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Situational comedies or sitcoms from the '90s always had a laugh track, over-the-top reactions to average jokes, and corny background music. But 90s sitcoms did have genre-defining hits from Seinfeld and Friends to The Office and Psych. Here we talk about some of the best sitcoms of this decade.
1. 90s Sitcom Gold - Seinfeld
The one sitcom to rule them all, Seinfeld is a genre-defining show that has aged really well and continues to entertain people of all ages with its take on "nothing."
Seinfeld with his friends George Costanza and Elaine Benes played by Jason Alexander and Julia Louise Dreyfuss go through their lives and meet regularly at an average diner in Seinfeld. This is the entire plot of Seinfeld. On paper, it should not work, but it does and has been wholesome content for everyone.
One of the reasons it worked was Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's flawless execution and sheer persistence even when the studio didn't believe in their show. There is no planned character development, excessively mushy moments, and no payoff that comes after entire episodes and seasons.
In fact, some of the characters in the show get significantly worse over time even if to comedic effect, throwing character development in the bin. This is actually part of the comedy on the show where the main characters never grow and face adverse situations due to such inflexibility. But there are continuous running gags such as the contempt that Seinfeld has for Neuman, Elaine pushing away someone when surprised while yelling "Get Out!" While the seasons might have needed some continuity, the episodes by themselves can be watched skipping a few without missing out on major plot points.
Basically the entire cast of this sitcom is going nowhere in life, and trudging along the way, in their own humorously pessimistic manner. The fun is in the petty observational humor that Jerry, George, and Elaine engage in while going through each day with the least amount of enthusiasm possible.
Despite the laugh track in this 90s sitcom, it was the first time that I encountered dark humor when George Costanza was almost about to get married.
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2. Friends
The term that is most often associated with sitcoms today, Friends has an unlimited number of moments that are quotable, meme-worthy, and make for great T-shirt prints.
Friends involve a group of friends who meet regularly at a cafe and go through life with each other's support and company. The sitcom launched the careers of every lead cast member - Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Mathew Perry (RIP), and David Schwimmer.
Personally, I feel that the later seasons of Friends were a bit tedious and required a lot of skipping to get to the good stuff. But most seasons followed a consistent plot with progressive character development and funny running gags that made it an entertaining watch.
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People who have watched Cheers would say it is a 90s version of the same, set in a cafe instead of a pub. In fact, Friends was supposed to be set in a pub, but it was changed to a cafe after consideration. The famous couch that is at the center of the cafe is a prop that was just lying in a warehouse before the showrunners picked it up and plopped it on set, making it the centerpiece of the show.
Monica Geller is a type A personality who is a bit OCD, Ross Geller is her academician brother who is a bit dorky and easy to anger. Phoebe Buffay is the working-class weirdo hippie who is unintentionally funny along with the struggling actor Joey Tribbiani who is always hungry and hits on anything with a pulse.
Rachel Greene is the spoilt trust fund kid looking to be independent and Chandler Bing is the insecure, immature person in the group who cracks jokes when uncomfortable.
One of Charlie Sheen's biggest works, TAHM is the quintessential sitcom. A chiropractor going through a rough patch moves into his underperforming alcoholic brother's Malibu home with his son which leads to hilarity.
Charlie Sheen plays Charlie Harper the drunk with a heart of gold, housing his mooch of a brother and his goofy son. Harper attempts to go about his philandering life while trying to put up with his obsessive, damaged, and divorced brother who somehow manages to get into trouble constantly.
Charlie plays a complex character who knows what he's doing isn't the best way to live and yet is a creature of habit stuck in self-destructive patterns. While torturing his only brother with endless insults and mostly harmless pranks, he also ensures that Alan Harper doesn't end up on the street or worse - dead. He loves his nephew dearly even if he doesn't know how to show it appropriately.
