Sitcoms have been around since the dawn of television, dating all the way back to classics like I Love Lucy and Amos ‘n’ Andy, then moving forward with iconic shows like All in the Family, The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, and Friends. So many sitcom tropes have been overdone, but a handful of fresh sitcoms have been introduced over the last few years.
Even though many sitcoms have repeated the same formula, some modern sitcoms feature refreshing concepts, unique takes and storylines, and relatable characters. They are well worth a watch.
10 Young Rock Throws It Back And Brings It Forward (2021-Present)
Stream On Peacock
Young Rock tells the backstory of professional wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He plays himself as a future-day narrator who's running for president. Each episode begins with him recalling his childhood memories to a news show host. Randall Park plays the host and a future version of Johnson, now a retired actor.
Three actors play younger versions of Johnson when he was 10, in high school, and in college. The stories are based on real events that actually happened in Johnson’s life, complete with actors playing some of wrestling’s biggest superstars. Young Rock is a fun, sweet, and informative show about the actor’s humble roots. Today, he’s one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors and has delivered some great on-screen performances.
9 Children Ruin Everything Is Brutally Relatable (2022-Present)
Stream On The Roku Channel
A great Canadian sitcom, Children Ruin Everything is a candid look at parenting in the 21st Century. The episodes examine everything from financial strife and returning to work to the overuse of technology, dual-income households, and the everyday struggles of raising children.
Honest, relatable, and hilarious, Children Ruin Everything focuses on a different, frustrating topic about children in every episode. In the end, it’s also about the joys of parenthood, with the moral of every story being that it’s all worth it in the end.
8 Home Economics Is Hilariously Unique (2020-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Loosely based on the creator’s life, Home Economics offers a unique premise. It tells the story of three siblings who are all at different stages of their careers. While the mischievous youngest brother Connor has amassed massive wealth running his own private equity firm, the bookworm brother Tom is struggling as a writer. The middle daughter Sarah works as a child therapist, but she and her wife pinch pennies to make ends meet while raising their two kids.
Despite the awkwardness between them, the trio comes together in many ways. When they discover that Connor needs them more than they realize, the siblings and their immediate families band together to spend time and support one another, often with hilarious results.
7 The Neighborhood Is Refreshingly Positive (2018-Present)
Stream On Paramount+
The Neighborhood tackles the topic of race, as the chipper small-towners Dave and Gemma Johnson move into a predominantly Black neighborhood with their son Grover, much to their new neighbor chagrin. As Gemma and Dave grow close and Dave does his best to befriend Calvin, the two eventually strike up a close friendship.
The Neighborhood breaks race barriers and tells racial-centric stories in hilarious, relatable, and often exaggerated ways. It’s a fun sitcom with an important message about acceptance, from both sides, behind it.
6 Modern Family Has Great Characters (2009-2020)
Stream On Hulu, Peacock
As the name implies, the central theme of Modern Family was depicting a “modern” family. At the helm is patriarch Jay Pritchett, who is married to his much younger second wife Gloria. Jay's daughter Claire married Phil, and the couple now have three children. Jay's son Mitchell is married to his long-time partner, and the two have an adopted daughter named Lily.
Modern Family is told in mockumentary style, with each member recounting their perspective of the mishaps and events that occur among the family members. From the “cool dad” Phil to the uptight Claire, the flamboyant Cameron, and the ditzy Haley, the multi-Emmy-winning show had fans laughing the whole way through and had plenty of lessons to teach audiences as well.
5 Schitt’s Creek Touches On LGBTQ+ Themes (2015-2020)
Stream On Hulu
When Schitt’s Creek was picked up by Netflix, it exploded in popularity. It swept the Emmy Awards, winning every major comedy category. Schitt’s Creek, which stars veterans Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, is about a wealthy family who loses everything after their business manager embezzles their money.
However, the Rose family retains a small town they once bought as a joke. They move there to try to rebuild their lives, and the hilarious fish-out-of-water story begins. From the spoiled adult children trying to adjust to motel life to the has-been actor taking over the small-town’s theater performances, Schitt's Creek is a delight. It also heavily features LGBTQ+ themes in a positive and refreshing light.
4 Grace And Frankie Is Female-Centric (2015-2022)
Stream On Netflix
In Grace and Frankie, two women learn that their husbands, who have been long-time business partners, have been in a secret romantic relationship for decades. Finding themselves recently single, Grace and Frankie must now rely on one another for support. While the free-spirited Frankie (Lily Tomlin) is happy to find a new friend, the uptight Grace (Jane Fonda) wants nothing to do with the quirky and eccentric woman.
That eventually changes as the pair unite in one of the best friendships on television. They become confidantes, best friends, and business partners. The two realize that, despite the incredibly shocking circumstances, they can get through it with one another by their side.
3 One Day At A Time Is Timely And Topical (2017-2020)
Stream On Netflix, Pop
One Day At A Time is far from a modern sitcom, as the show originally aired in 1975. However, the remake of the Norman Lear classic takes a more modern spin. It’s about a former army nurse living in an apartment with her two children and mother. As she works hard to make ends meet, One Day At A Time tackles series topics, from alcoholism to PTSD, teenage sexuality, and mental health.
Fans were outraged when Netflix canceled the show after three seasons. It was brought back for a fourth and final season on Pop TV. Despite One Day At A Time being relatively short-lived, it is still named among the most ground-breaking sitcoms of this generation. It features a Cuban-American family at the center and topical storylines. It’s for these reasons that One Day At A Time is one of the best sitcoms that needs another season.
2 Workin’ Moms Is Blunt, Honest, And Real (2017-Present)
Stream On Netflix
Yet another entry from Canada, Workin’ Moms peels back the curtain on motherhood in the 21st Century, leaving no stone unturned. From conversations about nursing in the workplace to hilarious scenes of a mother being forced to bring her sick kids to work, Workin' Moms is full of laughs.
Each mom has her own challenges, including unplanned pregnancies, teenage daughters going through puberty, kids having trouble in school, and divorce. Workin' Moms premiered on Netflix for its third season, and it has become a hit since, with a seventh and final season set for a 2023 release.
1 How I Met Your Father Is Gen-Z Culture Personified (2020-Present)
Stream On Hulu
How I Met Your Father is a spin-off of How I Met Your Mother, but it turns the story into a more modern tale. With the narration taking place in the year 2050, a now older Sophie is video chatting with her grown son, recalling the story of how she met his father. Like Ted's tale in the original, the story becomes long and drawn out, touching on all the events that led to her meeting him and what eventually brought them together.
The mystery behind How I Met Your Father has fans continually guessing. At the heart, the story is told from the perspective of modern dating, complete with dating apps, Gen-Z culture and fashion, the gig economy, and other present-day trends.