Image Credits: Mediacorp | The Straits Times
“Don’t play play, use Shopee. Best in Singapore, just like me!” Earning Shopee over 2 million Youtube views with his 2020 endorsement, the curly-haired, shrill-voiced plumber left no doubt about his enduring iconic status 🤩.
But if you’re a Gen Z-er or a young millennial who, during your childhood, was too obsessed with Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network to give local channels a chance, you may have thought “Who in the world is this...Phua Chu Kang? And what warrants his claim to be the ‘Best in Singapore’?” when he popped up on your screen 📺.
Well, stop asking! Start bingeing on some good ol’ Singaporean sitcoms and you'll find out the answers for yourself. After all, as they (whoever they are) like to say, old is gold 🌟! So just take a break from Netflix (or your beloved shady streaming sites *cough cough*) and tide through whatever new measures covid forces us into with the gems of this genre. And if you refuse...it’s really your loss!
1. Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd
Image Credit: Mediacorp
It will leave your heart feeling all warm and fuzzy after punching you with a belly-achingly good laugh...what more can you ask for?! Featuring the hilarious Gurmit Singh (who plays the titular character) and a fresh-faced Pierre Png, this show turns the patriarchal concept of the ‘man of the house’ on its head in much the same way as The Simpsons and Family Guy do. With almost prescient ‘wokeness’, the 8 seasons of PCK argue through their overall narrative that even ‘losers’ - or, in this case, an uneducated contractor 🔧 - can still be successful by their own efforts, all without relying on the cliché of a rags-to-riches glow up.
Click here to watch!
2. Police and Thief
Image Credit: Mediacorp
If you have an eclectic taste, this Singaporean live-action version of 🐱Tom and Jerry🐭 (just watch the opening theme song and you’ll get it) should hit all the right spots, since it boasts a little bit of practically every TV genre. With the protagonists (and, by extension, their families) oscillating between dishing out tongue-in-cheek banter and sharing unparalleled camaraderie, frenemy drama has never been so nuanced and amusing!
Click here to watch!
3. Spouse for House
Image Credit: Mediacorp
Think of this one as a swoon-worthy cohabitation/contract marriage kdrama plot (e.g. Because This Is My First Life) localised within the four walls of a HDB flat. As it follows a whirlwind romance that leads to a BTO application, this series will keep you on the edge of your seat (good luck to your ass) at the end of each episode guessing if/when the lead couple will FINALLY get together 🏠!
Click here to watch!
4. Under One Roof
Image Credit: The Straits Times
This award-winning series was Singapore’s first English-language venture into the sitcom realm. Spanning 7 seasons, the show revolves around a group of neighbours who, as the title suggests, reside in the same apartment building and explores all the shenanigans that could follow from such a living arrangement 😱. Crucially, in comparison to the previous entries on this list, this one boasts a more racially diverse cast that rather faithfully captures Singapore’s ethnic makeup!
Click here to watch!
Though clearly not an exhaustive list (it’s this short because we only included our favourites), the above entries are great starting points for dipping your (stinky) toes into the Singaporean sitcom genre! They’ll also provide you a breath of fresh air (ironically) if you’re looking to support locally-produced media since they stay proudly and fiercely true to the Singaporean culture and spirit. And unlike some of the more recent local TV offerings, the oldie goodies we’ve recommended here are certainly free of sad attempts at fake accents (or even propaganda) 🤗🤗.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t play play…they really are the best that Singapore has to offer 😉!