07/25/2025

Lately, I’ve been catching up on some old TV dramas by starting with one of the big classics: The Sopranos. It’s a great show, but if you know even just a tiny bit of the premise, you’ll know it’s not something you’d call relaxing. When I get home from a night shift, oftentimes the last thing I want to watch is some gangsters getting in each other’s faces and screaming and pointing fingers. So, instead, I go for a sitcom that will let me wind down for the night and let me shut my brain off for a little while getting some laughs in. Here are some of my recent favorites if you care to join me!

Community (2009)

Jeff, a former lawyer, goes back to school when the bar finds out he went to a not-so-legit college and invalidates his license. At first, he thought it would be easy to cheat his way through community college because his former client, Dr. Ian Duncan, is a professor at his new school, Greendale Community College. But, even after some light bullying, he refuses to give Jeff the test answers to all of his classes.

Now, he’s going to have to really study and work, all while leading a study group he formed just to impress a girl he likes. Studying with a cast of students including a high school dropout, a middle-aged divorcee, and a former high school football star, you can’t help but wonder: will Jeff actually learn something this time?

The IT Crowd (2006)

Jen is hired as a relationship manager for Reynholm Industries’ IT department, and it’s no wonder why. In her interview for the job, she reveals her computer skills: she’s good at sending emails, receiving emails, clicking, and even double-clicking.

… OK, maybe she doesn’t know a thing about computers. And, to Roy and Moss who work in the IT department, This becomes apparent within mere minutes. But just when they’re about to reveal her secret to their egotistical CEO, they realize they’ll have to stick together if they don’t want to all get fired for not being a good team.

Parks and Recreation (2009)

When a citizen wants to fill a pit their boyfriend fell into, Leslie Knope, deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, responds to the call of duty and promises to get it done ASAP. She even says she can turn it into a park while she’s at it! Unfortunately, things don’t move quickly when you work for local government.

It’s up to Leslie to cut through red tape, set up backdoor meetings, and much more — all just to put some dirt in a hole before they can even do anything else with it. Local government has never been more fun!

Bob’s Burgers (2011)

It’s hard enough to run a burger restaurant. But it’s even harder when you have a family to raise on top of it. But for Bob Belcher, this predicament is everyday life for him, his wife Linda, and their three children: Gene, a wannabe musician who is obsessed with any and all things fart-related, Tina who’s navigating puberty, and Louise, the youngest and biggest troublemaker of them all.

Their restaurant faces challenges like being robbed during a murder-mystery theatre show, being accused of making burgers with human flesh, and worst of all: a visit from Bob’s in-laws. But Bob and Linda will do their best! Hopefully, they can keep the restaurant from going out of business while they’re at it too.

Abbott Elementary (2021)

Willard R. Abbott Elementary School is a predominantly Black Philadelphia public school where a documentary crew is recording the lives of teachers working in underfunded, mismanaged schools. Conditions at the school are harsh and most teachers quit after their second year. Optimistic second-grade teacher Janine Teagues is determined to help her students despite the circumstances.
 
She works with awkward, good-intentioned history teacher Jacob Hill; no-nonsense kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard; and second-grade teacher Melissa Schemmenti, Barbara's close friend who has questionable connections. They are joined by new school principal Ava Coleman - who is tone-deaf, unqualified, and uninvested - and recent substitute hire Gregory Eddie, who was rejected when applying for the position of principal.
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