistani stereotyping, but Ray claims otherwise. In spite of the series’ controversial portrayal of Muslim culture, Citizen Khan is an important text in cultural representation within popular media. It not only pushes British Muslims into the limelight, but also showcases a pervasive movement of self-loathing, culturally stereotypical comedies of the 2010s that entertained at the expense of their cultures.
The series was a runaway hit upon release, sparking five seasons throughout its four-year run. The series was met with adoration and disdain from both sides of the political spectrum. Ray defends the series as a culturally rich sitcom based on his lived experience as a British Pakistani citizen, but others view it as an amalgamation of internalized racism on full display. Despite this, Citizen Khan exemplifies controversial cultural representation that ultimately does more harm than good. The series is well intentioned, but it is a divisive introduction into the British Pakistani community, proving that not all representation is good representation.
48. Chewing Gum
Network: E4 | Medium: Free-to-Air | Original Release: 2015-2017
Seasons: 2 | Episodes: 12 | Viewership Average: 1.6 Million
Based on her play of the same name, E4’s Chewing Gum, starring Michaela Coel, centers on the life of a religious virgin who wants to lose her virginity and explore beyond the confines of her restricted lifestyle. The series is a semi-autobiographical account of Coel’s adolescence and playfully discusses the pitfalls of Protestantism. It embraces the progressive sex-positive politics of the 2010s while creating an endearing portrayal of communal and personal growth.
The series was met with critical acclaim upon release, garnering nominations from the British Academy Television Awards and the Black Reel Awards. Chewing Gum is a chaotic comedic adaptation that veers away from stereotypical Black-centered dramas. It’s lighthearted and cringe even as it describes the polarized religious convictions inherent to the British Black experience.
47. Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens
Network: Comedy Central | Medium: Cable | Original Release: 2020-2023
Seasons: 3 | Episodes: 27 | Viewership Average: 304,792
Comedy Central’s Awkwafina is Nora from Queens follows the life of Nora, a 20-something-year-old woman struggling with early adulthood in Queens, NY. Created by and starring Awkwafina, the series presents a whimsical, carefree outlook on life in ones 20s as Nora takes on New York with help from her family. The series is notable for having an Asian American woman as the series showrunner and exploring the intersectionality of Asian culture, womanhood, and acceptance in a diverse environment.
The series was met with generally favorable reviews and quickly became the highest rated season one premiere for Comedy Central since 2017. Women of color in comedy spaces need to be great in ways male comics don’t have to be. Awkwafina’s Nora from Queens treads a fine line between cliched hijinks and eccentric brashness that creates an adventurous look into the life of an aimless woman struggling to make her mark. The series is unequivocally true to Awkwafina’s brand of comedy, ultimately landing as one of 2020’s premiere woman-led sitcoms.
46. Half & Half
Network: UPN | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2001-2006
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 91 | Viewership Average: 3.44 Million
Created by Jeffrey Klarik and executive produced by Yvette Lee Bowser, Half & Half burst onto UPN and quickly became its fourth most watched show. Starring Rachel True and Essence Atkins, the series follows paternal half-sisters, Mona and Dee Dee, who become neighbors after decades of separation. Virtually strangers, both rekindle their lost relationship as they aid each other through early adulthood in San Francisco. The series is notable for its lack of direct focus on African American melodrama present throughout the early 2000s. Instead, it focused on the relationships of its characters without disregarding topics of race, colorism, sexism, and patriarchy.
The series was met with critical acclaim throughout its run. It was nominated for several NAACP Image Awards for four consecutive years. The series playfully portrays Black Americans in a positive light, a rarity when compared to the plethora of trauma-centered Black stories airing during the time. Despite its short life in the spotlight, Half & Half is a breath of fresh air due to its representation, female leads, and story about sisterhood and companionship in the Black community.
45. One on One
Network: UPN | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2001-2006
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 113 | Viewership Average: 3.22 Million
One on One centers around Flex Washington (Flex Alexander), a former NBA star who becomes a single father when his ex-wife moves across the world and entrusts their daughter Breanna (Kyla Pratt) to him. His life is turned upside down as he is forced to grow into a familial relationship he never had. The series was another UPN hit, garnering significant cameos from Chris Brown, Eve, Solange, Lil’ Romeo, and Nate Dogg.
The series excels at being a light-hearted, moderately progressive (for the time) sitcom filled with hilarious antics and emotionally evocative moments. It garnered multiple BET Comedy Awards and NAACP Image Awards before being abruptly canceled in 2006. While not largely influential or groundbreaking, the series portrays the intimacy of Black families through a chaotic yet emotional lens. The series would also have a spin-off titled Cuts, which followed Flex’s younger brother and his antics running a barbershop.
44. Kenan & Kel
Network: Nickelodeon | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1996-2001
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 65 | Viewership Average: 2.34 Million
With humble beginnings in Nickelodeon’s sketch-comedy series All That (1994), Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell star in their own sitcom, Kenan & Kel. The series follows the misadventures of mischievous Kenan and his optimistically naive best friend Kel as they get involved in numerous zany situations. The series quickly became a staple of ‘90s pop culture and continued to influence the entertainment landscape with the smash hit Good Burger (1997) just a few years later. Kenan & Kel adopted the cultural jadedness of the mid-90s and provided an important escape from the cultural unrest at the turn of the millennia.
Kenan & Kel outgrew their contemporaries through Saturday Night Live and Thompson’s immense influence over the late-night sketch comedy. The series is an eccentric, loud show that exaggerates the social unrest of American society. One of Nickelodeon’s most influential shows, it won various Teen Choice Awards and made a special appearance in Saturday Night Live’s December 3rd, 2022 broadcast.
43. The Hughleys
Network: ABC/UPN| Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1998-2002
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 89 | Viewership Average: 6.96 Million
Comedian D. L. Hughley stars in ABC’s The Hughleys, which follows the Hughley family as they move from the ghettos of South Los Angeles to the luxurious West Hills. The series pokes fun at cultural and demographic differences between the two cities and makes tasteful observations about assimilation, family, and social mobility. The series had many guest stars including Tyra Banks, Ashley Tisdale, Kelly Rowland, and Vivica A. Fox.
The series was dropped by ABC after its second season. Luckily, UPN picked up the show and aired it alongside Moesha, which helped it gain significant traction. The Hughleys is an inoffensive but endearing look into the lives of an average African American family. Since its season finale, the series has gained a significant online following and will be available to stream on Netflix and Hulu later this September.
42. Malcolm & Eddie
Network: UPN | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1996-2000
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 89 | Viewership Average: 3.48 Million
Since its end in 2000, Malcolm & Eddie continues to prove that opposites do attract. Malcolm (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) is a responsible twenty-something who constantly gets dragged into trouble thanks to his frenetic roommate Eddie (Eddie Griffin). They are as opposite as two can get, but a sense of brotherhood binds both men as they jointly experience unhinged scenarios and emotionally sincere moments.
