For all the effort into producing shows for broadcast TV, there are previous few that are worth watching.  In almost all cases, frankly, reading is better.  However, there have been a few notable situation comedies and some very good recent offerings.  For the purposes of calibration, past shows that I thought were excellent include Cheers, The Simpsons, Seinfeld and Frasier.  Interestingly, save for The Simpsons on Fox, each was produced for the NBC television network, a company that dominated the field of comedy, taking the crown away from CBS and its mega-hit M*A*S*H.  So while not comparing them directly to the hits of the past, here are four programs that I find funny.  They're listed in the order that they first appeared.  The four shows are The Office, 30 Rock, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Big Bang Theory.

The Office

The Office is shown on NBC on Thursday's evenings.  It's styled after the hit BBC show of the same name.  In fact, the first season had many story lines that drew heavily on the British parent show.  However, over time, as the characters developed, the shows became more American; they also became a lot funnier.  For those that haven't seen The Office, how do you have access to a computer?  The show is that ubiquitous.  It features the misadventures of workers in a hypothetic paper supply company called Dunder Mifflin in Scranton, PA.  Each episode invariable revolves around office manager Michael, a person who is motivated to have people like him rather than any business-related goals.  Despite his efforts, his branch appears to be successful.  The show is a mockumentary in that it purports to be a "fly on the wall" view of the antics in a real company.  Each episode is replete with interviews of the main characters as they give commentary on what's going on.  The Office is funny.  It echoes what many people experience in day to day life, but brings it to the point of absurdity.  It's a show that's worth watching.

30 Rock

Another offering on NBC, this show was written by and stars Tina Fey, a Saturday Night Live alumna, as Liz Lemon.  Liz is the producer of a hit TV program called "The Girlie Show."  The name changes with the arrival of Tracy Morgan (another SNL alum) to TGS with Tracy Morgan.  The show is produced at the NBC headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza: hence the name.  The other main character is the Jack Donaghy, a GE executive played by Alec Baldwin; Donaghy is the Vice President for East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming.  The show revolves around Liz Lemon and her interactions with her writing staff, performers and her boss, Jack Donaghy.  The character development is excellent as are the story lines.  Cleverly weaved into the show is a detailed social commentary, in may cases focusing on current events.  The parody is crisp and funny.   The comments are sharp, biting and witty.  This is a show where you will find yourself laughing out loud.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

The show features four main characters who run a small bar in a rundown neighborhood of Philadelphia.  This show is little edgier than most comedies and isn't that suited for children.  The main characters are narcissistic and self involved.  They flout social convention in an effort to get their way.  They do so in a somewhat naïve and endearing fashion.  What makes the show more remarkable is that it was conceive of and written by recent movie school graduates.  The first episode was reportedly produced for a few hundred dollars and pitched to the FX Network.  The Network agreed to fund eight more episodes.  Each was made at a fraction the cost of a regular sit-com.  With the arrival of Danny DeVito in the second season, the show developed into new comedic territory.  DeVito apparently watched an episode by chance, then immediately called his agent with instructions to get him on the show.  The producers and stars write each episode.  As with any character-driven program, it may take one or two shows to develop a rapport with the cast, but it's worth the effort.

The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory features four Caltech scientists, at least three of whom are PhDs, that live in Pasadena, CA.  The episodes focus on the academically brilliant but socially inept attempts of these four males to interact with the rest of the planet.  The protagonist is neighbor Penny who is, in most respect, the antithesis of her male neighbors.  Surprisingly, the show works.  It's full of scientific references; however, it still manages to produce excellent plots full of many moments of great comedy.  The show is in its first season; production was interrupted by the writers' strike in Hollywood.  Nonetheless, the show was highly rated and was the first comedy to be renewed for a second full season.  The show is broadcast in the US on Monday evenings on CBS.  For the comedy value alone, it's worth watching.  If you're trained in a scientific discipline, you'll probably enjoy it on another level.

Scene from The Big Bang Theory