#1 All in the Family vs. #16 Get a Life!

It’s not that there was no love for Chris Elliot’s quirky (really that adjective doesn’t even come close to covering it) comedy from the early-’90s; it’s more that it was up against a TV Titan. Norman Lear’s signature show starring the late Caroll O’Connor as casual Queens racist Archie Bunker who is awkwardly coming to terms with the fact guys like him no longer have it AS made should get at least a few winsin this tourney. Did you know that the purposefully bigoted song he is singing (with Jean Stapleton’s Edith) above made the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971?! It’s next opponent is…

#8 A Different World vs. #9 The Last Man on Earth 

As Katherine sorta foretold, it was as close as can be, but Tandy and the rest of the last people on Earth (or at least in the Tucson metro area) push forward as Will Forte’s cult ’10s series wins by a single vote over the ragtag gang of Hillman College misfits. However, it faces a tough matchup against the all-time classic above. But if nothing else, it’s earned a re-watch from me. I do wish they had selected one of Forte’s ideas below to close on though, as both would have been brilliant!

#2 Schitt’s Creek vs. #15 Father Ted

In the battle of isolated bands of outcast oddballs, the Canadian family who retreated to the town they accidentally bought in their filthy rich days take the day over the three demented Irish priests exiled to an island. Chris Elliot can take a split on this round as his Roland Schitt may not take center stage in the story of the Roses, but he’s just one of the many supporting characters that elevate the CBC show from entertaining fish-out-of-water tale to beloved Emmy magnet.

#7 Fresh Off the Boat vs. #10 Kroll Show

The Huangs line up to meet the Roses in what will be an epic feud of TV families. Nick Kroll’s endless parade of memorable neurotics was steamrolled by the Orlando, Florida, antics of one of the funnier family sitcoms of the last decade. The Huangs constantly proved how in spite of their different personalities, they were all part of the same unit at heart. But is their familial bickering enough to match up to the masters class that is Alexis vs. David Rose?

#3 Curb Your Enthusiasm vs. #14 The Middle

Dee-da-da–da-dee-da-dah–dah-dee-da-dee-da-dah-dah-dah-dah–whoop-whoop-whoop whoop. The Hecks of Indiana ran a very tight ship–actually they didn’t and that’s the point of the show and that there’s a chance you did not know that is part of why the underrated sitcom held very little chance of getting past one of truly unique programs in television history. While there have been many Curb-imitators, none could compare. None have Larry David. He’s pretty pretty pretty… well, you know how it goes.

#6 South Park vs. #11 The Dick Van Dyke Show

In what is our biggest upset in a while, the woman who can turn the world on with her smile makes it two weeks in a row (and star Dick Van Dyke’s as Rob Petrie is endearing as well). Our voters are showing they have a type and crassness did not stand much of a chance against a classic that aired before most of us were born (even me). Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and Kenny are gonna have to go on back to South Park as they and their friends are not moving on to the next round.

#4 Brooklyn Nine-Nine vs. #13 Space Ghost: Coast To Coast

Take those keys, Peralta, and drive on into the second round as while it looked dicey for the first few days, the peeps of the 99th precinct kept Mike Schur’s tourney streak intact. Its win is also not a bad way to open Pride Month as it quietly has two of the best LGBTQ+ main characters on television in Andre Braugher’s Capt. Holt and Stephanie Beatriz’ Rosa Diaz (and that’s not counting Marc Evan Jackson in his recurring role as Holt’s husband Kevin). The show goes on to play…

#5 Modern Family vs. #12 Happy Days

The Cunninghams say hello grey skies and goodbye to their blue counterpart as they were beat down fairly handily by the Pritchett-Dunphys. In fairness, the Modern Family crew rolls much, much deeper. The ABC mockumentary that marked 11 seasons moves on to face the first Schur program that wasn’t a mockumentary. Meanwhile, Happy Days can be content in that they always have Al’s cooking.