For The Love Of Sitcoms
Sitcoms have been a staple of the television landscape and have had us LOLing for over 70 years. But how much do you know about sitcoms from the earliest days to the most recent laughs? Well, put all those hours of TV watching to good use and see how many of these 20 sitcom questions you can answer correctly!
Answer 15-20 Correctly: Laughing All The Way To The Top
10-14: Laughing All The Way To Almost The Top
5-9: Laughing All The Way To The Middle
0-4: Not Funny
Q: What Is The Term "Sitcom" Short For?
Seems like a good place to start.
We all say "sitcom" all the time, but where does that shortened term come from?
Universal, The Office (US) (2005-13)
A: Situation Comedy
We would also accept "situational comedy".
Universal, The Office (Us) (2005-13)
Q: What Was The First American Television Sitcom?
Sitcoms began on the radio before television. But when it comes to TV, this was the first one on American television.
Bonus Point: What year did it premiere?
The U.S. National Archives, Picryl
A: "Mary Kay And Johnny"
Starring real-life married couple Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns, Mary Kay and Johnny premiered its first 15-minute episode on Tuesday, November 18, 1947.
https://www.flickr.com, Picryl
Q: What Was The First Sitcom To Reach Number One In The Nielsen Ratings?
1: The Honeymooners
2: I Love Lucy
3: Leave It to Beaver
4: Father Knows Best
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
A: I Love Lucy
The show ran for six seasons and was the most-watched show in the United States during four of those seasons.
Bureau of Industrial Service, Wikimedia Commons
Q: How Many Sitcoms Did Lucille Ball Star In After "I Love Lucy"?
I Love Lucy is one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. Her follow ups weren't on that level.
Bonus Point: Can you name those other sitcoms also?
A: Three
The Lucy Show (1962–1968)
Here's Lucy (1968–1974)
Life with Lucy (1986)
Lucille Ball Productions, Life with Lucy (1986)
Q: What Was The Name Of Comedian Paul Riser's Critically Acclaimed 90s Sitcom?
It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1992-99.
And it came back for a one-off, limited eight-episode, eighth season in 2019.
Comedy Dynamics, Mad About You (1992-2019)
A: "Mad About You"
The series co-starred Helen Hunt and won a Peabody Award, a Genesis Award, and was nominated for an Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy four times.
Comedy Dynamics, Mad About You (1992-2019)
Q: Which Of These Sitcoms Did Chuck Lorre NOT Create?
1: Grace Under Fire
2: Mike & Molly
3: Young Sheldon
4: Bob Hearts Abishola
iDominick, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
A: "Mike & Molly"
Lorre was an executive producer on the show and has writing credits as well—but he didn't create it.
Warner Bros., Mike & Molly (2010-2016)
Q: What Is The Longest-Running American Live Action Sitcom Of All Time?
Note: We said "live action", so no Simpsons.
FX Productions, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
A: "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia"
The show's 17th season is set to air in 2025.
Note: While It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has gone the most seasons of any sitcom in the history of American television, with only 170 episodes to its name, the series is far from having the most episodes of all time.
Which leads nicely into our next question...
FX Productions, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)
Q: What American, Live Action Sitcom Has The Record For Most Total Episodes Produced?
1: Cheers
2: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
3: M*A*S*H
4: My Three Sons
ABC, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966)
A: "The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet"
435 episodes in 14 seasons.
If you're curious: M*A*S*H and Cheers did 11 seasons each and produced 256 and 275 episodes respectively.
ABC, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-1966)
Q: What Was Ted Danson's Character's Name On "Cheers"?
Bonus point: What was his occupation before he bought the bar?
Another Bonus Point: What was his nickname when he did said occupation?
A: Sam Malone
Prior to the bar, Malone was a baseball relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. His nickname was "Mayday Malone".
Q: At The End Of The "M*A*S*H" Finale, What Word Is Spelled Out With Rocks On The Ground?
That two-hour long final episode of the series is the most-watched scripted television episode of all time—drawing 105.97 million total viewers.
20th Television, M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
A: GOODBYE
BJ left the "note" for Hawkeye to see from the air as he pulled away in the helicopter.
Twentieth Century, M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
Q: Who Is The Only Member Of The Original "Big Bang Theory" Cast To NOT Appear In Every Episode
1: Johnny Galecki
2: Jim Parsons
3: Kaley Cuoco
4: Simon Helberg
5: Kunal Nayyar
Warner Bros., The Big Bang Theory (2007-19)
A: Kelly Cuoco
Cuoco missed the fifth and sixth episodes of season 4 after the actress had a horse riding accident that left her with a broken leg.
