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30 Rock is, at worst, the second-best NBC sitcom ever
- Thread starter SwampBastard
- Start date
Seinfeld
Community
30 Rock
Newsradio
GOAT tier, all four of them, ranking changes depending on my mood that day.
With regards to 30 Rock, Arrested Development still wins out for that sort of social/political meta satire format that was in vogue at that time, plus it did it earlier.
Community
30 Rock
Newsradio
GOAT tier, all four of them, ranking changes depending on my mood that day.
With regards to 30 Rock, Arrested Development still wins out for that sort of social/political meta satire format that was in vogue at that time, plus it did it earlier.
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I mean it is 100% a comedy, just has the ethical notes blended in, and is extremely situational. like it fits sitcom to the definition:
"a television series that involves a continuing cast of characters in a succession of comedic circumstances"
I mean, its got jokes - but I would posit that it uses Comedy as a trojan horse. Its got far more important things to say than the office, 30 rock, or Fraiser.
I just had this thought, as I have been rewatching it with my fiancé.
Consistently hilarious, and incredibly rewatchable.
I'll put it below Seinfeld and Parks on my NBC rankings. I used to really love Community, but I don't think it holds up that well. The Office is fine enough too.
Consistently hilarious, and incredibly rewatchable.
I'll put it below Seinfeld and Parks on my NBC rankings. I used to really love Community, but I don't think it holds up that well. The Office is fine enough too.
30 Rock is a good show, sure, but I think you are forgetting that NBC has a very long and very storied history of sitcoms.
All the people in this thread too cool to list Friends. I wanna see all y'all's Netflix watch history, at least some of you are lying :P
I hate to say it, but even the episodes I remembered really loving have mostly aged like dirt. The show prided itself on quirky outsider energy that it mostly didn't earn, and is unintentionally cringe a lot of the time.
Yep. Any show based around the idea of a group of students at a community college (ostensibly a 2-year period of one's life) lasting longer than say 3 seasons at most is inevitably going to be terrible over time. My wife and I couldn't finish it. It got so bad as it progressed that I can't remember exactly when we stopped but it was way too late as is. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was great early on and am one of the people who watched it from the beginning, but it had no legs and was run into the ground. Certain elements will always be great though.
Pop pop!
It doesn't help that Joel McHale might be the least likeable lead in television history
Cheers is consistent from start to finish in a way I don't think any sitcom has touched. Even Simpsons couldn't do 11 seasons straight.
Something about this show turns me off, seems too inside baseball, upper middle class liberal humor. I'm sure I'm being judgmental though.
30 Rock literally demolishes the three other shows you mention in your post. The Office and Parks & Rec have two good seasons each and Community is just trash.
Not only that! So many of the main characters end up feeling incredibly one-note and empty in episodes where they don't have something obvious to do. Pierce is Terrible. Shirley has nothing to do even though Yvette Nicole Brown is putting in the work. Britta they just don't know what to do with half the time. Even Troy and Abed, a duo I adored when the show was on the air, feel like a lazy pseudo Big Bang theory thing in retrospect. Only Annie emerges as a well-written and likeable and interesting character consistently tbh.
I guess it's shocking to me that the show, which prided itself on being the product of this brain genius god-tier creator/writer, just feels so weak in so many places when I try going back to it. Maybe it's just that I loved the show too much when I was younger and I just cringe at it now, but damn. I hate to say it, but even with its Flaws, Rick and Morty is a significant step up in nearly every conceivable category.
It's basically a more accepted variant of Sports Night.
I don't think it gets into the top-five shows on the network. It was never the most popular of its own timeline.
I don't think it gets into the top-five shows on the network. It was never the most popular of its own timeline.
As a comedy yes it's weaker than 30 Rock, but it still has plenty of laughs.
As a show though the emotional rollercoaster it puts you on is bar none.
Hahahaha I nearly spat out my dinner. ALF! Hahaha yes. It's better than all the shit you listed.
Although I agree with you on the character stuff, looking back, there are so many amazing episodes in the first 3 seasons of Community that are cleverly written & fun to rewatch.
Debate 109
Cooperative Calligraphy
Paradigms of Human Memory
Remedial Chaos Theory
Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas
Regional Holiday Music
Pillows and Blankets
And of course, the paintball episodes.
Yeah, the characters are one-dimensional and when the show realizes that and focuses on clever concept & funny situations, it thrives. I felt season 4 really tried to focus on the drama and it just didn't work.
More votes for NewsRadio, please. Easily one of the best (for the first 4 seasons anyway. RIP Phil Hartman.)
The first episode of the last season, Bill Moves On, is worth watching as a farewell to Phil Hartman.
It's very shameful that the Golden Girls or Family Ties hasn't entered this thread.
Here's my list:
1. Cosby Show: Bill Cosby is an piece of shit. But his show is all time great. And it changed this country perception of Black people. Claire Huxtable became America's Mom.
2. Seinfeld: There was never anything like this show when it was created.There's phrases from Seinfeld that have become universally known. You can go to someone and say "No Soup For You!" And they will laugh.
