Sitcoms peaked in the 2000s, with several shows like That 70s Show, How I Met Your Mother, and Two and a Half Men acquiring cult fanbases over the years. However, in modern times, such shows have aged poorly for some, be it in of their oversaturated tropes, recurring gags, or jokes that might not sit well with present-day audiences.
In contrast, some of the sitcoms from the era have still maintained their reputation or gotten even better in a decade. From popular family comedies to adult animated ones, these shows serve as a good replacement to the usual suspects.
The Middle (2009-2018) - Stream On HBO Max
Despite the similarities with its contemporaries, The Middle still managed to run through nine seasons until 2018. The performances by Patricia Heaton as s Heck, Eden Sher as her daughter Sue, and Atticus Schafer as her son Brick, attained critical acclaim in particular. Several reviews regard The Middle as an underrated TV show that is not being watched enough.
Arrested Development (2003-2019) - Stream On Netflix
Quick cutaways. Random flashbacks. And a narration with meta-elements. These are some of the defining features of Arrested Development, regarded by many as a revolutionary entry in the sitcom genre. Unlike Friends or The Office, Arrested Development’s initial run didn’t even last that long with a mere three seasons.
The tumultuous life of the once-rich Bluth family returned for Community have been influenced by Arrested Development, the Jason Bateman-starrer is still regarded as a show with its own earned legacy.
Parks & Recreation (2009-2015) - Stream On DIRECTV
Greg Daniels and Michael Schur have served as showrunners in both The Office and Parks & Recreation. When the latter’s first season debuted, critics and audiences were quick to make comparisons with The Office. After all, both were mockumentary sitcoms with characters talking directly to the camera.
Despite using the same formula as The Office, Parks & Rec has stood out on its own with its satirical political commentary. Be it the white-dominated bureaucracy or the everyday issues of a city council, the comedy series’ satire has aged well, as it can be applied to modern American politics even today.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-) - Stream On Hulu
Before the 2000s, people would have argued that Larry David’s magnum opus would be Curb Your Enthusiasm follows a similar approach but takes it to a new level as it dramatizes David’s life after Seinfeld.
The show’s ongoing run parodies Hollywood stardom, with many of David’s high-profile friends making guest appearances in Curb Your Enthusiasm. The observational humor and smart satire has somehow worked for 11 seasons, managing to set itself apart from Seinfeld.
The Office (UK) (2001-2003) - Steam On Hulu
While the American version of The Office has spawned a dedicated fanbase, viewers must not forget that it was borne out of the British comedy series created by and starring Ricky Gervais. Even though it lasted for only two seasons, the mockumentary sitcom lay the foundation of The Office (US) and Parks & Recreation which would inspire several other comedies in the same format.
Documenting the day-to-day affairs of the clumsy employees of a paper company under the hilarious yet cringe-inducing boss David Brent, the comedy’s legacy might be eclipsed by its American counterpart. But in recent times, with Gervais’ increased fame, there is a resurgence of interest in the original. The cynical tones of the show serve as a good break from the American version’s light-hearted nature.
The Super Hero Squad Show (2009-2011) - Stream On Disney+
One of the most underrated animated sitcoms in recent times would be The Super Hero Squad Show. The show’s ensemble stars Marvel’s strongest and most popular heroes and villains, but in their parodied avatars. In the course of just two seasons, the single-episode arcs take shots at the over-the-top drama of the superhero genre as a whole.
It didn’t receive the most favorable reviews but was hailed as a good kid’s watch. However today, it deserves a retrospective look in an age when it is trendy to satirize comic book characters. Before family-friendly options like Teen Titans Go or adult Hit-Monkey and MODOK, The Super Hero Squad Show made animated superhero comedy cool before it was cool.
Community (2009-2015) - Stream On Netflix
On the surface, Community is just a college comedy. But as viewers get hooked to it, they will realize that its meta-narrative gives way to a whole lot of possibilities. The lead cast of six unlikely classmates in a community college indulge in adventures that range from surreal parallel realities to stop-motion animated stories.
Even though Community earned rave reviews, it failed to make a mark at the Emmys, unlike other contemporary sitcoms. At its time, the show also attracted negative publicity due to the behavior of lead actor Chevy Chase and showrunner Dan Harmon. But now that the latter has gained his redemption with Rick and Morty and the rest of the cast (Donald Glover, Alison Brie, and so on) have maintained their stardom, interest in Community has still survived. In fact, die-hard fans have been wishing for a Community movie after its six-season run with the online hashtag campaign #SixSeasonsAndAMovie.
Scrubs (2001-2010) - Stream On Hulu
one of Zach Braff's best roles as he plays the dreamy medical intern John "JD" Dorian. Despite Braff's charm, the show couldn't meet a satisfying end as it concluded with a final season that was hated by both critics and audiences alike.
However, barring the final season, the rest of Scrubs still holds up to the test of time as a lovable medical comedy. The medical TV genre is filled with sentimental shows such as General Hospital or thrillers like House. So, to fill the comedic void in this context, Scrubs continues to be relevant.
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-) - Stream On HBO Max
Compared to other sitcoms on this list, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia evokes a much darker tone of comedy. Anchored by a powerful cast including the likes of Danny DeVito and Charlie Day, the show deals with five selfish friends who run an Irish bar together. Unlike other sitcoms, there are hardly any redeeming traits in any of the protagonist’s personalities. They are toxic, selfish, and extremely chaotic.
Hence, It’s Always Sunny never shied away from showing its characters at rock bottom. No matter how they fail, sitcom characters do end up getting a happy ending. This series, however, has a bleak perspective that has still managed to stay relevant till its record-breaking fifteenth season.
The IT Crowd (2006-2013) - Stream On Netflix
The British sitcom The IT Crowd is set in the midst of a dingy tech office as two “nerd” employees deal with their technologically-inept superiors. The show could set itself apart from other workplace comedies like The Office because of its deadpan approach to the then-nascent tech industry and a satirical look at geek culture that was a fresh break from The Big Bang Theory.
The IT Crowd might not have been a household name, but it makes for a relevant watch in today’s tech-obsessed era. Given that it dropped before Silicon Valley, another iconic tech-sitcom, The IT Crowd was ahead of its time.