It’s not uncommon for famous actors,comedians, ormusiciansto create or star in their ownsitcoms. Oftentimes, these are named after the stars themselves, leaving no mistake as to who the protagonist is. Most of them have gone on to become iconic.
The best sitcoms named after their stars allowed the celebrities to showcase theircomedicstyle. While they usually did not play themselves, or played an exaggerated version of themselves, they captured audiences’ hearts with the funny storylines, fantastic supporting casts, and brilliant writing.
10’Young Rock' (2021-2023)
Created by Dwayne Johnson, Jeff Chiang, Nahnatchka Khan
Sadly, the least successful of the sitcoms on this list,Young Rockhad tremendous promise, but was cancelled after three seasons. While the story was aboutDwayne “The Rock” Johnsonand his life growing up, he took a backseat to allowing three young actors to play him at different periods in his life: when he was 10 years old, in high school, and in college. However, Johnson appears in every episode as a fictional future version of himself, padding the resume that already includestons of great movie performances.
As the story goes, he is running for president in the future year 2032, and he’s recalling these stories toRandall Park, also playing a fictional version of himself, who now hosts his own news show. From the actors hired to play famous wrestlers, including Johnson’s own father,Rocky Johnson, to the true retellings of things that actually happened to him growing up and in the early days of his career,Young Rockis a must-watch for fans of Johnson and WWE in general.
Young Rock
9’Everybody Hates Chris' (2005-2009)
Created by Chris Rock, Ali LeRoi
The Chris in question in the title ofEverybody Hates Chrisis comedianChris Rock, and the series tells the story of his life as a teenager growing up in a gang-infested neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. A play on the sitcomEverybody Loves Raymond, the show gives fans a glimpse into Rock’s life growing up with hard-working yet cheap parents, and the awkwardness he felt being sent to a mostly white school across town to give him a better education.
Rock himself provides narration throughout the series (Tyler James Williamsplays him) and it’s just as funny as one of his stand-up routines, but much more wholesome for family viewing. At its heart,Everybody Hates Chrisis a sitcom about the awkwardness of adolescence and growing up in a working-class Black family. It’s a wonderfully nostalgic show that even those who aren’t fans of Rock would enjoy, and those who are fans would love.
Everybody Hates Chris
8’George Lopez' (2002-2007)
Created by Bruce Helford, George Lopez, Robert Bowden
In this sitcom, comedianGeorge Lopezstars as a fictional version of himself. Rather than be an actor, he’s a working dad who spends his days in an aviation factory. He raises a daughter and son alongside his wife, and deals with trauma from his own sordid childhood. His neglectful mother was a cold-hearted alcoholic, and he presumed his father was dead, but later learns that he was not.
George Lopezdeals with everyday events of the family, touching on serious topics from time to time as well. Following the cancellation of the series, Lopez developed another semi-autobiographical sitcom calledLopezthat aired for two seasons from 2015 through 2017 before being cancelled.
George Lopez
7’Martin' (1992-1997)
Created by John Bowman, Martin Lawrence, Topper Crew
Airing for five seasons through the ‘90s,Martinwas one of those sitcoms families loved to curl up after dinner and watch together, and one ofthe best ‘90s Black sitcoms. ComedianMartin Lawrenceplays a character named Martin Payne, a DJ in Detroit working for a fictional radio station. The storylines involve Martin navigating his life with his live-in girlfriend Gina (Tisha Campbell) and the challenges they face and hijinks they get up to.
Known for his hilarious comedy, Lawrence often portrayed other characters on the show, like Sheneneh Jenkins, Edma (Mama) Payne, and Ol’ Otis. The cast reunited at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards for a sketch while also bringing to light the fact that the series never received any nominations, despite being the network’s highest-rated show for much of its run.
6’Newhart' (1982-1990)
Created by Sheldon Bull
Named after comedianBob Newhart,Newhartsaw him portray Dick London, an author with the actor’s same deadpan comedic charm. The story follows Dick and his wife Joanna (Mary Frann) moving from New York to a small rural town in Vermont where they now run an inn and meet the quirky residents there.
