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The Best Quarantine Sitcom Throwbacks for Comfort

IndustryOpinion

Brian Stamper

Brian Stamper

·10 min read

Quarantine has become a way of life. How are we adapting? With all of this time being cooped up indoors, people have been offering ideas and suggestions on how to occupy time; pick up a hobby, learn another language, paint, and our favorite and most popular, watch a little TV.

Sometimes a throwback to the simpler times feels good. All of your favorite current shows are on hold from production, and all the shows from the 2000’s and 2010’s have been binged too many times that you can recite each line.

Think of the old days (not so old though). Back then, you had to wait an entire week for the next episode of your favorite show to come on. Not only that, you had to wait months for the next season to come out.

And yes, even the streaming service shows typically have a year long waiting period between each season. However, now with everything available at your disposal with a click of a button, it's easier to binge. If there was ever a period in television to quarantine, it'd be now.

Living in the streaming world has made this quarantine just a little bit easier. That’s why we have compiled a list of throwbacks from the prior decades to save you that valuable time. Not to worry, each of the shows boast plenty of seasons (and plenty of episodes) to sit back, relax, and keep those sweatpants on for the time being. And with everyone’s attention span getting smaller day by day, we’ve narrowed down the list to our favorite classic sitcoms.

Here’s a list of our 4 best binge worthy quarantine comfort TV shows from the 80’s and 90’s:

  • Seinfeld

    Seinfeld - The Good News, Bad News

    “The show about nothing”. No, that’s actually what people refer to as Seinfeld. All you need to do is see a few episodes and you’ll see what people mean. You’ll also see why it was the highest rated sitcom for so long, and if you’re a fan of those modern popular shows like “The Office” or “Always Sunny”, it’s clear how Seinfeld paved the way for absurd characters in absurd situations. The best part about it? There’s no real storyline to follow, because it is actually about NOTHING. The series follows four friends that hang out and experience everyday life in New York City. So, this makes it a quarantine favorite, as you can play the show on loop while you leave the room, cook a meal, do some chores, come back and you really haven’t missed much. You can even hear a joke from the other room and still get a kick out of it.

    Currently streaming on: Hulu, Youtube TV, Sling TV, and FuboTV. Also available to buy on Youtube and Google Play.

    Friends

    Friends - Pilot

    What more can we say about Friends? Either you watch Friends with your friends or your friends watch Friends and won’t shut up about it. Another 90’s classic, this NBC sitcom lasted into the early 2000’s. Revolving around six friends in New York City (which makes the title all the more clever), this show created a significant cultural impact in America, from the hairstyle known as “the Rachel” to people greeting each other with, “How you doin’?”. An unscripted reunion show by HBO was scheduled for late-March, but suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. So now more than ever is your chance to catch up on it before all your real-life friends begin freaking out when it does eventually come on.

    Currently streaming on: YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling. Also Available to buy on Youtube.

    Cheers

    Cheers - Pilot

    Ah, what’s better than hanging out with your friends in your favorite bar after a long day of work? Well, in a quarantine world where bars are a social pastime, the next best thing we get is the 80’s sitcom Cheers. Revolving around a bar in Boston, this series follows both workers and bar regulars through daily life inside the establishment. This show is definitely one to sit down and follow, but no worries if you miss an episode here or there. The characters and plot develop each season, with a new storyline taking over as the story arc. It was the start of many great careers, most notably Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. So, if you want to reminisce about bar life, look no further than these New Englanders from the 80’s, who seemingly tackle social issues that we thought millennials started the narrative on. A show certainly ahead of its time, this series lasted 11 whole seasons.

    Currently streaming on: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, CBS. Also Available to buy on Youtube.

    Frasier

    Frasier "The Good Son" (Pilot)

    If we have Cheers on here, we most certainly need to put its spinoff series Frasier here as well. Centered around the Cheers character Dr. Frasier Crane, actor Kelsey Grammar portrayed the lovable psychiatrist for over two decades, and it’s no surprise he develops more over time. Frasier is a benchmark for what people call, “clever, intelligent humor”, starting in 1993 after the Cheers series finale. The show is unconventional to a degree, which is what makes it so unique. Just expect some sort of dramatic storylines similar to what you find in Cheers. If you’re wondering whether you need to commit to 11 seasons of Cheers before you commit to 11 seasons of Frasier, well, the choice is yours to make. Depends on how crazy quarantine is driving you.

    Currently streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime, and CBS. Also available to buy on Youtube.

That’s a wrap for our best binge worthy quarantine comfort shows from the 80’s and 90’s. Each show will offer you a different sense of humor. Due to its short episode length, go ahead and check out the pilots and find out which one will get you through life inside. Stay home, stay safe, and watch some TV!