Warner Bros., The Big Bang Theory (2007-19)
Q: Billy Crystal played Jodie Dallas On What 70s ABC Sitcom?
The show aired for four seasons from 1977-81 and was one of Crystal's earliest roles.
A: "Soap"
The sitcom was a parody of daytime soap operas and featured all the melodramatic alien abductions, demonic encounters, and extramarital affairs you would expect.
Q: What Was Michael J Fox's Character's Name On "Family Ties"?
Like Michael J Fox himself, his character also had an oft-mentioned middle initial.
For Full Points: Don't forget that middle initial.
Paramount, Family Ties (1982-89)
A: Alex P Keaton
He played the studious, young republican for all seven seasons of the sitcom's run on NBC, from 1982 to 1989. The show made Fox a household name.
Paramount, Family Ties (1982-89)
Q: Dick Van Dyke Played Rob Petrie On "The Dick Van Dyke Show"
What was Rob's occupation?
Bonus Point: Who was Rob's boss?
Calvada Productions, The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66)
A: Comedy Writer
Rob is the head writer for the fictional TV variety show, The Alan Brady Show.
The star of that show, Alan Brady, is his boss.
Calvada Productions, The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66)
Q: Who Was The Youngest "Golden Girls" Actress When The Series Began?
1: Bea Arthur
2: Estelle Getty
3: Rue McClanahan
4: Betty White
Touchstone, Golden Girls (1985-92)
A: Rue McClanahan
The actresses' ages when the series began were...
1: Bea Arthur: 63
2: Estelle Getty: 62
3: Rue McClanahan: 53
4: Betty White: 63
Touchstone, Golden Girls (1985-92)
Q: On The 80s Sitcom "ALF", What Was ALF's Real Name?
They called him ALF but he had a real name. Also...
Bonus Point: What did the "ALF" acronym stand for?
Alien Productions, ALF (1986-90)
A: Gordon Shumway
Gordon is an alien from the planet Melmac who lands in the Tanner family's garage. The patriarch of the family, Willie Tanner is the one who names him ALF, "Alien Life Form".
Alien Productions, ALF (1986-90)
Q: "Friends" Ran For 10 Seasons
How many of those seasons did it finish at number one in the final television season ratings?
1: 0
2: 1
3: 2
4: 5
Warner Bros. Television, Friends (1994 - 2004)
A: 1
It's kind of shocking given how popular and iconic the show was and is, but it was only the eighth season that saw Friends end the year at number one in the final television season ratings.
Note: The series did finish in second place twice and was in the top 10 all 10 seasons.
Warner Bros., Friends (1994–2004)
Q: On "Three's Company" Who Took Over As Building Manager After The Ropers Left?
Stanley and Helen Roper (played by Norman Fell and Audra Lindley) left the show after season 3, when their characters were given their own spin-off series, The Ropers. Unfortunately for them, their new show was cancelled after a season and a half.
Bonus Point: Can you name both the character who became the new building manager starting in season 4 and the actor who played him?
DLT Entertainment, Three's Company (1976 - 1984)
A: Ralph Furley
Mr Furley was played by Don Knotts. On the show, Furley's brother Bart bought the building from the Ropers and that is how Ralph became the new building manager.
DLT Entertainment, Three's Company (1976 - 1984)
Q: What Sitcom Is The Only Show To Ever Sweep The Four Acting Categories At The Emmys?
1: Schitt's Creek
2: New Girl
3: All in the Family
4: Will & Grace
CBC, Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
A: "Schitt's Creek"
At the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards in 2020, the sixth and final season of the show was nominated for 15 awards. It won seven of them, including Outstanding Comedy Series and all four acting categories:
Outstanding Lead Actor: Eugene Levy
Outstanding Lead Actress: Catherine O'Hara
Outstanding Supporting Actor: Dan Levy
Outstanding Supporting Actress: Annie Murphy
CBC, Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)
Q: Name The Three Characters Who Worked In The Accounting Department On "The Office"
We're talking about the American version of the series here.
Bonus Point: Impress everyone if you can also name the actors who played each role.
Universal, The Office (US) (2005-13)
A: Angela Martin, Kevin Malone, Oscar Martinez
Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey)
Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner)
Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nuñez)
Universal, The Office (US) (2005-13)
So, What's Your Situation?
How did you do?
If you want—add up your score and post it in the comments.
