15 Shows Like Modern Family For Fans Of Comedy Sitcoms

One of the most lovable and longest-running sitcoms, Modern Family, has centred around the Dunphy and Pritchett families for 11 seasons. The Modern Family came to a conclusion in 2020, and since then, the fans have been missing it. We have created a list of 15 hilarious and entertaining shows like Modern Family that you can watch instead!

The comedy series Modern Family follows Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen), her husband and best father Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell), their children Haley (Sarah Hyland), Alex (Ariel Winter), and Luke, as well as Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill), his new wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara), his stepson Manny (Rico Rodriguez), and his daughters family (Nolan Gould). The show also features Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), and their adoptive daughter Lily, in addition to Jay (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons). The show made us happy, laugh out loud, and cry, and it is without a doubt one of the best comedy shows.

1. Schitt’s Creek (2015)

The narrative revolves around the Roses, who go from riches to rags and are forced to live in a rundown and unkempt town, Schitt’s Creek. In a family of 4, every character develops beautifully. Simplicity is what drives the entire series, peppered with some top-notch performances. Eugene Levy is convincing as the worrying and doting husband and father. Catherine O’Hara excels as the loud, egoistic, and self-centred yesteryear actress Moira.

Don’t be fooled by their sarcasm; they do actually care about each other and have something of a moral compass in each of them. Even though they are deeply flawed people, you can’t help but grow fond of all of them. Even the side characters will hold a special place in your heart and hence will be one of your favourite shows like Modern Family.

2. The Office (2005)

Similar to shows like Modern Family, The Office has a unique cinematographical style mockumentary that allows characters to speak their mind without bringing in continuous dialogues or an internal dialogue- narration in the mind, giving a more realistic flow to the show. The Office US Version is based on Ricky Gervasis’ British 1 season long ‘The Office’.

The show follows the employees of the Scranton branch – of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company when they are picked by a documentary film crew to record their daily lives in the office. The employees turn out to be a wide assortment of characters. The writers marvellously twist the flow of the show by adding suspense, a little bit of drama and romance, and a whole lot of insanely funny pranks and jokes, and it really bonds us with the characters.

3. Married… with Children (1987)

One of the main reasons to have this show on the list is to do with Ed O’Neill. Before Ed played the role of Jay Prichett, he was the main character Al Bundy in this comedy sitcom Married… with Children, but that’s not the only reason why you should watch this show. Much like Modern Family, this show follows the day-to-day life of an American family called the Bundys.

While Married… with Children has had its own long-running success with 10 seasons, Modern Family fans have pointed out that the family dynamic of Al Bundy unhappily married with two children – a boy and a girl feels like an alternative version of his original marriage with DeDe and the children, Claire and Mitch. Regardless of this cool connection, Married… with Children is an awesome choice for shows like Modern Family.

4. This Is Us (2016)

Created by Dan Fogelman, This Is Us is an American romantic-family tragedy series that premiered on NBC. Starring an ensemble cast, the series follows the lives of Kevin, Kate, and Randall, three siblings who have to go through a unique set of personal struggles at different intervals in life. The trio is trying to find happiness and a way to get through a tragedy of their past.

This series highlights the everyday rhythms of family life, the simple happiness of loving and being impatient with your parents or longing to be with your siblings. Additionally, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Milo Ventimiglia perform brilliantly. Definitely not as light-hearted in comparison to shows like Modern Family, but This Is Us has so much heart that all the tears will be worth it!

5. The Simpsons (1989)

The longest running Animated comedy sitcom, The Simpsons, explores the lives of the said family living in Springfield – The father- Homer Simpson, is an idiotic man who usually comes off as selfish but does care for his family, while Marge is a hardworking, devoted wife and mother of 3 children, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

Bart is always up to some sort of mischief causing, while Lisa is a diligent, mature, and smart young girl, and Maggie. Well, she is just a normal baby (or is she?). Either way, by now, you might have realized just how similar the family dynamic sound to the Dunphys! The Simpsons has entertained generations and will surely be a great option for you if want to see awesome shows like Modern Family.

6. Full House (1987)

This beloved ABC hit comedy had plenty of viewers during the ‘80s and ‘90s. The episodes were always funny and interesting. Wholesome family entertainment. Full House is a great 90s family-friendly sitcom with actually funny lines and life values.

Danny is a widower who is raising his 3 little girls after the death of his wife. But he has help from his musician brother-in-law, Jesse Katsopolis, and his best friend, comedian Joey Gladstone. This is the best show ever! It is a very funny comedy show with some crazy drama and emotional parts. You will feel as if you are a part of this family. As a fan of family comedy TV shows like Modern Family, I highly recommend Full House to you.

7. Fresh Off the Boat (2015)

Fresh Off the Boat is a show about a Taiwanese-American family who has moved from Washington, DC, to Orlando, Florida. The show centers mostly on 11-year-old Eddie Huang and his struggles to fit in at his new school as the only Asian kid.

Quite similar to series like Modern Family, Fresh Off The Boat is funny, smart, and charming, and you will enjoy every minute of every episode. The creative team behind this series are absolutely brilliant. A special shout out to the cast, including Constance Wu, Randall Park, and Forrest Wheeler, who make the show as good as it is!

