American Sitcoms & Comedy Series

Comedy series in United States were started as early as in 1920s with the introduction of silent movies and later the success of radio stations. Such comedians as Laurel and Hardy, Marx Brothers, Harold Lloyd, Roscoe Arbuckle or Charlie Chaplin were stars of early motion picture industry filming sometimes even few short movies monthly playing the same set of characters. Radio comedy shows that started in 1920s were often based on the vaudeville and burlesque show that audience knew from the theaters. The classic American sitcoms started in 1930s when the plots linked the skits and sketches in whole stories.

The modern American sitcoms started in 1950s with the populatization of television with such titles as I Love Lucy or The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show. Since then most of the American comedy series are kept in similiar - rather family shows targeted for young people and middle-aged audience. Second important factor is influence of stand-up comedy tradition that wasn’t that popular anywhere else in the world.

$#*! My Dad Says

6.0

22110

Henry, a struggling writer, is forced to move in with his father, a ill-tempered retired army doctor, who is not pleased with that unexpected change in his bachelor life.

2 Broke Girls

2.4

4110

Two young women waitressing at diner, street-smart Max and daughter of arrested millionaire Caroline, team up to open their own cupcake business if they raise enough money.

2 Stupid Dogs

8.0

14110

Two stupid dogs... Well, what more can be said - they are dogs, they are stupid and there are two of them. The scripts don’t really make much sense than this description.

30 Rock

4.8

23110

A look behind the production of fictional TV comedy program called TGS with Tracy Jordan, where life of writer and producer Liz Lemon is constant struggle between following her bosses whims and dealing with strong character of her cast.

8 Simple Rules

5.6

25110

Father struggles to deal with raising his teenage daughters when his wife takes up a job at hospital that requires spending more time away from family.

Accidentally on Purpose

5.6

10110

Billie gets pregnant with youger man that was suppose to be just one-night-stand, but now they try to build a relationship.

According to Jim

5.2

7110

Chicago suburban family with Jim as a irresponsible father that keeps getting in trouble, Cheryl as a down-to-earth wife and their kids.

Ace Ventura

8.0

5110

One extraordinary detective and two completely different adventures based on an idea for Ace Ventura being probably the best (not to mention the only) professional pet detective in the world.

Airplane!

10

19110

Parodies of popular catastrophic movies of the 1970s - washed-out former airforce pilot tries to save his relationship with stewardess Elaine and climbs aboard the passenger plane. Later it will turn out that his pilot skills will be invaluable.

ALF

8.0

18110

Alien spaceship crashes on the garage of typical suburban family, the Tanners. The creature inside is far from what you have seen on the scifi movies - he doesn’t want to take over the world, he doesn’t have superpowers, he doesn’t have superior brain...

American Dad!

3.6

13110

Stan Smith is a CIA agent, but this does not mean he can’t be a good father and loving husband. It only means that he has an alien as lodger and from time to time he has to leave early to blow something up.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe

6.4

12110

Andy Richter is an average guy doing a quite normal job - he writes manuals for company manufacturing advanced weapons. His dull existance is interrupted only in moments, when he lets his imagination to takeover.

Anger Management

3.2

15110

Former baseball player is running anger management counseling, but he also has the same problem as his patients.

Archer

6.8

21110

Sterling Archer is a super spy. At least in his mind, in reality he is immature womanizer with drinking problem. But what can you expect - his mother is his boss and his codename is Duchess.

Are You There, Chelsea?

2.0

11110

Chelsea Newman is a twenty-something waitress in a bar, which suits her fine since her main hobbies are alcohol and sleeping around.

Ask Harriet

5.2

14110

Sexist sports journalist Jack Cody has problems finding a job and he is more and more desperate since he has a daughter to think of. He finds a way to keep working, but it would mean to disguise himself as a woman and write the realtionships advice column.

Austin Powers

4.8

18110

Austin Powers is a unique kind of secret agent - with license to be sexually overactive and to make some lame jokes. His arch enemy is Dr Evil, who keeps plotting to take over the world... or to just get rid of Powers.

Avenue 5

4.4

17110

Ryan Clark, hero of Avenue 3, faces unexpected disaster aboard Avenue 5, a different luxury passenger spaceship.

Barney Miller

7.6

5110

The detectives from 12th Precinct every day deal with unusual cases and unusual characters. They need all the good humour they can get just to keep them going through their shifts.

Becker

9.6

7110

John Becker is brilliant doctor, who runs a small practice in Bronx and has just one flaw - he hates people. Not all of them, just those stupid, ignorant, those wasting his time, those taking his parking space, those who do not agree with him... Well, the list is long.