There were 32 returning half hour comedies from last season and 10 new ones that made their debut this TV season. TVaholic ranked these two categories of shows earlier this year. Now it is time to put them together but not all 42 of them in one long list. Just the top 7 half hour comedies presently tickling our collective funny bones by gracing our television screen each week. Plus we have thrown in one cable comedy to round out this list.
So without further ado, the Prime 7 Half Hour Comedies are:
- Arrested Development – When you see someone like Henry Winkler as the Bluth family attorney in one episode jump over a small shark on the dock as he leaves the scene you just have to laugh. This was not the point of the scene but an aside. This is the type of subtle humor the show possesses. You have to pay attention and watch closely to catch this stuff, as there is no laugh track to tell you what is supposed to be funny. This is the highest of lowbrow comedy. It is clever and intelligent in its writing and acting. Please ABC or someone please pick this show up so it can continue to make the Prime 7 for years to come.
- Scrubs – Why NBC put this show on the back burner I don’t know. It is the best sitcom NBC has and they aren’t airing it. No wonder their ratings suck. This show deserves a good timeslot and some network promotion, as it has never seemed to get much. The best part of this show is the daydream sequences. These scenes are some of the funniest on TV anywhere. You never now who is going to pop up in them, like Rerun from What’s Happening!! doing his dance.
- The Office – This show makes you think to yourself I can’t believe they just did that or said that. The boss Michael is one of the most out of the loop people on television. He thinks he is being clever but is just being jaw droppingly stupid. His attempts at political correctness are a riot. The other great part of this show is the relationship between Pam and Jim. Who would not want to work in an office with a guy like Jim? The cast dynamic and the writing are superb and have really come into their own this season.
- How I Met Your Mother – This is the show that fills the void of Friends no longer being on TV for me. This group of friends whose stories are told in the future by Ted to his children about what his life was like now while on the search for love and eventually their mother. If you are looking for a new catchphrase then keep listening to Barney as he will have you Suiting Up! among others. Who can forget the “lemon law†for dating. For more on Barney read his blog to see what he is up to.
- Two and a Half Men – This is probably the most consistently funny show on TV. The dynamic between Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen has really developed into a great comedy duo. The side characters like, the maid, the loony neighbor, their mom, the ex and of course the kid have completely gelled into a top notch cast. With other shows you might have some ups and downs but this one seems to be pretty even and give you a good laugh every week.
- Curb Your Enthusiasm – This is a largely unscripted comedy. They come up with an idea and a path and then the actors go about creating the dialogue. This leads to some incredibly funny moments and some that are not so much. What I love about this show is how they tie every episode up at the end. Everything that happens during the show is just a big setup for what is a final scene punch line. Things along the way are funny but it is all leading you to the final payoff. When it works, which is a lot of the time, it is absolutely magnificent.
- Everybody Hates Chris – This is family comedy at its best. Even if they told children all over this year that Santa doesn’t exist. They have a delightful cast and some truly funny stories about growing up. If you put The Cosby Show and The Wonder Years in a TV blender you would end up with this show.
So there they are, the Prime 7 Half Hour Comedies on television right now according to TVaholic. What are your favorite comedies on TV? Let me know if I have gone wrong? Would you order them differently or is there something that should have made the list? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
