It’s often stated that comedy is subjective. Whatever one person finds funny might not be funny to someone else. People react to humor depending on their tastes, environment, knowledge, experiences, and mood. However, some situations and jokes tend to be so funny, everyone ends up laughing. It’s, therefore, not surprising that somesitcomshave a flawless 100% overall score on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
This means that most of the seasons had the same 100% score when reviewed independently. All professional critics found nothing wrong with the situational comedy shows, even when they analyzed other factors such as storytelling, character development, uniqueness, performances of the cast, exploration of society’s burning issues, and production values. So, if you are looking for something that is not only funny but also clever, meticulously filmed, and superbly acted, place the following shows on your priority list.
Here are 10 great sitcoms that have perfect 100% scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
10’The Larry Sanders Show' (1992 – 1998)
The Larry Sanders Show
Featuring severalcelebrities playing exaggerated versions of themselves,The Larry Sanders Showconcernsthe production of the fictional titular late-night talk show.Events dance between the professional and personal lives of the host, Larry (Garry Shandling), sidekick Hank Kingsley (Jeffrey Tambor), and producer Arthur “Artie” (Rip Torn).
A Clever Look at Celebrity Culture
The Larry Sanders Showoverfeeds viewers with jokes, most of them deep, requiring about a dozen seconds to proceed. And the cast is simply superb. It would also be unfair not to mention the legacy of this three-time Emmy winner. Without it, we wouldn’t have shows with satirical backstage showbiz themes, such as30 Rockand Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. We also wouldn’t have “comedy of embarrassment” shows likeCurb Your Enthusiasm, The Office,andArrested Development.
9’Chewing Gum' (2015 – 2017)
Chewing Gum
Chewing Gumwas created and written by Michaela Coel, based on her playChewing Gum Dreams. In it, Coel stars as Tracey,an increasingly disillusioned 24-year-old shop assistant eager to cross societal confines. Herbiggest goal is to break her virginityand learn more about the secular world.
Navigated Pre-Adulthood Challenges
This fizzy sitcomcombines screwball humor with eye-opening teen mishaps among both the youthful, emotionally vibrant cast and the adults. Besides that, the BAFTA-winning show takes a dig at conservative culture, where enlightenment of the greatest kind is often promised to non-adults only if they divest themselves of vanity, adventure, sexual gratification– things that make everyone truly human. Much praise also goes to Michaela Coel for her performance.
8’Fawlty Towers' (1975 – 1979)
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towersisset in a fictional hotel located in the English seaside town of Torquay. The farcical situations revolve around the tense and rude owner Basil Fawlty (Cleese), his condescending wife Sybil (Prunella Scales), the reasonable chambermaid, Polly (Booth), and a Spanish waiter, Manuel (Andrew Sachs), who struggles to speak English.
Worst Hotel Owner
It’s no surprise thatFawlty Towersis excessively hilarious. It wascreated by David Cleese, a member of the famous British comedy troupe, Monty Python. In 2000, the British Film Institute ranked it first in its list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. There’s arguably no other sitcom like it, wherehotel guests are constantly used as comic foils to the owner’s anger, resulting in plenty of witty arguments. Consequently,the show is very quotable. Even better, there’s an endless assemblage of jaunty slapstick moments.
7’Catastrophe' (2015 – 2019)
Catastrophe
InCatastrophe, Rob (Rob Delaney), an American advertising executive with a lingering alcohol problem, meets Irish primary school teacher Sharon (Sharon Horgan) at a bar in London. The twoproceed to have a six-day fling, resulting in a pregnancy. Rob suggests they get married, but things get complicated whenSharon is diagnosed with cervical dysplasia.
Love Can Endure All Hardships
Emmy winner for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series,Catastropheisone of the best things you’ll find on Prime Video. The gorgeously spare sitcom has a homemade feel, which is ideal for a story of two people carrying different kinds of emotional baggage who find a way to connect through love.The dialogue will tug at your heartstrings insistently, and the plot will leave you in tears. Kudos to Rob Delaney and Sharon Hogan (both created the series) for having the drive to tell such a blissfully simple and captivating romance tale.
