30 Greatest TV Sitcoms Of All Time

I Love Lucy aired in the 1950s and is still re-run today. Running for 180 episodes over six seasons, it is widely regarded as the most influential sitcom of all time; the first to feature an ensemble cast, led by Lucille Ball and real-life husband Desi Arnaz, and the first shot in front of a live studio audience.

Following the misadventures of New York housewife Lucy (Ball) as she attempts to get into showbiz, with her attempts often ending in her and husband Ricky Ricardo (Arnaz) getting into hot water, I Love Lucy takes an introspective look at the life of women in '50s America, focusing on Lucy's relationship with her female neighbours and her desire to break away from social constructs.

Modern sitcoms are filmed the way they are because of I Love Lucy, usually in front of an audience and with a multi-camera set-up which allows many different characters in a scene the focus of the action.

On top of this innovation, the show is a still-funny and popular sitcom, and without it many of the shows on this list might not have existed.