10 Funniest Shows of the 2000s

Published Jul 18, 2026, 8:17 AM EDT Jennie Richardson is a TV Features and Lists Writer for Collider, and a graduate student pursuing an MFA in Fiction Writing. In other words, she really loves stories. The best comedy series are ones with sharp dialogue, quirky main characters, and their own very specific senses of humor. A series strikes gold with its comedy when it figures out how to pull humor from its characters' strangest character traits and most glaring flaws. Combine this with strange circumstances, sometimes caused by an unusual setting or job, and the result is a series that is absolutely hilarious throughout. The 2000s introduced a number of phenomenal comedy series, from fast-paced sitcoms to dramedies with distinctly funny dialogue. These shows have become staples for TV comedy fans, and they are still some of the most clever and hilarious comedy shows ever made. These are the 10 funniest television shows of the 2000s, ranked. 10 'Parks and Recreation' (2009–2015) Image via NBC A little over a decade after it concluded, Parks and Recreation stands out as one of the funniest TV series of the 2000s. The hilarious mockumentary series follows Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), an optimistic and idealistic woman who works for the Parks and Recreation department of her hometown of Pawnee, Indiana. Although Leslie loves and believes in her job, it is not a glamorous one, and she and the rest of the department often encounter bizarre and frustrating obstacles to their work. Parks and Recreation has some of the funniest and most quotable one-liners, as well as a phenomenal ensemble of quirky and particular characters. It really takes advantage of its mockumentary format, using it to poke fun at the ridiculous aspects of local politics and the strange hoops that Leslie has to jump through in order to do her job. Parks and Recreation's funniest moments come from simple character interactions, though, when the very different personalities of the characters clash in all the best ways. 9 'Modern Family' (2009–2020) Image via ABC Modern Family is another classic 2000s mockumentary-style sitcom that has already solidified its legacy as one of the decade's funniest series. The series follows Jay Pritchett (Ed O'Neill), his two adult children, Claire (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), and each of their individual families. Jay is married to a much younger woman, Gloria (Sofía Vergara), and is also still figuring out how to be a stepparent to her son, Manny (Rico Rodriguez). Mitchell and his partner, Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), adopt a daughter named Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) together at the start of the series. Meanwhile, Claire and her husband, Phil (Ty Burrell), struggle with the teen and tween years of their three children: Haley (Sarah Hyland), Alex (Ariel Winter), and Luke (Nolan Gould). Modern Family is an absolutely hilarious series with some of the funniest TV episodes of the 2000s, as well as a number of laugh-out-loud funny one-liners that are still associated with the show today. 8 'The Office' (2005–2013) Image via NBC The Office is widely considered to be one of the funniest shows of not just the 2000s, but all time – and for good reason. It expertly utilizes its mockumentary format to show the day-to-day life of everyone working at a Dunder Mifflin Paper Company office in Scranton, PA. Leading the charge is Michael Scott (Steve Carell), the eccentric boss who is a little bit too passionate about his job. Michael is constantly stirring up chaos in the office, and his employees are left to either contribute to it, or try to work around it. The Office stands out for its unique and particular characters, its sharp dialogue, and its fantastic setting. Dunder Mifflin is a delightfully strange place to work, despite the normalcy and mundanity of the office job. The people working there all butt heads and step on each other's toes in hilarious and surprising ways, and there is never a dull day in the office, even when the employees might prefer it that way. 7 'Gilmore Girls' (2000–2007) Image via The WB Gilmore Girls certainly knows how to lean into heavier storylines and deliver drama, but above all, the series has one of the sharpest and most clever senses of humor of any 2000s show. The series follows Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), a mother and daughter who are best friends. They live in a small Connecticut town called Stars Hollow, made up of quirky townspeople that regularly host strange events. Gilmore Girls is absolutely hilarious. It has sharp writing made up of clever quips and pop culture references, and the bizarre happenings around Stars Hollow are always very silly and entertaining. The series' fast-paced dialogue means that it's packed full of jokes, and the interactions between the Gilmore girls and the people in their lives (especially in their town) are often right out of a sitcom. 6 'Psych' (2006–2014) Image via USA Network Psych is a laugh-out-loud funny procedural that follows Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez), a man who doesn't really take anything seriously. Shawn has a photographic memory and was raised by his hyper-observant police sergeant father (Corbin Bernsen), so he has a knack for solving crimes. When Shawn calls in something he noticed to the Santa Barbara Police Department one night, he is accused of committing the crime himself. To get out of it, Shawn pretends to be a psychic. After the first time works out, Shawn continues to pretend to be a psychic, and he even opens a private psychic consulting business alongside his best friend, Gus (Dulé Hill). Psych is truly one of the funniest shows of all time. Each episode, Shawn puts clues together very quickly on his own, but he then has to find ways to pretend that he used his psychic powers to come to these conclusions – leading him to show this through bizarrely over-the-top public spectacles. 