Black sitcoms have been active for many decades by now, with shows such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air still popular. But the 2000s brought a sense of normalcy of Black culture into these sitcoms, giving them a casual elegance in terms of the presentation without too many societal issues present.
These are still worth a watch, especially for those who want breezy, comedic entertainment. This particular decade brought a balance between family-based shows and those set in big cities about romances and friends. Since these sitcoms have an evergreen quality, it's worth looking at the best ones starring primarily Black casts to see what made them so great.
10 My Wife And Kids Is About Trying To Keep Up With His Family's Needs
My Wife And Kids might not be the most famous series, but it has one of the best couples in a sitcom with Michael and Jay Kyle. The show is about the pair dealing with their three children, who normally don't appreciate the privileged lives their parents have provided them with.
My Wife and Kids has hilarious parenting techniques employed by Michael, who goes out of his way to discipline his children in a friendly but over-the-top way. Jay's constant need for affection also befuddles Michael, which provides another avenue for entertainment.
9 Girlfriends Is About Friends In The City & Their Love Lives
Girlfriends is set in L.A., focusing on a group of Black female friends who navigate their lives in the big city. The women's struggles in their career and their love lives make up Girlfriends' primary outline, along with how these issues impact their friendship.
Being a multi-cam sitcom, Girlfriends remains funny throughout each episode, with most of the characters' tribulations played for laughs. The show has a lot of heart, though, as the friendship aspect is highlighted no matter how many romances the women go through.
8 Everybody Hates Chris Shows A Black Kid's Life In A White Neighborhood
Everybody Hates Chris is about Chris Rock's life as a teenager in a rough neighborhood where white kids normally bully him. But Chris' loving family provides him with the support he needs to keep on going, which pushes him into pursuing the path that ultimately led to his stardom.
The show makes Chris out to be something of a loser, but there's a lot of wholesome content through the interactions he has with his parents and friends. Everybody Hates Chris is a show better enjoyed as an adult because it also sheds light on how difficult it could be for a Black kid to live in a predominantly white area during the time period it's set.
7 The Bernie Mac Show Depicts The Main Character's Parenting Techniques
The Bernie Mac Show has one of the best sitcom dads in the titular character, who takes care of the three children his wife's sister has left as their responsibility. Bernie's unorthodox parenting techniques and subsequent bond with the kids play out across several seasons.
The Bernie Mac Show depicts the style of parenting in a Black household, although a lot of it is turned up to a higher degree of quirkiness for the benefit of the sitcom landscape. There's a heartwarming aspect to it through Bernie's gradual love for the children, which grows with each season.
6 The Proud Family Is A Slice-Of-Life Sitcom
The Proud Family is an animated series about the titular clan, told from the point of view of their teenage daughter. It takes on a slice-of-life presentation, showing the general days of the family's ongoings, generally with a moral message by the end of the episode.
The Proud Family is funny for the kooky personality of each character, ranging from mischievous siblings to a goofball dad. It's great for family-friendly entertainment, and any kind of viewer base can appreciate the humor. The series saw a revival in early 2022 titled The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
5 The Boondocks Is An Animated Take On Black Culture
The Boondocks is an adult-animated sitcom about a Black family living in a white suburban neighborhood. The primary characters are a pair of young brothers who are wise beyond their years, to the point where they become radicalized left-wing personalities whose staunch beliefs are funny considering their ages.
The Boondocks shows the impact of culture clashes and identity crises that appear when Black children are in a new environment. Although there are a lot of social commentaries, the series never lays it on too thick, and the comedic element is the aspect that viewers will see most of all, apart from the relationship between the Freeman family.
4 One On One Is About The Father-Daughter Relationship
One on One is a good sitcom to binge with the family since its length is just right for viewers to check it out in succession. It's about a father-daughter pair, with the parent trying to do right by his teenage daughter, but having difficulties due to his bachelor lifestyle.
The show still manages to make the two seem like a firm duo, as they generally find common ground to bond with one another. One on One later shifts to depict the main characters' relationships with other people, including romances and friendships, which all have their own comedic twist.
3 Half & Half Shows Estranged Sisters Becoming Close
Half & Half is about a pair of half-sisters who realize they've moved into the same building and now have to contend with each other. This eventually leads to them fixing their past resentments, as each episode brings them closer together until they become true siblings.
Half & Half's jokes come from the sisters' different upbringings, leading to many clashes and differences of opinion. As the series is set in a big city, the two also have many interactions with other people, with more comedy coming from how these characters react to the sisters' interesting living situations.
2 The Parkers Is About A Mother-Daughter Pair Going To College
The Parkers shows the reality of many young Black mothers who have had to give up their education to take care of their children. However, it fast-forwards to the daughter being grown up, as her mother joins her at college to make up for the studies she'd delayed for so long.
The fact that a mother-daughter pair go to the same school is comedic material that writes itself, and The Parkers makes full use of it. Still, the show also portrays why it's important to appreciate parents for their sacrifices, as the mother-daughter pair become closer during their mutual studies.
1 Eve Is About The Dating Scene
Eve is named after the main character, but the show has four of these as two pairs of friends. The two men and women try to give each other advice during relationships with one another, which takes a lot of trial and error for them to get right.
Eve shows what the dating scene was like for Black people in the early 2000s, although it takes a fair bit of comedic license through humorous moments. The characters are all likable in their own ways as they look to understand how their relationships work.