Is it me? I find American sitcoms not funny. Maybe I don't get it?

It’s not just you, they’re painfully unfunny, formularic bullshit that rely heavily on “canned laughter” & cliched dialogue for easy laughs.

They are really the least funny thing on tv. You’re not missing anything.

Do you like Australian ones? I like a bunch of Australian sitcoms better than ones from the United States.

Neighbours & Home & Away are fucking hilarious :)

@ucme :: I can’t tell if you are serious. But they do seem popular.

I guess I was turned off as them being labeled as “Soaps”.

Unintentionally hilarious is what I meant, the acting/scripts are dire, but highly amusing.

Two and a Half Men is a horrible example of an American sitcom. Especially the ones with Ashton Kutcher.

I know I find British humor pretty goofy and unfunny, so it may just be a cultural thing. I like Ricky Gervias’ stand-up for the most part, but I found the UK version of The Office more annoying than funny. I love the US version, though – I don’t hate all the characters, for one. Different strokes for different folks.

Oh, Different Strokes was quite funny, at least Gary Coleman was.
Married With Children weren’t bad, the examples end there.

At least we didn’t make Not Going Out.

Two and a Half Men is a horrible example. I agree, much of it is crap, but there are a few hidden gems. VEEP is the funniest thing on television these days. Modern Family is another show that cracks me up every time I watch it.

There you go again @johnpowell, getting all butthurt when the question asks for opinions.
American comedy I love, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, Dom DeLuise, Woody Allen, Jerry Lewis, Mel Brooks. It’s “your” sitcoms that stink the place out, big time.

Best currently running sitcom in my opinion is Big Bang Theory. I really liked Mike and Molly at the beginning, now it sometimes is a little ridiculous.

Not currently running, Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, Fresh Prince of Belair, Frasier, MASH.

More like “Two and a Half Meh”.

I agree with @JLeslie.

Mike & Molly is my current favorite.

Older ones to watch are:
Frasier
M*A*S*H
Barney Miller
Cheers
Carol Burnett Show (sketch comedy)

@johnpowell I liked Not Going Out when Miranda Hart was in it but it went downhill after that. Miranda (the sitcom) is funny as is Absolutely Fabulous. I think we have problems with continuing sitcoms – they are funny then we run out of jokes but keep ploughing on…

American sitcoms I loved: Friends, 3rd Rock from the Sun. I liked Cheers, Will and Grace, Frasier, The Golden Girls, Taxi.

Didn’t really like Two and a half men, How I met your mother, Everyone loves Raymond

If you want to see how truly unfunny sitcoms are, watch some clips with the laugh track removed.

Search YouTube for ‘no laugh track’.

Warning: It is so unfunny you will feel bad for watching.

I think the best comedies are the shows without laugh tracks. The two I mentioned above do not use laugh tracks. Some others: Arrested Development, Community, 30 Rock, Comedy Bang Bang, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Parks and Recreation, Reno 911, Portlandia.

TV viewers, probably especially in America, are probably just getting stupider. Smarter people watch less TV nowadays, while the stupids who are left behind are ever easier to amuse.

Big Bang Theory was terrific the first few years, but now my sister and I call each other after each new show, and tell each other if we found any line funny.
Last night I laughed three times. Other lines were semi-amusing, but only three times did I find a line that actually delighted me.

You picked a horrible example. 2 and a half dicks is a terrible choice.
Here are all the jokes in case you can’t hear them over the incessant laugh track:
Alan has no money and is clueless. Hah!
Walden/Charlie has tons of money, good looks but few scruples -thus he gets the most gorgeous girls. Hah! Hah!
Alan and Walden insult women because they are stupid. Hah, hah, hah!!!!
Toss in a few liquor and weed jokes and you’re done.
Cut to car commercial.

I’ve never seen 2 and ½ Men.

I do think that a lot of humor is cultural. I have had a lot of friends that enjoyed British humor, but, by and large, I don’t get it. Even a little Monty Python goes a long way. I wish I’d saved the “Blackberry” clip that was posted here recently, though, it was hilarious.

I loved “The Dick Van Dyke” show, “Green Acres”, “Frazier” and “Arrested Development” on American TV. I don’t usually go for the ‘mind numbing’ comedy shows. Dramedy is best: “Frank’s Place”, “Sports Night”, etc.

Too late to add above. ^

Here are the 4 repeated joke lines for 2½ Idjuts
Quotes

Follow with 5 – 10 seconds of hilarious laugh track.

Hilarious British comedy!

Two and a Half Idiots is a perfect example of the worst of American sitcoms. But there are many, many great ones like M*A*S*H and Seinfeld. Times and viewer tastes change.

@ibstubro That sketch was a rehash of the original that i’m posting below, back when both Ronnies were alive. In this, the customer in the later version is the shopkeeper.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oaGpaj2nHIo

I’m so not a fan of sitcoms, except Fresh Prince. Besides that one, I was not interested in sitcoms before, and I have no idea which ones are popular now. Back in my day it was Full House…UGH I can’t believe how shitty that show was. I do like Soap though, which is an old sitcom from the 70’s. But even with that, I get involved, but rarely do I actually laugh out loud.

I’ve tried British sitcoms, The Mighty Boosh was pretty cool, as is Black Books. But I don’t fold myself in half with laughter watching these, either. And why is everyone in British sitcoms ALWAYS YELLING?? (ucme, perhaps you have an answer?)

Perhaps I am naught but a sour individual who refuses to laugh. lol Have never seen any Australian sitcoms. But what I do know is that depending on the country it’s from, there is obviously different types of humor…perhaps that’s the thing, too. Maybe that kind of humor offered by sitcoms isn’t your cup of tea. For me, for example, what tickles my funny bone is satire. I find this much more hilarious than whatever any sitcom has to offer.

Brits have a fine tradition of shouting, we shout on the battlefield, we shout for the saucy maid from below stairs & yes, we shout in the queue when some cheeky bugger tries to push in :D

As much as I dislike Alec Baldwin, he and Tina Fey are a hilarious comedy team. Raising Hope is off the wall nuts and Cloris Leachman is funny as hell in her role.

Modern Family is just a modern version of All in the Family (one of the best sitcoms ever) and carries on the tradition of slaying sacred cows any chance it gets with very funny results.

@ucme People who cut in line.

Dealing with them.

:D

The shows you listed are horrible, agreed. Nevertheless, I don’t think disregarding all American Sitcoms is smart. You may miss some gems… Modern Family, for example.

@Symbeline Haha, if only that were legal

I am not a sitcom fan, never have been. My all time favorite, “Frasier.” Seinfeld was funny too, but, all in all, I can’t stand sitcoms and canned laughter.
Now Fraiser and Miles…those two are priceless, absolutely priceless. haha

Cheers was pretty damned funny in it’s day, @Coloma.

I still love Green Acres. lol Lisa carried the show, Oliver was her perfect foil. and the rest were just there as props.

@ibstubro Oh, I love classic sitcoms like Lucy. Beverley Hillbillies, Bewitched. When TV was good TV. :-)

The Dick Van Dyke show (for my 63rd mention of that show here!)

^^^ Yes, that one too. The 60’s sitcoms were the bomb.

I fucking hate the sanctimony in American sitcoms. And dramas for that matter. House might have been a good show if it weren’t for the obsessive heart-tugging preachiness.

American entertainment is remarkably histrionic, with even bawdy comedies including an out of place morality message about friendship or family. It’s sort of like how superhero/action films often include a message condemning violence before a great deal of brutal ass-kicking takes place.

Is there no sanctimony in hating something that is Amerikan?~