This one-volume work is a compilation of the best television sitcoms, spanning from the 1950s until today. In the introduction, Gitlin states that identifying the best television sitcoms was not an easy task and explains the six criteria used to determine the quality of the sitcoms included in this work.

The first criterion taken into account was the impact of the sitcom. As television became more and more popular, sitcoms began exploring more issues that were not necessarily brought to the forefront of popular culture. The next criterion used was the longevity of a show. Gitlin stated that it was important to take into account the ability of cast members, writers, and producers to expand story lines and stay relevant when considering a spot on the list of the greatest sitcoms of all time. The third criterion was television ratings. This criterion usually goes hand in hand with a show’s longevity. The fourth criterion was the amount of awards a sitcom had acquired. Although there have been some sitcoms that have been passed over for awards that have still been praised as great sitcoms, most sitcoms use the amount of awards they receive as an indication of the quality of the show. The last two criteria used were humor and legacy. The ability of a sitcom to continue to be respected long past its initial television run speaks volumes to the quality of the sitcom.

Each entry is listed numerically with number one being considered the best and ends with its seventieth entry. Within each entry, readers can find the credits, dates the sitcoms originally aired, broadcast history, number of seasons, number of episodes, and ratings history. There’s also an overview of each show along with famous quotes or occurrences and major awards. This book also includes appendices that include lists referring to popular male and female characters, the best spin off sitcoms, as well as a few other lists. Although each entry includes at least one photo, there are no color photos, which is a slight disappointment.

Overall, The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time is a fun read and would be helpful for students doing general projects on the history of television. It is for this reason that I would suggest this item for both the academic library’s and the public library’s reference collection. The entries are just long enough for you to decide whether or not you would like to know more about a sitcom, and most entries include a section for suggested readings for more information. This is an item that I could see being used for a class assignment or for pleasure reading as well.