Among the many reasons people watch, and rewatch, sitcoms is to imagine your life was more like the one you were watching.
Being able to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Greenwich Village on a line cook's salary, somehow always having the comfortable sofa available at your favorite coffee shop whenever you pop in, or having your best friends always available at your beck and call whenever you need them.
For the romantics, however, it's wishing you could have a romance like you've seen on television.
True not all sitcom romances are exactly the sort that makes you go all aflutter (Were Ross and Rachel actually on a break? And don't even get me started about Ted and Robin.)
Other sitcom couples are so captivating, though, that we would have given anything to be at their wedding... or at the very least go to their home for dinner every Friday.
And this includes plutonic couples, as there is nothing more heartwarming than a lasting friendship.
"What is the best couple in sitcom history?"
Creating An Even More Welcoming Community
"Troy and Abed. A couple of friends."- aghzombies
"They did grace the cover of Best Friends Weekly."- DwightsEgo
Sorry Amy...
"Peralta and Doug Judy."- DavosLostFingers
"Reunited and it feels so good 🎶."- Ghostenx
"PSYCH"!... No, Seriously...
"Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster."- dazedcap
"'I'm Black, he's Tan'."- CrueGuyRob
Shawn Spencer What GIFGiphy"Snap, Snap."
"The correct answer is Gomez and Morticia Addams."- Reddit
"They loved each other dearly. "
"They were completely enamored with each other, spent time with their kids, their family."
"Accepted everyone as they were."
"It wasn't til I was an adult That I realized married couples weren't meant to hate each other."
"My mother had many partners in my childhood, she's toxic and things were always chaotic."
"And watching 90s sitcoms, I thought married people were meant to hate each other, and I always wondered what the point was."- MissMurder8666
Overshadowed By Their Middle Child...
"Hal and Lois."- MrRocketman999
"As a husband, I don't think I can live up to Hal."
"He sort of sets a really high standard lol."
"He loves her like they are still in the honeymoon phase."
"So infatuated with her lol."- treathugger
A Better Couple? Many Would Say, "Knope"...
"Ben and Leslie."
"I' love you and I like you.'"
"Simple line, yet so powerful."- Radkeyoo
Amy Poehler Ben GIF by Parks and RecreationGiphy"Gruesome", But Adorable
"Frank and Charlie from Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
"The gruesome twosome."- Herr_Poopypants
The Parents Everyone Wished Were Theirs...
"Bob and Linda from 'Bobs burgers'."- shashybaws
"All of the Belchers have such great relationships with each other. "
"They're wholly accepting and supportive (even if they disagree)."
"They really love each other, and it shows."- SummerOfMayhem
UK Version Only, Of Course...
"Moss and Roy (The IT Crowd)."- pentapotamia
"'I'm your wife, Roy!'"- Summerof5ft6andahalf
"'If anything, I’m the husband!'"- pentapotamia
it crowd chris odowd GIFGiphyAfterlife Be Damned... Or not, Actually...
"Eleanor and Chidi from 'The Good Place.'"
"How can you beat two deeply flawed people who together make each other better over and over again?"- hotbimess
Ruining All Food For Viewers, One Food Group At A Time...
"The only correct answer is - Scully and Hitchcock."- Prestigious-Net-2236
"Back off! It's our microwave! Ours! GRRRRRRR!"- Lvcivs2311
Nostalgic And Wonderful
"Kitty and Red from That 70s/90s Show."- saginator5000
"I like how Red on the surface seems like a mean parent who doesn’t let his kids have fun."
"But he’s watching out for his kids."
"And he’s a good man."
"He has a hard and stressful time supporting his family and he is grumpy sometimes but he would do anything for his family and he really loves them."
"What he does for Hyde is amazing."
"He just doesn’t put up with BS."- themanfromvulcan
Mothers Day Woman GIF by LaffGiphyIt Seems Everyone Is Better With Turk At Their Side
"Turk and Carla."
"Or Turk and JD. (Scrubs)."- JCBAwesomist
"Turk and JD all the way."- nunyabidnez76
Can't We Get Back What We Once Had?...
"Homer and Marge had a lot of beautiful moments back in the older seasons."
"Sadly, seasonal rot has ruined a lot of that."
"I miss a lot of how the characters used to be."
"Like, Homer was an oaf and a brute, but he loved his family immensely and deeply and would (and DID) do any and everything for them."
"He'd catch details like in that episode about the streetcar play that you wouldn't think he would."
"He gave up beer for a month for Marge and we got to see that, for him, it wasn't just a minor thing."
