NCMojo

Recently I have become somewhat addicted to Comedy Central's Trigger Happy TV (which means that it will be off the air soon). If you have not seen this show... well, you need to find it, watch it, and love it, love it, love it.

Which brought me to this post: Top Five Funniest Shows of all time. This (to me) takes out of the equation such groundbreaking (but not all that funny) shows as M*A*S*H and Sportsnight.

That still leaves us with a whole lot of funny. My list:

5. POLICE SQUAD
From the makers of Airplane... and the inspiration for many, many Naked Gun movies... this show really and truly was too funny for TV. Ran out of steam a bit at the end, but this show was still 100% non-stop gags.

4. TRIGGER HAPPY TV
Again, if you have not seen this show, you need to. It is one of the most sublime and addictive shows on TV.

3. MONTY PYTHON
"This... is an ex-parrot!"
"Excuse me, but I came here for an argument!"
"Well, if we took the bones out, it wouldn't be crunchy frog, now would it?"
Classic, side-splitting, inspired humor.

2. MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000
Several of these episodes made me laugh so hard that I actually sprained a muscle -- if you have not had to survive "rock climbing" with Tom Servo and the boys, you have not lived.

AND NUMBER ONE...

1. BLACK ADDER
Actually, this may count as all five of my top five, but I reckon I'll just lump all five seasons of this Rowan Atkinson show together and call it my all-time favorite. You can rent this at most Blockbusters, and you should, even if it means spending your last three dollars or donating plasma or hitting up pedestrians for change. Set in different time periods, with the same set of actors playing different characters, it is truly, truly hilarious.

Jobronie

This gets my vote for the funniest series ever for an entire run. That it was only six eps does skew the data a bit, tho.

The Tony D'Wonderful ep may be the single funniest TV ep I have ever seen. The nightclub medley still puts me on the floor.

And Al rocks!!!!

calhoun07

Gee, Peter, that's a hard one!

I would have to place Police Squad! on my list as well. In fact, even before I clicked on the thread to read the post, that was the first show to pop into my head.

The second was Cheers, then Night Court. Both of those shows I would be willing to watch at any time of day or night and there isn't an episode in either series I wouldn't watch again.

Picking out two more is always the hardest, because it's probably given to more my mood today than what I might feel if asked the same question next year. Are You Being Served? is probably my favorite Brit Com of all time, and I will put What I Like About You on my list, tho I am not sure of "all time" with that series, it's just the funniest thing on TV right now, and every episode is comedy gold. And it helps that Amanda Bynes is just so funny and talented, and I can't wait to see where her career takes her.

WiccanPagan

i honestly do not have a great sense of any of the shows in the op. however my list would include cheers and night court. probably a litte cosby show as well. and for the heck of it i am throwing in sports night. had its drama but every episode could make me laugh out loud even if it was only 2 seasons. and for number 5 easy - the simpsons. week in and week out great show. in no way is that their order, but those would be my 5.

i was just posting about her in the angel being canceled thread. she's amazing but i can't put the show in my top 5 as it is one season and may not get a second.

blahloney

ncmojo...

IMHO:
Looking at your taste in 'understated' British humour...
I'm pretty sure you'll like "The Office" ...
If you have BBC America -> Go here for the schedule...


BTW:
Just wanna include "Fawlty Towers" to the thread

movieking

My top five faves:

1. Newsradio
2. Seinfeld

and then there is a jumbled mass, including Simpsons, South Park, Kids in the Hall, Sledge Hammer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, WKRP and many others.

mverleg1

I'd put Scrubs in my list. Very rare is the show that can consistantly make me laugh every week, every episode.

tasha99

My top funniest would be:

1. Black Adder
2. South Park
3. Coupling

I don't watch all that much comedy, so I'll leave it at my top three to keep the not so funny ones from making it onto the list.

Lokimok

Without doing too much thinking, I'll go with:

Late Night with David Letterman
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Dick Van Dyke
Mr. Show
MST3K

Tough to leave off things like Simpsons, SCTV, Ben Stiller...

edited to add that I think Gilmore Girls is the funniest show currently on tv

calhoun07

I totally agree, actually, which is why I said it wasn't actually an "all time" favorite. Just my current favorite on TV. That and That 70's Show are two of the best sit coms around right now. If it gets cancelled, I will be disappointed, especially in consideration of how many bad seasons they keep on allowing Melissa Joan Hart to force upon viewers. But then again they killed Maybe It's Me, the series that made me a fan of Fred Willard all over again.

I thought about it some more and Seinfeld would certainly be on my top five of all time list, no question. Heck, even probably number one. Every episode is a winner, in my book.

TheMadMonk

Too subjective to answer.

nny

1. Police Squad - True, it's kind of unfair since there were only 6 episodes, but it'd be hard to find 6 episodes of any show that were this good.
2. Simpsons
3. Seinfeld
4. Mr. Show
5. Upright Citizen's Brigade

honorable mention:
Aqua Teen Hunger Force - the first season made me laugh as hard as any show ever has, but the second season hasn't been that great

edytwinky

1.) Simpsons

Draven

In no particular order.

1. Cosby Show: Especially any episodes where Rudy has her little friends over. Peter was my favorite.
2. Night Court: God I loved that show.
3. Scrubs: Most consistently funny show on television right now.
4. Kids in the Hall: Too many good skits to name. I especially liked the one about the comedy writer who didn't write an end to the skit they were in.
5. South Park: It's actually getting funnier every season.

big whoppa

I must go back further:

I Love Lucy
The Carol Burnett Show
Fawlty Towers
Roseanne
Three's Company

breaux124

Just started watching this, it's a hilarious show.

mmconhea

5:Seinfeld
4:Simpsons
3:Futurama
2: Police Squad
1:Family Guy (no question)

Giles

I think it was SCTV (or a show for some reason that I recalled being called "On the Television") that had an absolutely hysterical parody of "Rhoda" where this woman is in love with her bean bag chair and won't have her friend come over, because "it's her show".

I think MAD TV is scathingly funny. More entertaining than SNL.

Groucho

Hands down: Fawlty Towers

I'm still waiting for "Police Squad" to come out on DVD.

Giles

French & Saunders - I nearly busted my gut on their parody of "Fellowship of the Ring". Hands down the funniest comedy sketch I have seen in a very long time.

There is this British show that I have forgotten the name of that I saw on BA, that is this troupe of characters that do these mini skits revolving around word play. It was great. Anyone please help me out on the title of this show.

kneijst1

Seinfeld
Family Guy
Simpsons
The State
Cosby Show

Roto

Good to see Cosby getting some love! It hadn't been on in my are for several years until recently, and I forgot how truly funny it was. I think the later years tarnished my memory of it. Peter and Kenny had to be two of the funniest guest stars ever

I can't make up a list of five though. Comedies are mostly what I watch on tv. I'll say That's 70's Show just because it hasn't been mentioned yet and it should be on somebody's list

acmeee

Almost my exact list. I would replace the Cosby Show with Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Iron Chef

1) Monty Python's Flying Circus
2) Black Adder
3) Curb Your Enthusiasm
4) Seinfeld
5) Police Squad!

Struz

The Honeymooners
The Odd Couple
All in the Family
Cheers
Seinfeld