Final Four!

We've finally reached the end of the sitcom bracket. No more obscure shows to mention, and I'm a little worried that I've run out of jokes. (If any of you are tempted to say something like "Don't worry about that, you ran out of jokes three posts ago," just don't. It's rude.)

Assuming some of you have read all of these, thank you for bearing with me, and I hope I've helped to remind you that there are (and have been) plenty of good non-reality TV options. As always, winners are in bold.

SEMIFINALS

I Love Lucy vs. The Simpsons
You can probably all see where this is going. I mean, I have two pair of Homer Simpson pajama pants. And Homer slippers and flip flops. And a beer belly that is rapidly reaching Homeric proportions. The show is just in a class by itself. Lucille Ball has made more than one appearance on The Simpsons, by the way.

The Cosby Show vs. Seinfeld
Plenty of classic moments from Cosby, including this one, but Seinfeld can match it moment for moment, plus it has made a more lasting impact on our overall language and culture (yadda yadda, "no soup for you!," Festivus, etc.).

SITCOM CHAMPIONSHIP

The Simpsons vs. Seinfeld
You know why a lot of young people now get most of their news from The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, etc.? It's not because those shows are hip and fresh and relevant; it's because, when the regular news is on, young people are watching back-to-back syndicated reruns of these two finalists. It's the best pairing of all-time (take that, PB&J). I've seen many episodes of these shows literally a dozen times, and while that certainly says something about me and my priorities, it also says something about the quality of the programs.

But when all is said and done, no show has ever come close to usurping The Simpsons' spot as my all-time favorite. This whole tournament was really a battle for second place all along.

As I wrap this up, two things to ponder on your own, or for us to discuss in the comments: first, which Simpsons character(s) could/should Matt Groening build a successful spin-off around? Mr. Burns would be a logical choice; it would be like Richy Rich as a grown-up. Lenny and Carl have potential, as do Kent Brockman and Duffman. A show about Disco Stu would be hilarious, but I feel it would probably run out of steam pretty quickly.

Last of all, I'll probably want to revisit this bracket concept next year...who or what should I have compete next year? If I start thinking about it early, I'll be more likely to be done blogging about March Madness before mid-April.