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The 2000s were an interesting time to be alive. For those who were adults during this decade, you were probably just excited to be alive, considering you were pretty convinced that the world would end in the year Y2K. If you were a child during the 2000s, you were probably begging your parents for the latest iPod (the first-ever iPod was released in 2001). And, if you were watching a movie or a television show, your TV was probably wider than your waist. Yeah, for any young kids reading this article, TVs weren’t always the sleek, paper-thin marvels of technology that they are today.
But, despite the television sets being chunky as hell, the 2000s were a great time for TV and cinema. In fact, many identify the 2000s as the modern Golden Age of Television (being ushered in by the release of The Sopranos, arguably the greatest television program of all time, in 1999). This was a time before Netflix flooded the world with more content than it could possibly handle, and production studios still put care and dedication into their programming rather than just churning out as many seasons as possible. The 2000s were a great era for comedy as well.
The 2000s brought us some of the most iconic television programs and movies ever. So, let’s run through this historic decade and identify the 7 best comedy shows and movies of the 2000s.
1. The Office
There is perhaps no comedic television show more beloved than The Office. Honestly, it’s insane how often I hear someone quoting an episode of this show or debating who their favorite character is. And every Halloween party is bound to have at least one Prison Mike. The Office has pretty much defined comedy for a generation and is one of the most influential TV shows of all time.
As you probably know, the American version of The Office is based on a British TV show of the same name that starred Ricky Gervais. And, while many would argue that the British version is better than its American counterpart, the American version starring Steve Carrell is undeniably brilliant. The American version of The Office first aired in 2005 and has received 42 Primetime Emmy Award nominations with five wins.
2. Step Brothers
One of the best buddy comedy movies ever made, the 2008 film Step Brothers starred two of the greatest comedic actors ever and used both of their talents to the fullest extent. This film follows the journeys of Brennan (played by Will Ferrell) and Dale (played by John C. Reilly), two adult deadbeats forced to live together when their parents get married. At first, Dale and Brennan can’t stand each other. However, by the end of the film, they form an alliance stronger than the Catalina Wine Mixer has ever seen.
While Step Brothers didn’t receive the greatest reviews from critics, ask anyone you know who’s seen the film, and they’ll instantly start spewing off quote after quote. Step Brothers is a work of comedic genius and has set the bar for all buddy comedy movies after it.
3. That ‘70s Show
While That ‘70s Show started in 1998, it ran until 2006, meaning that it’s definitely more of a 2000s show than it is a ‘90s show. Anyway, That ‘70s Show is a period teen sitcom that takes place in a fictional Wisconsin town between the years 1976 and 1979. While That ‘70s Show focused mainly on a group of pot-smoking, horny teens dealing with the troubles of being young and confused, it also touched on some very important themes such as economic hardship, mistrust of the American government, sexual orientation, and many others.
The main characters included Eric, Donna, Jackie, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez. Eric and Donna are coupled up, Jackie and Kelso are coupled up, Hyde is a conspiracy theory-weaving pothead, and Fez is a horny foreign exchange student with a secret love for Jackie. That ‘70s Show is responsible for creating two of Hollywood’s biggest stars of the 2000s and 2010s: Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher.
4. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Already mentioned once in this article, Steve Carrell is one of the funniest people to appear in film and television in the 2000s. His awkward brand of comedy is both endearing and gut-busting hilarious, and anything he appears in is bound to be a hit. Such was the case with the 2005 film The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which stars Carrell as a 40-year-old electronics store employee who’s never made hanky-panky. His co-workers, played by Paul Rudd, Romany Malco and Seth Rogen, all formulate a plan to get the poor guy laid.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin won Steve Carrell an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance, and the film garnered solid critical reviews overall. Who can forget the iconic scene where Leslie Mann’s character throws up on Andy in the car or when Andy goes to get his chest waxed and curses out the salon employees?
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm
The iconic television sitcom Seinfeld ended in 1998, a sad moment in television history. However, from that show was born another classic sitcom that deserves recognition as one of the best pieces of media to come out of the 2000s. Curb Your Enthusiasm stars Larry David, successful co-writer of Seinfeld, as himself as he curmudgeonly navigates his everyday life in Los Angeles. David is constantly picking arguments, getting himself into trouble and saying things that shouldn’t be said in polite society.
Curb Your Enthusiasm also stars Cheryl Hines as Larry’s wife Cheryl, Jeff Garlin as Larry’s best friend and manager Jeff Greene, Susie Essman as Jeff’s wife Susie and J.B. Smoove as Larry’s housemate Leon Black. Every episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm features hilarious dialogue (which is especially impressive considering a massive portion of the show is improvised) and an expertly woven plot. So, it’s no surprise that the show has received 51 Primetime Emmy Award nominations with two wins.
6. Mean Girls
After Lindsay Lohan’s first major role as an adult in Freaky Friday, it was clear that she would be a staple of the 2000s. And, to this day, one of the crowning achievements of her career is her role in the massively successful 2004 American teen comedy Mean Girls. This film was produced by Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, directed by Mark Waters, and written by the indelible Tina Fey (who also has a major role in the film).
Mean Girls follows Cady Heron as she moves to a new high school and must navigate her social life as well as her crush on Aaron Samuels, the school’s number-one hottie. However, when she takes on a secret mission to take down the school’s popular girls (headed by the fearsome Regina George), Cady begins to lose herself and her best friends.
7. Bruce Almighty
You simply can’t write an article about 2000s comedy without mentioning Jim Carrey’s name. And Carrey’s funniest role of the 2000s may have just been as Bruce Nolan in the 2003 fantasy comedy Bruce Almighty. Bruce is a television field reporter whose dream job is taken by his coworker Evan Baxter (played by Steve Carrell), leading to an on-screen outburst that gets Bruce fired.
Down on his luck, Bruce appeals to God for help and, unexpectedly, God (played by Morgan Freeman) offers to help by giving Bruce his power for a week. At first, Bruce uses these powers for his own personal gain. However, as the film progresses, he begins to realize that his calling is to help others. Bruce Almighty is a super creative film that puts Jim Carrey’s signature eccentric antics on full display.
