Sitcoms to Watch With Your Teens
A list by Sheryl Gould
Shows to watch on the couch together with a teenager, from Moms of Tweens and Teens (momsoftweensandteens.com). It opens with one family's top ten, led by The Office and Parks and Rec, and continues with picks from the site's community of moms, from I Love Lucy to Kids Baking Championship.
- 1
The Office
TV Show · 2005
“A cringe-comedy masterclass where a regional paper boss causes endless HR incidents while two desk-mates quietly fall in love.”
- 2
Parks And Recreation
TV Show · 2009
“A hyper-optimistic bureaucrat tries to turn an abandoned pit into a park while her libertarian boss eats bacon and actively sabotages government.”
IMDb 8.6 - 3
Black Ish
TV Show · 2014
“A smart, funny family sitcom that uses comedy to tackle real conversations about race, identity, and what it means to be Black in America today.”
IMDb 7.3 - 4
The Goldbergs
TV Show · 2013
“A loving but loud '80s family sitcom that's more Wonder Years meets Everybody Loves Raymond—nostalgia comfort food for parents, maybe teens.”
IMDb 8.0 - 5
Brooklyn Nine Nine
TV Show · 2013
“A lovable bunch of NYC detectives solve crimes and crack jokes in this workplace comedy that's funnier than your average cop show.”
IMDb 8.4 - 6
Psych
TV Show · 2006
“A fake psychic and his best friend solve real crimes with sharp observation, endless banter, and zero actual supernatural powers.”
IMDb 8.4 - 7
American Housewife
TV Show · 2016
“Snarky suburban mom navigates wealthy Connecticut through body-image jokes and carpool chaos—it's fine, but forgettable network TV.”
- 8
Young Sheldon
TV Show · 2017
“Baby Sheldon Cooper nerds out in 1980s Texas while his family tries to keep up with their pint-sized genius.”
IMDb 7.7 - 9
Fresh Off The Boat
TV Show · 2015
“Hip-hop loving Asian kid navigates 90s Florida suburbs while his parents figure out America—cultural identity meets laugh track.”
IMDb 7.7 - 10
MasterChef
TV Show · 2010
“Kids aged 8-12 cook their hearts out in Australia's surprisingly wholesome and inspiring culinary competition.”
- 11
MasterChef Junior
TV Show · 2013
“Gordon Ramsay trades his signature yelling for genuine encouragement as 8-13 year-olds create restaurant-quality dishes that'll shame your own cooking.”
IMDb 6.8 - 12
The Amazing Race
TV Show · 2001
“Teams race around the world solving clues and navigating cultures—it's like Carmen Sandiego meets Survivor, but with less scheming and more passport stamps.”
- 13
Full House
TV Show · 1987
“The 80s sitcom that invented wholesome family TV—and also invented the cringe-worthy 'very special episode' formula that's basically unwatchable now.”
IMDb 6.8 - 14
Boy Meets World
TV Show · 1993
“The 90s sitcom that taught millennials life lessons via Mr. Feeny—wholesome but showing its age for today's kids.”
IMDb 8.1 - 15
The Middle
TV Show · 2009
“The anti-sitcom sitcom: a refreshingly broke, chaotic, and utterly normal Indiana family just trying to survive middle-class life.”
IMDb 7.7 - 16
Stranger Things
TV Show · 2016
“Four bike-riding D&D nerds in 1983 Indiana stumble into secret government labs, telekinetic runaways, and monsters from the Upside Down.”
IMDb 8.6 - 17
Pawn Stars
TV Show · 2009
“A history lesson disguised as a Las Vegas business deal where everything has a price and Rick always has 'a guy' for that.”
- 18
How It's Made
TV Show · 2001
“The ultimate 'satisfying videos' show before YouTube existed—watch everyday stuff get made in factories with zero drama.”
- 19
River Monsters
TV Show · 2009
“British angler hunts legendary river fish around the world—educational, occasionally intense, and surprisingly binge-able for the right audience.”
