These are the shows we love to binge-stream! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the most celebrated and influential TV comedies that began airing in the 21st century.
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00:00 "What comes before anything? What have we always said is the most important thing?"
00:02 "Breakfast." "Family."
00:08 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the most celebrated and
00:11 influential TV comedies that began airing in the 21st century.
00:15 "Hey, excuse me, what IPA do you have on tap? Hey, did you see Game of Thrones last night?"
00:21 Number 10. Community.
00:24 Before Rick and Morty, Dan Harmon established his comedic genius with an NBC sitcom based
00:29 on his community college days. "Are you the board certified tutor?
00:33 That means you do my homework, right, Seacrest?" "I need to call my babysitter,
00:36 we're gonna be later than 10." "What board certifies a tutor?"
00:38 Joel McHale stars as a disgraced lawyer who must go back to school for his bachelor's degree,
00:43 only to get into absurd misadventures with a study group for students.
00:46 "I know you're excited to finally be popular with women,
00:48 but don't get too high on your own drama." "High on my own drama?"
00:57 "People's champion!" Community didn't just surpass that novel
01:00 premise with its memorable and hilarious ensemble. Harmon's distinct knack for obscure meta,
01:05 pop culture, and academic references captivated more jaded viewers.
01:09 "Looks like someone underestimated the time it takes to plan a dance."
01:12 "Hey, hey, it's Sophie B. Hawkins!" While that meant limiting the audience,
01:18 the sheer acclaim from fans kept the show running for six seasons.
01:21 A movie is also in the works. As it is, Community remains a beloved and deeply
01:27 studied masterclass in postmodern comedy. "Six seasons in a movie."
01:31 "Jeff, I know it comforts you to look at things through that metal lens, but
01:33 this is reality. TV's rules aren't based on common sense. They're based on the studio
01:38 wanting to milk their properties dry." Subversive comedian Nathan Fielder puts
01:43 his business degree to good use in Comedy Central's Nathan For You.
01:47 "My name is Nathan Fielder, and I graduated from one of Canada's top business schools with really
01:52 good grades." Portraying himself as an eccentric marketing consultant, Fielder tries to boost
01:57 struggling companies with outrageous strategies. "So what flavors did you get?"
02:01 "I got the vanilla, the EuroTart, and the poo." Most of these companies were real and unaware
02:07 this was a stunt. Thankfully, they got plenty of exposure from the show's public stunts and
02:11 critical acclaim. "Oh, dumb Starbucks, okay." "Oh, you thought it was Starbucks?" "I did."
02:17 It was the surreal capitalist satire that was needed in the wake of the Great Recession.
02:22 It was also compelling to follow the fictional Fielder's struggle to become more marketable
02:26 as a person. "Because I had to remain anonymous while recruiting drivers, I went to a local
02:31 hospital pickup zone disguised as someone who had just been released from surgery and began
02:36 hailing cabs." "Hi there." As for the real-life Fielder, Nathan For You made him a hot commodity
02:41 as one of the most ambitious and admired comedies of its era. "There's a rumor that it might be
02:47 Banksy, and we're all really excited about that." "I had inadvertently created something that was
02:51 on par with one of the world's greatest artists." Number eight, Fleabag. Based on Phoebe Waller
02:57 Bridge's one-woman play, Fleabag is one of the BBC's most boldly experimental comedies in recent
03:03 memory. It's certainly one of the most brilliant. "This doesn't have a very often does it?" "No,
03:08 no, I suppose it's quite rare, yeah." "I hate myself." Waller Bridge blends intimacy and
03:18 expressionism with the awkward misadventures of an independent woman. "Don't say anything,
03:22 and please don't contact me, or turn off my house drunk in your underwear. It won't work this time."
03:28 "It will." Her fourth wall breaks, snappy one-liners, and cringey situations surely round out
03:33 the surrealism. "I wasn't trying to, I was hot." "I take this kind of thing very seriously." "I'm
03:37 not trying to shag you, look at yourself." But the elaborate style and dramatic vulnerability
03:44 especially caught viewers off guard. The show was boldly honest with its feminist themes and
03:48 millennial anxieties, particularly after tragedy. "But it's PMT. The only way she can get through
03:54 it is to reinvent herself in some small way." It's a shame Fleabag only ran for two series,
03:59 totaling out at 12 perfect episodes. That was enough for it to not only establish Waller Bridge
04:04 as a globally renowned writer and actress, but also to revolutionize the postmodern TV comedy.
04:10 "Cover her, I'll cover you." "She doesn't want to go." "Why?" "Because I'm stubborn,
04:13 and for some inexplicable reason I'd rather stay here and have a passive-aggressive party."
04:16 Number seven, Veep. Armando Iannucci gave British politics a wallop with the thick of it. "This is
04:21 exactly the sort of thing we should be doing." "Should be doing. Should does not mean yes."
04:28 But he may have been even more in the thick of American politics through an ambitious and
04:32 incompetent vice president. "Senator Mike Dudley is interested in maps." "Mike, you found us." "Oh,
04:38 madam vice president, is that a map joke?" "Yes, it is." Without ever declaring Selena
04:43 Meyer's political party, Veep exposes the hilarity and horror in what it takes to rise in Washington,
04:48 D.C. "Smiley, we're gonna talk about that. It's not enough of a motor, surround me more though."
