I thoroughly believe that life would be so easy if it was a sitcom. Unfortunately, it is not, so I live vicariously through my top three favorite sitcoms: Modern Family, New Girl, and Abbott Elementary. I kid you not I have watched all these shows at least four times; all 21-22 episodes and all seasons. It is a bit of a problem that I chose to ignore because when I’m watching these shows, I’m wrapped in a warm hug and escape from reality (which we all need sometimes).Â
1. ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
I remember sitting in my friend’s room during my senior year of high school as we scrolled through her Hulu and came across Abbott Elementary. My friend blurted out, “Oh I’ve been hearing about this show all over the internet, let’s watch it.” I hadn’t heard of the show but since it was marketed as a light-hearted sitcom, I said yes without hesitation. I think we were both in tears (happy ones of course) by the end of the first episode. We immediately binged the entirety of season one. Set in the Philadelphia public school, Abbot Elementary, the show follows six main characters; five teachers and one principal. The show brings light to how public schools need more funding while being wrapped in comedic relief. It also shows the bond between the teachers themselves and their students making for a wholesome watch.
Quick little fun fact: Quinta Brunson made this show inspired by her mother, who is a teacher, and because of her sixth-grade teacher, whose name is Joyce Abbott (hence the name Abbot Elementary)!
2. NEW GIRL
I know we were all binging something during quarantine, and that something for me was New Girl. Set in San Francisco, our main character Jess is looking for a new apartment after breaking up with her ex-boyfriend. Out of desperation to just have a roof above her head, she ends up living with three random guys in a loft. Funny enough, Jess is also an elementary school teacher. The rest of the show is about how she bonds with her three other male roommates. I love their bonds in this show because of how comfortable Jess is around them and their efforts to make her happy. The “found family” trope in this show is amazing. Overall, it’s so refreshing to watch as it’s extremely rare to find platonic female and male friendships on TV shows. Also, can we talk about how this show had the craziest guest appearances? They had Taylor Swift, Megan Fox, Dylan O’Brien, Prince, Brenda Song, Adam Brody and more!
3. MODERN FAMILY
It has only been a year and a half since I finished watching this show for the first time ever. Since then, I’ve rewatched it four times and am currently rewatching it for the fifth time (in season 8 right now)! We have 11 main characters and though the cast is huge, it’s what makes this show. The show is all about family dynamics. Trust me, this show will make you want to have a huge family close to you because of all the weekly family gatherings, family vacations, and overall showing up for each other. And by the end of it, you will feel like a part of this family. I have watched this show way too many times and now know random facts about the characters. For example, I now know Haley’s middle name is Gwendolyn, and that Phil and Claire actually met when Claire accidentally almost hit Phil at a KFC parking lot. I may have a form of Modern Family brain-rot but to be quite frank with you, I am not complaining about it at all!
I hope you end up watching (or maybe are inspired to rewatch) one or all of these amazing shows. Let this be a sign, the best part about these shows is that you can watch them all year long. You can cozy up and watch them from the comfort of your bed in your most comfortable pajamas. Because trust me, if you haven’t already watched these, as cliché as it sounds, you are seriously missing out!