The series flew under the radar for most of its initial run but has since been praised as one of UPN’s most underrated programs. The series was nominated for two NAACP Awards and an Art Directors Guild Award shortly after it ended. Malcolm & Eddie captured the energy of the Wayan brothers while paving its own unique path within UPN’s Black sitcom lineup.
41. Cosby
Network: CBS | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1996-2000
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 96 | Viewership Average: 12.68 Million
In his last television series, Bill Cosby starred in CBS’s spin-off of one of the most recognizable sitcoms in television history. Based on the concept from the BBC series One Foot in the Grave (1990), Cosby follows Hilton Lucas (Bill Cosby), a disgruntled New Yorker forced into early retirement from his customer service job.
The series premiered with an audience of 24 million viewers and averaged 16 million viewers during the course of the first season. The show garnered acclaim from critics, received multiple NAACP nominations, and won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1997. Despite its critical success, the series fell behind CBS’s hit comedy Everybody Loves Raymond (1996) and was forgotten by the platform by the end of 1999. The series ended in 2000 and is largely overshadowed by its predecessor and Bill Cosby’s 2014 sexual assault case. Unfortunately, the series has faded into obscurity but stands as a document detailing the history of Black-centered sitcoms.
40. Amen
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1986-1991
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 110 | Viewership Average: 19.48 Million
Amen premiered during NBC’s wave of successful Black sitcoms and held its ground against giants like The Cosby Show (1984), A Different World (1987), and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990). Starring Sherman Hemsley, the series follows Ernest Frye, a widower deacon of a church, and his various schemes working as a personal injury lawyer.
The series was another success for NBC and garnered multiple NAACP Image Award nominations and several Young Artist Award nominations. The series has consistently been overlooked by NBC’s more celebrated catalog, yet continues to see immense popularity among older Black audiences. More importantly, the series serves as a testament of positive African American representation in a medium that has roots in minstrelsy and racism.
39. Lopez vs Lopez
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2022-Present
Seasons: 2 | Episodes: 44 | Viewership Average: 1.89 Million
Long after the success of George Lopez (2002), comedian George Lopez continues to dominate the sitcom sphere with NBC’s Lopez vs Lopez. Lopez and his daughter Mayan play fictionalized, estranged versions of themselves, navigating dysfunction as they make up for decades of lost time. The series is a perfect nostalgic trip for fans of George Lopez, with cameos from Constance Marie and Valente Rodriguez.
The series was nominated for two Imagen Foundation Awards and renewed for a third season, set to premiere in 2025. Hispanic representation in sitcoms usually deal with stereotypes and typical assertions about Latino culture, but Lopez vs Lopez portrays the Latino family dynamic in a familial yet endearing way. The series has found a home within NBC’s extensive catalog and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
38. Webster
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1983-1989
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 150 | Viewership Average: 16 Million
Webster presents Emmanuel Lewis as Webster, a young boy who is adopted by his retired Pro NFL godfather (Alex Karras) and his disillusioned socialite (Susan Clark) wife. Released during a time of extreme economic polarization, Webster highlights the social disparity between the wealthy and the working class. A jovial sitcom that’s impossible to turn off, the series playfully dissects issues regarding class and race.
Webster was an instant hit and drew close comparisons to NBC’s Diff’rent Strokes, which depicted a similar premise. The series was also met with critical acclaim, garnering nominations from the Golden Globes, People’s Choice Awards, Writers Guild of America, and the Young Artist Awards. The series was riddled with immense backstage drama and tension throughout its run, but Webster stands as an important series that delves into the inner workings of America’s rising economic disparity and continued racial inequality.
37. Gimme a Break!
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1981-1987
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 137 | Viewership Average: 14.25 Million
Nell Carter stars in this NBC sitcom that follows a housekeeper for a widowed police officer (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. In the fictional suburb of Glenlawn, California, Nell serves as the parental figure for officer Kanisky’s three children. All the while, Gimme a Break! engages in stereotypical family drama and shenanigans.
The series has divided audiences and critics throughout its run. Carter even went on to distance herself from the show years after its finale. Given the history of Black women as servants during the antebellum south, the series was critiqued for its stereotyping and often offensive racial discussions. The episode “Baby of the Family'' is notably shocking because of its visceral blackface performance and disingenuous messaging. Despite this, the series was praised by the Emmys and Golden Globes. It served as an essential gateway for placing African American women in leading roles, even if it may leave a sour taste upon rewatch.
36. Diff’rent Strokes
Network: NBC/ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1978-1986
Seasons: 8 | Episodes: 189 | Viewership Average: 17 Million
Retrospectively, Diff’rent Strokes was as popular as it was controversial after it ended in 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as two young boys who are taken from the slums of Harlem and into the wealthy lifestyle of the Drummond family. The series quickly became a staple of family programming, and it delved into serious issues such as racism, drugs, and sexual abuse. Creating one of the highest paid child actors was no easy feat, but Diff’rent Strokes managed to create a lasting impact on popular culture in regards to both representation and the horrors that come with fame and fortune.
Multiple films have documented the tragic lives of several actors after the show’s initial run, which often overshadows the series’ lighthearted personality. However, the series manages to rank among the best sitcoms of the ‘80s thanks to Coleman and Bridges’ enthralling chemistry with each other and the rest of the cast. Diff’rent Strokes has spawned multiple spin-offs and the series is incredibly outspoken about the causes it presents. The show has gone down as one of the ‘80s most recognizable and loveable sitcoms that unabashedly discusses economic inequality and racial otherization.
35. Benson
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1979-1986
Seasons: 7 | Episodes: 158 | Viewership Average: 14.29 Million
Benson is a spin-off of ABC’s Soap, a sitcom that introduces Benson DuBois (Robert Guillaume) as the witty yet grounded butler for the erratic family life of Gov. Eugene Gatling (James Noble). The series was created by Susan Harris and aimed to avoid the soap opera format of its parent show. It was a hit for the network, garnering immense commercial and critical success during its first season.
The series has been nominated for numerous Emmy Awards since its debut. Critics have noted Benson’s slight political commentary and Guillaume’s sardonic performance creates a niche comedic blend, yet it sadly maintains the stereotypical Black hospitality worker image. Despite this, the series engages in fruitful political discussions surrounding Reaganomics and the Black struggle just as it’s coated with sarcastic dialogue and socially relevant comedy.
34. The Steve Harvey Show
Network: The WB | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1997-2002
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 122 | Viewership Average: 2.92 Million
Before Steve Harvey dominated TV game shows, he starred in The Steve Harvey Show. The series centers around a legendary funk musician turned teacher. Accustomed to a life of excess, he learns about the inner workings of the working class while juggling his class of troubled, well-intentioned kids. The series stars Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, Merlin Santana, Wendy Raquel Robinson, and William Lee Scott. It platformed a predominantly Black cast during a time of white-centered sitcoms like Friends (1994) and Frasier (1993), and helped pave the way for one of TV’s most recognizable personalities.
