Sitcoms have provided endless laughter and lighthearted fun to millions of viewers for decades now. From enduring classics like I Love Lucy in the 1950s to megahits of the 1990s such as Friends, the sitcom format brings real-life humor and lovable characters to our living rooms and fills us with immense joy. And while every era has its memorable comedies, some simply manage to stand out by rooting themselves in our memories.
The 2000s were no exception. The decade delivered instant favorites like The Big Bang Theory and The Office. However, as with every era, not every sitcom released during the wild years of technology booms and new millennium anxiety found a steady spot in our brains. There are a bunch of forgotten sitcoms from the 2000s that left a surprising impact on television back in the day. From short-lived network shows to sleeper hits, these comedies deserve another look.
10Freddie (2005 – 2006)
Freddie was among the most discussed sitcoms of the decade, mainly because it starred Freddie Prinze Jr. in the main role, and he was widely popular back then. It centered around Freddie Moreno, a successful Chicago chef whose easy-going life in his bachelor pad is disrupted when his sister, her teenage daughter, sister-in-law, and grandmother move in with him and send Freddie in a frenzy as he tries to manage his crazy schedule and personal life.
Subtle but Sharp
The sitcom was praised for bringing humor and heart to the most relatable everyday situations while also shining light on important social issues. It was entertaining and quirky, and was mostly based on Prince Jr.’s own experiences while growing up. But it was received poorly by critics at the time, who called it “charmless and sophomoric.” Despite being a lighthearted watch, Freddie’s first season’s performance was not enough for ABC to commit long-term, and the show was never renewed.
9Life With Bonnie (2002 – 2004)
Created by Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake and starring Bonnie in the titular role, Life With Bonnie centers around Bonnie Malloy, who juggles her seemingly perfect life as the mother of two children, a dutiful wife, and the clever host of a local morning show called “Morning Chicago.” On the outside, Bonnie seems to have it all together, but it’s behind the camera, with her production crew and sidekick, that we see her frantic personality come out.
Memorable Misadventures of a Mom
ABC aired 44 episodes of Life With Bonnie across two seasons to decent ratings. However, the second season was when the show was supposed to break out, and it didn’t, which resulted in the cancelation. Regardless, the show’s focus on family and parenting, its humorous fish-out-of-water situations, and the ability to never take itself too seriously made it an earnest one that deserves more appreciation and a rewatch.
8Less Than Perfect (2002 – 2006)
Claude Casey is a young woman who works as a temp at a television network. Her smart and dedicated performance earns her a promotion and anchor Will Butler takes her in as his assistant, and she moves from the mailroom to the boardroom. However, Claudia’s co-workers don’t seem too thrilled to see her climb the ladder and make her life miserable. Claudia gets help from her best friends to prove her worth.
Not Perfect, but Better Than Most
Less Than Perfect is a brilliant workplace comedy that not only brings the comedic and competitive clashes between the network employees and places them in witty encounters, but does so with the help of an all-star cast. The sitcom is led by Sara Rue, who receives support from Sherri Shepherd, Andrea Parker, Zachary Levi, Eric Roberts, Will Sasso, Andy Dick, and Patrick Warburton. While never a massive ratings hit, its offbeat characters and interpersonal dynamics are too good.
7Wanda at Large (2003)
Wanda Sykes co-creates and stars in this sitcom that centers around Wanda Hawkins, a former government worker turned stand-up comedian, who surprisingly lands a job at a low-rated political talk show. Despite the station manager’s orders, Wanda expresses her liberal views on air and earns many frowns. In her personal life too, she does not hold back and often gives unfiltered advice to her widowed sister-in-law.
Wanda Sykes Was Always the Star
Set in the cutthroat world of cable news and talk shows but never stressful or problematic, Wanda at Large is a witty sitcom worth revisiting. Sykes offers a smart, fast-taking, progressive leading lady that was ahead of its time, which led to its eventual cancelation. It also marks as one of her earliest starring roles because it highlights her signature talent of combining piercing social commentary with laugh-out-loud humor.
6Zeke and Luther (2009 – 2012)
Zeke and Luther stars Hutch Dano as Zeke Falcone and Adam Hicks as Luther Jerome Waffles. Premiered on Disney XD in 2009, it chronicled the misadventures of the two best friends who wanted to become the world’s greatest skateboarders. Both Zeke and Luther have their own quirks and interests, like Zeke is average at studies and has a crush on his neighbor, and Luther is a cup stacking champion, loves gaming, and has a pet rat named Lucky.
