Top 3 Funniest Series

[ABQCOWBOY]

Nothing beats Sanford and Son and here is one of the funniest episodes ever "the Piano movers".


Honorable mentions......
Seinfeld
Taxi
Barney Miller

I love Sandford and Son. That was also in the running for me, as was Mash, I Love Lucy, Taxi, All In the Family and Soap. Man, I loved Soap.

 

[Nova]

Toughie. Funny doesn't tend to stand up much over time (by that I mean, it's still funny, but it's not as topical, which blunts some of the edginess), so it's hard to go with all-time classics.

Futurama gets some consideration, I hope.

There are things that will always be universally funny. The best example I can think of is having a dumb, unaware character... that will always make people laugh.

Also, an ill-timed fart will be funny to just about anyone at some point.

Futurama is one of my favorites. It just had blatant, in your face humor layered over subtle humor and quirkiness.

I've watched the first 4 seasons over and over, and every now and then I'll catch a new joke that will have me laughing out loud and questioning whether or not they're altering the episodes and adding jokes still.

The show had a ton of heart and the writing was superb. It just wasn't the same when they brought it back though.

 

[burmafrd]

"The phone cops play hardball!"
"They're falling like bags of wet cement!"

"As god is my witness I thought Turkey's could fly."

 

[ologan]

Saturday Night Live- The early years;
Monty Python;
Cheers.

 

[EGTuna]

So tough to to pick top, but based on longevity, I'd have to go with:
1. The Simpsons
2. Seinfeld
3. Cheers

However, I think Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Chappelle's show are as funny as anything that's ever been on, just a much smaller catalog. Louie is pretty great too and may crack the top3 if it last 5 more years.

 

[Lodeus]

Seinfeld

The Office (US)

Its Always Sunny

 

[blindzebra]

All in the Family

WKRP

Soap

Either Bob Newhart show

Mork and Mindy

The Carol Burnett Show

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

Beavis and Butthead

Three's Company

All could get a nod but for me:

3. Cheers

2. Seinfeld

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

1) Seinfeld
2) Green Acres
3) M*A*S*H

 

[jimmy40]

"The phone cops play hardball!"
"They're falling like bags of wet cement!"

 

[JoeyBoy718]

So tough to to pick top, but based on longevity, I'd have to go with:
1. The Simpsons
2. Seinfeld
3. Cheers

However, I think Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Chappelle's show are as funny as anything that's ever been on, just a much smaller catalog. Louie is pretty great too and may crack the top3 if it last 5 more years.

I'm with you on Louie. But the thing about Louie is I have a hard time considering it a comedy. Don't get me wrong. I love the show. I love everything Louis CK has ever done. Seen all his stand ups and every episode of Lucky Louie on HBO. But there are many episodes where I don't laugh once. It's not that it isn't funny. It's really hard to describe. He does a good job of luring you in and having you on the edge of your seat to see nothing happen. The comedy is very subtle in his show. I don't know if I'd even call the show a comedy. Really hard to say. Collectively, I love the show, but I don't think I could call it the "funniest" of all time.

 

[BigStar]

I'm with you on Louie. But the thing about Louie is I have a hard time considering it a comedy. Don't get me wrong. I love the show. I love everything Louis CK has ever done. Seen all his stand ups and every episode of Lucky Louie on HBO. But there are many episodes where I don't laugh once. It's not that it isn't funny. It's really hard to describe. He does a good job of luring you in and having you on the edge of your seat to see nothing happen. The comedy is very subtle in his show. I don't know if I'd even call the show a comedy. Really hard to say. Collectively, I love the show, but I don't think I could call it the "funniest" of all time.

Yeah I would classify "Louie" as a dark comedic drama more so than a LOL type of comedy as is the case with his stand ups where he has given me the hiccups more than a few times. Your description of watching an entire episode without laughing, while still finding the show funny, is a great description of the show's dark humorous tone and have found myself in that same situation upon watching, etc. I would say Curb Your Enthusiasm is similar in structure (not LOL'ing) but still finding the episode humorous albeit with a much lighter tone. "Louie" relates to a lot of tougher subject matter (divorce, single parenting, insecurity with women, dated perspectives-bigotry, etc). taken on from the perspective of an obviously depressed but brilliant, "cynical" comedian.

 

[Tabascocat]

Everyone has their own taste, but mine are divided into two eras:

Old/Over
1. Seinfeld
2. The Office(with Steve Carell)
3. Cheers

Honorable mention.....The Cosby Show

Current
1. Modern Family(by a mile)
2. Parks and Recreation
3. The Big Bang Theory(doesn't hurt that I used to haze Sheldon during his pledge days)

 

[Denim Chicken]

"The League" should be mentioned, considering this is a football forum.

 

[BigStar]

"The League" should be mentioned, considering this is a football forum.

Nick Kroll of "The League" has a great unnderrated sketch comedy show on Comedy Central right now titled "The Kroll Show." Highly recommend it; real comedy gem.

 

[Roadtrip635]

I don't know if I could narrow to three...
Here's some of my favs

The Chappelle Show
Seinfeld
Cheers
Soap
The League
Monty Python's Flying Circus
SNL (early years)
It's Always Sunny
Barney Miller
MASH