Everyone loves a good television show, but what makes one a classic is its ability to stand the test of time. That means immense rewatchability, cultural impact, and consistent, high-quality storytelling. Shows that do are often nostalgic and resonate across generations, creating memorable characters and embedding themselves in the public consciousness.
There’s only one problem with classic shows—they’re difficult to find, especially in the modern-day streaming landscape and if they’re no longer in syndication. Sometimes, we catch a break when a canceled TV show becomes available to stream. Such is the case with the classics below, which are listed in order by their release year, and our top pick is one of the funniest sitcoms of the 1980s.
3
The Dana Carvey Show (1996)
Now isn’t that special?
Dana Carvey is known for his sketch comedy abilities, so when The Dana Carvey Show debuted on ABC in 1996, audiences were stoked. That excitement didn’t last long, though, as only 7 of its first 10 episodes aired before being canceled. Audiences complained the humor was too pointed and controversial for its 9:30 p.m. time slot, which immediately followed Tim Allen’s wholesome family sitcom Home Improvement.
The show was known for its edgy, ahead-of-its-time humor, which, yes, was often controversial, but so what? Controversy makes for good comedy. At the time, audiences were exposed to humor ranging from political satire—e.g., Bill Clinton breastfeeding puppies—to absurdist sketches. Each episode also had its own sponsor and featured topical skits, musical numbers, and animated segments, including the debut of the rib-tickling Ambiguously Gay Duo.
Despite its failure, the sketch comedy show is a prime example of high-talent, experimental comedy. The problem was that it just wasn’t poised to resonate with a prime-time audience. Regardless, it’s now considered a classic and, in 2017, was the subject of the Hulu documentary Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of The Dana Carvey Show.
The Dana Carvey Show is currently available to stream on Apple TV with a subscription.
2
The Drew Carey Show (1995)
Oh, you hate your job? There’s a support group for that.
Before he was hosting one of America’s most popular game shows, Drew Carey and his blue-collar comedy were cornerstones of 1990s sitcoms. His hit TV show, The Drew Carey Show, saw a surreal streak that ran for 9 seasons, and when it ended, so did our accessibility to it, thanks to music rights issues.
The classic series starred Carey as a fictionalized version of himself. As an underachieving assistant director of personnel at the Winfred-Louder department store in Cleveland, Ohio, he remains perpetually stuck in a dead-end job, navigating office politics, awkward romances, and the treacherous daily grind alongside lifelong friends Lewis (Ryan Stiles) and Oswald (Diedrich Bader). There are also the frequent clashes with his flambouyant, eyeshadow-adorned office nemesis Mimi (Kathy Kinney) and his strict English boss Nigel (Craig Ferguson). For the most part, though, Drew’s world revolves around friendship, stalled ambition, and finding small victories in an otherwise ordinary life.
Carey’s series famously used popular music, including theme songs “Moon Over Parma,” “Five O’Clock World,” and the hit Presidents of the United States cover of “Cleveland Rocks,” which was introduced in the third season. Other tracks include Joe Walsh and The Edgar Winter Group. At the time, those songs were only cleared for original broadcast, not for home media or streaming, but now you’ll be happy to know all that has finally changed.
All nine seasons of The Drew Carey Show are available to stream for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, PLEX, and The Roku Channel.
The Drew Carey Show
Release Date
1995 – 2004-00-00
Network
ABC
Directors
Gerry Cohen, Sam Simon, Bob Koherr, Brian K. Roberts, Steve Zuckerman, Shelley Jensen, Gary Halvorson, Michael Lessac, Ryan Stiles
1
Mama’s Family (1983)
You can pick your friends but not your relatives
One of my absolute favorite classic 1980s series is Mama’s Family. I grew up with Mama and loved her no-time-for-shenanigans attitude and hard-boiled outlook on life. She cracked me up. Even though it felt abrupt, the show finally ended after reaching its syndication goal in 1990.
Vicki Lawrence stars as Thelma “Mama” Harper, the blue-haired, quick-tempered matriarch of the Harper family. Her house would be her own, except her son Vinton (Ken Berry) and his wife Naomi (Dorothy Lyman) were forced to move into her basement after losing money in a business deal gone wrong, and her delinquent grandson Bubba (Allan Kayser) was ordered to live with her after being released from juvie and placed on probation. There’s also Mama’s friend and neighbor Iola (Beverly Archer), who’s a frequent visitor to the Harper household, as it’s often the site of constant, abrasive bickering.
While the darkly comedic sitcom did run in syndication for a while, it has been extremely hard to find in the 21st century unless you want to purchase it, which I, of course, did. That doesn’t mean you have to, though, as this sidesplitting gem is finally accessible in the New World.
Mama’s Family is currently available to stream on Apple TV with a subscription and for free on Pluto TV.
Mama’s Family
Release Date
1983 – 1990-00-00
Network
NBC, Syndication
Directors
Dave Powers, Dick Martin
Hard-to-find classic TV shows are becoming more readily available as licensing issues expire and as the streaming landscape continues to expand its acquisitions. So keep your eyes peeled. You never know when one of your favorite classics might pop up again.
