Though there are 11 seasons of the show to binge, there comes a time when many seek shows like Modern Family because the rewatch just isn’t cutting it anymore. Following the various households of a larger extended family, Modern Family showed that there is no such thing as a typical family anymore, and they all have their share of dysfunction. Luckily for fans of Modern Family there are some other great series that capture that same heart and humor. From family drama to animated comedies about growing up, these ten shows are perfect for Modern Family fans.
Though audiences had to say goodbye to Modern Family‘s characters in 2020, there are plenty of other sitcoms about unusual families to fill the gap left by the Dunphy’s and Pritchett’s. The ability to turn to television and see the best of family and relationships can be a true comfort and motivator, and while Modern Family did this perfectly, it’s far from the only show to capture that magic. Life is sad, funny, mundane, and even absurd, and seeing an encapsulation of someone’s journey through it all can make viewers feel seen and understood, as well as properly entertained. There are some great shows for those who loved Modern Family and want to see more of the family sitcom formula they know and love.
1 The Middle (2009-2017)
The Middle focuses on the Heck family, a lower-class family in Indiana doing their best to make their way through life as a complicated (but hilarious) family of five. The show is narrated by Frankie, the mom of three children: Axl, Sue, and Brick. Axl deals with popularity and academic apathy, Sue struggles to succeed in social situations, and Brick is a bookworm introvert. Showing a normal family with all its flaws and charm is what makes shows like Modern Family and The Middle so popular. The scenarios the Hecks get into are just as funny as their relationships are heartwarming and relatable.
2 Friday Night Dinner (2011-2020)
Modern Family shows the kind of hijinks that can ensue with a simple get-together as with the frequent family dinners on the show. That concept is used to great effect in the British comedy, Friday Night Dinner focuses on the weekly Shabbat dinner between the Goodman parents and their two sons, Adam and Jonny. Often, dinner is interrupted by unexpected guests, family pranks, or other wacky scenarios that viewers can expect from dry British comedy. The Goodman family is reminiscent of writer Robert Popper’s own secular Jewish upbringing, lending it an organic authenticity that’s hard to fabricate.
3 Single Parents (2018-2019)
Single Parents debuted in 2018 on ABC and follows a divorced parent in his 30s named Will. Will feels lost in his identity, having focused so much of his energy on raising his daughter. This spurs the school’s other single parents to help bring him out of his “father cocoon” and onto the dating scene. The show provides great writing and scenarios for the cast (which includes Leighton Meester and Brad Garrett) and provides a refreshing take on the formula by subverting both the traditional family sitcom and the single bachelor hang-out routine. Taking a more contemporary look at family dynamics rather than what is seen in classic sitcoms is something that allowed Modern Family to stand out.
4 The Mick (2017)
Kaitlin Olson is most well-known as Dee Reynolds in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but she also headlined her own series with The Mick. Olson plays Mickey, a woman who relocates to Greenwich and ends up becoming the parental guardian for her estranged niece and nephew when their parents are arrested by the FBI for fraud and tax evasion. Mickey is left to raise their three spoiled children who have known only wealth and privilege their whole lives. Modern Family refreshingly shows that even those who have been parents for years can be far from perfect, and The Mick embraces the idea of a less-than-suitable guardian learning how to raise kids with all the ups and downs.
5 One Day At A Time (2017-2020)
Most fans will know that One Day at a Time is Netflix’s reboot of the 1970s show of the same name, but it follows a different family than its original show. The show focuses on Penelope, a Cuban-American army veteran and a newly single mom of two children. The show focuses on the everyday challenges and moments the family goes through, such as Penelope’s work life, their ever-present landlord, and the trials and tribulations of her children. For heartwarming and unique sitcoms to enjoy alongside family, One Day at a Time fits the bill perfectly. Much like Gloria’s Columbian heritage provides the family with a different perspective, this family story gives a unique and hilarious take on the American household.
6 Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2005)
Looking at the Dunphy family on Modern Family feels similar to Malcolm’s family on Malcolm in the Middle. It follows a family going through the struggles and triumphs of children growing up. This series is told from the perspective of Malcolm, the middle child, with two older brothers and one younger brother his strict mother and ridiculous father, who resembles Phil Dunphy more than a little. From pre-teen drama to growing up, parents working, fighting, and finding things out, this hilarious show is perfect for anyone who grew up in a dysfunctional family of their own. It is a beloved series with fans will waiting for the Malcolm in the Middle revival.