5 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' (2000–2024) Image via HBO Curb Your Enthusiasm follows a fictionalized version of Larry David, as he regularly gets into conflict with the people around him. Each episode, Larry zeroes in on very specific grievances, and he finds himself unable to let them go. As a result, he's always getting into fights, getting himself in trouble, and ultimately dying on hills that he could have just left alone. Each season is built around one specific thing going on in Larry's life, but the individual episodes see him getting wrapped up in trivial things. Curb Your Enthusiasm is the sort of show that will have you simultaneously laughing out loud and covering your eyes out of secondhand embarrassment. Larry always makes the choice that will cause the most chaos, simply because he can't ever just let anything go. It's always hilarious to see whatever tiny details Larry gets caught up in, especially because his frustration is often relatable, even if his reactions are disproportionate to each situation. 4 'Arrested Development' (2003–2019) Image via FOX Arrested Development follows the wealthy and out-of-touch Bluth family, who all have to adjust to some drastic changes after their patriarch goes to prison for crimes that he committed using the family real estate business. Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) tried to get away from his family and live his own life, but in the wake of his father's arrest, he returns home to try to keep things running smoothly – both with the family and with the business. Of course, this is easier said than done, because the Bluths are naturals at creating chaos. With sharply funny comedy and a narrator who's constantly critiquing the characters with meta humor, Arrested Development is one of the most clever comedies of all time. No show does wordplay like Arrested Development, and the Bluths are one of the most compelling and hilariously horrifying families to ever grace the medium of television. 3 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' (2005–Present) Image via FX It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has consistently been one of the funniest shows of each decade in which it's aired, and it all started in the 2000s. The long-running sitcom follows a chaotic and dysfunctional friend group who call themselves "the gang": twins Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson), their father, Frank (Danny DeVito), and Dennis' friends, Mac (Rob Mac) and Charlie (Charlie Day). What makes It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia such a fantastic comedy is the specificity of its humor. The gang is always getting up to bizarre schemes for various reasons that range from possible financial gain to simple revenge. They argue over meaningless details, get hung up on things that don't really matter, and are willing to do pretty much anything to get what they want. The show is a hilarious satire, but it also has phenomenal physical comedy and delightfully strange dialogue. 2 '30 Rock' (2006–2013) Image via NBC 30 Rock is truly one of the funniest shows ever made, and it is one of the main reasons why the 2000s stands out as a decade for comedy series. The show follows the creative team behind a sketch comedy show called TGS with Tracy Jordan. At the helm of it all is Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), the show's head writer and show runner. 30 Rock constantly uses its subject matter to lean into meta humor and clever satire of the entertainment industry. 30 Rock has some of the most clever dialogue ever written, packed with jokes upon jokes that are easy to miss if you're not giving the show your undivided attention. The show always leans fully into every bit, from running gags, to brief flashbacks, to the TGS sketches within the show. It also has some of the funniest TV episodes ever made, with standouts like "MILF Island" and "Black Tie." It may have premiered at the tail-end of the 2000s, but Community is still the funniest show to come from the decade. The series follows Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), a lawyer who has just been exposed for faking his college degree. Now, Jeff has to go to his local community college to get a degree the right way. Jeff initially tries to just skate through the program, which includes creating a fake study group to get the attention of his classmate, Britta (Gillian Jacobs). Instead, he accidentally kicks off the start of an intensely close and codependent friend group. Every element of Community comes together perfectly to make it excel as a comedy series. It has the perfect sitcom setting in the bizarre and quirky Greendale Community College, which has schoolwide paintball competitions and classes like "Baby Talk" and "Ladders." It also has incredibly well-crafted characters with their own hilarious flaws and particular personalities. Best of all, Community is never afraid to lean into its weird, over-the-top, and distinct sense of humor. Community Release Date 2009 - 2015-00-00 Network NBC, Yahoo! Screen