'Lisa might have been intelligent but she not only had ample 'dumb/shallow' moments, she also was very close to Bart and, likewise, Bart was close to her."
"He might struggle in school but he also showed he wasn't dumb either."- Snowtwo
homer simpson love GIFGiphyBe they married in the first episode or on and off again for an insufferable amount of time (looking at you, Jeanine and Gregory in Abbott Elementry!), sitcom couples give us people to root for and fill our own hearts with hope.
So much so that we don't mind following the arc of their love stories over and over again.
And yes, the episode where David meets Patrick's parents remains a tearjerker, no matter how many times you watch it.
Perhaps the main thing that keeps people returning to their favorite tv shows is the characters.
Be it heroes we love to see in action, the villains who we love to hate, or the friend group we wish we were a part of, nothing brings people greater joy than being part of their world for 30 minutes to an hour each week, or devoting an afternoon to bingeing.
Indeed, it's often the family shows people tend to resonate with the most, sometimes wishing their family could be more like what they see on television.
Particularly when it comes to fathers.
Be it a carefree, fun-loving goofball like Modern Family's Phil Dunphy or a sensitive neat freak like Full House's Danny Tanner, TV dads have earned a special place in the hearts of viewers.
"Who is the best TV dad?"
Man's Best Friend, And Everyone's Favorite Dad!
"Bandit Heeler."- AlisonSandraGator
The Father Will Was Always Missing
"Uncle Phil."- Sagranda
"Uncle Phil."- N7-Rogue-Spectre
fresh prince of bel air uncle phil GIF by Nick At NiteGiphyAs Wise As He Is Kind
"Uncle Iroh."
“'I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you had lost your way'."- briareus08
Determined To Take Over The Tri-State Area!
"Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz."
"Sure, he's evil, but he loves his daughter."
"He will spend decades hunting down a rare doll just because she once said that she wanted it."
"He'll also zap an older guy into another dimension for hitting on her."- TechyDad
Creepy, Cooky, Mysetrious, Spooky, And One Great Dad!
"Gomez Addams."- Back2Bach
"Gomez Addams from the original 'Addams Family' show."
"A devoted and passionate spouse."
"A loving and supportive father."
"Cheerful, creative and energetic."
"Never a bad word for anyone that I can recall."- ElectricHelicoid
GiphyThe Burgers Are An Added Bonus
"Bob Belcher."- International-Roll27
Realtor/Magician Extrodinaire!
"Phil Dunphy."- OakNogg
A Great Father In Any Galaxy
"Commander Adama."
"He would have stayed in that system forever to find his son." - Reddit
A Great Dad Before He Started Breaking Bad
"Hal from 'Malcolm in the Middle'."- PrincessBambi_2000
malcolm in the middle ifc GIFGiphySuch A Great Dad, He Became The Main Character!
"Dan Conner."
"He gained so much respect from me when he stood up for Jackie when her boyfriend beat her."
"Plus, I just really love John Goodman."- daddyspader
Veronica's Source Of Inspiration
"Keith Mars from 'Veronica Mars'."- procrastinatorsuprem
Boldly Going Where No Dad Has Gone Before
"Captain Ben Sisko."- WARMASTER5000
Everyone's Favorite Whistling Sheriff
"'Andy Griffith'."
"Opie Tayler would never have turned into such a great kid without his Pa."- AtheneSchmidt
Andy Griffith GIFGiphyNo one can choose their parents, and thankfully, most people feel lucky with the parents they were given.
But every now and then, who doesn't wish their father was a joy inducing blue Dingo?
There is little more comforting than lounging on the sofa, and binging your favorite sitcoms.
What ultimately makes sitcoms so comforting, in addition to the clever writing and improbably affordable apartments, are the characters.
Why Friends continues to gain a new legion of fans, even nearly 20 years after its finale, is the fact that those watching often want Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Joey and especially Phoebe to actually be their friends.
Or wish their own friends' dynamic was more like that iconic sextet.
Indeed, people would be much less hesitant to show up for work if they knew The Office's Jim or Pam would be waiting for them, or think that their school days might have been more pleasurable if taught by Abbot Elementary's Janine Teagues.
Characters who are so lovable, it almost breaks our hearts that they aren't real.
"Who is the best sitcom character of all time?"
The Dad We All Wish We Had
"Hal from 'Malcolm in the Middle'."- TerriblyAverage1
malcolm in the middle ifc GIFGiphySomeone Get That Lady a Vodka Rocks... Or A Piece Of Toast...
"Lucille Bluth."
