# Best Sitcoms of the 21st Century **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [October 13, 2025, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932 "2025-10-13T15:26:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/1 "2025-10-13T15:26:18Z")
Just because I like making lists. I had originally planned a Top 5 but couldn’t stop. 30 Rock Brooklyn 9-9 Derry Girls Modern Family Parks & Recreation Schitt’s Creek Ted Lasso What We Do in the Shadows ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/2 "2025-10-13T15:31:41Z")
The Good Place Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Fisk Depending on what you mean, the last few seasons of _Frasier_ original run were 21st century. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/3 "2025-10-13T15:34:05Z")
Community Scrubs The Good Place Ghosts UK Ghosts US Coupling UK _but sadly not aging well._ I hate cringe humor so Parks & Recreation is completely out for me. Derry Girls, Ted Lasso & 30 Rock were all good. I would add How I met your Mother, The IT Crowd(UK) and The Big Bang Theory to that group. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/4 "2025-10-13T15:40:19Z")
I honestly think only the first season of Parks and Recreation was really cringe humor. Maybe the second, but by the end of that season it had transitioned to something else. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/5 "2025-10-13T15:40:32Z")
My Name is Earl ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/6 "2025-10-13T15:43:26Z")
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/7 "2025-10-13T15:55:53Z")
Abbot Elementary ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/8 "2025-10-13T16:03:46Z")
Not everybody’s cup of tea, but I got a lot of laughs out of _AP Bio_. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/9 "2025-10-13T16:11:51Z")
Personally, I liked The Mick more than AP Bio. But for this thread, in addition to what I’m already seeing, I’ll add Life In Pieces. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/10 "2025-10-13T16:32:48Z")
If you include radio sitcoms: _Cabin Pressure_ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/11 "2025-10-13T16:39:08Z")
Community Party Down Veep Parks and Recreation The Good Place How I Met Your Mother Modern Family ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/12 "2025-10-13T16:42:14Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I hate cringe humor so Parks & Recreation is completely out for me. > > Derry Girls, Ted Lasso & 30 Rock were all good. How is _30 Rock_ not primarily “cringe humor”? _Parks & Rec_ and _The Good Place_ are both great shows for their metaphorical depth beneath the basic format of a sitcom, but in terms of audacity in stretching the envelope of what a sitcom could be, _Crazy Ex-Girlfrient_ and the shockingly yet-to-be-mentioned _Arrested Development_ are really top of the heap. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/13 "2025-10-13T16:49:55Z")
30 Rock got over it fairly quick, P&R, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/14 "2025-10-13T16:51:04Z")
Really, Parks and Recreation _wasn’t_ cringe humor but instead a workplace comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/15 "2025-10-13T16:54:08Z")
I don’t think either 30 Rock or Park and Rec are primarily cringe humor. Probably 30 Rock moreso though as Liz has a lot of cringe moments. The only part of Parks and Rec that’s consistently cringe is Tom, and he’s also by far the least funny part of the show. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/16 "2025-10-13T16:58:35Z")
Another great 21st Century workplace comedy (I thought, at least) was ‘Superstore’. It had interesting characters, it was funny, and it snuck in some trenchant observations about the soul-crushing nature of working at a large retail corporation. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/17 "2025-10-13T17:05:13Z")
I think that one kinda slipped under the radar. I liked it and IIRC have watched it two or three times now. And, as someone working in retail, albeit at a mom and pop store, many of those customer interactions seemed like they were written by people with retail experience. As someone who grew up watching Kids In The Hall, I’m embarrassed at how long it took me to realize that was Mark McKinney. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/18 "2025-10-13T17:14:01Z")
Not sure I’m contributing anything that hasn’t already been mentioned, but I’ll add my list, undoubtedly leaving out a few I’ll think of later: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia What We Do in the Shadows Modern Family Fisk 30 Rock My Name Is Earl Arrested Development BoJack Horseman Schitt’s Creek ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/19 "2025-10-13T17:25:03Z")
No love for _The Office_? Also _Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt_ ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932/20 "2025-10-13T17:25:35Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > 30 Rock got over it fairly quick, The Wikipedia description of [“cringe comedy”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cringe_comedy) basically feels tailor-made to describe _30 Rock_: > _ **Cringe comedy** is a subgenre of [comedy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comedy) that derives [humor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humour) from [social awkwardness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarrassment), [guilty pleasure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilty_pleasure), [self-deprecation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-deprecation), [idiosyncratic humor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiosyncrasy), and [personal distress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cringe_comedy#cite_note-Time-1) A type of a cringe comedy are pseudo-[reality TV](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_TV) shows, sometimes with an air of a [mockumentary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mockumentary). They revolve around a serious setting, such as a workplace, to lend the comedy a sense of reality._ > > _Typically, the protagonists are [egotists](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egotism) who overstep the boundaries of [political correctness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness) and break [social norms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_norms). The comedy will attack the protagonist by not letting them become aware of their self-centered view, or by making them oblivious to the ego-deflation that the comedy deals them. Sometimes an unlikable protagonist may not suffer any consequences, which violates people’s moral expectations, and also makes the audience cringe._ Seems to fit the bill to a T. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Really, Parks and Recreation _wasn’t_ cringe humor but instead a workplace comedy. I would argue that it was actually an incisive commentary on the delicacy and dysfunctionality of democratic governance which is nonetheless sustained by a cadre of dedicated civil servants even in the face of [indifferent leadership](https://youtu.be/NiQ1qSonHYI?si=9glH5OMpx5BZk-zj), [limited resources](https://youtu.be/u2MoY0isxS0?si=CnEJJwjdU9_1MVnZ), an [unappreciative public](https://youtu.be/areUGfOHkMA?si=G7R6WmCzqS2TGn26), and of course a [brutal history of decidedly non-democratic repression of natives and various communities](https://youtu.be/WzrJW0OsOQE?si=n4gqR9FcmW453LkX), all in the guise of a workplace comedy. And also [why you should stay away from the library](https://youtu.be/d64HP9rdaKg?si=xJXRAgN5gIKNma-7). Stranger [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-sitcoms-of-the-21st-century/1023932.md?page=2)