3. Cheers(I could cheat and put Taxi): This show was an showcase for so many amazing talents. It's the best comedic ensemble NBC ever had in an sitcom.
4. Golden Girls: This show created its own genre of sitcom. Sex in the City, Friends, Girlfriends and Living Single all were successful shows using the same premise. The leads were comedy gold together.
5. Family Ties: Its the perfect snapshot of 80's middle America.
6. Fresh Prince of Bel Aire: This show was an Will Smith vehicle to get into Hollywood. He wasn't the star.
7. Friends: This show was derived from Golden Girls/Living Single. But the cast was really great. It also had Soap Opera elements to it.
8. Community:This show could've been another Seinfeld if NBC stayed patient and realized the show would slowly build up an audience.
9.Saved by the Bell: nuff said
10. Sanford and Son: Redd Foxx is one of the funniest human beings who ever lived. That alone gets him an spot.
Here's my list:
1. Cosby Show: Bill Cosby is an piece of shit. But his show is all time great. And it changed this country perception of Black people. Claire Huxtable became America's Mom.
2. Seinfeld: There was never anything like this show when it was created.There's phrases from Seinfeld that have become universally known. You can go to someone and say "No Soup For You!" And they will laugh.
3. Cheers(I could cheat and put Taxi): This show was an showcase for so many amazing talents. It's the best comedic ensemble NBC ever had in an sitcom.
4. Golden Girls: This show created its own genre of sitcom. Sex in the City, Friends, Girlfriends and Living Single all were successful shows using the same premise. The leads were comedy gold together.
5. Family Ties: Its the perfect snapshot of 80's middle America.
6. Fresh Prince of Bel Aire: This show was an Will Smith vehicle to get into Hollywood. He wasn't the star.
7. Friends: This show was derived from Golden Girls/Living Single. But the cast was really great. It also had Soap Opera elements to it.
8. Community:This show could've been another Seinfeld if NBC stayed patient and realized the show would slowly build up an audience.
9.Saved by the Bell: nuff said
10. Sanford and Son: Redd Foxx is one of the funniest human beings who ever lived. That alone gets him an spot.
Same. I just couldn't get into 30 Rock's style of humor and acting.
Kimmy Schmidt has a similar type of humor, but still different enough for me to enjoy.
My main issue with 30 Rock rewatches is the show feels really locked into a time period. A lot of the jokes seem to weighted in the current pop culture of the year and they just fall flat for me.
Oh yeah forgot to say Living Single is a better sitcom then half the shows listed in this thread.
I need to 30 Rock another go.
I started watching during it's last few years, as I was a huge fan of the other NBC shows it was often paired with but found it weirdly self-congratulatory and cartoonish.
Years later, my gf said it's best watched from the start and feels a bit more grounded in the earlier seasons. She was right and more of the humor was focused on the snappy dialogue. I liked it but I didn't stay with it. I should give it another go.
The Good Place
Community
Seinfeld
Cheers
The Office
Parks & Rec
I prefer all of these over 30 Rock. Even though Community has the Season 4 slump and arguably gets pretty weird and unfocused during it's final season, it's one of my favorite sitcoms of all time.
The Good Place was just fantastic.
I started watching during it's last few years, as I was a huge fan of the other NBC shows it was often paired with but found it weirdly self-congratulatory and cartoonish.
Years later, my gf said it's best watched from the start and feels a bit more grounded in the earlier seasons. She was right and more of the humor was focused on the snappy dialogue. I liked it but I didn't stay with it. I should give it another go.
The Good Place
Community
Seinfeld
Cheers
The Office
Parks & Rec
I prefer all of these over 30 Rock. Even though Community has the Season 4 slump and arguably gets pretty weird and unfocused during it's final season, it's one of my favorite sitcoms of all time.
The Good Place was just fantastic.
Christ no.
Cosby Show, Friends, Cheers, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Sanford and Son, Night Court, Seinfeld, and Frasier are all better. Some significantly better.
Cosby Show, Friends, Cheers, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Sanford and Son, Night Court, Seinfeld, and Frasier are all better. Some significantly better.
Well good that you understand Seinfeld is #1. And as oversaturated as it is, I think it's no contest that The Office is #2. Even with the saturation and it's arguably horrible last few seasons, it's just utterly sublime.
I would also argue that Sandford and Son, Fresh Prince, and Scrubs are all better as well. Oh and Fraiser. I never had a huge affinity for 30 Rock tbh, but I can understand it's appeal and I still do enjoy it.
I would also argue that Sandford and Son, Fresh Prince, and Scrubs are all better as well. Oh and Fraiser. I never had a huge affinity for 30 Rock tbh, but I can understand it's appeal and I still do enjoy it.
I genuinely don't think this was ever in the cards.
I watched Parks this year and for me it just got better as it went on and found its ground. Maybe there was a dip when Andy had to be away for a few episodes. Then the final season is fantastic.
In any case, this thread made me want to give 30 rock a shot.
I think if Chevy Chase didn't go crazy and NBC gave them an actual six seasons, the movie would have been classic.