Sitcoms are a crucial part of television. Throughout the decades,sitcoms have achieved critical and commercial success thanks to their amiable, approachable, and universal formula,making them appealing and possibly irresistible to everyone.
The 21st century has produced many worthy sitcoms, even with the rise of streaming. In fact, the new millennium has some of the best and most celebrated sitcoms in television history. Whether because of their hilarious storylines, charming cast, clever approach, or a combination of all these factors,these sitcoms are the best of the 21st century and among the all-time best.
15’Party Down' (2009 - Present)
Creators: John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, Paul Rudd
Adam Scottleads an ensemble cast in the beloved cult hitParty Down. The show follows a group of struggling actors and writers working at a catering company while trying to make it in Hollywood.Jane Lynch,Lizzie Caplan,Ken Marino,Ryan Hansen, andMartin Starralso starred.
With its successful blend of acidic humor and on-point satire,Party Downis among the best sitcoms of the 2000s and an underrated gem that deserves far more love. The show thrives on the strength of strong writing and a brilliant cast in service of a surprisingly insightful story about fear, ambition, and the inherent instability of daring to “live the dream.”
Party Down
Watch on Roku
14’Letterkenny' (2016 - )
Creator: Jared Keeso
Jared Keesostars in the Canadian sitcomLetterkenny. The plot revolves around the inhabitants of the fictional rural community of Letterkenny in Ontario, Canada, chronicling their everyday lives and the wild antics they usually find themselves involved in.
Letterkennyhas received near-universal acclaim for its refreshing and unconventional humor. Theshow’s use of Canadian vernacularhas been met with particular acclaim from critics and fans, as have the storylines revolving around Canadian culture and identity.Letterkennyis among the decade’s most underrated comedies, expertly blending simplicity with outrageousness and creating a unique show on its way to becoming a classic.
Letterkenny
Watch on Hulu
Creators: Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson
Abbi JacobsonandIlana Glazerstar in the underrated sitcomBroad City. Based on the pair’s web series of the same name, the show follows two best friends dealing with the hardships of life and love while navigating New York City.
Broad Cityis a masterpiece of slacker humor. Elevated by Jacobson and Glazer’s hilarious, relatable performances, the show is an absurd and compelling portrayal of twenty-something life, full of self-deprecating and clever humor. Thanks to its quotable scripts and tongue-in-cheek humor,Broad Cityis among the best sitcoms in recent years and an instant television classic.
Broad City
12’Raising Hope' (2010 - 2014)
Creator: Greg Garcia
Martha Plimptonstarred in the underrated Fox sitcomRaising Hope. The plot features a truly wild premise revolving around Jimmy, a twenty-three-year-old who accidentally impregnates a serial killer. Following the mother’s death sentence, Jimmy must raise the baby, Hope, alongside his eccentric family.
Over-the-top and wacky but always earnest and poignant,Raising Hopemade the best out of its out-there premise without letting things get out of hand. Classic in the best possible way,Raising Hopeis a tender and nuanced portrayal of a working-class family, full of pathos, humor, and heartfelt emotion.
Raising Hope
Jimmy Chance, a 23-year-old man who skims pools for a living, has a chance romantic encounter with Lucy, a wanted felon. When he visits Lucy in prison months later, Jimmy discovers that she gave birth to a baby he must now raise – with his family’s help. Jimmy’s family includes his parents, who have no interest in helping to raise their grandchild, and his grandmother, Maw Maw, who can barely care for herself … let alone a baby. Greg Garcia (“My Name Is Earl”) created and executive produces the family comedy.
Watch on Prime Video
11’Happy Endings' (2011 - 2020)
Creator: David Caspe
The egregiously underrated sitcomHappy Endingscenters on the close and slightly dysfunctional relationship of six friends living in Chicago. Unlike other sitcoms with similar premises that plagued noughties television,Happy Endingsstood out because of its zanier humor and warm-hearted approach.
Critically acclaimed throughout its run,Happy Endingsis among the manygreat shows canceled too soon, with ABC pulling the plug following the second season. It’s a shame because the show could’ve gone for multiple seasons, thanks to the chemistry between its well-balanced and irresistible cast. Still,Happy Endingshas aged remarkably well, with many fans and critics considering it a modern classic.
