Creator: David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee
Years: 1990-1997

I really wanted to rank this show higher. It was probably my second favorite sitcom while I was growing up. But every time I’ve tried to watch it as an adult I can’t make it through an episode. It’s definitely modeled after Cheers (they had a few crossover episodes as well), but the acting is worse, the scripts are worse, and the directing is worse. The jokes are fairly low-brow as evidence by the fact I laughed at most of them when I was fourteen and close to zero of them now.

Tim Daly is okay, but has little chemistry with anyone. Steven Weber is just not funny. David Schramm is occasionally funny as Roy, but he’s too much of a one-note character. Thomas Haden Church is the show’s Woody Boyd, but his schtick gets old pretty fast. At times they try to grow his character, but they never quite make it before he leaves the show.

The highlight is Tony Shalhoub, who is excellent as the cab driver Antonio Scarpacci. Every time he’s on screen he steals the show and it’s no wonder he was able to get his own hour of television with Monk. And Rebecca Schull can be charming at the always-married-to-a-George ticket counter lady. But it’s not enough, as most episodes focus on the worst characters.