The best comedy TV shows to watch at home

A good TV comedy is the best thing in your life.

When the 30-minute comedy is done well, it’s something you can revisit over and over and over again, finding new joy in familiar characters and jokes each time.

So you’ve already watched [deep breath] The Simpsons (Disney Plus), 30 Rock (Hulu), Seinfeld (Netflix), The Office (Peacock), Futurama (Hulu)“New Girl” (Netflix), Martin (HBO Max)Arrested Development (Netflix), It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Hulu), Rick and Morty (Hulu), Adventure Time (Hulu and HBO Max). What now?

We’re here to help expand beyond those classics, with a selection of classic sitcoms, modern workplace comedies, mockumentary series, and much more for you to enjoy at home.

American Vandal and Players

Photo: Lara Solanki/Paramount

Image by Netflix

Mockuseries maestros Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault helmed this pair of hilarious and surprisingly poignant series about lovable “confident idiots” and the trouble they get into. This is the first. American VandalThe first season of ‘, parodies true-crime documentaryaries. It features two seasons that follow a pair a student journalists as they investigate teenage pranks. The second. PlayersThis is one of the most popular shows in 2022. It parodies sport documentaries within an esports environment.

Yacenda and Perrault’s appreciation for and mastery of the genres and subgenres they mimic elevate what would otherwise be silly TV comedies into truly excellent television. The pair have an impeccable eye for detail, and the shows’ production design and inspired casting of skilled under-the-radar actors (and non-actors) immerse viewers in ridiculous worlds filled with memorable over-the-top gags. —PV

American Vandal Streaming is available Netflix. Players Streaming is available Paramount Plus.

Larry Sanders Show

Image by:

Direct predecessor to 30 Rock, Larry Sanders Show The sitcom follows the late-night talk show’s staff. Garry Shandling portrays Larry Sanders, the host. Jeffrey Tambor serves as Hank Kingsley’s dense sidekick. Janeane Garofalo and Jeremy Piven make appearances in the early stages of their careers as featured characters. A host of famous celebrities also guest stars as hyper-exaggerated versions.

To me though, this is the true starThe Larry Sanders Show is Rip Torn’s Artie, the show’s producer. No one on Earth has the ability to deliver lines with such acerbic humor as Torn, or the hilarious hijinks that followed. Larry Sanders Display His work was a treasure trove of quality material. Rip Torn is my favorite! —PV

Larry Sanders Show Streaming is available HBO Max.

Mythic Quest

Image: Apple TV

The modern office comedy of most of the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crew, Mythic Quest This sitcom is set inside a videogame studio. This studio is a World of WarcraftThe company is experiencing a tough transition between a start-up and an established firm. Rob McElhenney is Ian Grimm, the “genius” creative who built the game but has steadily drifted apart from his creation and the people who play it. Poppy Li is the lead engineer and Charlotte Nicdao has a close relationship to the game. However, he struggles to persuade Grimm to alter some of his ways.

Mythic Quest This production is not only funny but also has a greater understanding of the industry than any other major productions. There’s a recurring subplot where the entire office tunes into a preteen’s streams because of how important and influential his approval is to their overall success. But I also want to shout out the Oscar-winning F. Murray Abraham, who plays a former celebrated sci-fi novelist who is now the game’s lead writer — a perfect setup for misunderstandings and clashing perspectives. That’s the stuff sitcoms are made of. —PV

Mythic QuestStreaming is available Apple TV Plus.

Detectorists

BBC Four image

Detectorists The warmhearted British comedy tells the story of two oddballs who love metal detecting and live in an English small town. Mackenzie Crook, the showrunner of Pirates of the Caribbean, and Toby Jones, the character actor extraordinaire, play the two lead characters, who are both in midlife crisis. They have a magnetic chemistry that keeps the show alive even in quiet times.

Although the show is about metal detecting and their love for it, the story paints a picture of small communities, the people who make our lives interesting, the difficulties of male bonding, and some humor. With great performances by the ensemble cast (including one of the last performances by the legendary Diana Rigg), it’s a hilarious, sweet show that’s well worth your time. —PV

Detectorists Streaming is available Acorn TVFree with a library Card HooplaOr, you can get them for free by including ads Tubi, Pluto TVPlease see the following: Roku Channel.