There is also the incredibly hostile house help Berta played by Conchata Farell who takes good care of Charlie while whipping him with sarcasm every chance she gets. Jon Cryer plays the bumbling Alan Harper who can't seem to hold on to the money he earns and is constantly in trouble with the women in his life.
4. The IT Crowd
As slapstick as it gets, the sitcom that introduced Chris O Dowd and Richard Ayoade to the TV is quite the laugh riot. Chris and Richard play Roy Trenneman and Maurice Moss, two disgruntled IT admin employees working out of an ill-lit basement for their manager Jen Barber played by Katherine Parkinson.
The comedy arises from their dysfunctional work relationship made worse by their boss Douglas Reynholm played by Matt Berry.
Matt Berry is hilarious in this series as the eccentric, rich boss who loves chasing after women and making entirely unfunny jokes with a deadpan expression.
Ayoade plays what seems like an almost fictionalized version of him that's a bit more fun but equally awkward. He's the SAME person in real life if you have even seen him on Travel Man or 8 out of 10 cats does Countdown.
Each season shows the awkward duo get into trouble in the funniest of ways while retaining their social handicap to the best of their abilities.
One of my favorite aspects of the show is the on-brand 90s graphics used along with electronically synthesized music that reminds me immediately of the 90s.
5. Community
One of the dark horses of the late noughties is this gem of a sitcom where a group of unlikely strangers form lifelong friendships throughout their Community college experience.
Loosely based on Dan Harmon's life experiences as a Community college student, Community is a fun little tour through the insanity that is Harmon's mind. The reason why it works is that they don't ignore any major societal issues but also aren't too preachy.
As the Dean played by Jim Rash puts it is "the most diverse group of people, Hispanics notwithstanding" with each Community cast member bringing something unique to the table. Donald Glover plays the immature jock Troy Barnes who is growing up with the help of his friends, and Danny Pudi's Abed Nadir the socially challenged ( possibly Asperger's or on the autism spectrum ) yet creatively brilliant movie nerd.
Chevy Chase is playing Pierce Hawthorne, an aging millionaire trying to recapture his youth and find friendship and acceptance within the group. Jeff Winger is the cool guy of the group who is trying unconsciously to find his authentic self and connect with others around him.
Britta Perry is a slightly damaged hipster and a rebel without a cause trying to heal her psyche by helping others in the way she wants to be herself.
Shirley Bennett is the overwhelmed mother of two boys who seems to have a sweet voice that drops an octave whenever she wants to be assertive. Annie Edison is the type A teen teetotaler who's struggling to be seen as an adult while attempting to be perceived as cool simultaneously.
The Community series is entertaining right from the pilot episode, throwing the unlikely classmates together for Spanish 101 class. I like the fact that each episode is named in the format of a college course such as Intergluteal Numismatics, Cooperative Calligraphy, and Pillows and Blankets which sometimes is nothing like it sounds, making it all the more fun.
The cameos in this series are really fun and sometimes high profile such as Owen Wilson and Walton Goggins to Rob Corddry and Tony Hale.
What I personally love about this series is that over time you see the group of community college students eventually bond over shared trauma, mutual support, and the silliest pranks and jokes.
The entire series is kept light most times unless briefly tackling serious issues such as generational trauma, social impairment, or economic disparity. There is a redemptive feel through the whole series arc and most of the episodes and the seasons themselves follow Dan Harmon's story circle.
6. The Office
While the British version of The Office was the first to air and inspire the American remake, both versions have their place in the hall of sitcom greats.
The original British version had only three seasons and was a bit on the darker side whereas the American version of The Office is more cheerful and lasted nine seasons. This is one of those sitcoms that launched a lot of stars in Hollywood from John Krasinski and Oscar Nunez to Steve Carell and Mindy Kaling.
The plot of the office is simple, life in an average corporate office selling a seemingly boring product - paper. Filmed in the then-popular mockumentary style, The Office is a sitcom in the truest sense that evolves into a heartwarming tale of colleagues who turn into lifelong friends. While some people think that they dragged the last few seasons a bit I think it's just right, give or take a few episodes.
