On March 7, 2024, award-winning author and pop culture historian Martin Gitlin hosted a fun and enlightening presentation based on his book, The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time. He is the only author to rank the best of the best, including I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, The Andy Griffith Show, All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Cheers, The Golden Girls, Seinfeld, Frasier, and The Big Bang Theory.
Gitlin showed funny snippets from those shows and others to a large audience at the Acton Senior Center and challenged patrons, including out-of-town seniors, with sitcom trivia (including identifying cool theme songs). He also discussed the criteria he used to rank seventy years of sitcoms and talked about how they evolved over the decades in humor, presentation, and content.
Gitlin used the following criteria to select shows for his book:
- Longevity and Impact: He discussed shows that have endured over time, influencing future comedies and staying relevant for new audiences.
- Genre Spanning: He included a range of eras, from the early days of television (1950s) with shows like I Love Lucy to more recent hits such as The Big Bang Theory.
- Critical Acclaim: Awards and recognition were not the sole factor, but critically acclaimed shows were definitely in the mix.
- Humor Styles: Diversity in humor is key. From slapstick to witty dialogue, Gitlin valued shows that appeal to a broad range of comedic tastes.
Here are just ten of the shows he mentioned:
- I Love Lucy (1951-1957) – Starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and was groundbreaking in its time with Lucy’s wacky antics.
- The Honeymooners (1955-1956) – Though only running for one classic season, it starred Jackie Gleason and is remembered for its cutting humor.
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) – A beloved classic set in the fictional town of Mayberry, highlighting rural humor and wisdom.
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) – This groundbreaking sitcom featuring a single career woman working in a Minneapolis newsroom broke new ground for its portrayal of independent women on television.
- All in the Family (1971-1979) – Norman Lear’s controversial but acclaimed sitcom starring Carroll O’Connor as the cantankerous Archie Bunker.
- Cheers (1982-1993) – Set in a Boston bar, Cheers is celebrated for its memorable characters, witty writing, and enduring appeal.
- The Golden Girls (1985-1992) – Four mature women live together in Miami and experience the joys and angst of their golden years.
- Seinfeld (1989-1998) – Dubbed “a show about nothing,” it struck a chord with its edgy humor about mundane situations.
- Frasier (1993-2004) – A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier follows the adventures of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane and his eccentric family, offering sophisticated humor and memorable characters.
- The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019) – Mensa-fied best friends and roommates Leonard and Sheldon know about quantum physics, but women totally baffle them.
To find out about upcoming events at the Senior Center, go to the Acton Council on Aging’s website. And if you plan to attend an activity or program, then consider going to the Human Services Building and Senior Center, which is located at the rear of 30 Sudbury Road in Acton, MA, about an hour ahead of time. Why? You can get lunch at Bistro 30 (formally known as the Café) from 11:30 to 1:30 on Wednesdays and Thursdays.