2000s Sitcoms that Aged Incredibly Well

The 2000s were a turning point for TV comedy, when single-camera formats, mockumentary styles, and high-concept storytelling took off across broadcast and cable. Writers’ rooms leaned into ensemble casts, sharper production design, and character-driven arcs that made half-hours easy to syndicate and export beyond their original markets. Box sets and early streaming helped many of these series find second lives with whole new audiences.

This list spotlights twenty sitcoms that launched or hit their stride in that decade and still play cleanly today. For each, you’ll find concrete details—creators, key cast, networks, formats, episode totals, and accolades—plus distribution and production notes that explain how they were built and how they’ve stayed in circulation.

‘The Office’ (2005–2013)

Developed for American television by Greg Daniels from the British series ‘The Office’, this mockumentary follows the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin with an ensemble led by Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and Mindy Kaling. It ran nine seasons on NBC with 201 episodes, using single-camera production, talking-head interviews, and handheld coverage to create a workplace documentary style.

The series earned multiple Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. It remains widely available through syndication and major streaming services, and it has inspired international remakes, official podcasts by cast members, and companion books that detail scripts, props, and production design.

‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009–2015)

Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, this mockumentary-style workplace comedy centers on the Parks Department of Pawnee, Indiana. The ensemble includes Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Retta, and Aziz Ansari across seven seasons on NBC.

The show received Emmy and Golden Globe recognition and continues to circulate in syndication and streaming. Its production notes and behind-the-scenes features document writers’ room processes, location choices, and the use of recurring local characters to build a detailed civic world.

’30 Rock’ (2006–2013)

Created by Tina Fey, this single-camera sitcom is set behind the scenes of a fictional sketch-comedy series at NBC. The main cast features Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer, with frequent industry cameos woven into studio satire across seven seasons and 138 episodes.

The show won numerous Primetime Emmy Awards, including multiple wins for Outstanding Comedy Series. It maintains a strong afterlife through syndication and streaming, and its commentaries and production materials outline showrunning workflows, script-to-screen rewrites, and multi-unit shooting on a tight schedule.

‘Arrested Development’ (2003–2019)

Created by Mitchell Hurwitz, this single-camera series chronicles the Bluth family with narration by Ron Howard. The original network run on FOX introduced an ensemble including Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Jessica Walter, and Jeffrey Tambor, later continuing with additional seasons on streaming.

The series earned multiple Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. Home-video releases and later remixes document its dense callback structure, recurring sight gags, and editorial approach, while comprehensive episode guides track running jokes and continuity across its full catalog.

‘Community’ (2009–2015)

Created by Dan Harmon, this campus-set sitcom follows a study group at Greendale Community College over six seasons and 110 episodes. The core cast features Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, Chevy Chase, and Jim Rash, with notable installments directed by the Russo brothers and others.

The series moved from broadcast to a digital platform for its final season, demonstrating an early transition path for network comedies. Table reads, script archives, and commentary tracks outline genre-homage episodes, production design for themed installments, and the show’s modular story structures.

‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005–2014)

Created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for CBS, this multi-camera/single-camera hybrid uses a narrator framing device to tell a long-form story about friendship and relationships. The ensemble includes Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, and Alyson Hannigan across nine seasons and 208 episodes.

The series led to follow-ups including ‘How I Met Your Father’. Syndication packages, streaming availability, and companion books catalog recurring set pieces, props, and in-universe gags, while production features explain the show’s non-linear timelines and recurring narrative devices.

‘Scrubs’ (2001–2010)

Created by Bill Lawrence, this single-camera medical comedy follows doctors and nurses at Sacred Heart Hospital, blending comedy with fantasy cutaways and voiceover narration. The ensemble stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, Judy Reyes, and Neil Flynn across nine seasons and 182 episodes.

The series received multiple Emmy nominations and a Peabody Award. It remains in syndication and on streaming, with rewatch podcasts, soundtrack compilations, and DVD extras documenting music supervision, location work, and the show’s steady ensemble rotation.

‘Malcolm in the Middle’ (2000–2006)

Created by Linwood Boomer for FOX, this single-camera family sitcom follows a gifted child in a high-energy household. The cast includes Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Justin Berfield, and Erik Per Sullivan over seven seasons and 151 episodes.

The series earned multiple Emmy wins and Golden Globe nominations. It has been restored for high-definition broadcasts and streaming, and production features highlight fourth-wall breaks, stunt work, and a signature mix of licensed and original music cues.

‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (2005–2023)

Created by Rob McElhenney and developed with Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day, this single-camera series centers on the proprietors of Paddy’s Pub. The ensemble of McElhenney, Howerton, Day, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito has remained consistent while expanding to include recurring players, specials, and live events.

By season count, it became the longest-running American live-action sitcom. The show’s footprint includes syndication, streaming, and an official podcast, while production interviews and commentaries track low-budget pilot origins, bottle episodes, and location shoots across the city.

‘The Big Bang Theory’ (2007–2019)

Created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for CBS, this multi-camera sitcom follows a group of friends who work in science and engineering. The principal cast features Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, and Kunal Nayyar, with Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch joining later, across twelve seasons and 279 episodes.

