10 Best Sitcom Families, Ranked by Likability

From the Coopers from Young Sheldon to the titular family from The Upshaws, modern sitcoms are known for their relatable and likable families. Great sitcom families are characterized by having supportive and loving parents, annoying yet caring siblings, or relatives who always hover around their lives. What makes family sitcoms so compelling is their perfect blend of family drama, humorous situations, and the relatable chaos of daily life. Over the years, sitcom families from iconic TV shows have made viewers laugh, cry, and reflect on the beauty of family dynamics in their own unique ways.

There have been plenty of families in fan-favorite sitcoms like Modern Family and Friends, with every episode letting fans discover a new side to relationships that they didn’t quite notice before. From the competitive Gellers to the dysfunctional Bluths, the best sitcom families have delighted fans with their quippy humor, unending love, and harmless — most of the time — pranks.

10 The Huangs from ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ (2015 – 2020)

Creator: Nahnatchka Khan

Presenting an extension of the American dream, the Huang family settles in the majestic USA to fulfill their dreams and have a better future. From the show Fresh Off the Boat, the Huangs are an excellent representation of the Asian American migrant experience as it deeply wove elements of Asian culture, traditions, and language into its narrative. As the story progresses, fans see the struggles that torment them as immigrants who have to hustle to fit in with the American crowd.

The Huang family stands out for their uniqueness. As Taiwanese Americans, the Huangs bring diversity to the forefront of the show, allowing viewers to explore the immigrant experience through humor and relatable family dynamics. What makes them great is their ability to navigate the clash between traditional values and American culture, bridging generational gaps with humor and heartwarming moments.

Watch on Hulu

9 The Bunkers from ‘All in the Family’ (1971 – 1979)

Developer: Norman Lear

The Bunkers are legendary for their groundbreaking portrayal of a working-class American family. What makes them great is their fearless approach to addressing controversial issues like racism, sexism, and social change. Through the character of Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor), the show stimulates important conversations about prejudice and discrimination, all while delivering sharp humor and familial warmth. That’s because Archie, the head of the Bunker family, is a working-class, opinionated, and often bigoted man who works at a loading dock.

With his conservative views, Archie often finds himself in humorous conflicts with his family and friends. Their willingness to tackle difficult topics head-on makes them a pivotal sitcom family in television history. Because of All in the Family‘s success, several spin-off series have been released, including Maude and The Jeffersons.

Watch on Amazon Prime

8 The Bluths from ‘Arrested Development’ (2003-2006)

Creator: Mitchell Hurwitz

The Bluth family is a comedic masterpiece of dysfunction. Each member possesses outrageous flaws that lead to hilarious and unpredictable situations. Some of the most memorable running jokes involving the Bluth family are their inability to correctly mimic a chicken to their misunderstanding of the name of their adopted family member Annyong (which is Korean for “hello”). Their absurdity makes them stand out, as they exhibit a level of self-centeredness and ineptitude that’s both endearing and laugh-out-loud funny.

Arrested Development‘s clever writing and impeccable timing make the Bluths an exceptional sitcom family. You can’t help but feel infuriated one moment and extremely relatable the next. The members of the Bluth family are as quirky and selfish as it gets and their eccentricities are enough to drive the entire plot of the show.

Watch on Netflix

7 The Griffins from ‘Family Guy’ (1999 – )

Creator: Seth MacFarlane

The animated show Family Guy has made waves in the sitcom genre with its out-of-the-box situations and individual take on life. Viewers will often see the Griffins in absurd situations filled with references to movies, TV shows, celebrities, and historical events. But despite the Griffins’ exaggerated flaws and eccentricities, they can also be relatable to viewers in certain ways — whether it’s their family dynamics, everyday struggles, or personal quirks.

The Griffins are known for their satirical take on the American family. What makes them great is their willingness to push boundaries, delivering humor that’s often irreverent and controversial. This animated family consistently delivers sharp social commentary while exploring taboo topics, ensuring they remain relevant and entertaining to a diverse audience.

Watch on Hulu

6 The Bradys from ‘The Brady Bunch’ (1969 – 1974)

Creator: Sherwood Schwartz

The Bradys are a quintessential representation of the idealized American blended family. The Brady Bunch featured the key members of the Brady family, including the parents, Mike Brady (Robert Reed) and Carol Brady (Florence Henderson), and their six children, as they navigated the ups and downs of family life.

