15. Mom
Members: Even though Mom began as something of a family series centered on Christy’s (Anna Faris) home life with her estranged mother Bonnie (Allison Janney) and two children, the CBS sitcom morphed into a series about women holding each other up through sobriety. Joining Christy and Bonnie at their sometimes daily AA meetings are Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy), Jill (Jaime Kennedy), Wendy (Beth Hall), and Tammy (Kristen Johnston).
Memorable moments: Whether they’re laughing or mourning a tragic loss, the group of best friends on Mom gathers around like family and acts as each other’s rock. They’ve listened to Christy gripe about her troubles with motherhood, her own mother, and her rocky love life. When Jodi passed away, they offered each other a shoulder to cry on, and Bonnie provided an adventure by smuggling maple syrup across the Canadian border. But they’re the first to call each other on their crap, like when Christy’s smoking habit cost the gang a chance to experience hugging therapy.
Running gags: Unlike a few of the other sitcom friend groups celebrated on this list, Mom’s hilarious group of women don’t have many running gags in the classic sense. Sure, Christy’s constant roasting of her mother’s former negligence often comes up at meetings and in the heat of the moment, but callbacks and recurring jokes are few and far between on Mom. Still, other recurring themes include Bonnie’s put-downs for Wendy and jabs at Marjorie, Jill’s out-of-sync upper-class point of view, and, of course, the all-important meetings.
Key episodes: “Mozzarella Sticks and a Gay Piano Bar,” “Sticky Hands and a Walk on the Wild Side,” “Freckled Bananas and a Little Schwinn,” “Wind Chimes and a Bottomless Pit of Sadness,” “Crazy Snakes and a Clog to the Head,” “Phone Confetti and a Wee Dingle,” “Jell-O Shots and the Truth About Santa,” “Sparkling Banter and a Failing Steel Town.”