When portraying emotional moments, sitcoms can often go too far and seem completely empty. Most shows in this genre are weak when attempting to convey anything but comedy, and they also lack believability when portraying relationships between characters. That being said, some of the most iconic TV families have come out of sitcoms. Going as far back as the lovable Bradys in The Brady Bunch, sitcoms have been providing viewers with lovable, relatable fictional families that would eventually become completely iconic.
There are countless great sitcom families on TV. Let’s take a look at 10 of the most lovable.
10. THE CONNERS - ROSEANNE
Putting aside the controversy created by Roseanne Barr that infamously resulted in her being fired from her own show, Roseanne was a well-loved, completely iconic show in its day. The old Roseanne was definitely worthy of the praise it got.
Revolving around the everyday mundane lives of the Conners, a working-class family who struggled to make ends meet, Roseanne attracted much attention due to its unapologetically real portrayal of life and family.
9. THE PRITCHETT-TUCKERS-DUNPHIES - MODERN FAMILY
When Modern Family premiered in 2009, it aimed at redefining the stereotypical sitcom family with a fresh look at what the lives of modern families actually looked like today. Now airing its tenth and final season, Modern Family has been breaking stereotypes and twisting cliches for years, and the show has done a lot to redefine the sitcom genre.
The series has centered around its three focal families since the beginning. The Tuckers, the Pritchetts, and Dunphys have been through it all together, and have been warming our hearts and making up laugh for a decade.
8. THE BARONES - EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
The Barones were pretty much your typical portrayal of dysfunction in the everyday all-American family, but what makes this particular sitcom family so hilarious and unforgettable is that many of their misadventures and iconic quirks were inspired by actual events that happened to the Everybody Loves Raymond cast and crew.
The characters in this series were some of the most fleshed out, realistic, well-developed characters on a sitcom, and fans still love them today for all of their mishaps, dysfunction, and heartwarming moments.
7. THE GOLDBERGS - THE GOLDBERGS
The Goldbergs premiered in 2013 on ABC and recently started airing its seventh season. Playing off ’80s nostalgia that has become so notable in recent years, this sitcom is set in that era and based upon stories and tidbits from creator Adam F. Goldberg’s family life.
The Goldbergs are everything that fans love about sitcom families: they are quirky, hilarious, and dysfunctional, but at the end of the day, they always stick together when it counts.
6. THE HECKS - THE MIDDLE
The Middle premiered on ABC in 2009, and would go on to span an impressive nine seasons, ultimately concluded in 2018. The quirky comedy series centered around the Hecks, a lower-middle-class family, as they navigated the pitfalls of living in Orson, Indiana.
The Hecks are certainly unlike most sitcom families on TV, mainly because the creators of The Middle never shied away from portraying pure, gritty family dysfunction in its truest forms. The Hecks taught us that families stick together no matter what, and no matter who imperfect they are.
5. THE BLUTHS - ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
Arrested Development aired for three years on FOX, from 2003 to 2006, before it was eventually revived in 2013, and in 2018 (with the help of Netflix), it had eventually accumulated five seasons. Arrested Development was extremely underappreciated in its day, and even after the critical acclaim and passionate fanbase convinced networks to give the show two more seasons, the series itself is fairly short.
Arrested Development primarily revolved around the Bluths, a family who recently came into some hard times but couldn’t seem to adjust due to the fact that they had been extremely wealthy prior to this. The Bluths are dysfunctional, charming, awkward, hilarious, and feel completely genuine.
4. THE JEFFERSONS - THE JEFFERSONS
The Jeffersons was broadcast on CBS for over a decade, airing 11 seasons from 1975 to 1985. It was spun-off from All In The Family (1971) and followed the lives of the Bunker’s former neighbors. The Jeffersons is one of the longest-running sitcoms in TV history and was also the first to prominently feature an interracial couple.
The Jeffersons definitely deserved every bit of praise it got, and one element that made the show completely beloved was the Jefferson family themselves.
3. THE BRADYS - THE BRADY BUNCH
The Brady Bunch is a classic old-style sitcom. It aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974, and although it wasn’t exactly long-running, the series could not be more iconic. The show revolved around a large blended family in an era of TV when the subject matter was considered to be controversial.
The Brady Bunch was hugely successful due to the charming dynamics that developed within the titular family. The series spawned several specials and spin-offs, and many aspects of it are considered to be timeless.
2. THE SIMPSONS - THE SIMPSONS
The Simpsons has been airing since 1989, making it both America’s longest-running sitcom and primetime television, which is an insanely impressive feat. Due to its massive success and cult following, it’s hard to believe that TV’s beloved dysfunctional cartoon family began as a simple series of animated shorts, but humble beginnings are admirable.
What sets the Simpson family apart from others (specifically, what sets them apart from other animated sitcom families such as the Griffins from Family Guy) is it’s clear that the characters actually care about each other, and while the show primarily features running gags and cutaway scenes like most cartoons, the characters and their relationships with each other are surprisingly consistent and even sometimes touching.
1. THE HUANGS - FRESH OFF THE BOAT
Fresh Off The Boat was created by Nahnatchka Khan and began airing on ABC in 2015. Though unfortunately quite underrated, Fresh Off The Boat is a progressive, unique, completely hilarious sitcom that has genuine heart and sincerity.
The series revolves around the Huangs, a Taiwanese family who make the move from Chinatown, Washington to Orlando, Florida. The focal point of Fresh Off the Boat is the family’s difficulty and misadventures that occur while they try to adjust to new life, and the fairly simple concept is proven very successful and endearing in this series’ case.
