Quiz: Only True Millennials Can Name the Early 2000s Sitcom By One Side Character

One of the great things about streaming is that there’s the ability to relive all our favorite sitcoms. How well do you know ones from the early ‘00s? We’re talking about those that had episodes airing between 2000 and 2003. They may have gone on longer, or they may have started in the 1990s, but they were huge when millennials were growing up. We bet only true millennials can get all seven questions right on this quiz, as we only give you a side character’s name:

How did you do? If you got a perfect score, then you deserve a round of applause.

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The Rise of Single-Cam Comedy

While up to the early ‘00s, there was still a focus on multi-cam sitcoms, the 2000s started to bring a significant change. This was the rise of the single-camera sitcom, and it arguably started with The Office in the UK. That show hit so well that an American version was created, and while that did go on for more seasons, there’s no denying that the British version was the best.

From there, the mockumentary style of the sitcom became a big thing. We continue to see it today, with the likes of St. Denis Medical and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins. Funnily enough, it’s NBC that has continued to capture the heart of this style of commentary.

If it wasn’t the mockumentary style, it was other comedies that broke the fourth wall. Malcolm in the Middle pioneered this format of storytelling, something that was always said to be a “never do” for TV. Malcolm directly speaks with us, the viewers, as a way to pull us into the story. It’s like we’re the diary that he is writing to, and the revival didn't forget that.

The early 2000s also brought awkwardness to the comedic setting. Instead of relying on timing or on avoiding the silences, the comedies of the early ‘00s thrived on that. There was more focus on having unblinking stares at the camera, giving viewers a chance to make up their own mind about a current situation going on. We became part of the overall story, and it’s no wonder those shows still stand out in our minds.

If you love to test your TV knowledge, we have regular quizzes for you. Make sure you bookmark the Mental Floss quiz page for more!

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