8 Most Rewatchable Sitcoms From The '90s
Modern TV is remarkably lacking when it comes to sitcoms, but thankfully, many of the sitcoms from the golden age of this genre's history are perfect for rewatching. The 1990s gave birth to some of the most fun, emotional, and addictive situational comedy shows ever made.
Today, reality TV appears to have taken up a considerable part of the market share for mindless TV consumption, and drama and horror has had a serious glow-up, with many of the best shows in this class ever being produced in the last 10 years. However, sitcoms have fallen by the wayside, with precious few new shows making an impression.
So, while Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Big Bang Theory, and The Office continue to be beloved entries in this category, it's worth looking back a little further at some of the shows that defined the genre, and continue to provide excellent entertainment and comfort for those watching today.
8 The King of Queens
The King of Queens is a simple sitcom, as many are, focused on a young couple, Carrie and Doug Heffernan, living a simple and happy life... until Carrie's father moves in with them. Kevin James plays Doug, Leah Remini plays Carrie, and Jerry Stiller tackles the role of Arthur, the meddling father-in-law.
The simple dysfunctional family dynamic is a tried and true effort when it comes to sitcoms, and within this series, it becomes a hilarious engine for each episode to challenge the characters and push them to their individual limits. This show existed as one of several on CBS, and while most of the run took place in the 2000s, the show began in 1998, which means it qualifies for this list.
And the reason it stands out as such a solid example of a series to revisit year after year is the relatability of the characters. Doug is a normal guy, with a job as a delivery driver, who wants to hang out with his friends and enjoy time with his wife. Meanwhile, life, and often family or other obligations, gets in the way and causes unwanted chaos.
7 Everybody Loves Raymond
Another entry from the CBS slate is Everybody Loves Raymond. Ray Romano stars as the constantly anxious and wearisome Ray Barone. Despite his job as a sportswriter, his large, comfortable home, his charming wife and children, Ray finds himself is a state of constant woe, often due to the close proximity of his parents who live across the street.
The concept is somewhat similar to what we see in The King of Queens, which, combined with the fact that they both aired on CBS, is why they ended up having an occasional crossover. Beyond being part of this small sitcom universe, Everybody Loves Raymond benefits from an absolutely wonderful cast with electric chemistry.
Watching as the family drama unfolds, and seeing a person undergo incredible stress and frustration, despite having all his basic needs met and a wonderful life by most visible metrics, is a wonderfully comforting and fun concept for a comedy series, and it delivers again and again, making it a perfect show to revisit.
6 Frasier
Frasier is actually a spin-off of an entirely different sitcom that came much earlier, Cheers. Kelsey Grammer plays the titular lead, Dr. Frasier Crane, who previously appeared as a regular in Cheers from the third season onwards. However, when that show ended in 1993, Frasier got a spin-off, following his move back to his hometown of Seattle, and his career as a radio psychiatrist.
Tonally, this is a very different show to everything else on the list, with Frasier being a wealthy and successful single man who lives with his blue-collar retired father, and often hangs out with his equally pretentious brother. The contrast between characters like Frasier and Niles, and their father, Martin, along with other down-to-earth characters like Daphne and Roz makes this a sharp-witted, off-tempo comedy that is a joy to watch.
5 That '70s Show
Again, switching up the tone, That '70s Show is a series that began in the 1990s, with a story set a few decades earlier. In rural Wisconsin, a group of teenagers who all belong to different social cliques end up forming a close bond as they regularly indulge in recreational drugs in Eric Foreman's basement.
This series paved the way for several incredibly talented individuals to advance their careers, and delivered a rarely-seen, but exceptionally fun and provocative coming-of-age sitcom story. The series benefits from a colorful cast of characters, and the contrast of Eric's parents, who are an essential part of this show's success.
As a result of the show exploring the 1970s through a nostalgic lens, the show takes on a self-aware, almost meta style of humor at times that makes it feel a little more timeless. Which, of course, adds to the rewatchability of it as a series, and makes it a wonderful show to revisit.
4 3rd Rock From The Sun
3rd Rock From The Sun is a rare sci-fi sitcom that leans heavily into a wacky concept about a group of aliens who have arrived on Earth as part of a mission to study the human race. With John Lithgow playing the eccentric head of their undercover family, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kristen Johnston, and French Stewart playing the role of quirky siblings, the show is an absolute blast.
The only comparable show on TV today would be Resident Alien, but even that veers much more into the realm of drama than a sitcom. 3rd Rock From the Sun is a wonderful, colorful, and outrageous series that constantly subverts expectations, and despite the wild premise, it still manages to capture and convey emotion as these aliens learn what it means to be human.
3 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
One of the all-time greatest shows on TV, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air barely needs any explanation for its inclusion in this list. Regardless, Will Smith's breakout role stands out as one of the most pivotal TV shows of the 1990s, exploring what life looks like for a young African-American, and placing him in a situation that is entirely different to his upbringing.
Will was raised in West Philadelphia, but after getting into trouble, as the iconic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song repeats each week, his mother sent him to live with his aunt and uncle, two of the most wealthy and well-respected members of the black community, and forcing him to challenge everything he knows and understands about his life.
However, the show does a tremendous job of highlighting not only how Will changes and grows over its run, but also how his presence helps his privileged and at times out of touch family to see the world that they think they have left behind. It's a beautiful story, with incredible comedy beats, a fantastically defined cast of characters, and more life lessons than most educational shows on TV.
2 Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld remains one of the greatest comedians to ever appear on TV, and his lengthy run on this self-titled TV sitcom goes a long way to explaining how that came to be. Jerry has a small and tight-knit friend group, and despite their very different circumstances and careers, they are drawn together.
Seinfeld is the definition of a sitcom in many ways, with each episode putting these characters into situations and circumstances that test them. They struggle, they face down the odds, and they come out the other side with a funny story, but the series isn't necessarily about growth, change, or improvement.
Of course, there are developments in the plot, but more so than any other entry on this list, you could tune into any episode of Seinfeld, and just enjoy the antics and shenanigans of the characters without trying to figure out what is happening in a larger narrative.
1 Friends
Finally, last but certainly not least, Friends stands out as one of the best sitcoms in TV history. While there are certain parts of the humor that may feel somewhat dated in the 2020s, the heart of the show is the cast of six friends. Living their individual lives in the city of New York, and juggling all that those lives encompass, from work to relationships and beyond, Friends feels manages to capture something universal.
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It's a story about connection. It's a story about struggling with the mundane and ordinary challenges of life. And it's a story about the small things that make life worth living. With a group of very different people establishing the core of the show, the series is endlessly entertaining, and it is the perfect sitcom for revisiting time and time again.
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