Happy Endings
10’Black-ish' (2014 - 2022)
Creator: Kenya Barris
Anthony AndersonandTracee Ellis Rossreceived universal acclaim and multiple Emmy nominations for their work in the ABC sitcomBlack-ish. The plot centers on André and Rainbow, a married couple raising their family while struggling to incorporate their Black heritage into their upper-middle-class, suburban lifestyle.
Nuanced and poignant,Black-ishincorporated many crucial and relevant social issues into its otherwise lighthearted plot. The result is a clever and insightful look at family life from a perspective seldom seen on mainstream television. As the show progressed, it assumed a more decisive approach to its social stance, becoming more self-aware but just as willing to explore real-life issues while providing some much-needed laughter.
9’Schitt’s Creek' (2015 - 2020)
Creators: Eugene Levy, Dan Levy
The quirky comedySchitt’s CreekstarsEugene Levy,Catherine O’Hara,Dan Levy, andAnnie Murphy. The story revolves around the Rose clan, a formerly wealthy family forced to relocate to a remote town they purchased as a joke after losing their fortune to embezzlement.
The show went unnoticed for years before exploding during its last two seasons. Nowadays,Schitt’s Creekoften ranks among the best sitcoms of the new millennium, thanks to its absurd, over-the-top approach and the triumphant and heartwarming message within. Rewarding and ridiculously quotable,Schitt’s Creekis a sitcom that will undoubtedly improve with age.
Schitt’s Creek
After being a victim of fraud, Johnny Rose and his family go from extremely wealthy to penniless overnight. The only asset left to them is a small, unsophisticated town: Schitt’s Creek. They relocate there. Culture shock ensues.
8’Community' (2009 - 2015)
Creator: Dan Harmon
Communitystars an ensemble cast, includingJoel McHale,Gillian Jacobs,Alison Brie,Donald Glover, andKen Jeong. The plot follows a lawyer forced to go to community college, where he starts a study group to impress a pretty co-ed. However, several others also join, leading to a chaotic but surprisingly meaningful group.
Praised for its meta and self-deprecating humor,Communityquickly became a cult classic. The show excels as a love letter to the numerous shows that inspired it, brought to wonderful, disruptive life by a stellar cast of underrated comedians at the top of their game. Few modern sitcoms have such a prominent place in pop culture, withCommunitybecoming a mainstay of social media. After years of development,Communitywill return with a moviepremiering on Peacock, delighting millions of fans.
A suspended lawyer is forced to enroll in a community college with an eccentric staff and student body.
Watch on Netflix
7’How I Met Your Mother' (2005 - 2014)
Creators: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas
With a fresh and original premise and a cast of stars in the making – plus two certified TV icons –How I Met Your Motherchanged television’s landscape. The show revolves around Ted, who tells his children the long and winding story of how he met their mother, with his friends playing prominent roles.
Featuring a mix of fast-paced humor and a back-and-forth narrative,How I Met Your Motherstands out above its competition with quotable dialogue and many jokes that have entered pop culture’s lexicon. Some of its content has aged quite badly – particularly most things concerning resident womanizer Barney Stinson – and its infamousfinal episode almost derailed an otherwise great series. However,How I Met Your Motherremains a fan and critical favorite and one of the new millennium’s most important sitcoms.
How I Met Your Mother
A father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.
6’Parks and Recreation' (2009 - 2015)
Creator: Greg Daniels, Michael Schur
Amy Poehlerstars as the idealistic and go-getter Leslie Knope in the acclaimed NCB sitcomParks and Recreation. The show follows the misadventures of Leslie, a bureaucrat working in the Parks Department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, and her quirky co-workers and friends.
Featuring one of the best and instantly recognizable supporting casts of any show,Parks and Recreationis among the most shamelessly optimistic portrayals of government officials. The show proudly flaunted its sense of community, resulting in an overflow of goodwill that never became obnoxious or overwhelming. Launching the careers of many heavy players from the 2010s,Parks and Recreationis perhaps the most traditional and wholesome modern sitcom. Unlike many of its contemporaries, it has aged great.
Parks and Recreation
The absurd antics of an Indiana town’s public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.