04:54 It's an astutely absurd farce, with an epic underdog story you love to root against.
04:59 At least Julia Louis-Dreyfus is worthier than her character as the fierce leader of a colorful
05:04 ensemble. "You do know that I am not running for office right now. I am in fact the vice president."
05:09 "I wouldn't dispute your title. I might question your role." "It would be great if you would stand
05:14 up when the vice president enters the room." "Oh lord, all right." "Oh lord." While HBO's Veep is
05:19 hardly the feel-good political satire for a bleak era, it is still one of the most shocking and
05:24 important. "All men are awful, really. And the key is to just find a man who's the least horrible."
05:36 Number six, Arrested Development. The modern single-camera sitcom was just one foundation
05:43 laid by Fox's Arrested Development. "Yes, this is his family. So why is Michael so happy? Because
05:50 he's decided to never speak to these people again." This format and the elaborate narrative play to
05:55 the drama of a real estate dynasty after the patriarch is arrested for corruption. In fact,
06:00 the Bluths' struggle to maintain their lifestyle leads to the most absurd exploits. "This is
06:05 'I'm a bad, bad man' from Annie Get Your Gun." The uncompromisingly weird and satirical humor
06:11 kept audiences hooked throughout the daringly elaborate saga. "Hey, where's my desk?" "Oh,
06:15 I think it's the massage table in the break room now. Take the window." "No, hold it." Unfortunately,
06:22 the niche viewership led to the show's cancellation after three seasons. Its acclaim nonetheless drew
06:28 big talent throughout its run, while turning the regular cast into household names. "I thought it
06:32 was a restaurant by the pool." "Why did you think I said watch out for the crabs?" With Netflix
06:37 ultimately reviving the series for two more seasons, Arrested Development shows how extravagant
06:42 investments can at least be rewarding in comedy. "I'm trying to find some money for the family."
06:47 "Always money in the banana stand." Number five, Atlanta. Donald Glover's FX masterpiece can only
06:52 be described as the hustle of an Atlanta rapper, his manager cousin, and their slacker friend.
06:57 "I need Malcolm. You two Martin. You know what they did to him? They killed him." "Didn't they
07:02 kill Malcolm too?" "Well, no, they say that, but ain't nobody seen the body since the funeral."
07:06 "That's how funerals work." Atlanta tackles every aspect of modern Black and American life,
07:11 with satire that transcends the metaphysical. "Let the path push you like a broken branch in
07:16 a river's current." "Nah, nah, I'm not going out like that, but thanks for the advice."
07:23 It also tackles just about every genre, with gorgeous style and a casual tone.
07:28 That makes the bizarre exploits even more hilarious. "Why am I not getting the respect I
07:32 deserve? And then it just hit me. I'm white and 35." At the same time, Glover's patience with his
07:43 world-building gets you to genuinely connect with his character's real growth through the surreal.
07:48 "I'm Theodore Perkins. Please, call me Teddy." Even when that meant taking years between seasons,
07:56 the show remained an influential phenomenon, predictable only in its mad genius.
08:01 Atlanta has forever broken the boundaries between absurd comedy and high art.
08:05 "I don't know what Fox News has been feeding you, but I'm not Antifa, I'm not a looter.
08:10 I just was returning my air fryer." "I don't care."
08:15 Number four, it's always sunny in Philadelphia. "It's going good, how you doing?" "Good, man,
08:20 just chilling, dude." "Great, great, just closing up shop." The wholesome ensemble sitcom was kind
08:26 of played out by the mid-2000s. "What do you do?" "I don't take advantage of people." "Look at
08:33 Sweetie, sitting on her cloud of judgment, handing down life lessons to all the sinners."
08:39 Friends Rob McElhenney and Glenn Howerton gave it an edgy new life with It's Always Sunny in
08:43 Philadelphia. "All right, maybe just one game. Domino the action!" The show follows the proprietors
08:50 of a seedy Philly bar who leave nothing but destruction in their schemes. But the cast
08:55 later, rounded out by the legendary Danny DeVito, delivers comedy gold with full creative control.
09:01 "Hey, gold! Uh, birdie?" "I'm not getting it, dude. That's because it's impossible to draw.
09:06 I don't know how to draw." "Jesus, dude, your back is so bony and crooked and all over the place,
09:10 I can't get a flat surface!" FX's bold investment paid off with one of the most popular and
09:14 subversively hilarious ethos on TV. With more than a dozen seasons and counting, it's also one of the
09:20 longest-running sitcoms ever. Despite the irony in its title, It's Always Sunny is always a morbid
09:26 delight. "There's nowhere for me to run. What am I gonna do, say no?" "Okay, that seems really dark."
