Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005)
Nasal-voiced comedian Ray Romano shaped his stand-up comedy routine about a clueless suburban husband, manipulated father, and son suffocated by his obnoxious nosy parents into one of the most reliable half-hours of the 1990s, a decade that would become known as the second Golden Age of comedy. Without a doubt, the show's star, Romano, was more often than not the foil to his usually spot-on wife (Patricia Heaton), his grumpy brother who constantly competed for their parents' favor (Brad Garrett) and, of course, her wonderfully stifling mother and father (perfectly played by Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle).
The Jeffersons (1975–1988)
One of many spin-offs hits from Norman Lear's All in the Family Factory, this groundbreaking CBS series about an upwardly mobile African-American family introduced a new kind of black experience to the small screen years before the arrival of The Cosby Show. As George Jefferson, Manhattan's short-tempered, short-tempered dry cleaner, Sherman Hemsley is a coil of insecurity that lurks beneath his blustery arrogance. Whether put in his place by his loving wife Weezy (Isabel Sanford), his insubordinate housekeeper (Marla Gibbs), or his "honky" and "Oreo" neighbors, George is the classic man who (hilariously) roars at the world with to justify their place in it.
The Odd Couple (1970–1975)
Adapted from Neil Simon's classic play starring Walter Matthau and Art Carney, and later, an equally fantastic film starring Matthau and Jack Lemmon, ABC's mismatched roommate comedy had us laughing out loud thanks to the obsessive and fussy Tony Randall, Felix Unger, and Jack Klugman's Oscar Madison Walking Disorder. This is a case where opposites definitely do not attract. But deep down, beneath their neat vs. messy veneers, these divorced men find a kind of grudging harmony and understanding they never did with their long-gone wives. That is when they're not driving each other crazy.
Will & Grace (1998–2006; 2017–2020)
Eric McCormack is Will, a well-dressed lawyer; Debra Messing is Grace, a slightly kooky interior director. He is gay, she is straight, and they are best friends with her. Adding spice to the mix is Megan Mullally as the wealthy (and alcohol addict) Karen, and Sean Hayes as the flamboyant and proud Jack. This NBC sitcom felt revolutionary when it debuted in 1998, and it's no exaggeration to say that it played a significant role in promoting gay rights in America, including the legalization of gay marriage. Beyond that, though, the show was (and still is) a lot of Noel Coward-worthy notes.
Black-ish (2014–Present)
One of the biggest complaints you can make against the TV sitcom is that it has always been a whites-only club. That finally began to change during the Obama era, thanks in part to the success of this Kenya Barris brainchild; a weekly family comedy that almost always hits the mark of humor and topicality. Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross lead the show's cast as successful, happily married husbands who worry their family isn't "black enough" for our complex moment in history. This is likely to make the series sound heavier than it is, but its resonance lies in the skill with which it balances its timing with more traditional nonsense.
Friends (1994–2004)
Yes, Friends was impossible to avoid in the 1990s. And it probably lasted an extra season or two. But in the 17 years since it went off the air, the show has not only attracted new legions of fans who weren't even born when it made its first foray but somehow seems to have aged like a fine Bordeaux. Because? Well, there isn't a weak link in the cast of the show: Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer; and more importantly, the actors tease each other with the comedic timing of, well, real-life friends.
