Special Report

Most Popular TV Comedies, According to IMDb

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“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.)

Courtesy of YouTube Premium

30. Cobra Kai (2018-)
> IMDb quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan

“Cobra Kai” is a martial arts comedy-drama series based on the movie “The Karate Kid” and, like that movie, starring Ralph Macchio. The show is one of the most successful Netflix originals

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Courtesy of Home Box Office

29. Entourage (2004-2011)
> IMDb quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara

Rising movie star Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) is living the Hollywood dream and taking his closest friends along for the ride. Co-star Jeremy Piven won three Emmys for his performance as Ari Gold, whose character was reportedly inspired by real-life super-agent Ari Emmanuel.

Courtesy of Carsey-Werner Distribution

28. That ’70s Show (1998-2006)
> IMDb quality score: 8.1/10
> Cast: Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, Danny Masterson

The coming-of-age sitcom about teenagers growing up in the 1970s in Wisconsin entertained audiences for eight seasons and helped launch the careers of actors including Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, and Mila Kunis. The Emmy Award-winning show maintains high ratings online and continues to draw new viewers on streaming platforms.

Courtesy of Showtime Networks

27. Californication (2007-2014)
> IMDb quality score: 8.3/10
> Cast: David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone, Evan Handler, Pamela Adlon

The show centers on a brilliant writer from New York, who moves to California and suffers from writer’s block. He is also a functional alcoholic and a womanizer who wants to raise his daughter right and get back together with her mother.

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Courtesy of Netflix

26. The End of the  World (2017-2019)
> IMDb quality score: 8.7/10
> Cast: Jessica Barden, Alex Lawther, Steve Oram, Christine Bottomley

17-year-old James, a self-diagnosed psychopath, and Alyssa, a rebellious girl, decide to go on a road trip across England to find her estranged father, getting mixed up in several incidents along the way.

Courtesy of Apple TV+ (2020)

25. Ted Lasso (2020-)
> IMDb quality score: 8.8/10
> Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed

Jason Sudeikis plays the eponymous small-time American football coach who gets hired by a professional English soccer franchise despite having no soccer experience at all.

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Courtesy of Fox Network

24. New Girl (2011-2018)
> IMDb quality score: 7.7/10
> Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone

After a difficult breakup, a young and socially awkward woman moves into an apartment with three single guys, forming a somewhat dysfunctional family.

Courtesy of FX Network

23. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
> IMDb quality score: 8.8/10
> Cast: Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” became the longest-running live-action comedy series ever following the release of its 15th season. The series follows five slightly unhinged friends who own and run an Irish dive bar in Philly.

Courtesy of Fox Network

22. Futurama (1999-2023)
> IMDb quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille

Pizza delivery boy Philip J. Fry wakes up 1,000 years in the future to discover a world that’s as dysfunctional as it is advanced. So goes this animated sitcom from co-creator Matt Groening, who once again puts lovable characters within a satirical framework. The series ran on Fox before migrating over to Comedy Central for its final seasons.

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Courtesy of Studio Distribution Services

21. The Umbrella Academy (2019-2022)
> IMDb quality score: 7.9/10
> Cast: Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman

In “The Umbrella Academy,” seven young people, born to women who had shown no signs of pregnancy, are brought together by a billionaire who prepares to save the world.

Courtesy of Showtime Networks

20. Shameless (2011-2021)
> IMDb quality score: 8.6/10
> Cast: Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Ethan Cutkosky, Jeremy Allen White

The Emmy Award-winning series is about a working-class family in suburban Chicago doing whatever it takes to survive. Emmy Rossum and William H. Macy lead the strong cast of the series, and four of the seasons hold a 100% Freshness rating among critics.

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

19. Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
> IMDb quality score: 8.6/10
> Cast: Amy Poehler, Jim O’Heir, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt

“Saturday Night Live” alum Amy Poehler stars in this sitcom done in mockumentary style about the goofy projects cooked up by an Indiana town’s parks and recreation department. The acclaimed series ran for seven seasons ending in 2015.

Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

18. Scrubs (2001-2010)
> IMDb quality score: 8.4/10
> Cast: Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, John C. McGinley

As they navigate the world of modern medicine at a teaching hospital, Dr. J.D. Dorian (Zach Braff) and his fellow rookies occasionally lapse into romance and daydreams. Unconventional in more ways than one, the show punctuates slapstick comedy and breakneck pacing with moments of genuine drama.

Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

17. Community (2009-2015)
> IMDb quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Chevy Chase

Joel McHale stars in this series about a lawyer who has to return to college after his bachelor’s degree turns out to be bogus. The six-season series won an Emmy and received critics’ kudos for its snarky tone and deconstruction of sitcom conventions as well as its engaging cast, which includes “Saturday Night Live” alum Chevy Chase.

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Courtesy of CBS

16. Two and a Half Men (2003-2015)
> IMDb quality score: 7.1/10
> Cast: Jon Cryer, Ashton Kutcher, Angus T. Jones, Conchata Ferrell

Charlie Sheen played a fun-loving, irresponsible Charlie Harper, whose life is disrupted when his divorced brother (Jon Cryer) and his son move into Charlie’s beachfront bachelor pad. After Sheen entered rehabilitation and fought with the show’s creators in 2010, he was replaced by Ashton Kutcher.

