Throughout my first year of college, there was one thing I’d always been able to lean on: sitcoms. I love starting new shows, especially ones that aren’t too serious. I prefer to laugh at how unserious the plot of an episode is than to deal with constant conflicts and drawn-out resolutions. However, I’m coming across a consistent problem with each show I watch; I’ll never sit through it long enough to see the last episode. This has never been a problem for me up until this year. I simply grow too attached to the cast of a show and I hate to see how the writers (usually) ruin the characters or how the plot ultimately dwindles. To me, nothing will outdo a show’s first season. Still, I’ve grouped together a few sitcoms I finally sat down and watched this year, keeping it as spoiler free as possible for those who might want to watch as well.

1. Friends – 10 Seasons

I watched this show out of order when I was younger, maybe too young, but I spent the summer watching it in order now that I finally pay for the platform it’s on – student discounts are an amazing thing. It centers around a group of six friends that live in Manhattan who’re figuring out adulthood and the trial and tribulations that it comes with. It’s a very lighthearted show with scenes that makes me laugh to this day, it’s a classic! Although I know how it ends, I feel myself wanting to rewatch it from the beginning already – but I’m fighting the temptation. It’s interesting to watch it now as an adult myself because not only do I understand a lot more of the jokes, but I have a different perspective on everything than I did when I first watched it as a kid. For example, Ross is not the villain everyone makes him out to be! That’s an article for another day though.

2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine – 8 Seasons

I’m pretty biased when it comes to this show because I love any project Andy Samberg is a part of. Even so, this is an all-time favorite of mine. It’s about a group of detectives of the NYPD who are led by a stoic captain (my favorite character), dealing with a multitude of cases and developing deep bonds along the way. I catch myself going back to season one time and time again because there’s nothing like it! Getting to know all of the different characters and witnessing a slow-burn romance that blossoms beautifully – it’s the perfect sitcom. However, this is one of the shows that took place during the pandemic and that automatically makes it unbearable to watch for me. I like to watch shows to forget about real life and watching my favorite characters with masks on and six feet away from each other is completely depressing. I can’t seem to finish season eight, but I will! … One day.

3. One Day at a Time – 4 Seasons

I was 12-years-old when I first watched this show and I truthfully didn’t understand most of what the episodes were about, but I knew I loved it. Rewatching it as a 19-year-old made me realize how heavy it could get at times while still maintaining that lighthearted air that made it so lovable for a kid like me. It focuses on a Cuban-American family dealing with the ups and downs of life. Three generations living in one apartment makes each episode bring attention to the things that might be hard to talk about like immigration, sexuality, and mental health issues. It’s a beautiful show with amazing representation, and it’s a nice change of pace from shows with a predominantly white cast. I only watched the seasons available to me on Netflix, I wasn’t even aware that there was a fourth season up until 2021. Seeing as it ended in 2020, I fear it will become another pandemic season but that’s something I’ll have to watch and see for myself.

4. Abbott Elementary – 4 Seasons

I’ve seen a lot of discourse over this show online, to the point where I know a few of the things that’ll be happening already, but I’m interested enough to stick around and watch it all unfold. It’s about a group of dedicated teachers working at a predominantly black public school in Philadelphia, and the obstacles and experiences that comes with it. The characters are hilarious while still having depth which makes for a good show to binge. It gives viewers a glimpse to what teachers face day-to-day while working for an underfunded institution. Funnily enough, I thought I finished the show in its entirety until I talked about it with a friend and accidentally got a huge spoiler. What’s up with streaming platforms not having all the seasons of a show? Season five, however, dropped last month but I still have to finish season four. This is a show I have no problem finishing, except for the fact that I take my sweet time finishing each and every episode. There’s a better chance of season six dropping than me finishing what’s left for me to watch.

5. Superstore – 6 Seasons

Truthfully, I only started watching this show for one character I saw online (Jonah, sue me!) but it ended up being a very funny watch! The title says it all – it follows the employees of a superstore in Missouri and pokes fun at the pain wonders of working in retail. I flew through all of the seasons… except for season six because it was another season filmed during the pandemic! It’s a shorter season, and I mostly know how it’ll end because I can’t help myself when I come across spoilers, but I simply can’t bring myself to watch it. Apparently, the ending was rushed and not as elaborate as it would’ve been because the show ended up getting cancelled anyway. As a result, I doubt I’ll ever make the time to watch it. Still, I highly recommend it because the characters are amusing and easy to love.

All in all, I’m working hard to fight my serious problem of never being able to finish a show. I couldn’t go as in depth as I wanted to because I like to keep my rankings spoiler free, but this was the gist of it. Sitcoms never fail me, so I’m sure I’ll be rewatching these shows over and over again. Will I finish any of them? That I’m not so sure of.