Seinfeld (1989)

Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's NBC sitcom ran for nine seasons (180 episodes) from 1989 to 1998 and redefined American comedy television by building an ensemble series explicitly "about nothing." Its final episode drew 76 million viewers — still one of the most-watched TV events in US history. The show's "no hugging, no learning" philosophy, Yada Yada Yada, the Soup Nazi, and George Costanza became permanent cultural fixtures, and it inspired a generation of character-driven sitcoms including Curb Your Enthusiasm, It's Always Sunny, and Arrested Development.