“Funny” is difficult to describe because it’s very personal. For some, it’s a simple joke or a clip of cats trying to ride a bike. For others, it can be something odd or even dark. Whatever your definition is, one thing is clear: Everybody needs humor sometimes.

Comedy shows can be more than just sitcoms, which dominated the genre on TV until perhaps a decade ago. Today there are many series, with both hour-long and 30-minute episodes, that explore what makes people laugh, usually in combination with another genre such as action or drama. (These are the 50 best live-action sitcoms of all time.) 

To compile a list of the 30 most popular TV comedies either running right now or available to watch on streaming platforms, 24/7 Tempo reviewed a ranking by  IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, based on the total number of audience votes cast for each show as of Aug. 9, 2022. Average IMDb user ratings are current as of the same date.

Click here to see the most popular TV comedies, according to IMDb

The shows on the resulting list vary, though no sketch comedy shows – like “Saturday Night Live” – made the cut. In most cases, the shows that did make the list have a consistent group of characters and settings. Several, notable at the top of the ranking, have had a tremendous influence on pop culture. (These are America’s favorite TV families.)