The series received numerous accolades across its five-year run, including dozens of NAACP Image Awards and several ALMA Awards. A wonderful cast of characters contrast Harvey’s dry, bitter delivery to hilarious results. The series is wonderfully pessimistic and effortlessly touts the Black community with all its faults and beauty. The Steve Harvey Show shines as an erratic, jumbled sitcom that helped cement Steve Harvey as one of television’s most iconic figures.
33. The Parent ‘Hood
Network: The WB | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1995-1999
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 90 | Viewership Average: 3.84 Million
Originally a part of The WB’s Wednesday night two-hour lineup, The Parent ‘Hood focuses on a former Black English professor coming to terms with fatherhood when his wife returns to the workforce. Starring Robert Townsend, Suzzanne Douglas, and Kenny Blank, The Parent ‘Hood is neither revolutionary nor celebrated like it’s contemporaries; however, it properly dispels negative connotations that media has built about Black fathers and the material conditions of Black families.
Created by Townsend himself, The Parent ‘Hood was nominated for numerous Young Artist Awards and won an American Cinema Foundation award. The series debuted with positive reviews from critics and joins a long list of influential Black sitcoms centering family and unity. The Parent ‘Hood was revived on HBO Max from 2021 to 2023, proving its immense influence on Black television and representation.
32. The Wayans Bros.
Network: The WB | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1995-1999
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 101 | Viewership Average: 3.19 Million
Before the Wayan brothers ventured into raunchy adult comedies, they starred in their own sitcom chronicling their misadventures, scheming and trying to make it rich in Harlem. The series was the first sitcom that aired during The WB’s original Wednesday night two-hour comedy lineup and quickly took over the station’s primetime slot. While not a critical darling like other sitcoms, the series grew a large following shortly after its premiere and continues to be hailed as one of the Wayan brothers’ best projects.
The Wayan Bros. laid the groundwork for their influential filmography just one year later. Their brand of erratic, raunchy humor would define a lot of 2000s riotous sex comedies, such as the Scary Movie franchise, Knocked Up, and American Pie, and would continue to influence comedy films through the 2010s. The series captured the casual dating culture of the late ‘90s and laid the foundations for the emerging stoner-comedy genre of the late 2000s.
31. Desmond’s
Network: Channel 4 | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1989-1994
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 71 | Viewership Average: 5 Million
During his time at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, England, series creator Trix Worrell won Channel 4’s writer’s competition, which granted him the opportunity to develop and create Desmond’s. Inspired by his childhood barber shop, Desmond’s stars Norman Beaton as Desmond Ambrose. Desmond’s barber shop serves as a community center for a plethora of wacky characters. While not the first Black British television sitcom, the series was the first to portray the underbelly of England’s Black working class, providing insight into the inner workings of the typical Black family.
Unlike traditional sitcoms, Desmond’s’ characters were socially mobile throughout the series and grew as characters beyond their traditional archetypes. The series presented a multicultural Britain with sophisticated characters who veered away from racial stereotypes and interjected inner cultural issues of colorism, racism, class, and family. Desmond’s received numerous awards, including a British Comedy Award and a BAFTA award, and even represented England during the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. The series is the antithesis of the U.K.’s high society, often portraying the sincerity of those skirting by the poverty line. Desmond brings its underclass to the forefront of British television as it depicts its characters with immense integrity and honesty.
30. Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1992-1997
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 101| Viewership Average: 10.6 Million
Hiding in the shadows of its more popular sister series Full House (1987), Hanging’ with Mr. Cooper follows former NBA star Mark Cooper’s (Mark Curry) journey as a dedicated teacher and coach after his career is cut short. Living with his equally driven roommates, Cooper must learn to deal with the hardships of working a traditional 9 to 5 job while learning how to embrace his newfound role as an educator and mentor.
The series was nominated for numerous Young Artist Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, and a BMI Film & TV Award. Released during a turning point in Black-centered media, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper captured the normality of every life without centering its story on typical African American melodrama. While representing issues of wealth inequality and institutionalized racism is an excellent way to emphasize contemporary injustices, its equally as important to showcase the mundanity of its subjects. Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper reproduces the genial humor of the Black community without tokenizing their identity or lived experiences.
29. One Day at a Time
Network: Netflix/Pop | Medium: Streaming/Cable | Original Release: 2017-2020
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 46 | Viewership Average: NA – Netflix / 139,571 - POP
Based on the 1975 series of the same name, One Day at a Time reimagines the original with a Cuban American family at its core. Starring Justina Machado, Isabella Gomez, Todd Grinnell, and Marcel Ruiz, the series follows a single veteran mother raising her kids alongside her Cuban mother in Echo Park, Los Angeles. The series has been lauded for its acting, characters, story, and new approach to mature subject matters that its predecessor never touched. One Day at a Time takes the outline of CBS’s original and becomes a reboot anomaly, surpassing the original while engaging in socially relevant commentary that makes viewers feel like they’re a part of the family.
The series was met with universal acclaim, with Machado and Gomez stealing the hearts of millions. The series was showered in awards upon release and swept the award season until its last breath. It received numerous Primetime Emmy Awards, several NAACP Image Awards, and a Peabody Award in 2018. Reboots are never as daring, sincere, carefree, and socially aware as One Day at a Time, yet creator Norman Lear produced a reboot that towers over the original in the best way possible.
28. What’s Happening!!
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1976-1979
Seasons: 3 | Episodes: 65 | Viewership Average: 16.83 Million
What’s Happening!! follows the lives of Roger (Ernest Thomas), Dwayne (Haywood Nelson), and Freddy (Fred Berry), three working class African American teens living in South Los Angeles. They deal with life, love, and the typical antics of teenage adolescence amid a clever portrayal of the precarious lives of working class society. Season three saw interpersonal drama between the cast and the series’ producers, leading to a feud that ultimately led to its cancellation. The spirit of What’s Happening!! lived vicariously through its 1985 revival and has stood the test of time as one of cable’s most underrated sitcoms.
The series was only moderately successful during its initial run and didn’t gain any recognition beyond its small, dedicated fanbase. After a short-lived spinoff in 1980, the series coasted underneath the radar, but it retrospectively became recognized as an influential documentation of the African American working class struggle. The series continues to run in syndication decades after its abrupt ending and in some aspects, the series’ commentary on social politics and economics may work better in 2024 than it did in 1976.
27. That’s So Raven
Network: Disney Channel| Medium: Cable | Original Release: 2003-2007
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 100 | Viewership Average: 4.23 Million
Raven-Symoné stars in Disney’s That’s So Raven, a teen sitcom following Raven Baxter, a teenager with hidden psychic abilities that inevitably lead to trouble and humorous escapades. The series served as the Disney Channel’s first multi-camera sitcom and quickly became the network’s highest-rated original program, beating out Lizzie McGuire (2001). Lauded for Symoné’s amazing physical comedy as well as its amazing supporting cast, That’s So Raven spawned sequels, spinoffs, merchandise, and even video games. The series became the network’s defining show of the 2000s, cementing its place within pop culture and the teen sitcom landscape.
