Best Sitcoms of the 70s

It was hard to put these in order, as so many of these shows were groundbreaking because of their subject matter (war, single women, African-American families) and the issues they tackled that were considered taboo on TV until these shows came along (race relations, divorce/single parents, alcoholism, women's rights, homosexuality, abortion, rape, etc. These are all funny things, right?).

Norman Lear is to thank for this. He produced All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, and One Day at a Time.

The Top Ten

  1. All in the Family

    All in the Family is an American sitcom that aired on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979, for a total of nine seasons. The show was created by Norman Lear and is based on the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part. It became known for tackling controversial social issues... read more

    The show that really started it all in terms of pushing the envelope of what a sitcom could do. It was number one in the ratings for five consecutive years (1971-1976). Spun-off Maude (which spun off Good Times), The Jeffersons, and Gloria.

    This was the beginning of a lot of today's shows' direction! They broke a lot of rules but they were very successful.

    Groundbreaking and some episodes still hold up to this very day. Also, Archie is hilarious and so is Edith.

  2. M*A*S*H

    MASH is an American television series that debuted in 1972 and is based on the 1968 novel by Richard Hooker. Set during the Korean War, it centers on the staff of a mobile army surgical hospital and blends comedy with drama. The show received critical acclaim, and its 1983 finale became one of the most-watched... read more

    It depicted how war could be absurd, poignant, pointless, heartbreaking, and really funny, often simultaneously.

  3. Sanford and Son

    Sanford and Son is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. The show starred Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford, a cantankerous junk dealer, and Demond Wilson as his son Lamont. It was known for its sharp humor and became a significant influence on American television comedy... read more

  4. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

    First show to really tackle women's rights with a never-married, career-oriented lead character. Spun-off Rhoda and Phyllis.

  5. Taxi

  6. Three's Company

    Three's Company is an American sitcom that aired for eight seasons on ABC from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984. The show was based on the British sitcom Man About the House. It starred John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, and Suzanne Somers, and became known for its humorous misunderstandings and slapstick... read more

    Amazing, classic sitcom filled with lots of misunderstandings and physical comedy. It was very popular in the ratings too at the time. My favorite show of all time.

    The second best sitcom, in my book.

  7. Happy Days

    Happy Days is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984. The series produced a total of 255 episodes during its run. It became a cultural phenomenon and introduced characters like Fonzie, who became iconic in American pop culture.

    In my top five for favorite sitcoms ever!

  8. Maude

  9. Good Times

    The first (and only?) to show a working-poor family (and African-American) struggling to get out of the ghetto.

  10. The Bob Newhart Show

    11. The Newcomers
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    Mork & Mindy

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    13. The Contenders

  13. The Brady Bunch

    The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz. It originally aired on ABC from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974. The show became an enduring part of American pop culture and inspired several spin-offs and reunion specials.

    Yeah, yeah, I know this show wasn't controversial or clever. I suppose the whole blended family was something new. But this show has become a part of American pop culture in a way that perhaps none of the other shows on this list have. It has been airing on some network or TV station nearly continuously for 40 years. And I really loved it when I was a kid, so there's that, too.

    One of the best, in my opinion. The movies should have never been made though.

  14. The Jeffersons

    Funniest show I've ever watched. I even bought the DVD sets.

  15. Diff'rent Strokes

    What are you talking 'bout, top tens? I can't believe you didn't put this show on the list! It's an awesome show, and Arnold is so cute.

  16. Laverne & Shirley

    Another show set in the 50s (and 60s) with two single women as the main characters.

  17. WKRP in Cincinnati

  18. Rhoda

  19. The Good Life

  20. The Goodies

  21. Barney Miller

    A hilarious top ten show. Definitely better than Good Times.

  22. The Muppet Show

    The Muppet Show is a family-oriented comedy-variety television series created by puppeteer Jim Henson. It features iconic Muppet characters, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and many others. The show aired from 1976 to 1981 and became a global success, influencing generations of puppetry... read more

  23. Bewitched

    Bewitched is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1964 to 1972. It starred Elizabeth Montgomery as a witch who marries a mortal man and tries to live a normal suburban life. The show became a classic and is remembered for its whimsical humor and magical themes.

  24. Welcome Back, Kotter

  25. The Odd Couple

    When their respective marriages fall apart, endearing slob Oscar Madison invites his former college friend Felix Unger to move in with him. Right away, Felix's uptight, neat-freak ways clash with Oscar's messy habits, and Oscar quickly begins to regret his decision... read more

  26. The Monkees

  27. Soap

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