6’Please Like Me' (2013 – 2016)
Please Like Me
Adulting is proving to be quite a challenge for twenty-something-year-old Josh (Josh Thomas) inPlease Like Me. Hislife becomes even more complicated when his girlfriend leaves him. Luckily for him, the painful developmentbrings him to a realization of his sexuality. He is gay.
Finding the Real You
Please Like Meis funny, but it’s also not an easy watch. One of the first scenes features Josh’s mother attempting suicide. Thankfully,there are enough wholesome moments to dilute the hellish ones. AndJosh Thomas gives such a great performance, you’d think he’s been doing this for decades. Above all, the sitcom offers a thoughtful and detailed look at the affairs of members of the LGBTQ community.
5’The Honeymooners' (1955 – 1956)
The Honeymooners
The Honeymoonersis about the bus driver Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) — who was the inspiration for Fred Flintstone — ashe engages in numerous hilarious get-rich-quick schemes to supplement his income. Unsurprisingly, his strategies always backfire, triggering the classic “I told you so!” response from his wife, Alice (Audrey Meadows).
Jackie Gleason at His Best
Like many great sitcoms,The Honeymoonersis filled with manygreat catchphrases, including the iconic “Ahhh, shaddap!” from Alice to Ralph whenever he tries to threaten her. The friendship between Ralph and his friend Ed will warm your heart, too. Aware of Ralph’s stupidity, Ed is always ready to dump shady burns on him. The sitcom is also groundbreaking as it wasthe first to portray an American working-class couple in a non-idyllic way.
4’Spaced' (1999 – 2001)
Spacedconcerns the misadventures of Daisy Steiner (Jessica Stevenson) and Tim Bisley (Simon Pegg), who meet by chance inside a London café while both are house-hunting.Despite not knowing each other, they decide to pose as a couple to meet the tenant requisites of an apartment block that they covet. Chaos ensues from there.
Apartment Life Has Never Been This Fun
With due respect to directorEdgar Wright’s other works, this sitcom is arguably his best,boasting a complexity, charm, and assurance that benefit from the use of two very talented actors playing to their strengths. And from time to time, the extended, well-earned belly laughs are peppered with a sprinkling of poignancy, proving that as much as these characters appear to be having fun, fate becomes cruel to them from time to time, just like the rest of us.
3’The Addams Family' (1964 – 1966)
The Addams Family
Numerousmovies and shows about the Addams Familyhave been made, including the hit Netflix series,Wednesday,but the original version ofThe Addams Familyremains highly revered because of its overall quality. The Gothic sitcom is abouta family whose members have supernatural abilities and have macabre tastes.
Slightly Scary, but Funny and Visually Pleasing
The set design and the props stand out the most. One moment you see a mounted swordfish’s head with a human leg protruding from the mouth, the other moment you see a stuffed two-headed giant tortoise. The sitcom has a very interesting set of characters, notably, The Thing, who is nothing but a hand with no other body parts.Much of the comedy stems from this family’s need for privacy. The butler can’t help but scream “Arrhghh!” whenever someone shows up at the door. None of the family members ever wants to venture outside, either.
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2’Fleabag' (2016 – 2019)
Created and written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, based on her one-woman show,Fleabagstars the comedian asa free-spirited young woman trying to navigate adult life.A sexually liberated person, Fleabag enjoys having one-night stands and is never bothered by the mistakes she makes. Despite what happens, she is always ready to pick herself up and get going.
Quality All Around
Phoebe Waller-Bridge might not be considered an A-list star, but she should, given the work she put in here. This isone of only the few self-produced British shows to be nominated for over 10 Emmys. Everything, from the jokes to theanalysis of issues like feminism and career progress, is exquisitely handled. There areplenty of cringeworthy plots,too, so avoid it if you tend to be easily offended.
1’Mr. Bean' (1990)
Influenced by the works of Jacques Tati and Charlie Chaplin,Mr. Beanstars Rowan Atkinson asa white-collar man who keeps finding himself in the most bizarre situations. He rarely speaks, so most of the humor is presented in a slapstick manner.
Atkinson’s Greatest Work
Has there ever been a more globally adored sitcom character than Mr Bean?The character’s appeal stems from his inability to handle even the most basic aspects of daily living. It’s fun watching him try, knowing there are higher chances of failing. The show continues to be widely syndicated across the globe, with newer and newer generations proving to be as fascinated as those who first watched it.