The series reveled in high viewership and praise across the board. It received two Primetime Emmy nominations, several NAACP Image Awards, and even a Writers Guild nomination in 2007. Its spinoff, Cory in the House (2007), was a success for the network, and 2017’s Raven’s Home maintains the wit and energy of the original while breaking new grounds in the streaming space. As it stands, That’s So Raven is more than a teen sitcom — it’s a staple within contemporary pop culture and stands as the Disney Channel’s boldest sitcom to date.
26. My Wife and Kids
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2001-2005
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 123 | Viewership Average: 9.5 Million
Beyond the plethora of working class Black family sitcoms lies My Wife and Kids, a story about an upper middle class family struggling to come to terms with the fictionalized reality of the American dream. While not as politically sharp as other programs in the 2000s, My Wife and Kids rides the line between conventional, old-fashioned family dynamics and clever social commentary about wealth in the Black community.
My Wife and Kids garnered dozens of awards throughout its four-year lifespan. The series was nominated for numerous NAACP Image Awards, Young Artist Awards, and several BET Comedy Awards. It focuses on the issues faced by two career-driven individuals struggling to settle their egos for the sake of their kids, a rarity within Black-centered comedies. My Wife and Kids toys with the conventions of Black-centered sitcoms by presenting a different perspective, one based on affluence and the inner turmoil that wealth imposes onto successful Black individuals.
25. Kim’s Convenience
Network: CBC Television | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2016-2021
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 65 | Viewership Average: 759,000
Netflix’s Kim’s Convenience follows the lives of the Kim family, an Asian Canadian family that runs a convenience store. Janet (Andrea Bang) is the 20-year-old daughter of Appa (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and Umma (Jean Yoon) and she constantly tries to get her family to stop hovering over her life. It was initially a 2011 play by the same name that Moore-nominated creator Ins Choi developed based on his experience growing up in Toronto, Canada during a peak in Korean immigration. Many immigrants grow up in heteronormative, patriarchal environments, and Kim’s Convenience satirizes the homogenized way society views gender, sexuality, race, and class by cleverly presenting it through the immigrant experience.
Kim’s Convenience was met with relatively positive reviews and quickly garnered critical and commercial success during its later seasons. The series was nominated for dozens of Canadian Screen Awards and won multiple ACTRA Awards. It strays away from pseudo-intellectual conversations present in many immigrant stories and recognizes the cultural differences between Western countries and immigrants’ home countries. Kim’s Convenience is a traditional yet imaginative look into working class Asian immigrant family dynamics.
24. The Jamie Foxx Show
Network: The WB | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1996-2001
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 100 | Viewership Average: 3.82 Million
Very rarely do sitcoms fail to such a high degree while garnering immense cultural influence, but The Jamie Foxx Show proves that ratings aren’t everything. The show follows Jaime King (Jamie Foxx), an aspiring musician pursuing fame and fortune in Los Angeles. Premiering on The WB in 1996, the series flopped in every metric: ratings, critical consensus, and audience reception. A comedy series about comedians sounds like a recipe for brilliant writing and ecstatic performances, but this is rarely the case. The Jamie Foxx Show failed to capture viewers during its initial run, but the series helped launch the careers of multiple high profile Black actors at the cost of a middling series not worth revisiting.
The series was critically panned upon release and quickly forgotten by audiences after its premiere. Ratings were abysmal but high enough to keep the show going for five seasons. Despite its reputation as one of WB’s worse sitcoms, The Jamie Foxx Show does more off-screen than it does on-screen. Foxx, alongside Garrett Morris and Garcelle Beauvais, outgrew the series as soon as it ended, but ultimately, it helped launch the career of one of media’s most recognizable figures in film and music.
23. The Parkers
Network: UPN | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1996-2004
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 110 | Viewership Average: 3.24 Million
One of UPN’s last successful Black-centered sitcoms, The Parkers follows mother and daughter Nikki (Mo’Nique) and Kim Parker (Countess Vaughn) as they attend Santa Monica College. Nearly 20 years after Nikki was forced to drop out of high school, she decides to return at the same time as her daughter. Together, they learn and experience aspects of each other's lives they’ve never seen before. Its initial lukewarm reception had no effect on the series’ performance throughout its run. The Parkers shot up to UPN’s No. 1 comedy slot ahead of the highly influential The Steve Harvey Show. Family dynamics is always difficult to navigate, and the series allows audiences, especially young people, to consider the multifaceted aspects of their families lives through a new perspective.
The series received mixed reviews upon release, but this didn’t stop the series from garnering critical success and attention elsewhere. The series was nominated for several NAACP Image Awards and multiple BET Comedy Awards. The Parkers found a home in the hearts of millions and continues to receive attention long after its final episode. The Mo’Nique Show hosted a Parkers reunion in a special 2009 episode to immense anticipation. If there’s anything critics can’t critique, it’s the longevity of community and nostalgia that The Parkers created. It’s rambunctious and stands as one of UPN’s greatest sitcoms.
22. Julia
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1968-1971
Seasons: 3 | Episodes: 86 | Viewership Average: 18.43 Million
Coming off the end of the Civil Rights Movement, Diahann Carroll’s award-winning series was a hit among audiences and a milestone for diversity and representation in television. NBC’s Julia broke cultural barriers as the first sitcom since Beulah (1950) to star a Black woman and the first show to depict a Black middle class family. A young widow having trouble raison her five-year-old son while working as a nurse isn’t exactly a daring storyline worth investing in. It’s innocuous but in the cultural context of the 1960s, African Americans were rarely portrayed as people rather than props. With popular shows like Amos ‘n’ Andy (1951) and Beulah characterizing African Americans in their most stereotypical representations, Julia recognized the Black struggle while cultivating an optimistic tone about African American prosperity.
Before its abrupt cancellation in 1971, Julia was nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards and won a Golden Globe in 1969. While scholars and critics argue about the series’ messaging regarding integration, Black excellence, and optimistic prosperity in a post-Jim Crow United States, Julia laid the foundation for African American representation. Julia’s light-hearted, apolitical welcome into the life of Black middle class America is met with praise and criticism, but it stands as one of television’s most important series documenting African American representation.
21. The Game
Network: The CW/BET| Medium: Broadcast/Cable | Original Release: 2006-2015
Seasons: 9 | Episodes: 147 | Viewership Average: 2.75 Million
A spin off of UPN’s Girlfriends, The Game premiered on The CW to middling ratings. The series centered around Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry), a medical student who puts her goals on hold to follow her boyfriend as he pursues a career as a professional football player. During its initial run, The Game drifted through The CW’s catalog without much recognition. As a result, the series was canceled after three seasons. In 2010, BET struck a deal with CBS and revived the series to 7.7 million viewers in its season four premiere, making it the most watched sitcom premiere in television history.
The series became BET’s highest rated sitcom and received numerous NAACP Image Awards during its stay on the network. The Game brandished a newfound identity during its transition, transforming into a drama-focused sitcom that’s rarely seen on cable. Its later seasons veered towards a distinct blend of dramedy and sitcom thanks to its well-written characters who deal with their issues in realistic yet self-destructive ways. Paramount+ revived the series in 2021, ditching the multi-cams and focusing on heartfelt drama infused with the cynical humor fans of The Game have come to love.
