The 20 best sitcoms from the '00s

Starring Donald Faison and Zach Braff as a duo of quirky medical residents, Scrubs ran for nine seasons and more than 180 episodes starting in 2001. The show quickly developed a cult following, and eventually earned creator Bill Lawrence a Peabody Award and 17 Emmy nominations. 

This sitcom stars Jason Lee as Earl, a perpetual screw-up on a quest to right the wrongs of his past, alongside a whole cast of characters who do their best to ensure that his karmic pursuit is as hilarious as possible. 

This Chuck Lorre-created series hit the airwaves in 2007, and the rest is history. It was an immediate hit with audiences, who quickly fell in love with the cast of brilliant, nerdy astrophysicists led by Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kunal Nayyar, and Simon Helberg. The show even inspired its own spin-off, "Young Sheldon," following the early life of Parsons's know-it-all lead character. 

This deeply satirical series from creator and Saturday Night Live alum Tina Fey changed what it meant to be a sitcom upon its premiere in 2006. With a stellar cast (Jane Krakowski, Tracy Morgan, and Alec Baldwin, not to mention Fey) and an endlessly wacky well of hijinks, this series about the production of a variety show at NBC will always be iconic. 

Gifting us with Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson, and the rest of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department's gang, "Parks and Recreation" aired for seven seasons starting in 2009. A little bit heartwarming and a lot funny, it's a perfect binge-watch for these seriously tumultuous times. 

Arguably the most beloved American sitcom of its era, this adaptation of the British series is now the stuff of meme legends. Over its nine seasons, which started airing in 2005, fans watched as Pam and Jim (Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski) fell in love, boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell) bumbled his way through managing the office, and a big group of disparate coworkers grow into friends. 

Equal parts charming, heartwarming, and a little sad, "How I Met Your Mother" was a phenomenon after its premiere in 2005. No spoilers here, but be prepared to cry, laugh and fall completely in love with snarky sidekick Barney Stinson, played by Neil Patrick Harris. 

There's always money in the banana stand! Or at least that's the way it used to work for the Bluth family, the subject of this cult-favorite sitcom. Starring Jeffrey Tambor, Jason Bateman, and Michael Cena, the series follows the hijinks of a truly dysfunctional — and exceedingly wealthy — family after its patriarch (Tambor) engages in "a little light treason." 

A little bit cynical and a lot funny, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" is set in a grungy Philadelphia bar and focuses on "the gang," a group of four equally reprehensible characters with their own unique way of being terrible. In each episode, Charlie, Dee, Mac, and Dennis always manage to get themselves in — and out of — some pretty wild scenarios and the results are usually hilarious. 

Yet another smash-hit "mockumentary" from the '00s, "Modern Family" ran for a whopping 11 seasons starting in 2009. It launched the careers of stars like Sofia Vergara and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, all while giving a look at what it means to be family. 

Even though it might be considered one of the "bro-iest" shows of its generation, there's no denying the guilty-pleasure appeal of "Entourage," the HBO series based on co-creator Mark Wahlberg's rise to fame in Hollywood. Jeremy Piven's character, hot-headed talent agent Ari Gold, appears in some truly legendary scenes, while swoon-worthy lead Adrian Grenier tries to scrap his way to the top of the industry. 

Dysfunctional families always make for hilarious sitcoms, but that might be especially true when one of the kids is a genius. "Malcolm In The Middle," which ran for seven seasons after premiering in 2000, remains one of television's finest family sitcoms. 

A decidedly funny take on the classic police procedural, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is a little bit charming, a little bit heartwarming, and a lot hilarious. Starring Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, and Terry Crews, the cast's comedic timing makes B99 a quality binge-watch. 

Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobsen take stoner comedy to the next level with "Broad City," a Comedy Central sitcom about two aimless young women living in New York City. There's plenty of gross-out humor and tons of silly plotlines, but it's also ultimately a story about friendship. 

After leaving legendary sitcom "The Office," comedian Mindy Kaling broke into the world of sitcoms in her own unique way with "The Mindy Project." Kaling stars as a young doctor who's navigating the world of romance and professional life all at once, alongside love interest Chris Messina and a hilarious cast of ancillary characters played by comedians like Fortune Feimster. 

A cult-favorite series that only ran for three seasons, "Happy Endings" follows six quirky friends as they live and love in Chicago. It's a must-watch for sitcom fans, especially those who love "How I Met Your Mother." 

This irreverent British comedy focuses on the trials and tribulations of IT workers at a large London corporation. Despite only ever airing 25 episodes, "The IT Crowd" maintains a massive cult following thanks to its deeply relatable themes for tech workers everywhere. 

Co-created by Mike Judge, "Silicon Valley" follows the story of a new start-up that's trying to survive in the cutthroat world of tech companies. It's a fun watch for anyone, but especially folks that have lived in that world. 

It may have inspired mixed feelings among television viewers, but "2 Broke Girls" still maintains a cult following since its finale in 2017. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that it's deeply relatable for anyone who's tried to make it on their own in the big city. 

This deeply meta-comedy about an actual New Zealand duo moving to New York to find success in America is weird and irreverent, but still totally worth the watch. There are only two seasons to watch, and both feature a slew of fun cameos from folks like Aziz Ansari, Jim Gaffigan, Will Forte, and others.