Though there are always new and exciting shows coming out, sometimes fans want to revisit something they’ve seen already. This is most true with comedy shows as the really good ones provide a funny escape viewers can return to again and again.
In order for a comedy show to have truly great re-watch value, the show has to be more than just funny. It needs to have jokes that fans can still laugh at even if they know the punchlines, moments that they want to go back to, and characters they love being around.
10 Community
With so many sitcoms on television, it can be refreshing to find a show like Community that subverted a lot of the tropes of the genre. While the setup of a group of eccentric characters meeting in a community college sounds like typical sitcom formula, the show surprised fans with its wild storylines like the famous paintball episodes.
Community also featured lovable and fun characters who worked together in a wonderful ensemble. And with so many fun hidden gags and clever pop culture references, it still entertains even if later seasons aren’t as successful.
9 Arrested Development
Though it was never successful with its ratings, Arrested Development has maintained its reputation as one of the funniest shows of all time. The Bluth family made for one of the most bizarre and dysfunctional families in television history with each member of the family offering their own hilarious contribution.
As funny as the show is the first time, it got even better on multiple viewings as fans could pick up on the many running gags, clever foreshadowing, and unforgettable moments with the Bluths’ endless misadventures.
8 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
After starting out as a very small and underseen sitcom, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has gone on to become one of the longest-running series of all time. And with fourteen seasons and counting, there’s plenty for fans to rewatch as they wait for the newest season.
Unlike some comedies that try to make their more flawed characters lovable over time, It’s Always Sunny has gone out of its way to make its main characters as unlikable as possible. Of course, that only makes it more entertaining to see how far they continue to push the limits over time.
7 Schitt’s Creek
Though it is a very new show, Schitt’s Creek had already established itself as incredibly rewatchable. The Rose family was another wonderfully quirky clan and their fish-out-of-water story delivered big laughs from its first season to its record Emmy-winning final season.
But it was not just the comedy that fans like to revisit in Schitt’s Creek. It was also a heartwarming story of redemption filled with genuinely touching moments. And it featured charming romances that have become beloved by many viewers.
6 The Simpsons
The Simpsons is another long-running series that is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. Despite the fact that many fans agree the show peaked decades ago, there were still years and years in which The Simpsons was the funniest show on television.
Looking back at those early seasons, it is remarkable how well The Simpsons‘ humor has held up. Whether returning to particularly iconic episodes, watching the holiday episodes every year, or starting from the beginning, The Simpsons still proves why it remained iconic.
5 30 Rock
Though it began with a pretty solid sitcom premise of exploring the behind-the-scenes mayhem of a late-night sketch comedy show, 30 Rock became so beloved for its absurd sense of humor. The show was never afraid to leave reality behind to embrace its weirdness, making for some outrageous moments.
The talented cast was also a big reason for the show’s longevity among fans. Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan led the wonderful group of characters while guest stars ranging from Matt Damon to Jennifer Anniston to Peter Dinklage added to the fun chaos of the series.
4 Friends
There are few shows that deliver the mix of comedy and sweetness as successfully as Friends. The iconic series made its six main characters some of the most beloved television creations of all time, and together, they made up one of the best television ensembles.
The show had endlessly hilarious moments from the various hijinks the characters faced while sorting out their love lives, professional lives, and daily lives. It was filled with wonderful moments of friendship and some love stories that were legendary in television history.
3 Parks And Recreation
Though Parks and Recreation was initially dismissed as a knock-off of The Office, it didn’t take the show long to establish its own identity as a hilarious and endearing story of the mundane world of local government.
While the subject matter appeared dry, Parks and Rec‘s wonderful cast of zany characters was what made it work so well. It was the kind of show in which viewers feel like they were hanging out with old friends whenever they watched it.
2 Seinfeld
Before Seinfeld, sitcoms always delivered heart and valuable messages with the laughs. Seinfeld showed that not only were the heartwarming aspects unnecessary, but the main characters don’t even need to be good people.
By throwing away the previous sitcom conventions, Seinfeld only needed to be concerned with making the audience laugh. And while this path inspired many darker sitcoms that followed, Seinfeld is still as hilarious now as it was when it was first on the air.
1 The Office
As the American remake of the popular British sitcom, The Office had a lot of doubters before it was even aired. And while it would not exist without the original, this version grew into its own workplace sitcom with its own hilariously clueless boss, Michael Scott.
The show perfected the cringe comedy in its earlier episodes, then began to embrace its silliness with all of the characters who made up Dunder Mifflin. With Michael’s antics, the pranks on Dwight and the romance between Jim and Pam, The Office has always provided comfort watching for fans.
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