The Brady Bunch is more than just its iconic and catchy theme song. The greatness of the Brady family stems from their wholesome and heartwarming approach to addressing common family issues. Through humor, love, and understanding, they navigate the challenges of step-sibling relationships and demonstrate the value of unity in a cheerful, relatable manner. What’s more fun while seeing the Brady family is the way they have to adjust and make compromises that don’t get enough representation in mainstream media. Viewers get to see a very real family trying to make it work despite all the struggles that surround them.

Watch on Paramount+

5 The Simpsons from ‘The Simpsons’ (1989 – )

Creator: Matt Groening

The Simpsons introduced one of the most iconic animated families, known for their satirical take on American life. The iconic members of The Simpsons family are well-loved by audiences due to their universal qualities and everyday struggles that often mirror the challenges and humor found in many real-life families. They are relatable and adaptable, allowing them to evolve with the times.

With humor that spans generations and a colorful cast of characters, they’ve remained relevant and influential for over three decades, offering witty commentary on politics, pop culture, and everyday family dynamics. The Simpsons is even known to predict futures and show an accurate depiction of events that took place long after the episode aired. Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) might be the central character, but his entire family steals the show with their unthinkable actions.

Watch on Disney+

4 The Coopers from ‘Young Sheldon’ (2017 – )

Starring Iain Armitage and Raegan Revord

It astonished every viewer and fan of the show to see how a family like the Coopers could spawn a kid like Sheldon (Iain Armitage). He is so different from his siblings Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Missy (Raegan Revord) — so much so that they are different categories altogether. The Coopers try their best to encourage and support Sheldon, but their opposing opinions and thoughts always end in humorous situations.

Sheldon doesn’t just deal with subpar people at school, but he also has to deal with this family in Texas that doesn’t make it easier on him. On the other hand, the Coopers have to rationally handle Sheldon as he lacks the understanding of basic social cues. All in all, the show offers a peek into a family that is loving and caring despite being so different from each other.

Watch on Max

3 The Gellers from ‘Friends’ (1994 – 2004)

Creators: David Crane, Marta Kauffman

Monica (Courteney Cox) and Ross (David Schwimmer) are the two siblings who connect everyone in the iconic Friends gang. The sitcom did a great job of showing us glimpses of their childhood and their teen years to understand their relationship well. Both of them are competitive and passionate about everything they do from their careers to even a friendly football game.

Their parents, Judy (Christina Pickles) and Jack (Elliott Gould), are equally hilarious. They posit a couple so in love and so in sync that you feel like they might just be the best couple on the show. While they made mistakes and clearly favored Ross above Monica, fans hope that was all in fun. The Gellers have a way of being funny without even meaning to, which viewers love about them.

Watch on Max

2 The Roses from ‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015 – 2020)

Creators: Eugene Levy, Daniel Levy

After losing all their fortune and being down on their luck, the Roses end up in Schitt’s Creek to rebuild their lives from scratch. This hilarious situation spawns so many uproarious moments that test Rose members’ patience and their will to get out of the dusty town. The Rose family’s journey from materialistic extravagance to embracing the warmth and quirks of Schitt’s Creek is the heart of the show’s humor.

The entire show focuses on the family’s struggles and their character transformation from being rich and spoiled to being content with each other and their newfound love. From the parents, the pragmatic and business-minded Johnny (Eugene Levy), and the fabulously fashionable Moira (Catherine O’Hara), to the kids, the sarcastic and quick-witted David (Dan Levy), and the free-spirited Alexis (Annie Murphy), every character in Schitt’s Creek is eccentrically lovable.

Watch on Hulu

1 The Dunphys from ‘Modern Family’ (2009 – 2020)

Creator: Christopher Lloyd, Steven Levitan

The Dunphys might just be the greatest sitcom family to date. They have every aspect of an awesome family — a fun dad, a tightly wound mom, hilarious yet supportive children and some loving relatives who always come to their aid. What makes the Dunphys great is their relatability. Audiences connect with their everyday struggles and the genuine love that binds them together. The Dunphy family is at the heart of the Modern Family‘s winning formula.

Despite their differences, the Dunphys stick together through thick and thin. Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) adds fun and magic to their lives and deserves better than how he is treated, while Claire (Julie Bowen) brings balance and discipline, the family is a perfect fit. Their kids also eventually thrive because of such an inclusive environment.

Watch on Hulu

NEXT: The Best ’80s Sitcom Families, Ranked