7 Best UK Sitcoms of the 2000s, According to Reddit

The 2000s saw a new style of comedy from what we had seen before. Traditional sitcoms had peaked in the ’80s with Blackadder, leaving many 90’s comedy shows scrambling for something different. And by the 2000s, we had it in spades.

Here are the top 7 UK sitcoms of the 2000s according to Reddit (and based on their Rotten Tomatoes score):

7. The Inbetweeners – Score 83%

If you can get over the fact that all the main characters look like adults dressed as children, this is a coming-of-age comedy that explores male bonding, school life, adolescence and a deep desire to get laid.

6. The IT Crowd – Score 88%

The antithesis of what we’re led to believe is the corporate world, the IT department at Reynholm Industries in London operates out of a dingy basement office. Socially awkward and geeky, Roy and Moss at least know their job – unlike new recruit Jen who is a complete technophobe. Her attempts to integrate the boys into real life are well-intentioned but have hilarious consequences.

5. Peep Show – Score 93%

A great example of a new take on comedy. Peep Show starred David Mitchell (Mark) and Robert Webb (Jez) as two dysfunctional friends on very different life journeys. Its sparse use of recurring characters, POV filming, and voiceover thoughts of the lead characters made it new and different. And the two comedy geniuses who wrote it made it so funny.

4. The Thick of It – Score 95%

Malcolm Tucker’s insults became part of British culture when The Thick of It aired. And it’s no surprise, as the writers’ sent the scripts to a ‘swearing assistant’ for him to punch up the Director of Communications’ rants.

It was filmed using handheld cameras to provide a more realistic tone, and around 20% of the dialogue that made the final edit was unscripted to allow for greater authenticity.

3. Coupling – Score 96%

Influenced by the way writer Stephen Moffatt’s relationship with producer (and now wife) Sue Virtue, Coupling explored different perspectives on dating, sex and relationships from the POVs of the three male and three female leads. It was witty, realistic and hugely popular. Nonetheless, it might be a bit of a surprise to see it rated so highly on this list.

2. The Office – Score 97% (Avg. Audience Score 88%)

Only just nudged into second place, The Office announced Ricky Gervais as a fantastic comedy writer. It was cringey and incredibly awkward at times, but it was also relatable and just so funny.

1. Gavin and Stacey – Score 97% (Avg. Audience Score 92%)

Let’s clear one thing up right away – Gavin and Stacey themselves were dull characters. But they were the vehicle by which an eclectic group of totally incompatible characters were thrown together.

Just on the cusp of being realistic, it also featured Nessa – and just the right amount of daftness to make it the number-one-ranked sitcom of the decade.

Source: Reddit.