- 20
MythBusters
TV Show · 2003
“Two special effects experts blow stuff up in the name of science—and somehow it's actually educational.”
IMDb 8.3 - 21
NCIS
TV Show · 2003
“Long-running military crime procedural where every episode delivers a fresh corpse and a predictable investigation.”
IMDb 7.8 - 22
MacGyver
TV Show · 1985
“The OG duct-tape hero who solves problems with science—if your kid can handle the 1985 vibes.”
- 23
Scorpion
TV Show · 2014
“A team of socially awkward super-geniuses solves national crises using wild Hollywood technology hacks and fast-talking physics.”
- 24
Once Upon a Time
TV Show · 2011
“Fairy tale heroes get cursed into a dreary Maine town with no memories, leaving an abandoned ten-year-old and his birth mom to break the spell.”
- 25
Top Chef
TV Show · 2006
“Professional chefs compete in high-stakes culinary challenges that are equal parts stressful, inspiring, and delicious to watch.”
IMDb 7.7 - 26
7th Heaven
TV Show · 1996
“The 90s family drama where every problem gets solved with a heartfelt talk and a life lesson—emphasis on the 90s.”
- 27
I Love Lucy
TV Show · 1951
“The 1950s sitcom that pioneered TV comedy—but let's be real, your kids will find it painfully slow and impossibly dated.”
- 28
The Dick Van Dyke Show
TV Show · 1961
“The gold standard of 1960s wholesome sitcoms—but let's be real, most modern kids will find it painfully slow and impossibly dated.”
- 29
The Andy Griffith Show
TV Show · 1960
“Mayberry's wholesome sheriff teaches life lessons in black-and-white—if your kids can stay awake through the slow burn.”
- 30
Monk
TV Show · 2002
“A brilliant detective with severe OCD solves crimes while battling his own anxieties—empathetic, clever, and surprisingly watchable 20+ years later.”
IMDb 8.1 - 31
Hogan's Heroes
TV Show · 1965
“A WWII POW camp turned into a slapstick playground where the Nazis are idiots and the tunnels are endless.”
- 32
The Carol Burnett Show
TV Show · 1967
“Legendary 1960s-70s variety show that's comedy gold for adults but will put modern kids into a coma within 3 minutes.”
- 33
A Series Of Unfortunate Events
TV Show · 2017
“Gorgeously gothic adaptation where orphans face constant peril and a scene-chewing villain—darkly funny if your kid can handle the gloom.”
IMDb 7.7 - 34
Shark Tank
TV Show · 2009
“Aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to wealthy investors who decide whether to fund their dreams or crush them on national TV.”
- 35
Man with a Plan
TV Show · 2016
“Dad discovers parenting is hard when mom goes back to work—groundbreaking stuff from 2016 that feels like it's from 1996.”
- 36
America's Got Talent
TV Show · 2006
“The talent show that's been serving up golden buzzers and sob stories since 2006—wholesome enough, but pretty formulaic at this point.”
IMDb 5.8 - 37
Lost
TV Show · 2004
“A plane crashes on an uncharted island loaded with polar bears, smoke monsters, and enough existential baggage to keep a family debating for months.”
- 38
Impractical Jokers
TV Show · 2011
“Four man-children prank each other and strangers on hidden camera—it's bathroom humor and bro comedy for teens who think embarrassment is peak entertainment.”
- 39
Kids Baking Championship
TV Show · 2015
“Kid bakers compete with impressive skills and surprisingly little reality TV toxicity—it's actually wholesome.”
IMDb 7.2 - 40
The Voice
TV Show · 2011
“Four celebrity coaches spin oversized red chairs based purely on what they hear, turning vocal auditions into easygoing family reality TV.”
- 41
American Ninja Warrior
TV Show · 2009
“Watch insanely fit people tackle obstacle courses while announcers lose their minds—it's surprisingly wholesome and genuinely inspiring.”
Got your own favorites?
Make a list like this in about a minute — we suggest the picks, you choose.
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