20. Sister, Sister
Network: ABC/The WB | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1995-1999
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 119 | Viewership Average: 5.72 Million
Before they faced off against the forces of evil in Disney Channel’s Twitches (2005), twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry starred in Sister, Sister. After a chance encounter at the mall reunites the long-lost twins, Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell reckon with their self-centeredness as they’re thrown into a growing relationship of petty sibling rivalry, love, and family. The series won’t win over adults as the deepest show on television, but it’s a light-hearted stroll through familiar sitcom tropes that are as humorous as they are enticing.
The series was met with critical acclaim as one of ABC’s most whimsical sitcoms to date. Sister, Sister picked up a Primetime Emmy in 1995 as well as three other nominations. The series was a dominant force at the NAACP Image awards during its initial run, garnering over four awards and five nominations. Sister, Sister is a laid-back comedy series focused on two eccentric, amiable leads with enough charisma to lighten any gray skies. The series may have ended 25 years ago, but it continues to provide an enthralling, pinching humor.
19. The Bernie Mac Show
Network: Fox | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2001-2006
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 104 | Viewership Average: 7.08 Million
When his sister drops off her three kids en route to rehab, Bernie (Bernie Mac) and his wife, Wanda (Kellita Smith), reluctantly step into the role of parenthood in this 2001 Fox gem. The series is loosely based on Mac’s early stand-up acts, specifically his interesting take — immense disinterest — on traditional parenthood. His explicit humor is the perfect antithesis for the series as his children bring out a frustrated, sometimes violent dad who is hilariously always on the brink of collapse.
The series is most recognized for its absurd fourth wall breaks and random interjections. In particular, the series’ most emotional scenes had Mac talking to the audience with enough sincerity to drive the message through the thickest of walls. The Bernie Mac Show won a Peabody award in 2001, a Primetime Emmy, and three NAACP Image Awards. Despite its unfortunate cancellation, The Bernie Mac Show fully fleshes out its strong supporting characters without falling into ghetto stereotypes. The series distinguishes itself from others as a reverse family sitcom. It prides itself in its negative characters that would rather fight than hug one another, but that just makes it all the more sincere. Raising a family is hard, and The Bernie Mac Show suggests that negativity may not always be the answer, but it certainly is the funniest.
18. Everybody Hates Chris
Network: UPN/The CW | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2005-2009
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 88 | Viewership Average: 2.7 Million
Chris Rock recollects his teenage years in Everybody Hates Chris, a comedy so ingrained in popular culture that it needs little introduction. Chris, a meek nerdy teen living in Brooklyn, New York, struggles socially in his all white junior high school while juggling the antics of his tight-knit family. Rock narrates the series and often interjects with his own thoughts amid the chaos of each episode. The series is part autobiographical and part fiction, grounded in bitter observations about the real world with enough jokes to carry the series beyond other network sitcoms.
During its run, Everybody Hates Chris was showered in praise from audiences and critics. The series garnered dozens of NAACP Image Award nominations, four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe nomination, and acknowledgement from the Writers Guild of America and the Television Critics Association. Everybody Hates Chris manages to outshine its contemporaries by being something every edgy sitcom isn’t: sweet-spirited. While the series has its sentimental moments, it’s coated in light-hearted shenanigans that decenter teenage angst for the realities of real life.
17. Chico and the Man
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1974-1978
Seasons: 4 | Episodes: 88 | Viewership Average: 20.58 Million
Chico and the Man stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez in this influential multicultural NBC sitcom. Inspired by a Cheech & Chong skit, the series centers on Ed, a cranky widowed garage owner who runs into Chico, an optimistic young Mexican American in search of employment. Despite corporate hesitation, the duo hit it off, quickly becoming one of the two most famous comedies of the mid-1970s. The series came to a slow decline after Prinze sadly committed suicide at the age of 22. The series tried to live on in his memory, but ratings declined and the series was canceled after one season.
Prinze’s tragic death during the third season didn’t stop the series from maintaining its cultural relevance. At the time, Mexican Americans were rarely in the spotlight, and the death of Prinze was more than just another celebrity death — it marked one less Mexican voice to represent millions of TV viewers. The series was a hit during its initial run and continues to run in syndication on various networks. Chico and the Man’s brevity in the televisual landscape didn’t go unnoticed, opening the door for hundreds of Mexican American-centered programming to faithfully take its place.
16. Fresh Off the Boat
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2015-2020
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 116 | Viewership Average: 4.77 Million
Loosely based on the life of celebrity chef Eddie Huang and his best-selling memoir of the same name, Fresh Off the Boat takes a personal deep dive into the lives of Asian immigrants learning to assimilate in America. The series broke ground as the first American network television sitcom to feature an Asian American family as the main characters in over 20 years. While based on Eddie’s memoir, the series develops its own identity and masterfully balances its tender sentimentality with typical sitcom nonsense. It’s traditional and sometimes conventional, but opened the door for other Asian Americans to tell their stories.
Fresh Off the Boat premiered with critical acclaim and gained a cult following after its first season finale. The series was noted for increasing the visibility of Asian Americans in the entertainment industry, but it was also met with criticism by Huang himself, who noted the show’s artificial representation of Asian American households. Despite this, the series went on to be nominated for numerous Young Entertainer Awards, two Critics’ Choice Television Awards, and an NAACP Image Awards. Fresh Off the Boat managed to find a home in ABC’s racially inclusive lineup without watering down the immigrant culture clash storylines that breathe fresh air into the series.
15. Community
Network: NBC/Yahoo! Screen | Medium: Broadcast/Streaming | Original Release: 2009/2015
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 110 | Viewership Average: 4.01 Million
Creator Dan Harmon drew from his personal college experiences when conceiving the series. This, along with Community’s ensemble cast, performances, and ironic humor has led to an online cult following, despite the series’ abysmal ratings. When lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) gets his degree revoked, he’s forced to go back to school at Greendale Community College. Hoping to impress Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), he invents a study group and unknowingly creates one of the most comedic friend groups on network television.
Community suffered terrible ratings for most of its NBC run, but it amassed a cultural net that spanned beyond network television and onto the internet. Community consistently ranks high in various “best television shows of all time” lists and became a cultural phenomenon thanks to its use of meta-humor and pop culture references. The series was awarded a Primetime Emmy Award along with three nominations. The show’s extensive list of accolades proves that ratings don't always equal great television. Sometimes, a series gets overlooked, and it’s a miracle Community didn’t fall into television obscurity.
14. George Lopez
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2002-2007
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 120 | Viewership Average: 7.88 Million
Comedian George Lopez stars as an assembly-line worker and family man attempting to deal with his insane family and combative, insensitive mother. The series drew from Lopez’s own life experience growing up in the San Fernando Valley and cleverly depicted the dynamics and attitudes of Latino American culture. Lopez had aspirations of creating his own Seinfeld where Latinos were the stars and were not portrayed in stereotypical roles. The series became one of the few television comedy series to star Latinos, paving the way for the future of Latino representation on cable. The series was a hard sell but ultimately gained wide audience appeal despite negative reviews from critics.