Newhartwas a massively popular sitcom and one ofBob Newhart’s best TV roles. It goes down in history as one of the best-ever on television. Hilariously (spoiler alert), the end of the show suggests that the entire plot was a dream by Dr. Robert Hartley, Newhart’s character in a sitcom he headed up in the ‘70s calledThe Bob Newhart Show. It’s one of those instances when fans welcomed the full circle meta moment versus loathed it.
5’Everybody Loves Raymond' (1996-2005)
Created by Philip Rosenthal
Despite the actor’s real first name appearing in the title,Ray Romanoplays a totally fictional character in this sitcom. He’s Ray Barone, an Italian American dad raising his three kids with his wife Debra (Patricia Heaton) in Long Island. Much of the story inEverybody Loves Raymondcenters around Ray’s invasive, passive-aggressive mother Marie (Doris Roberts) and surly dad Frank (Peter Boyle),who live across the street and often show up unannounced.
The title, meanwhile, is mostly from the perspective of Ray’s older brother Robert (Brad Garrett),who is annoyed that his parents, and seemingly everyone in his life, fawns over Raymond as if he’s god’s gift to the Earth. From the friction between Debra and Marie to Ray’s inability to engage in conflict, especially in defense of his wife and against his mother, make every storyline delightful to watch. Widely considered to be among the best sitcoms of all time,Everybody Loves Raymondput Romano on the map.
Everybody Loves Raymond
4’Reba' (2001-2007)
Created by Allison M. Gibson
It’s not uncommon for musicians to dabble in acting, butReba McEntiretook it to another level when she developed a sitcom in which she would star. While the show is calledReba, one ofthe best sitcoms starring musicians, she plays a fictional character who shares only her first name. Reba Hart (McEntire) is a wisecracking mother who finds her life upended when she discovers that her husband had an affair. Left to raise the kids on her own, her life becomes even more complicated when her teenage daughter becomes pregnant.
Rebahas hilarious and heartwarming moments, showing that McEntire can act, not just sing. Interestingly, she has recently reunited with her former co-starMelissa Peterman, who played the younger dental hygienist her husband cheated with, in the new sitcomHappy’s Place.
3’Roseanne' (1988-1997)
Created by Matt Williams
Roseannewas a groundbreaking sitcom when it debuted in the late ‘80s, one of the first if notthefirst to depict a lower-middle-class family in Middle America just trying to get by. At a time when so many families were shown living in big houses with fancy jobs,Roseanne Barrtook a chance by showing a more realistic view of American life.
She plays Roseanne Conner, an entirely fictional character who is a wife and mother to three children. The sitcom touches on topics like the challenges of raising brooding teens, teenage rebellion, financial strife, and even physical struggles. The blue-collar show was so popular that it returned in 2018 but was short-lived due to questionable Tweets by Barr.The Connerswas born from that series, following a similar story set in the same house with the same main characters, minus Barr. That series will end with its seventh season in March 2025.
2’Seinfeld' (1989-1998)
Created by Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld
When it comes to sitcoms named after their stars, there’s arguably none so recognizable asSeinfeld. ComedianJerry Seinfeldplays a fictional version of himself who is also a stand-up comedian in the show. It follows the daily events that occur in his life, usually involving his friend George Costanza (Jason Alexander), former girlfriend Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and neighbor Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards).
Famously a “show about nothing,”Seinfeldhasplenty of strange episodesand spawned so many catchphrases, memorable moments and episodes, from “Festivus” to the “puffy shirt,” “man hands,” and “serenity now.” Even 27 years after the show went off the air, people still reference and quoteSeinfeldto this day. It’s no surprise thatSeinfeldis considered to be one of the best shows of the ‘90s and the best sitcoms of all time.
1’I Love Lucy' (1951-1957)
Created by Desilu Productions
Lucille Ballis delightful inI Love Lucy, a sitcom in which she stars opposite her real-life husbandDesi Arnaz. The story follows the life of a fictional woman named Lucy Ricardo who isn’t content just being a middle-class housewife. Whenever her husband goes to work, she gets up to hijinks with her best friends Ethel (Vivian Vance) and Fred (William Frawley), scheming in one way or another.
As the most-watched show in the U.S. when it was on the air, I Love Lucyset the stage for so many other shows and characters that have come since. The series is widely regarded as one of the most influential shows in history.
