Although 2000s television saw a rise in cinematic comedies, live studio audiences remained popular. Two and a Half Men was a testament to the enduring success of traditional sitcoms, capturing 18 million viewers from the first episode.

It’s a long story, but we’re discussing the pilot episode of How I Met Your Mother. This series blended elements of traditional and unconventional sitcoms, including a mix of warm nostalgia and quirky humor.

After establishing her brand of comedy on SNL, Tina Fey continued her success with the creation of 30 Rock. Since episode one, the series gained attention for its surreal tone, fast pace, and satirical take on the television business.   

The mockumentary format became popular in the 2000s thanks to the American adaptation of The Office. The pilot episode had a mixed response from critics and viewers, but it set the stage for one of the most enduring TV comedies of all time.

Now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the first episode that brought them all together. It’s Arrested Development, the ensemble comedy that gave us the Bluth family and more running gags than we can keep count of.

The 2000s saw the rise of single-camera comedies that moved away from the traditional sitcom format in favor of a more cinematic style. Malcolm in the Middle was one of the first shows of the decade to defy genre conventions, introducing in its pilot episode a cynical tone that would come to define the era.

It’s Halloween and we’re capping off our month of vampire pilots with What We Do In The Shadows. Directed by Taika Waititi and written by Jemaine Clement, the first episode of this mockumentary series established the same blend of horror and quirky comedy as the 2014 movie.

As the vampire craze peaked in the late 2000s, the CW put its spin on the genre by adapting The Vampire Diaries. The series featured teen soap drama typical for the network but with the added element of immortal blood-sucking monsters.

The next vampiric pilot we’re discussing is True Blood. This drama explored themes of politics, sexuality, and discrimination through the lens of vampires in the Deep South. As an HBO series, True Blood depicted violence and intimacy more explicitly than the TV landscape had ever seen before.