Awakens Childhood Memories
Running for three seasons of laughter and bonding, the sitcom offered an insightful coming-of-age story about two best friends but remains forgotten today. The core duo of Dano and Hicks is incredibly talented and their dynamic is grounded in perspective and vulnerability. What’s also interesting is that the young actors are also actual skateboarders, which made the scenes more fluid. The storylines, however relatable, were refreshing and full of energy throughout.
5Still Standing (2002 – 2006)
Created by Diane Burroughs and Joey Gutierrez, Still Standing is another sitcom that few people remember. It follows a working-class couple in Chicago – the laid-back patriarch of the family, Bill Miller, and the strong and multi-talented matriarch, Judy Miller – as they try to balance their traditional household of three kids and Judy’s overbearing sister with the fear of not losing their youthfulness to responsibilities of adulthood and parenting.
Deserved to Run Longer
Mark Addy and Jami Gertz expertly led this blue-collar family comedy for four seasons on CBS. Its humor rose from familiar tropes but ended up mining comedic gold. Usually, the episodes would center on their suburban lives, societal norms, challenges of parenthood, and everyday mishaps at the Millers’ household. For its writing and hilarity, it deserved better ratings and memory than just becoming another 2000s family sitcom that doesn’t hold up much.
4Party Down (2009 – 2023)
One of the best and most underrated sitcoms of the 2000s, one that was revived after 13 years of a hiatus but is still forgotten for many, Party Down follows a group of struggling actors and writers patiently waiting to get their big breaks in the industry. Meanwhile, they work as employees for a Los Angeles-based catering company and often find themselves caught up in events and guests.
Smart Comedy About Aspiring Artists
Party Down features a star-studded cast made of Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Lizzy Caplan, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jennifer Garner, and yet, it’s impossible to believe that the show got little recognition back in the day. It was a hit with critics, who lauded it as an “an astute meditation on the promise and peril of leading an unconventional life,” and with fans, who could not stop gushing over the jokes and the character dynamics.
3Rules of Engagement (2007 – 2013)
Produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions with CBS, Rules of Engagement centered on a committed young couple, Jeff and Audrey, a married couple, Audrey and Jeff, and their single friend as they deal with the many complications of dating life, friendship, and marriage in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, they have fun, joke around, and share their experiences while hanging out at The Island Diner.
A Sitcom That Subverted Norms
Rules of Engagement was a ratings gem for the network. Not only was it socially aware and filled with amazing wit and warmth, but it also benefited off an already successful sitcom trope – young adults navigating life in a big city. Led by David Spade and Patrick Warburton’s dynamic duo, it reformed masculinity in a mature but playful way. Megyn Price, Oliver Hudson, Bianca Kajlich, and Adhir Kalyan were also just as relatable and funny.
2Grounded for Life (2001 – 2005)
Grounded for Life centers around thirty-something Irish Catholic couple, Sean and Claudia, who have children quite early in life. While Lily, Jimmy, and Henry aren’t very difficult as kids, Sean and Claudia are still scared about having to let go of their youth so soon and fail as parents. They get help from Eddy, Sean’s offbeat brother, and Walt, Sean’s old-fashioned Irish-Catholic father, in becoming better parents and adults.
Portrait of Imperfect Parenting
Created by Mike Schiff and Bill Martin, Grounded For Life lasted five seasons despite low ratings and network changes. The show offered a nuanced take on family, relationships, and generational gaps to evoke laughter and gags. Donal Logue and Megyn Price excelled as young parents scrambling to maintain stability in their home and their sanity as they grew up along with the kids and made the show a solid comedy.
1Better Off Ted (2009 – 2010)
The satirical workplace comedy centers around Ted Crisp, a charming head of a research and development department at the morally-skewed Veridian Dynamics company. Better Off Ted sees Ted breaking the fourth wall to narrate the events of his work, which range from inventing a sweet-scented lightbulb to randomly freezing someone in their cryonics chamber, while also dealing with his co-workers and scientists and taking care of his daughter.
Corporate Satire Like No Other
Starring Jay Harrington and Portia de Rossi in top form, Better Off Ted was a critically acclaimed show that brought the same madcap, absurdist humor that made slapstick comedy movies beloved among viewers to the small screens. Its corporate setting had a two-season-long life, during which, the show delivered the most subversive, intelligent, and fast-paced episodes. Perhaps the show was too smart and surreal for 2009, because it remains only in our blurred memories.
