Over the years, families from popular sitcoms were the prime example of a healthy family dynamic. At one point, they were the most cherished forms of comedy, and their family felt like ours. Watching them weekly or binge-watching over the weekend was like getting a 30-minute family update.
There have been many great ones over the years, so narrowing them down was challenging, but here are Baller Alert‘s top 10 television sitcom families.
The Huxtables (“The Cosby Show”)
Although Bill Cosby’s legacy was tarnished for sexually assaulting and drugging a young woman in the mid-2000s, “The Cosby Show” was still groundbreaking in showing a healthy dynamic between an African-American family of upper-middle-class standing.
The Banks (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a 90s African-American sitcom that starred then-20-year-old Will Smith as a teenager from a tough neighborhood in West Philadelphia who was sent to live with his wealthy relatives. Between the comedy and heartwarming moments, The Fresh Prince was one of the best sitcoms of the 90s.
The Mitchells (“Moesha)
The popular series focused on the life of a black upper-middle-class family through the eyes of a typical girl named Moesha (played by Brandy). Her father Frank, a widower and Saturn car salesman (and later owner of his own dealership, Brothers Saturn), has married Dee, the vice principal at Moesha’s high school, much to Moesha’s disapproval. The dynamic between this family was extremely authentic and needed during the 90s- 2000s.
The Rocks (“Everybody Hates Chris”)
Everybody Hates Chris is about the trials and tribulations of teenage Chris (Tyler James Williams) — and about many real-life issues, such as dealing with strict parents, constantly being picked on by a racist bully at school, and having a more popular, better-looking, taller younger brother. The show gave an inside look into the realities of a black family in the 80s.
The Winslows (“Family Matters”)
Family Matters can be considered wholesome entertainment. It is literally about family matters, delivered with impeccable comedic timing. The family show with a sitcom structure covered topics like teenage drama, working parents, and what it meant to be a cop in Chicago — with a few laughs on the side. Overall, the show evolved to play into its biggest hook — Urkel, the brilliant nerd next door in love with the Winslows’ eldest daughter Laura.
The Evans (“Good Times”)
The family from “Good Times” is the complete opposite of The Huxstables. The Evans family lived in the high-rise projects of Chicago, working on getting by in a relatively poor and rough neighborhood. The oldest child, J.J. (Jimmie Walker), was the star of the Evans household and the sitcom, which also featured a young Janet Jackson in later years.
The Kyles (“My Wife and Kids”)
The series centered on Michael Kyle, the patriarch of a semi-dysfunctional middle-class African-American family who rules his household with a unique & distinct parenting style and teaches his three children (Junior, Claire & Kady) life lessons with his own brand of humor.
The Baxters (“Thats So Raven”)
Raven Symone was undoubtedly carrying Disney Channel on her back during this time. With the help of That’s So Raven, every little black girl aspired to be Raven Baxter — a teenager with hidden physic abilities with the most incredible parents. Episodes show Raven experiencing visions of future events while dealing with social and personal issues as a teen. Did I mention her annoying little brother, Cory? The Baxter family dynamic was guaranteed to give you a good laugh.
The Campbells/Landrys (“Sister Sister”)
Created by Kim Bass, “Sister Sister” told the story of identical twins Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, who were separated at birth. Throughout the show, two families merge to make up for lost time. In this hilarious, coming-of-age story, the twins learn about each other while their adopted parents (Lisa Landry and Ray Campbell) figure out their love-hate relationship. Before the end of season one, the cast shows how unconditional love shows up unexpectedly, no matter how much time you’ve lost.
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