"She stole every scene she was in, which is both a testament to how well the character was written and Jessica Walter’s performance."- PobBrobert
"It's Always Sunny" When They're Around.
"Charlie Kelly!"- SuperDuperCatman
"Frank Reynolds."- Pumpkin-tits-NYC
it's always sunny sunnyfxx GIF by It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaGiphy"But He Already Did Something Today"...
"Titus Andromedon from 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'."- cherry_blsm00
Especially When He Makes A "huge mistake"...
"Gob Bluth."- BrushGoodDar
Threatening Our Grasp On Reality
"Creed."
"Proof that less is more."
“'Somebody making soup?'”- AussieDuckMan
creed bratton television GIFGiphyThe Boss Of Our Dreams
"Captain Holt"- Cabbiecar1001
If Only For His Hair!
"Maurice Moss, 'IT Crowd'."- SalsaYogurt
One Only Hopes Our Future Will Involve Him
"Bender B. Rodriguez."
"Remember that scene in Kill Bill where Bill says Clark Kent is Superman's impression of humans?"
"Clark had to act like all the other humans in order to blend into human society."
"Now apply that logic to Bender."
"He was made by humans to be able to function and relate to people in a human world."
"The humans made him in their own image and he's the most self-centered, amoral, insecure, emotional train wreck on Earth."
"He is what we secretly fear about our own nature."- blakethegr8
swag futurama GIFGiphyOne could say it's their questionable grasp of reality that makes sitcoms so enjoyable.
If Will Truman were a real-life New York attorney, there's no way he would have been chronically single for seven years.
Far-fetched as some of their premises may be, however, our favorite sitcom characters can almost be viewed as the friends who never disappoint us.
As they're always guaranteed to make us laugh and put a smile on our faces.
Even when they break our hearts.
Seriously, how could Nathan do that to Ted Lasso?!?!?!
Hint: It's not Friends.
It's just not. Stop telling people anything about Friends was revolutionary. The shows creators admitted that it was literally a stolen and white-washed Living Single - a show which, incidentally, had a slammin' theme song.
Reddit user RasheenHyuga asked:
"What tv show has the best theme song of all time?"
Obviously the comments were full of people passionately defending their choices for the best theme.
My initial response was the theme from Steven Universe, particularly the way that it evolved over the seasons to reflect the evolution of the storyline.
The simple little love song reflects something altogether massive by the time it's done; just like a simple cartoon about a little boy who thinks ice cream makes him magic evolves into a story about war, colonization, identity, family dynamics, transitions, what it means to be human and the value of forgiveness - AND boundaries.
Also, guitar solos and fry bits.
Having said aaaaaall of that - Reddit had some incredible answers, too.
Resist Rapping, If You Can
Will Smith Happy Dance GIF by WHOSAYGiphy"The Fresh Prince."
- sherlockhound5
"You just mention the show at all and people start rapping the theme song at you 9 times out of 10."
"It's quite cool how many people know the theme song, even if they've never watched the show or were born after it was finished. You know it's good when that happens!"
- thegurrkha
"I've probably only seen less than a full season and just had it on for background noise and I can still recite the opening rap!"
- Which_Minute_9671
"I’ve never watched the show but I’m still yet all the time singing the song in my head."
- NarutoPretzelx2
Woo-Hoo!
duck tales television GIFGiphy"DuckTales..woo hoo"
- TomatilloLopsided895
"I downloaded the song 'for my kid' and the amount of times I yell the lyrics out to the song without him near me is embarrassing."
- dachshundaholic
"The rhythm and beat of the DuckTales intro alone gets me hype. As a 36 year old."
- ayojimoh
"Any time any two syllable phrase is spoken in my house, either me or my husband always does the 'woo hoo.' It is compulsive."
" 'Babe what do you want for breakfast?' "
" 'Fried eggs.' "
" 'Woo hoo!' "
" 'I don't see it, is it on the left or right?' "
" 'Right side.' "
" 'Woo hoo!' "
"You get the point."
- dryerfresh
SnapSnap
the addams family dancing GIFGiphy"The Addams Family with Lurch at the harpsichord and the cast snapping their fingers in time to the music and memorable lyrics."
- Back2Bach
"I came here to say this!"
"EVERYONE knows this song even if they have never seen the original show! It’s an iconic tune which can be recognized within a few notes and has been unofficially turned into other songs such as The Days of the Week, for young kids to learn the days of the week and their order!!!"
- princess_cupcake72
"It's the snap snap."
- Kuro_08
Gold
Golden Girls Flirting GIF by HULUGiphy"The Golden Girls, thank you very much."