Even though the story starts with the awkward boss in a dysfunctional office, it later focuses on Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly played by John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer, with all the other subplots in the background. However, other intertwined subplots are equally interesting such as the love story of Dwight Schrute played by Rainn Wilson, and Angela Kinsey's Angel Martin.
The Office is worth watching for the progressive character development, redemptive full-circle moments that are well-earned, and running gags that are simple yet so fun.
7. Psych
James Roday and Dule Hill play Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster, a genius and his annoyed friend who solve crimes under the guise of being a psychic duo. Spencer is the prodigy trained by his detective father who presents his hyper-observant nature as a psychic ability and Gus is a pharmaceutical representative who aids in Spencer's shenanigans to make up for the lack of excitement in his full-time job.
This series works because the showrunners don't take themselves and the show too seriously and ensure that every episode is highly self-aware. The script and execution are handled in such a way that at any time Spencer is making fun of the whole situation, with himself included.
There is a lot of physical comedy, running gags, stellar guest stars, cameos, and gradual character development. The show follows Shawn's journey as a police consultant while he tries to maintain his lifelong friendship with his childhood friend.
8. Frasier
A spinoff of the well-known series Cheera, it explores the life of one Dr. Frasier Crane who moves to Seattle to start his life anew. However, his perfect plans are thrown into disarray
Frasier and Niles Crane are co-dependent brothers whose closeness sometimes comes in the way of making true progress in their lives. After their father comes to need his sons, due to his advanced age, Frasier gets stuck with his dad, leading to all kinds of trouble and laughter.
The core cast includes Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce play Frasier and Niles Crane respectively with John Mahoney playing their father Martin Crane. There's also Jane Leeves playing Daphne Moon, Martin's caretaker and physical therapist, and Peri Gilpin playing the producer of Frasier Crane's radio show.
Personally, I feel, there's no way a family stays THAT close even after that many years. Brothers and their father stay in touch without much of a gap or serious fights leading to living alone.
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One of the reasons why this series lasted for so many seasons is that most, if not all of the original core cast continued to act to the very end. Part of the core cast leaving was one of the reasons why Community by Dan Harmon began to crumble and finally ended after 6 seasons.
Despite a few minor unexplained plot details, the series is very warm and thoroughly enjoyable, even if you are rewatching it. Frasier's and Niles's effeminate mannerisms are too much and too often to ignore and not attribute to their fluid sexuality.
Frasier Crane as a character is too stuffy and uptight for me ever to get a "sherry" with him let alone be his friend :)
9. That's 70s Show
Basically, it's a great depiction of not only life in the 70s in the US but also identical to life in Bangalore in the 90s. Teenager Eric Forman tries to figure out what life has to offer in the small fictional town of Point Place in Wisconsin, USA.
Topher Grace plays the lead role of Eric with his parents Kitty and Red Forman played by Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith. Their annoying neighbors are played to perfection by Don Stark and Tanya Roberts as Bob and Midge Pinciotti along with a host of friends.
There's the heavy metal burnout Steven Hyde played by Danny Masterson, the tomboy of the group Donna Pinciotti played by Laura Prepon, and the rich spoilt kid Jackie Burkhart played by Mila Kunis.
The dumb jock Michael Kelso is played by Ashton Kutcher, who kinda stuck with those kind of roles long after the show ended. Also, there is the foreign kid simply known as Fez played by Wilmer Valderrama.
Despite the laugh track, That's 70s Show is really funny, edgy, and even meaningful at times with significant character development through the seasons. Most stars of the show went on to have well-known careers such as Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Laura Prepon.
Watch this show for the spot-on 70s references from the perspective of a North American, the relentless dumb jokes and pranks on each other, and the occasional touchy-feely moments that are actually feel-good.
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Wrapping Up
You can watch any one of these series and chances are the series will have you in stitches. However, if you don't make sure to try the others, you are bound to like at least one of these absolute classics.