Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week, I’ve got another Q&A entry, where I answer questions submitted by readers. Thanks to everyone who sent in something — if you don’t see your “Q” here, I just may “A” it next time. (And keep them coming — any related topic on which you want my opinion and/or a little research? Just let me know!)

Miranda asks… What is your favorite sitcom crossover?

Although crossovers are inherently gimmicks designed for a commercial appeal, they can be great, as with anything, if they’re well-connected to a series’ situation, exploring either the regulars or the premise well. Accordingly, I think the best crossovers occur between shows that have a reason to be in affiliation — for instance, if they have characters in common or are simply known to exist in the same world, for then the intertwining makes internal sense. In that vein, the sitcom crossover that first comes to mind as a favorite is “Rhoda’s Wedding.” Not only was this an exciting television event that benefited from a big, starry cast, it was also totally logical and completely necessary for the title character to have her friends from Minneapolis — the leads from The Mary Tyler Moore Show — attend her nuptials. That is, it corroborated Rhoda’s situation because it acknowledged her established history. Similarly, I love Mary’s appearance on a second season episode of Phyllis called “You’re Not Getting Better, Just Older,” which is a surprisingly strong character show for both Mary and Phyllis that examines their unique friendship in a fresh way. (I say “surprisingly” because it was rare for Phyllis to get any specific, revealing material at that point in the series’ run.) Those are two obvious standouts — two great examples of shows with real connections using crossovers to explore their regulars and support the “reality” created within these low-concept, character-driven classics.

Brandon is curious… Do you have a controversial sitcom opinion? 

I don’t know if it’s controversial, but this may be uncommon and surprising… I believe the first year of The Tony Randall Show is as good, and maybe even better, than the first year of The Bob Newhart Show, a more successful work-and-home multi-cam from MTM in the 1970s that I like better overall, but not when comparing only their debut seasons. In particular, I think Randall’s characters are better defined more immediately — and more comedically — as its storytelling is more specifically tied to either the regulars or the premised circumstances of the lead’s situation, while the scripts are at the same level humor-wise as Bob Newhart’s. Well, in Season One, that is. (For the record, Tom Patchett & Jay Tarses, who contributed to Bob Newhart in its first season and then led the show during its peak, were also the creators and showrunners of Tony Randall.)

Nat wants me to go against my principles by picking a… Favorite dramatic sitcom moment?

I don’t have a favorite dramatic moment from a situation comedy. I know it’s quite possible to pick a good example out of many potential options, but, as you know, I don’t watch sitcoms for their dramatic moments, and, on principle, I don’t encourage thinking of them on these terms, because the genre suffers when it undermines its unique objectives in deference to other forms’ own interests. Accordingly, I think it’s important to prioritize comedy as a sign of sitcom quality, especially over its direct aesthetic opposite… However, since I don’t want to be disappointed, I won’t disappoint: if I have to pick one, I’ll choose Sam and Diane’s breakup in Cheers’ Season Two finale. It’s a serious scene with heavy emotional stakes that therefore plays dramatically, but it’s character-driven (supported by an entire year of earned tension) and actually has a few big laughs, including a classic bit of slapstick where Cheers proves it’s a sitcom, first and foremost. What’s more, the moment is not drama for drama’s sake; it’s drama for character’s sake — and that ultimately aids their ability to keep upholding the situation believably, and comedically.

Issa Kelly wants my opinion… What actor gave a great comic performance on an otherwise mediocre sitcom?

There are so many, but the person who leaps to mind first is Christine Baranski on Cybill. She and Chuck Lorre are the only reasons I could convince myself to cover that series here.

Chris Andrews says… You have a great website, but picking the best 10 episodes out of a season of 22 or 24 episodes isn’t making a call. Make the call – Pick the 5 best or even the three best. Your columns would be far more impactful if you did that. As it stands now, pretty much half the seasons you review get a trophy. It makes your commentary far less effective.

Thanks for the feedback. I agree there are some seasons and series that don’t deserve ten full episodes highlighted. But the best of the best do, like many of the classic sitcoms this blog was first designed to cover: I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Cheers, Seinfeld, Frasier, to name a few. I opt to keep this standard for every show (when I can) – and I try to maintain an approximate 10:24 ratio when a season has fewer episodes (such as Curb Your Enthusiasm) — because I appreciate the consistency of the formula, which helps reveal how seasons, and series, directly compare against each other inside a constant framework. Also, as I said on the About page, “I believe a single entry is often unable to illustrate the totality of a series’, or even a sole season’s, appeal. By choosing ten installments, I’m afforded the opportunity to discuss many sides of a show – its storytelling, its characters, its senses of humor, etc. Picking a number that’s seemingly so high allows for a fuller discussion and a ‘buffet’ of relative superiority for readers who have different interests. This is, simply, a more comprehensive form of analysis — intending to offer something for everyone.” To expand, I like to think I’m giving you more freedom to find what you want within the best of a collection, so you can maximize your own enjoyment. As for my commentary, you may disagree, but I believe I’m good at explaining which shows and episodes I personally consider the best of the best. I just tend to be exhaustive, which requires more close reading and, unlike most “listicles,” isn’t conducive to a skim. It may seem generous from a distance, but there’s always an expressed hierarchy of merit… And, of course, if you ever remain unsure, I’m always happy to elaborate or clarify!

Have a question for me? Submit it at the “Ask Jackson (Q&A)” link.

Come back next week for another Wildcard! And stay tuned Tuesday for more sitcom fun!