What Are The 100 Best Sitcom Episodes Of All Time?

Last summer, a Boston freelance writer, Robert D. Sullivan, undertook a massive project: He set out to rank the top 100 sitcom episodes of ALL TIME, and by “all time,” he doesn’t mean the way it’s currently defined on the Internet, i.e., since 1994. Using a combination of his own opinion, the opinions of friends and colleagues, IMDB ratings, and a mix of other sources (including The AV Club), Sullivan compiled a massive collection, with extensive write-ups on each episode.

It’s an impressive and comprehensive effort, and I cannot recommend enough that you check it out in its entirety. The entire list contains a lot of favorites from the current generation, and a lot of sitcom episodes from before most of us were born. Agree or disagree with the choices, you gotta respect the effort and the scope of the project, and anyone that includes that episode of Fawlty Towers in his top 5 is good in my book.

To give you a taste (and hopefully encourage you to check out the entire project), I have included Robert Sullivan’s Top 20 episodes of All Time below, with links to his write-ups.

20. “Chuckles Bites the Dust,” The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1975)

19. “The Doll,” Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001)

18. “Coast to Coast Big Mouth,” The Dick Van Dyke Show (1965)

17. “Charity,” The Office (UK) (2002)

16. “Better Living Through TV,” The Honeymooners (1955)

15. “Goodbyeee,” Blackadder (1989)

14. “The Lars Affair,” The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973)

13. “The Two Mrs. Cranes,” Frasier (1996)

12. “Fancy Party,” Parks and Recreation (2011)

11. “The Contest,” Seinfeld (1992)

10. “The Key,” Yes, Prime Minister (1992)

9. “Lucy Does a TV Commercial,” I Love Lucy (1952)