The franchise expanded with ‘Young Sheldon’ and ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’. Extensive syndication, international sales, and home-video extras document set design, wardrobe continuity, science consulting, and the show’s approach to integrating guest scientists and real-world research topics.

‘Modern Family’ (2009–2020)

Created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan for ABC, this mockumentary-style family sitcom weaves three connected households into an ensemble narrative. The cast includes Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Eric Stonestreet across eleven seasons and 250 episodes.

The series won multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for comedy and acting categories. It remains a mainstay in syndication and on streaming platforms, with companion books and featurettes outlining multi-unit shooting, child-actor scheduling, and long-arc story planning for a large ensemble.

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (2000–2024)

Created by Larry David for HBO, this comedy is built from detailed outlines and improvised dialogue rather than traditional scripts. Larry David leads a recurring cast that includes Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, and J.B. Smoove, along with frequent guest stars and cameo appearances.

The series received numerous award nominations and industry honors. Production materials and specials explain its curbside location work, handheld camerawork, and the outline-to-improv workflow that shapes each episode’s beats from rehearsal through final edit.

‘The IT Crowd’ (2006–2013)

Created by Graham Linehan for Channel 4, this multi-camera sitcom follows the basement tech support team at Reynholm Industries. The main cast features Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson, and Matt Berry across four series and a final special.

The show won BAFTA and International Emmy recognition and aired widely in international markets, with remakes attempted elsewhere. Box-set extras and official guides document set layouts, recurring prop gags, character catchphrases, and the series’ approach to studio-audience taping.

‘Peep Show’ (2003–2015)

Created by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain for Channel 4, this single-camera sitcom is known for first-person camerawork and internal monologues. David Mitchell and Robert Webb star as mismatched flatmates across nine series totaling 54 episodes.

The series earned BAFTA recognition and built a strong international audience through DVD and streaming. Production notes and commentaries cover the voiceover pipeline, point-of-view camera rigs, and script revisions used to coordinate perspective-driven storytelling.

‘Flight of the Conchords’ (2007–2009)

Starring Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie as fictionalized versions of their musical duo, this HBO series integrates original songs into each episode’s story. Rhys Darby, Kristen Schaal, and Arj Barker round out the principal cast across two seasons.

The series received multiple Emmy nominations and produced soundtrack releases credited to the duo. Concert tours, a later special, and ongoing streaming availability keep episodes and songs in circulation, while production materials document writing rooms for music and comedy within the same half-hour.

‘My Name Is Earl’ (2005–2009)

Created by Greg Garcia for NBC, this single-camera comedy follows Earl Hickey, played by Jason Lee, as he works through a personal list to make amends. The ensemble includes Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressly, Nadine Velazquez, and Eddie Steeples across four seasons.

The show received award recognition, including a major acting win. Reruns and streaming keep the catalog accessible, and production commentaries and episode guides outline the list-of-tasks structure, location shoots in Southern California, and the balance of standalone and serialized storytelling.

‘Two and a Half Men’ (2003–2015)

Created by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn for CBS, this multi-camera sitcom follows an odd-couple household dynamic in Malibu. The long-running cast featured Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones with Charlie Sheen in early seasons and Ashton Kutcher joining later, across twelve seasons and 262 episodes.

The series earned multiple Emmy nominations and became a high-performing title in off-network syndication. Production histories cover cast transitions, set evolution, and studio-audience taping, while international sales and dubbing expanded reach across numerous markets.

‘Black Books’ (2000–2004)

Created by Dylan Moran and Graham Linehan for Channel 4, this multi-camera sitcom is set in a small bookshop run by an irascible owner. The trio of Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, and Tamsin Greig anchors three series totaling 18 episodes.

The show won BAFTA awards and traveled widely through international broadcasts and DVD releases. Production features and scripts detail recurring set pieces, prop-driven humor, and the construction of the shop’s distinctive interior as a central character element.

‘Extras’ (2005–2007)

Created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for BBC and HBO, this single-camera comedy follows background actors navigating film and TV sets. The series stars Ricky Gervais, Ashley Jensen, and Stephen Merchant across two series and a finale special, featuring guest stars playing heightened versions of themselves.

The show received major awards recognition, including wins at the Emmys and Golden Globes. Making-of features explain cameo coordination, rights clearances, and co-production logistics, while distribution spans international broadcasts, syndication blocks, and streaming catalogs.

‘The Inbetweeners’ (2008–2010)

Created by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris for E4, this single-camera sitcom follows a group of sixth-form friends dealing with school, parties, and awkward rites of passage. The core cast features Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley, and Blake Harrison across three series.

The franchise expanded with feature-length follow-ups, including ‘The Inbetweeners Movie’ and ‘The Inbetweeners 2’. The show’s distribution history includes strong DVD sales, international remakes, and long-term streaming availability, with commentaries and bloopers documenting locations and tightly edited half-hour episodes.

Share your favorites from the decade—and any great picks we missed—in the comments!