15 Best Sitcoms of the 21st Century, Ranked (original) (raw)
The cast of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia smiling ridiculously for a photo.
Image via FXX
Updated Nov 23, 2023, 8:00 PM EST
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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
Party Down Season 2
Image via Starz
Adam Scottleads an ensemble cast in the beloved cult hit Party 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, and Martin Starr also starred.
With its successful blend of acidic humor and on-point satire, Party Down is 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."
Release Date
2009 - 2023-00-00
Network
Showrunner
John Enbom
Directors
John Enbom
Writers
John Enbom
14 'Letterkenny' (2016 - )
Creator: Jared Keeso
Image via Hulu
Jared Keeso stars in the Canadian sitcom Letterkenny. 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.
Letterkenny has received near-universal acclaim for its refreshing and unconventional humor. The show's use of Canadian vernacular has been met with particular acclaim from critics and fans, as have the storylines revolving around Canadian culture and identity. Letterkenny is 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
Release Date
2018 - 2023-00-00
Cast
Jared Keeso
Seasons
12
13 'Broad City' (2014 - 2019)
Creators: Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson
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Image via Comedy Central
Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer star in the underrated sitcom Broad 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 City is 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 City is among the best sitcoms in recent years and an instant television classic.
Release Date
2014 - 2019-00-00
Network
Comedy Central
Showrunner
Ilana Glazer
Directors
Ilana Glazer
Writers
Ilana Glazer
Cast
Abbi Jacobson, Ilana Glazer, Hannibal Buress, Paul Downs, John Gemberling, Arturo Castro, Stephen Schneider, Chris Gethard, D'Arcy Carden, Susie Essman, Bob Balaban
Seasons
5
12 'Raising Hope' (2010 - 2014)
Creator: Greg Garcia
The Chance family staring ahead in Raising Hope
Image via Fox Network
Martha Plimpton starred in the underrated Fox sitcom Raising 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 Hope made the best out of its out-there premise without letting things get out of hand. Classic in the best possible way, Raising Hope is a tender and nuanced portrayal of a working-class family, full of pathos, humor, and heartfelt emotion.
Release Date
2010 - 2014-00-00
Network
FOX
Directors
Eyal Gordin, Michael Fresco, Daniel Attias, Jace Alexander, Chris Koch, Jerry Levine, Ken Whittingham, Lee Shallat Chemel, Matt Shakman, Randall Einhorn, Troy Miller, Tucker Gates, Phil Traill
Writers
Bobby Bowman, Alan Kirschenbaum, Michael Pennie, Christine Zander, Elijah Aron, Jordan Young, Greg Garcia, Liz Astrof, Mark Torgove, Mike Mariano
Cast
Martha Plimpton
Virginia Chance
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.
11 'Happy Endings' (2011 - 2020)
Creator: David Caspe
Happy Endings TV Show cast
Image via ABC
The egregiously underrated sitcom Happy Endings centers on the close and slightly dysfunctional relationship of six friends living in Chicago. Unlike other sitcoms with similar premises that plagued noughties television, Happy Endings stood out because of its zanier humor and warm-hearted approach.
Critically acclaimed throughout its run, Happy Endings is among the many great 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 Endings has aged remarkably well, with many fans and critics considering it a modern classic.
Release Date
2011 - 2013-00-00
Network
10 'Black-ish' (2014 - 2022)
Creator: Kenya Barris
The Johnson family celebrating while matriarch Bow sits looking upset in Black-ish.
Image via ABC
Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross received universal acclaim and multiple Emmy nominations for their work in the ABC sitcom Black-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-ish incorporated 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.
