Moms, dads, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters -- more than just a hilarious reflection of people to grow up and old with, sitcoms have opened the hearts of many to a more inclusive vision of what family can mean.

Since America has long found it easier to laugh about sex than talk seriously about it, sitcom humour has had a critical role ushering in a new era of openness, not just towards sex, but toward women's rights and gender identity.

When Americans look beyond family or work for their identity, the "hanging out with friends" sitcom redefines the genre and reveals television's challenging quest for inclusivity and authentic representation.

Work families can be even funnier than biological ones, since the endless array of wacky sitcom characters on the job offers hilarious insights into the state of the American workplace.

In many homes, difficult conversations about race and diversity have first happened on the sitcom screen, helping pave the way for progress with hilarity and laughter.

Sitcom laughs have helped generations of Americans come to grips with their place in a supposed "classless" society.