By Nyah Toomes

Staff Writer

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

“The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” stars Will Smith and follows his journey through life after being forced by his mother to move from his home in West Philadelphia to move in with his Aunt Vivian and her family. This sitcom is not only iconic because of its catchy theme song, but because it addressed important issues in the black community, such as police brutality. The show had a countless amount of funny moments, best showcased through Carlton and Will. The Carlton dance will live on to make viewers laugh through the generations.

Martin

“Martin” is a comedic sitcom based around Martin’s snarky comments and inappropriate behavior towards everyone around him, despite this he was a loving, caring family man deep down. The most iconic part of this show is the relationship Martin had with his girlfriend Gina. The show was funny and taught important lessons about being in a relationship. The show averaged 11 million viewers when it first aired.

Everybody Hates Chris

This is for all the kids who stayed up past their bedtime to watch “Everybody Hates Chris” on Nick at Nite. “Everybody Hates Chris” was created by Chris Rock and showcased a hilarious depiction of his life as a teenager. Terry Crews played Chris’s penny-pinching father and definitely had everyone rethinking how they spent their money after watching an episode.

The Bernie Mac Show

This sitcom starred one of the Kings of Comedy, the late Bernie Mac. It aired from 2001 to 2006 on Fox. What made the show iconic was Bernie’s tough love and comical parenting tactics after taking in his sister Stacy’s the three kids. The Bernie Mac Show kept it real and never sugar coated what it is like to be a parent.

Family Matters

“Family Matters” was set in Chicago and revolved around a policeman, Carl Winslow, and his family. The show ran for nine seasons, which was one of the longest running black sitcoms next to “The Jeffersons” which ran for 11. What made the show iconic was the Winslows’ nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel, who went to the Winslow’s house excessively and had a huge crush on Carl’s daughter Laura.

Black-ish

This sitcom showcases a family man, Andre Johnson, who tries to find a sense of cultural identity while raising his four kids in a predominately white upper class neighborhood. The show is iconic because it tackles many issues that affect the black community, while still showcasing comedic elements.

Kenan & Kel

“Everybody out there go run and tell your homeboys and homegirls it’s time for Kenan & Kel!” This show definitely kept every kid laughing. The sitcom aired on Nickelodeon until 2000, but reruns continued until 2009. The show revolved around two best friends who lived in Chicago. Kenan was always conspiring a new “get rich quick” scheme, while his best friend Kel would never fail to mess it up.

The Proud Family

This animated sitcom aired on Disney Channel from 2001 until 2005. It surrounded the life on Penny Proud and her dysfunctional but hilarious family. What made the show so iconic were the amount of guest voice stars such as Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey. The theme song was even sung by Solange Knowles and Destiny’s Child. If you look close enough Oscar and Trudy look exactly like Martin and Gina from Martin!

That’s So Raven

That’s So Raven was set in San Francisco and focused on a high school girl named Raven Baxter who had a supernatural ability to see into the future. Because of her abilities, she often tried to prevent future events from happening in many ridiculous ways. What made the show iconic was the funny moments she had with her two best friends Chelsea and Eddie, or her little brother Cory who later went on to star in his own spinoff, Cory in the House.

Sister Sister

Tia and Tamera were separated at birth but later found each other in a department store. From then on Ray, Tamera’s adopted father, allow Tia and her adopted mother Lisa to move in with them. What made the show iconic was the funny moments, the important lessons about growing up, and the famous lines such as “Go Home Roger!,” which they said every time their annoying next door neighbor was near them.