- MrTeeWrecks
"AND IF YOU THREW A PARTY!!!"
- PutItOnMyTombstone
"I bloody love the Golden Girls!"
"This song was on Heart 70s (which is ace) the other day and I had a good sing around my kitchen."
- Sad_Review8093
"That was a song by a guy named Andrew Gold in the 70s and it was a pretty big hit back then."
- horkus1
Not Made For The Show, But Made For The Show
Fucked Up Lol GIF by What We Do in the ShadowsGiphy"What We Do In the Shadows"
- Professional-Tax-936
"You're Dead by Norma Tanega!"
- SakuOtaku
"In terms of matching the show I don't think anything could be more perfect."
- CamelSpotting
"As soon as I read the title of this post I heard the WWDITS theme song in my head."
- coconutlemongrass
"Happy I didn’t have to scroll far to find this one. I always assumed it was written for the show as it fits so perfectly, until two seasons in I Shazammed it out of curiosity and woah, mind blown."
- jasmminne
"A perfect song for the show! I never skip past it because it just sets the ideal mood for the show."
- gpgarrett
"In our house we just call the show 'you’re dead, you’re dead' because of the theme."
- Vance_Hammersly
Well-Chosen Adjectives
Knight Rider Nbc GIFGiphy"Knight Rider (1982)"
"Slick, funky, dark, bit of new wave synth. So good."
- spesimen
"Agreed. I think it is a perfect theme tune."
"And I would add 'original' to your well-chosen adjectives. I haven't heard anything else like it."
- OminOus_PancakeS
"Not just the theme music but that kickass opening monologue that tells you everything you need to know."
" 'Knight Rider... A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. Michael Knight: a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.' "
- groolthedemon
"Epic. I used to have this as my ringtone (when those were still things)."
- jamikins23
The Bands Best Work
disney channel hello GIFGiphy"Phineas and Ferb"
- 69for_president
"This!"
"It's fast paced and yet almost everyone I know remembers the words if they ever watched it."
- TopNotchGamerr
"Some of Bowling For Soup's best work."
"The hilarious part is that the chorus didn't even make it into the intro!"
"The song is called 'Today is gonna be a great day' and I thought the chorus 'This could possibly be the best day ever, today is gonna be a great day' was going to be the catchy bit that they'd include."
- Mysticpoisen
"Dude Bowling For Soup is pretty responsible for the whole Phineas and Ferb vibe. The lead singer is also the lead singer for Love Händel!"
- [Reddit]
"Retrowave"
Season 1 Netflix GIF by Stranger ThingsGiphy"Stranger Things. It's just so sexy."
- AttractiveHammer
"It didn’t start my love of the retrowave music genre by itself, but it was one of the first dozen retrowave tracks I heard."
"Then followed all the other wave rabbit holes. Love that sh*t!"
"The Stranger Things theme is still one of the best pop culture references for when someone asks what music I’m into."
- Zeibyasis
"That opening was such a nostalgia slap when I first saw it. So very 80s."
- manyconclusion
Nothing And Everything
Donald Glover Community GIFGiphy"Community."
"Such a perfect sitcom intro - insanely catchy, doesn’t explicitly say anything about the show, but somehow encapsulates the entire thing, and is short and sweet and always makes you wish it was longer."
-Hagbard_Shaftoe
"Agreed."
"I swear, though, it sounds like the lyrics are slightly different every once in a while and it would make me feel like a lunatic if my wife didn’t also notice it."
- PretendThisIsMyName
Bone Chilling
Unsolved Mysteries GIF by FILMRISEGiphy"Most bone chilling? Old school episodes of Unsolved Mysteries."
"That show absolutely terrified me as a child. And yet I was allowed to watch it when I was like four haha."
"There was something about that theme that somehow made it like 200% scarier than any other show or movie."
- magical_bunny
"That theme song made me lunge for the remote to change the channel. That show was 5spooky4me."
- HicJacetMelilla
"My mom would put me to bed just in time for her to watch Unsolved Mysteries."
"I had to fall asleep with Robert Stack talking about serial killers that could be anywhere & that music playing. That f*cking music."
- ozzmodan
Yeah, that Unsolved Mysteries answer gave me flashbacks to my childhood and the feeling of fear in my throat as soon as the dododododododoot dododododoDOODOOT got started.
There was something about the pitch of the sound that always made me imagine the notes were stabbing me.
... ... ... I was a weird kid, but if you're a music-head I guarantee you knew exactly what I was talking about right there.
Don't judge me.
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