Night for Sports

Image: Disney

Aaron Sorkin’s first TV show is perhaps his best, a breezy workplace sitcom about a sports news show. It’s a good fit for an evening news program, with tensions high and deadlines that are not easily met. People walk as they speak, so his quick-witted writing makes it a very appealing choice.

Josh Charles and Peter Krause star as the fictional show’s co-anchors and longtime buddies, loosely based on SportsCenter’s former duo of Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick. The duo are believable as friends or occasional rivals and carry the show well.

Sorkin attempted to make the sitcom more grounded than others of its era. He unsuccessfully lobbied to have the show air without a joke track. Eagle-eared viewers may notice that the laughter track becomes quieter with each episode. And because this is early on in his career, some of Sorkin’s more aggravating writing tics don’t quite show up yet. —PV

Night for SportsDigital purchase available Amazon, Google PlayPlease see the following: Vudu.

Get down

Image: Starz

Similar to some other entries on this site, Get down is a “if you know you know” situation. It is an enduring comedy sensation that has a low mass appeal. Get down is a show that inherently understands that workplace comedies function best when we’re constantly reminded that work is not necessarily a fun place to be, but good co-workers can make all the difference. It is important to be clear that these caterers who are trying to get it done in Hollywood may not make good coworkers. However, they AreA goldmine for acidic, dry comedy. The cast and crew are a team of talented individuals. And sometimes that’s the shit that’ll get you through the work day. —Zosha Millman

Get down You can watch it online Hulu Starz.

Superstore

Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC

After the events of The OfficeIt is quite simple that there are a lot of office comedies out there trying to do the same thing. It’s the best part. SuperstoreIt does everything! Office thing — found family with a compelling will-they-won’t-they in the middle of it all — better than almost anyone else, simply by doing something completely different. SuperstoreWeed out the cringe humor for hijinks, which fill up the otherwise monotonous day of work at the Big-Box Store. And explore the potential comedy possibilities of the location. It’s also actually funny, with a strong ensemble and great interstitials with the guests. You might also like sitcoms with progressive politics. SuperstoreIt also has other options. In short, it’s a one-stop shop for all your half-hour comedy needs. —ZM

Superstore You can watch it online Hulu Peacock.

Tick

Image: Amazon Studios

The satirical super hero comedy in all three forms Tick are worth watching — the original animated 1994 version and the 2001 live-action rendition are both an absolute hoot — but I want to talk about the great 2016 remake. Peter Serafinowicz is pitch perfect as the naive Tick, with a deep booming voice and a childlike sincerity and curiosity about the world, and Griffin Newman’s Arthur brings a real heart and personal struggle to what is otherwise an extraordinarily silly comedy (The Tick pointing at a bad guy and shouting “STOP YOUR EVIL WAYS!” will never not make me laugh).

It’s one of the funniest shows on TV, but it’s also carried deep meaning for me in the years since I watched it. Surprisingly often, when dealing with a tough situation, I hear The Tick’s booming inspirational cry to Arthur: “What are you Going to Do about it?” –PV

Tick (2016) can be streamed on Prime Video. Tick You can stream (1994) on YouTube Hulu. Tick You can stream (2001) on YouTube Tubi.

Search Party (the First Four Seasons)

Photo: Jessica Miglio/Warner Media

Search PartyIt’s a variety of things. A satire on whatever topic it chooses; a whodunit, a coming of age story; and a dystopic view of the inner workings of a group of young black Brooklyn millennials. One thing it rarely is is boring, moving from one genre to the next and blending them all together until it’s come up with a totally new world order. I’m personally of the mind that the first four seasons are where it’s at, but if you’re in for a penny you may as well make up your own mind. —ZM

Search Party You can stream it on HBO Max.

Girls5eva

Photo: Heidi Gutman/Peacock

Like many people, you are searching for comedy dopamine to take your mind off the pain of finishing an episode. 30 RockRewatch. There is no better way to follow up. Girls5EvaThe best new comedy from Tina Fey/Robert Carlock. Follow a former teenage girl group as they attempt to get back into the game in 40s. Girls5Eva has both songs and jokes that will lodge themselves in your brain in ways you’ll never be able to translate to your friends without getting them to finally watch the show. This show was ranked as the best TV of 2022 for one reason. But the truth is that it’s actually the best TV of 2022. Girls5EvaIt’s just great TV and everyone should sit down to laugh. —ZM

Girls5eva You can stream it on Peacock.

