Top Ten Episodes: The Comedies

So I’ve picked four great television comedies and wrote down my ten favourite episodes of each. Again, I’m sure people will agree and disagree with me. I did find it harder to rate comedies than dramas, I guess it depends on the mood you’re in. Anyway, here they are:






Basic plot: Watch the antics of the regulars in a Boston bar.
Seasons: Eleven
Best Season: Eight
Creators: Les Charles, Glen Charles, James Burrows (the people behind Newhart & Taxi; Burrows is one of the best sitcom directors around)
Top Ten Episodes
1. An Old Fashioned Wedding (Season 10, Episode 25)
Woody and Kelly’s new found lust delays an already disastrous wedding
2. Bad Neighbor Sam (Season 9, Episode 8)
Sam can’t stand his new landlord, John Hill
3. Show Down, Part II (Season 1, Episode 22)
Sam and Diane hit a crossroad when Sam’s brother proposes to Diane
4. Abnormal Psychology (Season 5, Episode 4)
Frasier debates an old flame on a television show
5. One Hugs, the Other Doesn’t (Season 10, Episode 16)
Lilith can’t handle the fact that Frasier was once married to Nanny G
6. Loathe and Marriage (Season 11, Episode 15)
Carla doesn’t want her ex husband to walk her girl down the aisle
7. One More For the Road (Season 11, Episode 25)
Diane finally returns and Sam decides to move to LA to be with her
8. Bar Wars (Season 6, Episode 23)
Cheers takes on Gary’s Old Towne Tavern in the ultimate prank war
9. Indoor Fun with Sammy and Robby (Season 8, Episode 19)
Sam and Robin compete in childish games on Robin’s first day off ever
10. Bar Wars V: The Final Judgement (Season 10, Episode 7)
Sam may have scared Gary to death, literally






Basic plot: The prissy Crane brothers deal with their down-to-earth dad
Seasons: Eleven
Best Season: Seven
Creators: David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee (the people behind Wings)
Top Ten Episodes
1. The Matchmaker (Season 2, Episode 3)
Frasier accidently sets up Daphne with his gay station manager
2. The Two Mrs. Cranes (Season 4, Episode 1)
Everyone plays a different roles when Daphne’s ex-fiancée visits
3. Room Service (Season 5, Episode 15)
Niles spends the night with Lilith, causing problems when Frasier shows up
4. Out With Dad (Season 7, Episode 15)
Martin pretends to be gay in order to get away from Frasier’s date’s mother
5. Daphne Does Dinner (Season 10, Episode 14)
Daphne needs Fraiser’s help when her dinner plans go horribly wrong
6. Three Valentines (Season 6, Episode 14)
Niles ironing is a disaster, Fraiser isn’t sure if he’s on a date
7. The Doctor is Out (Season 11, Episode 3)
Fraiser thinks Roz’s guy is gay but ends up ‘outing’ himself in the process
8. The Innkeepers (Season 2, Episode 23)
The Crane brothers open a disastrous restaurant together
9. Merry Christmas, Mrs. Maskowitz (Season 6, Episode 10)
Frasier meets an attractive woman who mother thinks he’s Jewish
10. Caught in the Act (Season 11, Episode 15)
Fraiser tries to avoid the advances of the married Nanny G






Basic plot: Jerry and his friends in a show about nothing
Seasons: Nine
Best Season: Three
Creators: Jerry Seinfeld & Larry David (you gotta see David's work in Curb Your Enthusiasm, imagine a more extreme George Costanza)
Top Ten Episodes
1. The Contest (Season 4, Episode 11)
The gang is in a contest to see who can remain master of their domain
2. The Soup Nazi (Season 7, Episode 6)
Jerry has a cuddly girlfriend, Kramer's robbed, Elaine fights the soup nazi
3. The Opposite (Season 5, Episode 22)
George succeeds when he does the opposite, but Elaine keeps failing
4. The Chinese Restaurant (Season 2, Episode 11)
Jerry, George and Elaine wait 22 minutes for a table
5. The Burning (Season 9, Episode 16)
Puddy is religious, George leaves on a high note, Kramer acts out illnesses
6. The Bizarro Jerry (Season 8, Episode 3)
Kramer gets a job, Jerry dates ‘man-hands’ and Elaine finds Jerry's opposite
7. The Yada Yada (Season 8, Episode 19)
Jerry is an anti-dentite, Kramer & Mickey fight over girls
8. The Pick (Season 4, Episode 13)
Jerry scratches his nose, Elaine’s nipple is showing on her Xmas cards
9. The Parking Garage (Season 3, Episode 6)
The gang loses their car in a parking garage
10. The Betrayal (Season 9, Episode 8)
A backwards episode about Sue Ellen’s India wedding






Basic plot: The lives and loves of six New York friends
Seasons: Ten
Best Season: Seven
Creators: David Crane & Marta Kauffman (Dream On, Veronica's Closet & Jesse; Crane did The Class)
Top Ten Episodes
1. The One Where Everyone Finds Out (Season 5, Episode 14)
Phoebe hits on Chandler to make him crack; Ross finds the perfect apartment
2. The One With the Embryos (Season 4, Episode 12)
Monica, Rachel, Chandler & Joey play a high stakes game
3. The One With the Prom Video (Season 2, Episode 14)
Joey gives Chandler a bracelet; an old prom video stirs feelings
4. The One Where Ross Got High (Season 6, Episode 9)
Rachel makes a trifle; Chandler is blamed for Ross’ drugs
5. The One With the Morning After (Season 3, Episode 16)
As Ross & Rachel break up; the rest of gang is trapped in Monica’s room
6. The One With the Thanksgiving Flashbacks
(Season 5, Episode 8) A knife in the toe, a turkey on the head and a blown off arm are among the disastrous thanksgivings
7. The One Where Joey Dates Rachel (Season 8, Episode 12)
Joey gets feelings for Rachel; Ms PacMan causes some problems
8. The One With Chandler in a Box (Season 4, Episode 8)
Chandler does penance in a box; Monica dates Richard’s son
9. The One Where No One’s Ready (Season 3, Episode 2)
Joey steals Chandler’s chair; Rachel takes too long to get ready
10. The One Where Monica and Richard are Just Friends (Season 3, Episode 13) Monica reunites with Richard; Phoebe dates a jock; Joey and Rachel switch books

So there you go. Did I miss your favourite episode? Do you agree with my selections? Feel free to let me know. I love to get feedback. I'll probably do a few more of these with shows like Night Court, Wings, Newsradio, Just Shoot Me, Sopranos, Six Feet Under and more at some point. But don't hold your breath.