Top 10 Best TV Sitcoms of the 2000s

Turn on the laugh tracks and whip out your TV guide. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 sitcoms of the 2000s.

For this list, we’ve incorporated live-action shows that began in the 2000s and continued for more than one season on an American network. We’ve decided our picks must include an ensemble, recurring cast of four or more actors.

A fresh spin on documentary-style sitcoms, this comedy plays up the family angle by following the lives of each separate unit as part of the larger whole. With the family comprised of three very different couples and their offspring, “Modern Family” has a far-reaching perspective of very different people from all ages, sexes and orientations. But it still manages to balance the situational humor of each person’s individual interactions.

Featuring one of the best bromances on primetime television, this comedy about a group of wet-behind-the-ears hospital interns stayed fresh and funny every week. JD, Turk and Elliot struggle to keep afloat in a sea of off-the-wall patients and overbearing authority figures while balancing their relationships and family lives. Full of both surreal and slapstick comedy, its quality may’ve dipped in later seasons; but its legacy is secure.

Breaking the fourth wall has never been this cool. Frankie Muniz stars as a socially maladjusted, highly intelligent kid trying to navigate the perils of life, which includes his super-crass, invasive family and some antagonistic teachers. Although the comedy can be crude at times, the message of this show is that family should always come first, no matter how much you try to get away from them.

Despite strong critical acclaim, this show initially suffered from low viewership. But that didn’t prevent it from airing seven-seasons, wherein Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey headline a cast of self-referential characters who poke fun at the day-to-day antics of a popular late-night sketch show mainstay. Though the comedy always hits its mark, the main allure of “30 Rock” lies in the often-piercing insight into the business end of TV.

Created and written by the star of the show Larry David, this sitcom revolves around the daily life of a retired television writer and producer. David draws inspiration from his experience in the industry and is no stranger to notoriety as the co-creator of the wildly popular ‘90s sitcom “Seinfeld.” Essentially another show about nothing, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” is a witty blend of scripted situations and improvised dialogue.

This Chuck Lorre creation panders to its young adult demographic of men and women who are slowly learning that nerdiness is no longer something to be ashamed of. The show follows a group of socially awkward super geniuses who are trying to deal with the idea of every day interaction with the opposite sex, and with other people in general – some of whom just happen to be nerd icons.

This remake of Ricky Gervais’ sitcom was one of the few successful reboots of a British series. The show follows the 9-to-5 lives of everyday working Joes at Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton, Pennsylvania branch, and for the most part, shows that they’re more than what they seem in the drab office setting. A lot of the comedy comes from an awkwardness and random self-awareness that subverts many of the cliché sitcom tropes.

Every so often, the choice of humor on primetime television can seem stale or repetitive. That’s why when “Arrested Development” hit the airwaves, its irreverent brand of self-referential comedy took viewers by storm. The in-depth, mockumentary style coverage of the unscrupulous Bluth family was something America hadn’t seen before and was in a very real sense, ahead of its time. A little while after its cancelation it was picked up and dusted off by Netflix.

This other Chuck Lorre creation is proof that a show doesn’t need its main star to continue attracting viewers. Amidst the sensation of Charlie Sheen’s complete breakdown, it’s easy to forget that “Two and A Half Men” was a well-written prime-time comedy in its heyday. The show is an easy blend of crass comedy and family values, which rakes in viewers galore and won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy in 2009.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005-)
- “Community” (2009-)
- “Parks and Recreation” (2009-)
- “The League” (2009-)

“Friends” was on its way out and networks needed to fill the sitcom void left in its wake. “How I Met Your Mother” started off as an understated sitcom and quickly blew up into a primetime phenomenon of its own. Borrowing many of the weekly comedy tropes set up by its predecessor, the show eventually found its own groove and became one of the top rated shows in America.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite sitcom of the 2000s? For more epic Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.