George Lopez received numerous accolades, including a Creative Emmy Award, several NAACP Image Awards, and numerous Imagen Foundation Awards and nominations. From conception until its cancellation, George Lopez struggled to compete with ABC’s more popular reality shows. Critics point to the series’ lack of emphasis on issues plaguing the Latino community, but Lopez made an effort to portray the chaotic Latino family dynamic without minimizing his culture. Ultimately, the series is a safe sitcom that aims to entertain while giving audiences a glimpse of what it’s like to grow up Latino in America.
13. Black-ish
Network: ABC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2014-2022
Seasons: 8 | Episodes: 176 | Viewership Average: 5.18 Million
ABC’s smash hit Black-ish is an angular mix of The Simpsons’ father-child dynamic with a tinge of Modern Family’s interpersonal antics. Andre “Dre” Johnson (Anthony Anderson) is a successful middle class father worried that his kids aren’t Black enough. Dre tries desperately to toughen his kid into embracing their “urban roots,” terrified that he’ll have failed as a father if his kids don’t become “Blacker.” Unlike most Black sitcoms, Black-ish doesn’t harp on negative stereotypes of the Black community; instead, it wants to embrace it. Dre feels incredibly disconnected with his ideal vision of Black excellence, partly because of perpetuated stereotypes in media and partly because his version of success hinges on community rather than wealth. It's a hilarious yet tasteful tale about otherization and what it means to be a successful Black family.
Black-ish was lauded upon release, receiving dozens of Primetime Emmy Awards and nominations as well as a Peabody Award, a Golden Globe, and a dozen NAACP Image Awards. Critics applauded the series’ racially edgy humor that didn’t compress its politically brash commentary on wealth and discrimination. The series spawned three spin-offs that continue the storylines of various characters. The spin-off Grown-ish has cemented itself as one of broadcast television’s most successful and bold sitcoms, and its influence will become more apparent as time passes.
12. Moesha
Network: UPN | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1996-2001
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 127 | Viewership Average: 3.33 Million
Starring Brandy Norwood, Moesha chronicles the life of Moesha, a Black teenager juggling school, romance, and friends while keeping her middle class family from falling apart. The series was constantly rejected until UPN gave it a chance, and it quickly became the biggest hit the network had seen. It remained UPN’s golden goose throughout its run, spawning merchandise, sequels, and a loose spin-off, Girlfriends (2000). The series ended on an unresolved cliffhanger in season six when UPN decided to pull the plug. However, with its recent success on Netflix, a rumored Moesha revival may possibly bring her lively world to a new generation.
The series was a commercial success upon release. Though not a critical darling as other sitcoms, the series was lauded by the NAACP Image Awards as well as multiple Young Artist Award nominations. Moesha exists in a teenage world so ubiquitous that almost anyone can relate. Brandy and the supporting cast managed to sketch a fresh perspective on growing pains and searching for identity. It’s humorous and enthralling, setting a new standard for teenage sitcoms.
11. Girlfriends
Network: UPN/The CW | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 2000-2008
Seasons: 8 | Episodes: 172 | Viewership Average: 3.4 Million
One of UPN’s most celebrated sitcoms, Girlfriends takes a look into the lives of four women and their trials and tribulations of love, loss, and adulthood. Starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White, and Jill Marie Jones, the series brandishes an exciting spin on trailblazers like Sex and the City (1998) and Friends (1994). Providing the comedic escapades and sentimentality of both shows, Girlfriends became the foundation for the network’s most popular sitcoms. While not garnering any sympathy from critics, Girlfriends has stood the test of time as UPN’s greatest sitcom to date.
Negative critic reviews didn’t stop Girlfriends from receiving several NAACP Image Awards, two BET Comedy Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Nomination. Its clever writing and well-acted characters created a sincere take on female relationships in the modern age. After falling in ratings, the series was canceled without a proper season finale. However, Girlfriends lived vicariously through The Game (2006), a loose spin-off that exists in the same universe as Moesha. All in all, the series is a wonderful departure from Moesha’s childlike personality, growing into a young adult sitcom that highlights the awkwardness of adulthood and relationships.
10. 227
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1985-1990
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 116 | Viewership Average: 16 Million
By 1985, Saturday night comedy specials had lost their mojo. As television grew older, sitcoms became a dime a dozen, plaguing networks with their contrived and formulaic family-centered narratives. However, 227 brought a fresh perspective on a dying format. Based on a play by Christine Houston, 227 centers on Mary Jenkins (Marla Gibbs) a short-tempered, no-nonsense Washington D.C. housewife with a strict leash on her teen daughter (Regina King). Middle class America rarely saw Black families during primetime, and 227 provided an incredibly heartfelt look into the lives of an underrepresented demographic.
Gibbs was a rising comedy actress with enough charisma to carry herself, but studios weren’t buying. After her Primetime Emmy nominated role as Florence Johnson in CBS’s The Jeffersons (1975), she starred in its spin-off, Checking In (1981), and struggled to get 227 on air. Eventually, NBC saw its potential and allowed Gibbs to chat her heart away on her apartment rooftop to commercial success.
Much like Julia, 227 increased the visibility of middle class African Americans amid a tumultuous Reagan administration. The ‘80s saw the rise of harsh social tensions between POC and authority, and television became another avenue to discuss real world suffering. 227 was largely ignored during its initial run but became an important text documenting the other side of the Black experience. It provided a safe haven for ideals of Black excellence without discrediting racial and economic tensions in middle class America.
9. Living Single
Network: Fox | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1993-1998
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 118 | Viewership Average: 7.54 Million
Before Queen Latifah became a pop culture icon, she was bustling through small roles in the early ‘90s. Off the back of her highly celebrated albums All Hail The Queen (1989) and Nature of a Sista’ (1991), the television industry was quick to shut her out. Media had slowly faded out cross-platform celebrity projects, but Living Single was the cultural milestone that paved the way for future Black artists to spread their wings. Living Single peeked into the lives of several single middle class African Americans living life in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
Yvette Lee Bowser, one of the youngest Black television producers of her generation, developed the series with the help of Queen Latifah and Kim Coles. She wanted to develop a show that would change the portrayal of young Black people on television, and Living Single portrayed its Black characters more positively and less stereotypically. The series became one of the most popular Black-centered sitcoms of its era, consistently ranking among the top five African American programs throughout its five seasons. While the series never broke the Top 50 of all television programs, it became a darling in the Black community.
Living Single was never a worldwide hit like Friends, but it showed networks that Black stories are immensely popular and highly desirable. The series suffered somewhat negative critical reception. However, Living Single garnered two Primetime Emmy nominations and three NAACP Image Awards. The series is groundbreaking and eccentric as it tells a story about the ordinary lives of friends simply wanting to live freely.
