re: Sitcoms from 1999-2004 (the period b/w Seinfeld and The Office)

I sort of understand your point...(recent sitcoms have had smart writing) and there were some post-Seinfeld shows that felt like 80's shows.

Raymond, Queens and Carey, Two and a Half - all went back to simple and obvious laughs...and I guess the studios are right because they were hugely successful.

But Frasier was very very smart and people who love Spin City claim it was smart.