8. Malcolm In The Middle (2000)

Malcolm in the Middle, a creation of Linwood Boomer, is one of the first sitcoms to set itself apart from the usual family-friendly clichés and feature a totally irredeemable, dysfunctional family, and in the process, get rid (for the first time?) of that annoying laugh-track. In fact, the series doesn’t need to remind you when to laugh since it is so secure in its comedic ability.

Reese is as stupid as a sack of diapers and is only good at performing practical jokes, being the bully at school, and getting away from Lois’ punishments. Like Alex from Modern Family, Malcolm is a literal genius with a 165 IQ, but his academic accomplishments are only rivaled by his ability to get into trouble. Malcolm in the Middle is definitely worth watching for shows like Modern Family, it’s inventive and has lots of laughs.

9. Black-ish (2014)

The satirical TV series Black-ish is based on the premise that society perceives blackness to have a particular connotation or simply that certain actions and viewpoints are “black.” This series may not have had a great beginning, but it has definitely won me over. Contrary to its title, it doesn’t center on race at all (in fact, it barely mentions it at all), but instead deftly and hilariously explores how values and self-identification evolve through time.

Strong writing, wonderfully cast main performers, and an irreverent look at the problems facing an upper-class black family are what set Blackish apart from other television shows. Obviously, if you are not familiar with the subtleties of black culture, you might not “understand” some of the humour. At the end of the day, the show is funny and entertaining. I would highly recommend you watch this great family sitcom as a fan of sitcoms shows like Modern Family.

10. Young Sheldon (2017)

While we are talking about shows with one intelligent kid and 2 not so intelligent (but popular and street-smart) kids, nothing compares to the Big Bang Theory spin-off show Young Sheldon. Being a spin-off, viewers who haven’t seen the original show might think it will be harder to follow or not up to the mark, but not only does the show stand well on its own, but it is extremely hilarious!

Young Sheldon is narrated from the perspective of grown-up Sheldon Cooper, who, as a 10-year-old from Texas, lived with his loving and religious mother, football coach father, his siblings, and his favorite – Meemaw (Grandmother). Sheldon is prompted to higher grades in school, but his lack of social understanding and arrogance makes for an interesting delusional, and funny point of view. Young Sheldon is great series similar to Modern Family.

11. Arrested Development (2003)

Arrested Development is a story of a dysfunctional extended family which lost everything and how one man tries to keep them together. This is usually a set of multiple running story arcs. The success of Arrested Development laid the groundwork for shows like Modern Family to do well. If you’ve already seen this, check out our list of shows like Arrested Development.

The Bluth family, developers who are in bankruptcy with the father in prison for fraud. One son, Michael, tries to be responsible and keep things going, while the rest of the group is entirely self-centred and can’t seem to focus on the fact they are broke and in disgrace. While both shows are awesome, Arrested Development episodes are much more intelligent and interwind compared to a series like Modern Family.

12. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)

This is Ellie Kemper’s unhinged comedy at best. The series starts slow, but only in a few episodes, you’ll be hooked. With a cast that gets better with age, writing that goes from zany and out of this world to surprisingly profound and sweet, and a stellar sense of humour, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a series like Modern family that gets better with time.

Ellie Kemper plays the titular Kimmy Schmidt, an infectiously optimistic young woman who has just been freed after spending 15 years underground as part of an Apocalypse Cult. Not knowing what to do with her life now that she is finally free, she settles on staying in New York City, where she will get into numerous misadventures. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is a wonderful and wildly entertaining series with some of the most refreshing and enjoyable characters you will ever see.

13. How I Met Your Mother (2005)

How I Met Your Mother is told in a sort of flashback way by Ted, the main character explaining to his kids how he met their mother. Ted is an architect; the other main characters are Marshall, a lawyer who’s married to Lily, a kindergarten teacher. Barney is a lady’s man, and Robin is a television reporter.

This is a comedy show based in the heart of New York, filled with love; adventures mixed up with tons of funny stories. Modern Family has a similar kind of creative humour to How I Met Your Mother since they use popular cultural references, trends, and celebrities as a part of their narrative to elevate the relatability. How I Met Your Mother should make a good binge-watch after comedy TV shows like Modern Family.

14. The Middle (2009)

The Middle follows the misadventures of the Heck family in the small town of Orson in the flyover state of Indiana. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) does everything to make ends meet. Strong silent type Mike (Neil Flynn) is the supervisor at the quarry. The oldest child Axl (Charlie McDermott), is self-possessed to a fault. Middle child Sue (Eden Sher) is unflinchingly positive despite constant bumblings. Brick (Atticus Shaffer) exists on the spectrum.

A superb show, The Middle sadly never really gained the wider acclaim it deserves, though it has a very loyal fan base, and that’s just as important. The middle really makes typical middle-class American issues very comical and entertaining. The writing is very funny and entertaining, and it showcases the writer’s raw talent. This is a very funny kinda, family-friendly American sitcom like Modern Family.

15. Parks and Recreation (2009)

The final recommendation of this list has to be Parks and Recreation. Set in a horrid little fictional town in Indiana named ‘Pawnee’. It is a series–much like The Office and Modern Family. However, instead of trying to copy the main points of success by The Office, Parks and Recreation have come up with its very own recipe.

Amy Poehler is amazing as the lead actress; she plays an extremely enthusiastic city official in a department filled with bludgers and lazy bums. Before you know it, you will wish your own city had such a department, and you will fall in love with the show. For s series similar to Modern Family, this is an absolute must-watch!