Top 5 “Basic” Sitcoms That Age Like Fine Wine

I don’t just “Netflix and chill”. No. I’m the kind of person who is more like “Netflix and spiral into a world of fiction and fun”. In the right doses, I think it can be a healthy thing. (Am I just trying to convince myself of this? Maybe.)

I am all for fresh, enthralling series that surprise me and blow my mind. But some days, I'm just low. Well, as a burnt-out 22-year-old, I'm pretty low on most days, not just some. And I put together a list of TV shows I turn to on those days.

This is for those days when you just want to stop overthinking your relationship and turn your brain off. This is for when your work feels like an absurd crockpot of garbage and all you want to do is go home.

The following five series can all fall roughly under the same genre/style. And they are wildly popular, but being mainstream doesn’t make them any less awesome.

1. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

This splendid series is based on the 99th precinct of the NYPD and the amusement-packed antics of its detectives. B99 is one of the highest rankers on any sitcom list because it has mastered how to be funny without being offensive in the least.

B99 is inclusive, progressive and 100% tight(or toit, as Jake would say). This show tackles serious issues with respect, tact, and an elite twinge of humor. Among its many lovable characters are some strong female personalities who I aspire to be like any day.

2. Parks and Recreation

Ahem. I've subtly placed this above The Office. Maybe because I got hooked on Parks and Rec way before The Office, and I'm a bit defensive whenever The Office fans come at me. I love The Office too, but I feel that both these shows are epic, whereas I've had my sister, a diehard Michael-clone tell me that Parks and Rec is a "dollar store version of The Office" We can like them both, people!

It's set in Pawnee, Indiana where we see Leslie Knope and her colleagues working in the government. Parks and Rec's characters bring all their quirks to the table, and we adore them all the more for it. The way these people grow together as one big intense family is something fantastic.

Leslie's friends show up for one another with kindness and support has warmed my heart and continues to do so whenever I rewatch. Also, you can watch it and be assured that on some level, you are Ron Swanson. We all are.

3. The Office

I was quite late to The Office lovers club, but now that I'm here, oh boy! I genuinely wish I had sat through the first season when I initially watched it and stopped, thinking it was too slow.

The Office has struck comedy gold by bringing out the deadpan humor in the simplest of situations. All those generic corporate presentations don't have a thing on The Office. Because I didn't even know it was possible to idealize drab working conditions until I watched it last year.

Dwight and Jim's camaraderie, Jim and Pam's romance, Michael's madness, this show is damn well near perfection.

I didn't know how much I liked Michael Scott until I bawled my eyes out at the end of the seventh season when he left.

4. F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Okay, you would have seen this coming miles away. A sitcom list without Friends? Yeah right! That's just a moo point. (No, Grammarly, I do mean moo point, thank you.)

Despite being older than me, this series is still fresh, iconic, and funny. With a stellar cast, hilarious script, and a global fanbase like no other, Friends hit the jackpot. We got to see some amazing relationships and uplifting content on how to navigate through life's hardships.

And I don't know about you, but I've watched Friends so many times I know the dialogues by heart.

5. Modern Family

I'm compelled to say that this series being last on the list has nothing to do with its quality. Modern Family is one of the most fun, entertaining, relatable TV shows I have ever seen. It had 11 successful seasons, and I've enjoyed them all thoroughly, but I'm still left wanting more.

There are three small families, all part of one big confusing, at-first-weird, unique family. Every one of these characters shines through beautifully with impeccable writing. This show is the best blend of light-hearted comedy and serious emotions. It pushes you to love your own dysfunctional family as much as you can, not to mention some super-witty scenes.

There you have it. These 5 series are no-brainers that have rightly made it into the sitcom Hall of Fame. Some other top-notch TV series like these are Seinfeld, New Girl, The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, Black-ish, Arrested Development, Community, and Happy Endings.

I get devastated when I finish watching a riveting series (so much for healthy Netflix habits). But with these sitcoms, it doesn’t have to just end. These are my comfort shows that I watch over and over because they feel like home.

When I began writing this, I did contemplate if my recommendations were too “basic”. Too old and unoriginal. But actually, I think we need these older shows very much. In this crazy world, I like having my “basic” TV comedies to fall back on.

But I can’t help wonder what it would be like to erase my mind of all these episodes and start from the pilot. I would jump at the gift of being able to watch them for the “first time” and fall in love all over again. If you haven’t watched any of these series already, you have that gift right now.