Courtesy of Netflix

15. Sex Education (2019-)
> IMDb quality score: 8.4/10
> Cast: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey

This British comedy drama follows several students in a fictional high school and their parents as they navigate through their personal issues, which often have to do with intimacy. A socially awkward student, his friend, and his mom who is a sex therapist, set up an underground sex therapy clinic at his school.

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Courtesy of Netflix

14. Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019)
> IMDb quality score: 8.1/10
> Cast: Taylor Schilling, Danielle Brooks, Taryn Manning, Emma Myles

The series is about a public relations executive (Taylor Schilling) whose past catches up with her and gets her thrown into a women’s prison. The show is buoyed by a strong cast, including television series veterans Kate Mulgrew (“Star Trek: Voyager”) and Laura Prepon (“That ’70s Show”).

Courtesy of Fox Network

13. Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013, 2018-2019)
> IMDb quality score: 8.7/10
> Cast: Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett

Jason Bateman stars in this sitcom as a young man who takes charge of his kooky family and its real estate business after his father lands in jail over securities fraud.

Courtesy of Fox Network

12. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021)
> IMDb quality score: 8.4/10
> Cast: Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” follows the daily lives of the NYPD’s 99th Precinct. Andy Samberg stars as the precinct’s lovable but goofy detective.

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

11. Seinfeld (1989-1998)
> IMDb quality score: 8.9/10
> Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander

The self-styled television show about nothing became one of television’s most successful sitcoms. “Seinfeld” depicts the lives of four neurotic New Yorkers. The series was among the top-rated television shows throughout its run, winning 10 Emmys in nine seasons. Its finale was the fourth-most viewed series-ending of all time.

Courtesy of Fox Network

10. Family Guy (1999-)
> IMDb quality score: 8.2/10
> Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis

Those seeking “good old fashioned values” won’t find them anywhere near this raunchy sitcom from Seth MacFarlane. Chronicling the exploits of Peter Griffin and his crazy cohorts, the series leaves no subject or standard unscathed.

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Courtesy of Comedy Central

9. South Park (1997-)
> IMDb quality score: 8.7/10
> Cast: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Isaac Hayes, Mona Marshall

All bets were off when this animated sitcom debuted on Comedy Central, introducing its own brand of unfiltered adult humor. Co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone haven’t let up in the time since, even as the show veers toward more topical issues. Thanks to a deal with Viacom CBS, viewers can expect plenty more episodes and two feature films by the year 2027.

Courtesy of Fox Film Corporation

8. The Simpsons (1989-)
> IMDb quality score: 8.7/10
> Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner

“The Simpsons” is the longest-running scripted show in TV history. The famously satirical cartoon is available to stream on numerous platforms. While many fans believe the show has decreased in quality over the years, it still has an overall rating of 8.7/10 on IMDb with more than 350,000 user votes being cast.

Courtesy of USA Network

7. Suits (2011-2019)
> IMDb quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle, Sarah Rafferty

In “Suits,” a high-powered lawyer hires a streetsmart law school dropout pretending to be an attorney. The show ran from 2011 to 2019 on USA Network. Among its cast members was Meghan Markle, the future wife of Prince Harry.

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Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

6. Modern Family (2009-2020)
> IMDb quality score: 8.5/10
> Cast: Ed O’Neill, Sofía Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell

The long-running sitcom turns family comedy on its head with the weekly adventures of three related – though very different – families.

Courtesy of Adult Swim

5. Rick and Morty (2013-)
> IMDb quality score: 9.2/10
> Cast: Justin Roiland, Chris Parnell, Spencer Grammer, Sarah Chalke

An alcoholic super-scientist and his grandson traverse multiple galaxies and dimensions in this massively popular sitcom. Each episode delivers breakneck humor at the speed of light and often centers on a potential catastrophe. The show’s origins can be traced to a “Back to the Future” parody from co-creator Justin Roiland.

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

4. The Office (2005-2013)
> IMDb quality score: 9.0/10
> Cast: Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson

The sitcom about quirky office workers in Scranton, Pennsylvania, told in documentary style is based on the British series of the same name. Ricky Gervais, who starred in the British version, helped create the American series. The series helped make Steve Carell a major star and put John Krasinski on the path to stardom.

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Television

3. How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
> IMDb quality score: 8.3/10
> Cast: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris

“How I Met Your Mother” follows lead character Ted Mosby as he tells his son and daughter stories of his younger days with friends in New York City leading up to his relationship with his wife. Overall, the series received positive ratings from critics and viewers though the eighth season was a notable weak point for the sitcom.

Courtesy of CBS

2. The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
> IMDb quality score: 8.2/10
> Cast: Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg

The long-running sitcom about a group of dweebish scientists who have their social circle invaded by an attractive neighbor was only been hugely popular with viewers but also won numerous industry awards, including 10 Primetime Emmy Awards.

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

1. Friends (1994-2004)
> IMDb quality score: 8.9/10
> Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc

The sitcom about 20-something friends living in New York made stars out of all six of its stars. “Friends” was nominated for 62 Emmy Awards during its 10-season run and won six. The show’s finale drew 52.5 million viewers in May 2004 and was one of the top-rated television series endings in history.

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