Release Date
2014 - 2022-00-00
Network
Showrunner
Directors
Anton Cropper, Ken Whittingham, Gail Lerner, Kevin Bray, Millicent Shelton, Pete Chatmon, Michael Spiller, Linda Mendoza, Matt Sohn, Todd Biermann, Michael Schultz, John Fortenberry, Eric Dean Seaton, Charles Stone III, Kenya Barris, James Griffiths, Rob Sweeney, Todd Holland, Victor Nelli Jr., Jude Weng, Fred Savage, Eva Longoria, Claire Scanlon, Matthew A. Cherry
Writers
Steven White, Christian Lander, Lindsey Shockley, Lisa Muse Bryant, Corey Nickerson, Yamara Taylor, Robb Chavis, Hale Rothstein, Melanie Boysaw, Jenifer Rice-Genzuk, Marquita Robinson, Kenny Smith Jr., Doug Hall, Isaiah Lester, Graham Towers, Mary Fitzgerald, Nick Adams, Esa Lewis, Eric Horsted, Lizzie Donaldson, Ben Deeb, Yvette Lee Bowser, Owen Smith, Emily Halpern
Cast
Anthony Anderson, Gary Cole, Nat Faxon, Tracee Ellis Ross, Anders Holm, Christopher Allen, Ron Funches, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Marsai Martin, Miles Brown, Jenifer Lewis, Deon Cole, Peter MacKenzie, Jeff Meacham, Katlyn Nichol, Laurence Fishburne, Hector Osorio, Ken Jenkins, Brandon Gibson, Amber Rose, Aloe Blacc, Fonzworth Bentley, Trevor Jackson
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
8
9 'Schitt's Creek' (2015 - 2020)
Creators: Eugene Levy, Dan Levy
The Rose family and Stevie posing together at David and Patrick's wedding in Schitt's Creek.
Image via ITV
The quirky comedy Schitt's Creek stars Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy, and Annie 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 Creek often 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 Creek is a sitcom that will undoubtedly improve with age.
Schitt's Creek
Release Date
2015 - 2020-00-00
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.
Cast
Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Dan Levy, Annie Murphy, Emily Hampshire, Chris Elliott, Jennifer Robertson, Tim Rozon, Noah Reid, Dustin Milligan, Sarah Levy, Mishka Thébaud, Stacey Farber, Brandon Rollo, Scott Farley, Linda Thorson, Saul Rubinek, Victor Garber, Joyce Rivera, Alex Spencer, Alexander Choat, Aveleigh Keller, Christina Orjalo, Darryl Dinn, Brendan Cox
Seasons
6
Creator: Dan Harmon
Community: NBC Comedy Main Cast Members Promotional Image
Image via NBC
Community stars an ensemble cast, including Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, and Ken 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, Community quickly 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, with Community becoming a mainstay of social media. After years of development, Community will return with a movie premiering on Peacock, delighting millions of fans.
Community
Release Date
2009 - 2015-00-00
A suspended lawyer is forced to enroll in a community college with an eccentric staff and student body.
Cast
Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Ken Jeong, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jim Rash, Donald Glover, Chevy Chase, Aaron Himelstein, Aaron Takahashi, Abraham Benrubi, Adrian Sparks, Alfred Dennis, Bubba Dean Rambo, Carl Ciarfalio, Carlos Moreno Jr., Charles Walker, Christopher Boyer, David Jean Thomas, Derwin Jordan, E.J. Callahan, Gloria Sandoval, Gwen McGee, James Martin Kelly, John Michael Higgins, Lee Weaver, Lisa Long, Mark Ryan, Matt Besser, Michael McCafferty, Michelle Krusiec, Mitchell Hurwitz
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
6
7 'How I Met Your Mother' (2005 - 2014)
Creators: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas
The cast of How I Met Your Mother peer through a window in a promotional shoot for the series.
Image via 20th Television
With a fresh and original premise and a cast of stars in the making – plus two certified TV icons – How I Met Your Mother changed 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 Mother stands 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 infamous final episode almost derailed an otherwise great series. However, How I Met Your Mother remains a fan and critical favorite and one of the new millennium's most important sitcoms.
Release Date
2005 - 2014-00-00
Network
Showrunner
Craig Thomas
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.
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
9
6 'Parks and Recreation' (2009 - 2015)
Creator: Greg Daniels, Michael Schur
Image via NBC
Amy Poehler stars as the idealistic and go-getter Leslie Knope in the acclaimed NCB sitcom Parks 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 Recreation_is 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 Recreation is perhaps the most traditional and wholesome modern sitcom. Unlike many of its contemporaries, it has aged great.
The absurd antics of an Indiana town's public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.
Cast
Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Jim O'Heir, Retta, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Paul Schneider, Lucy Lawless, Patricia Clarkson, Michael Gross, Bonita Friedericy, Jessica St. Clair, Parker Posey, Pat Crawford Brown, Ian Roberts, Will Forte, Lyle Kanouse, Dakin Matthews, Will Arnett, John Larroquette, Aimee Parker
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
7