09:35 "No, no, it's not dark. You're misunderstanding me, bro." Number three, 30 Rock. With all the
09:39 great sitcoms that NBC produced in the 2000s alone, they basically admitted how ridiculous
09:44 the process is with 30 Rock. "Where's Gary?" "Gary's dead. I'm Jack Donaghy, new VP of development
09:54 for NBC/GE/Universal/Kmart." Showrunner Tina Fey stars as a TV writer who constantly clashes with
10:00 an NBC exec. "She's using a real cat?" "I cast that cat myself." As absurd as their exploits get,
10:07 they're always anchored by an ingenious deep dive into studio politics and every oddball in the TV
10:13 making process. "She needs to lose 30 pounds or gain 60. Anything in between has no place in
10:17 television." "I can't believe I missed you." Never mind how lovable those oddballs are.
10:22 "Really?" This meta satire both blasted and celebrated broadcast television at a time when
10:32 the sitcom desperately needed innovation. It's been said that some aspects of 30 Rock haven't
10:37 quite held up. "A gay hipster cop. You're an interesting guy, Brian." But it remains one of
10:46 the most fun and genuinely original comedies to watch. Number two, curb your enthusiasm.
10:52 As far as Larry David pushed TV with Seinfeld, he pushed even further with HBO. "How'd it go?"
11:00 "Good. Pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good." Curb your enthusiasm follows
11:12 David as a fictional version of himself, struggling to balance cynical reason with
11:17 Los Angeles society. "We have a policy in this office that you are seen as you sign in." "What
11:22 is it like a bakery? You pick a number and the first number goes?" "Yes, basically it's first
11:26 come first serve." "So why don't you just have a little ticket? We can all take numbers instead
11:29 of even... why don't you even give out the appointment?" Each elaborate scenario begins
11:32 with a loose script that relies on the cast's improvisational skills. David's retro-scripting
11:37 process and general creative control are so daunting that breaks between seasons have taken
11:42 as long as six years. But the results are so darkly funny and cleverly plotted that the show
11:47 attracts the biggest stars in Hollywood. "Proud Jews wear yarmulkes." "Be proud here in the park,
11:52 you don't need to be proud in there." "Let's just go in and sit down." "Take it off, take it off."
11:57 "I'm not doing anything. Don't you dare go after my yacht." The farce has only gotten more ambitious
12:03 over time. For all its technical and social challenges, Curb Your Enthusiasm still captivates
12:08 as one of the boldest ventures in sitcom history. "We already screwed up one finale, we can't do
12:13 another." "We didn't screw up a finale, that was a good finale." Before we unveil our top pick,
12:18 here are some honorable mentions. Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson's charming and
12:22 uplifting lesson on faculty in struggling schools. "If I may interject, I would say that teaching
12:27 second grade is no picnic." "Didn't I see your class having a literal picnic the other day?"
12:32 "Didn't I see your class watching Lego Batman?" Broad City, Ilana Glazer and Abby Jacobson turn
12:38 their story into a surreal buddy sitcom classic. "Party's over dude, money please." "I'm sorry,
12:43 I don't have any." "Are you joking right now?" "I'm a little baby." How I Met Your Mother,
12:48 the ensemble romance is one of the most ambitious character-driven sitcoms of its era.
12:53 "You make me happy, you make me happy all the time.
12:57 Hey, I found your panties." The Good Place, philosophy meets farce in this quirky existentialist
13:08 masterpiece. "Somebody forked up. Why can't I say fork?" "If you're trying to curse, you can't hear.
13:14 I guess a lot of people in this neighborhood don't like it, so it's prohibited." "That's
13:17 bullsh*t." Modern Family, as socially groundbreaking as it is classically wholesome. "I'm just hoping
13:23 that little one over there doesn't get jealous." "Oh, this little one will be just fine now that
13:26 he knows where he stands, in the shadow of your new baby." "What's he talking about?"
13:30 "He's talking about I am pregnant." "Oh, come on." Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our
13:37 channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be
13:42 notified for occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into
13:46 your settings and switch on notifications. Number 1. The Office. Adapting the BBC's iconic
13:55 satire of workplace politics was a tall order. "What is in it?" "It's my stapler." "Well, don't do
14:00 that. Well, eat it out. There's people starving in the world, which I hate." NBC's The Office didn't
14:05 just pull off the relatable cringe humor and groundbreaking mockumentary format. "I'm assistant
14:10 regional manager. I should know first." "Assistant to the regional manager." "Yeah, okay. Um, can you
14:14 just tell me, please?" It went the extra mile to make Dunder Mifflin Paper Company feel like a
14:18 lovably dysfunctional family. "We'll have a gay all time!" "Love!" Each member of the talented
14:26 company brings something uniquely hilarious to the product. "I've walked two marathons. I'm pretty
14:31 sure I can handle a 5k. Key is drafting. Eliminate wind resistance." Steve Carell especially stands
14:38 out as bumbling regional manager Michael Scott, but the show's well-oiled dynamic made stars of
14:43 the whole ensemble. "You really think you can go all day long? Well, you always left me satisfied
14:50 and smiling, so... That's what she said!" It also inspired a trend of beloved workplace sitcoms
14:58 like Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The Office still dominates the market for turning
15:04 the dullest workplace into one of the most realized and riotous comedies in television
15:08 history. What modern TV comedies have struck a chord with you? Laugh it up in the comments.
15:13 "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips
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15:25 [Music]