Friday, May 07, 2021

Fri-Yay: Rolling Stone's 100 Best Sitcoms of All Time; Marion Cunningham Greatest Classic TV Mom in New Poll

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

Rolling Stone's 100 Best Sitcoms of All Time

by Vincent

This week, Rolling Stone posted an article about the best sitcoms of all time. If your Twitter feed is like mine, it's been buzzing with discussion about it. Obviously, these lists are entirely subject, just a few critics opinions, and should only be taken light heartedly. But what’s the point of the internet if not to argue and give your opinion on something that ultimately is pretty inconsequential? So, in this column, I'll share my thoughts on Rolling Stone's Best Sitcoms of All Time list.

For the most part, there isn't too much I could quibble with. The show ranked first is The Simpsons, which would also be my #1 pick, if only for the unbeatable '90s seasons. Many of my other favorites - The Office, 30 Rock, Cheers, Community - also made the cut. Still, I would say the list leaned more heavily on modern shows - more obscure and short running modern series like, say, Baskets made the cut over older and perhaps equally strong obscure older shows. But it was still a solid list and I enjoyed reading a celebration of so many different sitcoms from many different eras. Check out the list, and see for yourself what you think of their ranking.


Marion Cunningham - Happy Days

With Mother's Day this Sunday, we leave you with a classic TV moms update. Marion Cunningham, beloved "Mrs. C" from TV's Happy Days edged out Shirley Partridge from The Partridge Family for Greatest Classic TV Mom in a nationwide tournament sponsored by BoomAgain.com . Greatest Classic TV Mom bracket paired moms from popular Boomer sitcoms including Carol Brady (The Brady Bunch), June Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver), Edith Bunker (All in the Family), Morticia Addams (The Addams Family), Florida Evans (Good Times), Jane Jetson (The Jetsons), and more. More than 6000 votes were cast during the 7-day tournament. In the finals Mrs. C handily defeated Shirley Partridge with 56% of the vote.

Fans also weighed-in on social media with ringing endorsements for their "other mothers." Shirley Partridge was revered for carrying the load as a single mom -- "Shirley Partridge didn't have a housekeeper or a husband but she made it work." Fans of Edith Bunker noted, "Edith wasn't just a doormat for Archie. She supported Gloria's feminism." But in the end Mrs. C was "...ahead of her time. She accepted her kids' friends and supported their dreams." Another crowned her as "...the Mom we all wanted." The tournament was sponsored by Boom Again, a pop-culture trivia game celebrating Baby Boomers.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, November 14

Happy's Place - "I've Got a Secret" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
After Bobbie and Emmett's big moment, Bobbie is still unsure how Emmett truly feels about her, prompting Bobbie to do the unthinkable and give Emmett a birthday gift; Gabby tries to convince Isabella to give her the family discount on Happy's house.

Stumble - "Media Day" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Courteney decides to use media day as a way to recruit new cheerleaders and to push her team to get right back on that mat; DiMarcus proves that not all Buttons are meant to be pushed.

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Full Vampire" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Lucien plots as Sophie, Elijah and Demi reflect on their situation; Britney tries to meet Millie Eyelash; Vee learns a new way to channel her power.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 10)

Friday, November 14

  • George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - Watch George on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Glen Powell (Chad Powers/Scream Queens) - Glen appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about The Running Man on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Billy Gardell (Bob Hearts Abishola/Mike & Molly/Yes, Dear) - Billy is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Alicia Silverstone (American Woman) - Alicia chats about A Merry Little Ex-Mas with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Keanu Reaves (Swedish Dicks) - Keanu and Alex Winter talk about Broadway's Waiting for Godot on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Jay Ellis (Running Point/Insecure/The Game) - Jay tells Sherri about starring in All Her Fault on Peacock on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Margaret is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

11/14 - Disney's Hulu's Family Guy's Hallmark Channel's Lifetime's Familiar Holiday Movie; Mad Men Coming to HBO Max in 4K
11/13 - Antenna TV Re-Acquires One Day at a Time and Sanford and Son; Season 2 of the Wild Series It's Florida, Man
11/12 - Fox Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu's Tell Me Lies Season 3 Premiere Date
11/11 - Cast Announced for Netflix's A Different World Sequel; Hulu's Sebastian Maniscalco Special Trailer
11/10 - ABC's New Game Show The Greatest Average American; Prime Video Christmas Movie
11/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 10, 2025)
11/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox and Sony Developing Reimagined Bewitched; Samsung TV Plus Launching AFV Channel
11/07 - TBS and TNT Holiday Schedule; Hulu's Back 'Four' More Reasonable Doubt; Remembering Diane Ladd of Alice
11/06 - Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas 2025 Schedule; Single Drunk Female Star Gets Hulu Film
11/05 - ABC 2025 Holiday Specials; Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This for Season 3
11/04 - Fox's Best Medicine Premieres January 2026; Final Season of Bel-Air Trailer
11/03 - Apple TV Holiday Schedule; Another Week and Dancing with the Stars Rises Again
11/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 3, 2025)
11/01 - SitcomsOnline Digest: King of the Hill Renewed for Two More Seasons on Hulu; MTV Cancels Ridiculousness
10/31 - Hulu Renews King of the Hill for Seasons 16 and 17; FX Renews Adults for Season 2; Remembering June Lockhart
10/30 - ABC's The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary Special on November 11; NBC 2025 Holiday Specials
10/29 - ABC Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu Renews Only Murders in the Building for Season 6, Now in London
10/28 - Hulu Debuts Trailer for Original Holiday Film; Sidelined Returns for Sequel on Tubi
10/27 - Netflix Grabs Victorious Spinoff Hollywood Arts; Dancing with the Stars Up for 5th Straight Week
10/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 27, 2025)
10/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frankie Muniz Shares Photo Outside Studio for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; Warner Bros. Discovery Still Looking for New Owner
10/24 - USA Network Renews The Rainmaker; Reba Hosting Christmas in Rockefeller Center
10/23 - The CW Holiday Specials Schedule; Apple TV Fraggle Rock Special
10/22 - Apple TV's Shrinking Returns in January 2026; Season 2 of Idris Elba Series Also Returns in January 2026
10/21 - FETV Acquires Here Come the Brides; Netflix's Mo Amer Special Trailer
10/20 - SNL November Guests Lineup; It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2025 Schedule
10/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 20, 2025)
10/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at NBC Comedy Stumble; Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Showrunner Talks When the Inevitable May Happen
10/17 - Apple TV's Palm Royale Returns November 12; Pop Culture Jeopardy! Moving to Netflix
10/16 - Kathleen Madigan Prime Video Special; His & Hers Premiere Date for Netflix
10/15 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Premiere Strong; Sebastian Maniscalco's Hulu Comedy Special Date
10/14 - Tubi's Breaking Bear Premieres March 2026; NBC's Stumble Trailer