"Cheers represented writing, acting, and directing at the very highest levels, and Sam and Diane remain the gold standard for a complicated, fascinating relationship on TV. Many have tried to equal their chemistry. All have failed. Television may never see another Roseanne, but I find myself constantly yearning for another Cheers."
-Shawn Ryan, creator of The Shield, wrote a nice piece for Vulture's TV comedy tournament "Sitcom Showdown," comparing Cheers to Roseanne before rightfully concluding that, although both are great, Cheers is the best.
Since 1961, only 10 American TV series have aired for only a single episode. If there is a God, that list will soon increase to 11 when ABC decides to LISTEN TO EVERYONE EVER and cancel Work It, quite possibly the worst sitcom — nay, show — of all-time. Of the 10 (soon-to-be 11?!?), half are either dramas (1993's detective series South of Sunset and 1997's Lawless starring former-NFL linebacker Brian Bosworth), reality shows (2005’s The Will and 2008’s Secret Talents of the Stars), or Etc. (2009’s Osbournes Reloaded).
For a show to last just a single episode, well, that's impressive. I mean, that's half as long as [...]
Let's hope his $750,000 trailer comes equipped with a box of cashmere tissues, because Ashton Kutcher is going to be mildly-to-moderately upset to hear that Modern Family is the #1 scripted show on TV. Modern Family is also the season's biggest audience gainer, gradually pulling in 4.64 million more households. Personally, I'm going to give this win to little Rico Rodriguez. Seriously, that kid is 11 years old and consistently kills it. He's like a baby Frasier!
It’s tough enough for TV writers to make viewers laugh for 22 minutes — to extend an episode’s length to 44 minutes, even spread over two weeks, that’s just downright crazy. But every so often, a sitcom plot will be spread over two episodes (with the occasional “To Be Continued” thrown in for good measure), oftentimes with mixed results. Below we choose twelve of the best two-part episodes, some season-ending cliffhangers, some series finales, and some that work as a two-part story arc. And don't worry: some Simpsons, too.
A few weeks ago I watched Michael Scott throw his self-bought “World’s Best Boss” mug in the garbage, and as he replaced the mug with his new “World’s Best Boss” Dundee, I thought to myself “Jeez, this is a great show. [Sniffle].”
There are two important things to note here. Firstly, the [sniffle] was not just in my thoughts: I was crying. All Michael Scott ever wanted was to be good at his job, to be a good boss, and to watch him finally, humbly set that trophy on his desk simply broke me down. In that moment Michael Scott was more than just a character completing his arc on [...]
