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What are you watching? Readers recommend their favorite sitcoms

Monitor TV and movie fans share what they've been watching lately.

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AP/File
'Seinfeld'
  • By Steve Winsor Monitor reader
  • Sarah Carlson Monitor reader
  • Maggie Kelley Monitor reader
  • Jason Cotter Monitor reader
  • Wafa Tawfeeq Monitor reader

Seinfeld, which aired on NBC from 1989 to 1998, is my favorite sitcom. But the squabble for second place could be robust. Up for nomination: CBS’s The Honeymooners, which aired from 1955 to 1956, and Amos ‘n’ Andy, which ran from 1951 to 1953, two brilliant comedies that stand the test of time. All in the Family is there, too, but is consigned to its historical time period. The topics addressed in “The Honeymooners” and “Amos ’n’  Andy” are timeless, good during in any period, as are the ones in “Seinfeld.”

– Steve Winsor, Chepachet, R.I.

My favorite sitcom is NBC’s Parks and Recreation, which aired from 2009 to 2015. The timeless optimism of protagonist Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), combined with an all-star comedic cast, makes this one of the most heartfelt, enjoyable, belly-laughing shows ever made.

– Sarah Carlson, Yorkville, Ill.

My favorite sitcom is Northern Exposure, which aired on CBS from 1990 to 1995. It had great writing, a beautiful location, and fully developed, interesting characters. The episodes were more like little movies than installments of a TV series, and the quality never dipped over time.

– Maggie Kelley, Santa Monica, Calif.

Community, which aired on NBC from 2009 to 2014 and then on Yahoo Screen in 2015, is my favorite sitcom! Even at its worst, it was still funnier than 90 percent of all the other sitcoms out there. At its best, it was simply sublime entertainment.
– Jason Cotter, Rochester, Minn.

CBS/AP/File

When I was watching it, I found Seinfeld the funniest and most relevant show. It’s well written, with great, dry humor and some excellent acting from Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine. However, it doesn’t quite stand the test of time because so many of the episodes were in context of what was happening in New York in the 1990s. People who didn’t live through the ’90s in a New York state of mind (if not location) don’t often get the humor. 

Frasier, on the other hand, which ran on NBC from 1993 to 2004, is a show that has universal appeal and is funny to everyone, just like I Love Lucy, which aired on CBS from 1951 to 1957.

– Wafa Tawfeeq, London

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