Greatest Sitcom Ever

As reality television continues to dominate prime time television, the programs that used to fill up our hours of entertainment, high quality situational comedies and dramas, have gone the way of slap bracelets and Pogs -- a thing of the past. However, it is debatable whether the bane of good shows brought about reality television, or whether networks have avoided good shows for the more profitable reality shows. At any rate, many television viewers, including yours truly, pine for the past and wish for the return of regular programming.

Reality television boom's greatest casualty is by far the sitcom. Unfortunately, cheesy and predictable shows like Good Morning, Miami remain on the air simply because there is nothing else better out there. But, the funniest comedies on television can only be found in syndicated re-runs, where the classics come out to play. This all got me thinking, what is the best sitcom ever? The answer: Seinfeld, by a mile.

The "show about nothing" was continually the funniest show on television throughout the 1990s, and has kept that illustrious title in syndication. The crazy antics of Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer fill every episode with situations filled to the brim with side-splitting humor. Seinfeld, as co-created by comedian Larry David and the eponymous Jerry Seinfeld, is at times both witty and slap-sticky. For each one of Kramer's (Michael Richards) pratfalls, there is one of Jerry's smarmy comebacks.

The fact that the show never took itself seriously, even featuring episodes that verged on being overly ridiculous, gives even more credit to Seinfeld as the best ever. Look at Jerry and George's (Jason Alexander) girlfriends, for instance. Here are two men, neither of whom would ever be considered an Adonis, who date women who are gorgeous, sexy, and intelligent. These surreal characteristics of the show only add to the laughter brought on by Seinfeld's biting commentary on life in the nineties.

Its popularity is apparent in the countless catchphrases Seinfeld has inspired. Who is "master of his domain"? Have you ever met a "close talker" or a "soft talker"? Have you ever had the occasion of being told "No soup for you!" by a Soup Nazi? At the Oscars ceremony this past March, Sean Connery wore a frilly white shirt, and viewers nationwide immediately thought of "The Puffy Shirt" episode of Seinfeld.

Yet the greatest quality of Seinfeld that makes it the best sitcom ever, is that every time you watch an episode, even if you've seen it ten times before, it is still wildly funny. This is what sets Seinfeld apart from the other greats of television comedy. Classics like I Love Lucy, M*A*S*H*, The Cosby Show, and Cheers all have their great moments, but none of them can produce the sustained stream of laughter that Seinfeld can. I may have watched "The Soup Nazi" episode at least thirty times on my computer, yet each time, I crack up when Jerry and his girlfriend (du jour) share their adoration for each other cooing, "Okay, schmoopie!"

The only other show that comes close to reaching the pinnacle of humor that is Seinfeld is The Simpsons, another comedic gem of our time. Yet because it is animated and can therefore take artistic liberties that a live show cannot even dream to reach (like the much-adored Simpsons Halloween specials), it should not be considered as a sitcom as it is in a world of its own.

In the time when water-cooler debate centers on who is going to advance to the next round of American Idol, television lovers fantasize about the days where laughing about George's neurotic parents. Remember how there was a sexual harassment lawsuit a few years ago where a male employee told his female co-worker a raunchy joke from the Seinfeld episode the night before? I doubt that would happen today in the dumbed-down era of Married by America. For those wanting to reach back to funnier and simpler times, join me in praising the crazy world of Jerry and company. Turn on your television, and yada, yada, yada, you'll turn it off a much happier person.