8. Martin
Network: Fox | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1992-1997
Seasons: 5 | Episodes: 132 | Viewership Average: 8.58 Million
When Martin debuted, it wasn’t met with open arms. Critics tore the series apart and audiences tepidly tuned in and quickly tuned out. However, the cast kept going and slowly became one of Fox’s most treasured sitcoms, and one of its highest rated programs during its run. Stand-up comedian Martin Lawrence plays Martin Payne, an irreverent radio talk show host living with his girlfriend Gina Waters (Tisha Campbell). The series doesn’t dive into serious discussions like most Black-centered comedies, but what it lacks in social commentary it makes up for in hilarious antics.
Lawrence brings his cynical comedic style to the small screen. Unfortunately, the series was retrospectively condemned by its cast after actress Tisha Campbell sued Lawrence and the show’s producers for sexual harassment and intolerant working conditions. They have since reconciled and reunited at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. The series went on to win numerous NAACP Image Awards and a People’s Choice Awards.
Martin proved to networks that Black-centered stories were more than just a ‘90s trend and could compete with cable giants. The series rose above its critics and cemented itself within the television landscape. Martin is thick-skinned and overtly angsty, with enough charm to keep audiences glued in.
7. Family Matters
Network: Fox | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1989-1998
Seasons: 9 | Episodes: 215 | Viewership Average: 18.81 Million
Does the titular Steve Urkel need any introduction? A spinoff of Perfect Strangers (1986), Family Matters revolves around the Winslow Family, an upper middle class African American family, and their weekly family antics. The series did not gain much attention until Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) —meant to be a one-off character — became the series’ breakout star, catapulting Family Matters into the upper echelon of sitcoms. Family Matters became the second-longest running live action U.S. sitcom starring a predominantly Black cast, only behind The Jeffersons. Spin-offs typically hide in the shadows of their predecessor, but Family Matters proved otherwise. Its incredible cast blows Perfect Strangers out of the water and cultivates a new standard for Black-centered comedies.
Despite mixed critical reviews upon release, Family Matters was nominated for a Primetime Emmy and won numerous NAACP Image Awards, three Young Artist Awards, and two BMI Film & TV Awards. The series became one of the most watched sitcoms the network had seen. It spawned numerous spin-offs, including two films, and continues to levy its stay in our current television landscape. The series is particularly notable for juxtaposing African American stereotypes with its bashful, multifaceted characters.
The series is responsible for cultivating the pop cultural landscape throughout the ‘90s thanks to Urkel’s iconic character. Family Matters provides a different side of African American representation, and it became one of television’s most recognizable sitcoms in the process. In its humor the series showcases how African American media doesn’t need to harp on social issues in order to make an impact. Family Matters is a cultural phenomenon that will make audiences laugh for years to come.
6. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1990-1996
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 148 | Viewership Average: 12.62 Million
As its catchy theme song suggests, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air tells the story of Will Smith, a troubled street kid from Philadelphia, who is sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt in Bel-Air, Los Angeles. Smith is culture shocked and has trouble assimilating to upper class society. His working class background almost always ends up clashing with rich society. Smith represents a distinct polarity that could only be represented in a post-Reagan nation where immense wealth scarcity separates cultures and demographics into two categories: the rich and the poor. Rich African Americans don’t live the same life as poor African Americans, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s astute social observations about race, class, and social mobility turns this would-be typical sitcom into a substantive show that makes viewers laugh and cry.
Before Fresh Prince, Smith was no stranger to fame. A successful career in hip hop left him wanting something more, and this series served as his jump into the entertainment industry. Smith has become one of Hollywood's most recognizable and celebrated actors of the 21st century. The series was lauded for its writing, acting, and emotionally evocative moments that transcended cultural barriers. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globes, and several NAACP Image Awards.
There isn’t anything The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air isn’t capable of. It has become a worldwide phenomenon for both hip-hop and Black television. The series capitalized on hip-hop’s growing success and commercialized it to a nationwide audience. Smith’s brand of acting would not only serve the series incredibly well, but inspire Hollywood’s biggest box office hits of the ‘90s. The popularization of Black culture in America has been a battle waging since the 19th century, and Smith shifted Black culture into a place where it historically never belonged: rich American households. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air pushes the image of Black America into the homes of millions, dismantling negative perceptions of Black culture in the process.
5. A Different World
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1987-1993
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 144 | Viewership Average: 18.57 Million
Higher education’s history has made one thing clear: African Americans don’t belong there. From Harvard to Yale to Columbia, African Americans have historically been barred from pursuing a higher education to keep the “sanctity” of prestigious universities. This is no longer the case, but remnants of this long feud persist to this day. A Different World conveyed this discrepancy with substance and style. A spin-off of The Cosby Show, the show focuses on the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black college. The series began as a bland Cosby spin-off and transformed into a socially responsible comedy that went places The Cosby Show was too afraid to venture.
Cosby developed the series as a sister series to The Cosby Show, with the college and its pilot appearing in the show before the series’ premiere. Unlike The Cosby Show’s lukewarm approach to issues regarding race, class relations, gender, and civil rights, A Different World went all in. The series tackled everything from education to sexual assault to the Equal Rights Amendments, and was the first American network television show to address the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. With The Cosby Show, Cosby veered away from possibly alienating a wide subset of audiences, but he used A Different World to say what he’s always wanted to.
The series quickly became a counterculture revolution within the Black community. Black television had become stagnant; shows were either too lazy or too over-the-top in their representation of Black issues. A Different World was like stepping into a different world. The series won seven NAACP Image Awards and was nominated for three Primetime Emmys and the 1922 Humanitas Prize. A Different World feels like entering through a portal of familiar sitcom tropes with a socially aware edge and a visual language to back it up.
4. Good Times
Network: CBS | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1974-1979
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 133 | Viewership Average: 19.85 Million
Media is an amazing way to gauge the cultural landscape of a given era. It allows for a proper dissection of cultural values and relates them to the current social landscape. One such American staple in popular culture is the nuclear family. It encapsulates everything American families are supposed to be: traditional, conformist, and middle class. Only a couple years after the Civil Rights Amendments were passed, Good Times challenged what it meant to be a family. In a culture divided by proxy wars, counter culture, and integration, Good Times shined through it all and became television’s first African American two-parent family sitcom. The series focuses on the Evans, a Black family living in a poor Black public housing project, trying to make the best of their situation. Incredibly humorous and realistic, Good Times represented Black families at its core, popularizing the Black struggle while evoking laughs along the way.
The series is a spin-off of CBS’s Maude (1972), which itself is a spin-off of All in the Family (1971). The series delves heavily into discussions of poverty, including how it manifests and how difficult it is to combat. Unbeknownst to series producer Norman Lear, the character James Jr. (Jimmie Walker) would become a smash hit with audiences due to his expressive personality and infamous catchphrase, “Dy-no-mite.” The phrase became synonymous with the show. However, creative differences between director John Rich and the rest of the crew forced the series to ride J.J.'s comedic wave and dismiss any real discussions about class, wealth, and race. The series ended with more comedy and less introspective discussions.
