Last Updated on 25 March 2024

I searched the Internet for lists of the best TV comedy shows of all time. Criteria included the shows being ranked, not just listed; covering all time, not just a decade; and generally created by groups, whether teams or committees or based on general public voting (like Ranker.com).

I was able to find 47 lists. I took the 47 lists and added all their content into a spreadsheet, noting the rank of every show. I ended up averaging the rankings each show got (there were 245 that were on at least 2 lists) and dividing that average by a factor of the number of lists that show was on. The lowest score meant a high ranking average on many lists. The complete spreadsheet is attached at the bottom.

The TV shows that were on the most lists (out of 47) were:

  • Seinfeld (1989-1998) – 45 lists
  • The Office (US) (2005-2013) – 45 lists
  • Friends (1994-2004) – 44 lists
  • The Simpsons (1989-present) – 33 lists
  • I Love Lucy (1951-1957) – 30 lists
  • Cheers (1982-1993) – 30 lists
  • Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) – 29 lists
  • Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013-2019) – 28 lists
  • Modern Family (2009-2020) – 28 lists
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present) – 26 lists
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-present) – 26 lists

Here are links to the lists I used along with dates the lists were created:

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