7 Kim’s Convenience (2016-2021)
The Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience is largely known for starring Shang-Chi star Simu Liu, but it’s also another terrific look at a modern sitcom family. Kim’s Convenience is centered on the adventures and misadventures of a Korean-Canadian family running a convenience store in Toronto. Kim’s Convenience will especially appeal to anyone who understands the experience of growing up with immigrant parents (and the difficulty in combining those two cultures. However, no matter a viewer’s background, the fresh humor and quick wit of Kim’s Convenience it it a must-watch among shows like Modern Family.
8 Black-Ish (2014-2022)
- Stream on Disney+ and Hulu
This critically acclaimed comedy about a 21st-century family upbringing spawned two spin-offs (Grown-Ish and Mixed-Ish) and it’s easy to see why fans who also appreciate Modern Family highly recommend it. Black-Ish follows an upper-middle-class Black family attempting to figure out their place in the neighborhood (and in the larger world) and struggling with all the usual family drama on top of it. While the show definitely addresses some weightier topics (predominantly race), it does so with style and humor, and is absolutely worth a watch for viewers looking for shows like Modern Family.
9 Life In Pieces (2015-2019)
Though it never attracted the same level of success in the ratings and awards as other family-centric sitcoms, Life in Pieces is an underrated gem. Like Modern Family, this sitcom follows an extended family and their ups and downs — with stories of different events and milestones told by various family members. Expect the same age range and similar hilarity to Modern Family, but with an entirely new group of strange characters and oddball family members to laugh with.
10 This Is Us (2016-2022)
This Is Us may not be a comedy, but anyone looking to watch a brilliant depiction of family life on the small screen should check it out. It shares a similar format of Modern Family as it deals with the various households within on larger family, but with a twist. Told in This is Us‘s various different timelines, it is story of three triplets as adults, as kids, and their parents’ romance before they were born. The series has been on the air since 2016, and is absolutely heartbreaking, but somehow heartwarming at the same time.
11 Big Mouth (2017)
Over the course of Modern Family’s run, the children of the show grew and went through their respective awkward years, adding a decent amount of crude humor to the later seasons. Likewise, Big Mouth follows a group of tweens as they start to cope with the changes of their age — from the physical to the emotional. Brilliantly, though, the series also frequently delves into fantasy territory, introducing Hormone Monsters (and a range of other anthropomorphized emotions and concepts) who exist to “help” guide kids through puberty. Big Mouth is riotously funny, often cringe-worthy, and incredibly relatable.
12 Fresh Off The Boat (2015-2019)
Fresh Off the Boat is another look at a family much different than those in Modern Family but filled with the same love and humor. This brilliant sitcom combines family conflicts, culture shock, and a little helping of nostalgia, too. Fresh Off The Boat is based on the memoir of Eddie Huang, following a Taiwanese family as they move from Washington to Orlando in the ’90s. Culture shock piles on culture shock as both kids and parents try and fit in — and the Dad struggles to keep his uber-American cowboy restaurant afloat. Funny, light, and filled with ’90s tunes, Fresh Off The Boat will resonate for anyone who had to move as a kid.
13 Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020)
Fans watched as the lovable character of Modern Family grew and evolved over the series much like the Schitt’s Creek characters whose fish-out-of-water experience made them better people. Schitt’s Creek starts when an ultra-wealthy family are suddenly bankrupt thanks to a shady business manager, and forced to relocate to a small town. Watching people used to billions try and get used to nothing is hilarious on its own, but the family dynamic is especially brilliant — these are not a loving family at the start, but they learn a lot from their new life.
14 The Goldbergs (2013-2023)
Another one for nostalgia-viewing, The Goldbergs is set in the ’80s in Pennsylvania and is based on the real-life childhood of showrunner Adam F Goldberg. Expect the usual family dynamic hilarity, experiences of life before cellphones and social media but this isn’t a show about completely over-the-top experiences. Instead, the humor comes from very relatable and realistic family members, and the way that love really is at the heart of everything they do. There are many similarities between the Goldbergs and the Dunphys, at least when it comes to the obstacles they face, so it’s clear why this is one of the most regularly recommended shows like Modern Family.
15 Arrested Development (2003-2018)
A lot of the fun of Modern Family comes from the dysfunctional nature of the family, however, they seem picture-perfect compared to the Bluths on Arrested Development. The Bluth family, their eccentric ways, their impossible approach to dealing with money, and their attempts to keep it under control are well-known. One of the most acclaimed sitcoms of all time, Arrested Development is sharply written in a way that makes it a joy to rewatch, so viewers looking for shows like Modern Family will feel right at home. However, for those who still haven’t seen the series, there’s no time like the present to catch up on all the inside jokes and quotable moments that make this series as phenomenal as it is.