Despite this, the series would continuously be ranked as one of the network's highest rated sitcoms. It also became one of three Black-centric stories to crack the top ten highest rated programs, following Sanford and Son (1972) and The Jeffersons (1975). The series was nominated for three Golden Globes and two Humanitas Prizes during its peak. Good Times became a vehicle for positive Black family values without undermining the pervasive setback poverty has on Black communities. When it isn’t funny, it’s incredibly sincere, and that’s exactly what America needed.
3. Sanford & Son
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1972-1977
Seasons: 6 | Episodes: 136 | Viewership Average: 25.77 Million
The series lampooned off the success of CBS’s All in the Family (1971) by presenting itself as the opposite: unchic, crass, and pioneers of the edgy, racial humor that would define the political culture of the time. Based on the BBC’s Steptoe and Son (1962), the series follows Fred Sandford (Redd Foxx), a sarcastic, short-tempered schemer always looking for a quick way to earn a dime. On the other hand, his son, Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson), is a patient, conscientious man who’s always bailing his father out of trouble. Together, they formed one of television’s most celebrated father-son relationships. The series quickly became a hit, topping Nielsen lists throughout its run. The series wasn’t as politically motivated as All in the Family, but it became a precursor to many other Black American sitcoms due to its widely recognizable cast, characters, writing, and hilarious antics.
The show was immensely popular throughout its run, creating a big enough wave to make a dent in ABC’s The Brady Bunch. The series consistently peaked at No. 2 in the Nielsen ratings, second only to All in the Family. The series garnered seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations, one Golden Globe win, five Golden Globe nominations, and an NAACP Image Award. Despite airing in the Friday night death slot, Sanford and Son dominated the cultural landscape, retrospectively named one of the best TV shows of all time.
Sanford and Son unleashed decades of pent-up aggression toward anyone who dared to challenge it. The series refused to conform to stereotypical wholesome family dynamics, instead opting for a more cynical approach that was rarely seen before. Sanford and Son is a landmark in television sitcom history, especially for its portrayal of culturally rich and hilariously cynical Black representation.
2. The Jeffersons
Network: CBS | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1975-1985
Seasons: 11 | Episodes: 253 | Viewership Average: 20.55 Million
When sitcoms first emerged as the premiere cable programming in the 1950s, Black stereotypes were not only common but expected. It was inevitable that, in a culture coated with bigotry and political division, television would portray the same harmful stereotypes that plagued Black communities. However, after landmark supreme court rulings and the end of the Civil Rights Movement, the ‘70s became a cultural stepping-stone for Black representation. Many of these influential shows — such as Sanford and Son and Good Times — would consistently rank as the most influential sitcoms of all time. One name that is consistently forgotten is The Jeffersons, the widely successful series following an upper class Black couple as they move up the social ladder while running a dry cleaning chain. The show was launched as the second spin-off of All in the Family and rapidly overtook its parent series as one of television’s most successful Black-centered sitcoms.
Influential producer Norman Lear created a story about Black social mobility after members of the Black Panthers raised concerns about the portrayal of Black people on screen. As a result, the series explored issues rarely discussed on television such as class relations, sex, gender, racism, and the negative state of Black culture. As a game changer in the televisual landscape, the series garnered numerous awards, including winning two of its eleven Primetime Emmy Award nominations. The series received eight Golden Globe nominations and two NAACP Image Awards, and was nominated for a Humanitas Prize in 1978.
The Jefferesons’ success, much like its characters, pushed them into a predominantly white world. American media centering African Americans was a foreign concept until The Jeffersons and others paved the way for Black representation to flourish on screen. The series is light-hearted but not afraid to say what most Black-centered media is afraid to say. The series’ contribution to the television landscape is largely overlooked and it’s about time the series got the recognition it rightfully deserves.
1. The Cosby Show
Network: NBC | Medium: Broadcast | Original Release: 1984-1992
Seasons: 8 | Episodes: 201 | Viewership Average: 31.05 Million
The ‘80s was a paradoxical decade where political unity coexisted alongside the continued racial tensions of the ‘70s. It was both a reinvigoration of the white nuclear family and the false pretense of the War on Drugs. With escalations from the Reagan administration, African Americans faced the brunt of brutal police militancy and, without any remorse, destroyed dozens of Black communities in the name of public health. Media played a large role in this, and as a result, Black Americans were denoted back to square one, seen as brutes by the American population. In the eyes of White America, the Black family was no longer like everyone else. The work of the ‘70s was undone in a matter of years, and it wouldn’t be until The Cosby Show premiered in 1984 that American popular culture would see Black families as humans instead of criminals.
The 2010s oversaw some of contemporary television’s most notable and critically acclaimed Black stories to date, and none of them would have been possible without the The Cosby Show. The series was not only a commercial hit, but a cultural phenomenon that shaped the way African American families were presented on television. There is no denying the power media has within the cultural zeitgeist. Media represents current culture — a mirror that reflects how we see the world and how we see ourselves. As we’ve aged further into a culture of inclusivity, it’s clear how shows like The Cosby Show shaped our perception of inclusive televisual representation and opened the door for candid cultural dialogue across the world.
The Cosby Show, and in part Bill Cosby, was different from the rest of Black entertainment. It was wholesome, creating a projection of puritanism that would uplift the optics of Black America. It presented the Huxtables as a part of the majority middle class, rather than a part of the harsh realities most African Americans in the ‘80s experienced. While it had its moments that focus on poverty, class, and institutional racism, The Cosby Show’s heart was the everyday family, decentering aspects of their struggles as it built up human relationships during a period of social unrest. In retrospect, The Cosby Show acted as a pragmatic primer for establishing healthy Black representation in television, but this would later be ruined in 2014.
It’s impossible to talk about The Cosby Show without mentioning Cosby’s 2014 sexual assault allegations. With everything we know, how do we talk about The Cosby Show? When “America’s Dad,” one of the most celebrated cultural figures of the past century is revealed to be a serial rapist, how can we look past it? Separating art from the artist isn’t anything new, but rewatching the show in 2024 feels like peering through a facade. Despite its six Primetime Emmy wins and staggering 29 nominations, the series has faded in television history as a dark reminder of the horrors that television never showcases. It’s incredibly disheartening for the millions of Black Americans who saw Cosby as the golden heart of their community. It’s sad, but unfortunately, not unique throughout Hollywood’s history. The series was more than a cultural milestone for representation; it was a moment in history, the influence of which can be seen in all aspects of Black life to this day. Unfortunately, it came falling down as fast as it arose.
The Cosby Show is in a confusing position. On one hand, it’s one of the most important texts of Black representation on television. On the other hand, we can’t acknowledge its feats without addressing the horrors behind the cameras. We can’t have one without the other. We don’t live in a world where we can overlook these kinds of issues. It’s unfortunate that one of Black America’s most influential shows was tarnished by the avariciousness and exploitative cruelty of its creator. It’s difficult to turn a blind eye on something as influential as The Cosby Show, but that’s where we are. Its legacy will continue to divide audiences, critics, and the Black community alike as a series that is incredibly important and equally as repulsive in retrospect.