Happily Ever After

Image from ABC

There are limitations to my love of you Happily Ever AfterThese jokes are mostly limited to certain 2010s humor, which have aged poorly. This is normal for any 2010s. FriendsWe can usually forgive them, and we will focus our attention on what is important. Happily Ever AfterIt’s all the rest.

When the show is settled in itself, it will be rid of the idea that two lead actors are playing out a lesser Ross/Rachel dynamic. Happily Ever AfterThis sitcom is so wacky that it’s easy to embrace its absurdity. It delivers some of the funniest, most outrageous gags you will ever see on TV. This sitcom is 20 minutes long, so the cast must sing in order to make it work. Happily Ever After group — with their meta winks and eccentricities — are the real deal. It’s the chaotic good of what weird isolationist friend groups should be. —ZM

Happily Ever After You can stream it on Hulu HBO Max.

Taxi

Image via Paramount Television

It’s astonishing how modern Taxi It still feels the same 40 years later. The Emmy-winning sitcom, Taxi Drivers in New York City, was created in 1978. It has a gritty style that is comparable to modern single-camera sitcoms. Even though the cast of the Emmy-winning sitcom, including Danny DeVito (and Andy Kaufman), Carol Kane, Tony Danza and Tony Danza is well-known, the humor remains relevant in its subject matter. The Norman Lear-esque approach to comedy focuses on big laughs, while simultaneously addressing big issues. As with a lot other great TV shows, it’s worth watching. Taxi feels like you’re seeing someone get away with something that otherwise wouldn’t be there if more people in charge were paying attention. Fortunately, you CanPay attention and you’ll have a great time. —Joshua Rivera

Taxi You can stream it on Paramount PlusYou can also get ads for no cost. Pluto TV.

Glowing

Photo: Ali Goldstein/Netflix

Though more of a dramedy than most of the other entries on this list, Netflix’s Glowingdemonstrates a consistent ability to deliver good humor and great character acting. The ensemble cast behind the making of a women’s wrestling show is an absolute delight in every way, and the funny but fraught social dynamics of the group are constant fodder for both good stakes and quick wit. It will forever be a tragedy that we didn’t get more of this show (and that the third season left us on an uneven, incomplete note) but Glowing’s light burns on. —ZM

Glowing You can watch it online Netflix.

Chewing Gum

Image: Channel 4

Michaela Coel has a formidable reputation and is a powerhouse.You may be destroyed) already on her resume and an appearance in this fall’s Wakanda for Ever: Black Panther on deck. But if you haven’t checked out her first TV show — which she created, wrote, composed for, and starred in — then you’re missing one of the true jewels of her crown. You will find her funny and sympathetic in equal parts. Chewing gum makes a full meal out of Tracey Gordon’s (Coel) journey of sexual discovery after being raised in a strictly religious household.

It is explicit without being provocative, allowing Tracey’s natural curiosity (and Coel’s expert comedic timing) to pave the way for a series of misadventures we can all learn from. —ZM

Chewing Gum You can watch it online HBO Max.

Fawlty Towers

BBC image

Forgive us if you’re reading this list and find yourself thinking, “Of Fawlty Towers I was assuming this list was for things that I owned. wouldn’t expect.” But Fawlty Towers earns its place on this list as one of the best of the best, the classics who’ve done it better than almost anyone else and stand the test of time. And (in true British fashion) at just 12 episodes, it’s often a touchstone people haven’t seen.

It’s a simple concept: A tense and overworked hotel proprietor Basil Fawlty and Sybil (Prunella scales) attempt to run the hotel through an assortment of bizarre guests and absurd escapades. While the show wasn’t met with much acclaim when it first premiered, we can now recognize the absolute delight in every episode’s mounting slapstick, with each plot winding itself around and around until finally the fuse hits the gunpowder. It’s straight comedy gold, and so it makes the list in every sense of the word. —ZM

Fawlty Towers You can stream it on BritboxFor digital purchasing Apple TV, Amazon, Google PlayPlease see the following: Vudu.

Fleabag

BBC image

Fleabag Unflinchingly, she dives into the complicated life of a woman who can’t stop herself from self-sabotaging. Phoebe Waller Bridge is the leader. Fleabag isn’t the first show to use the whole “character breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience” schtick, but it used it to incredible — and devastating — effect. The first season is brilliantly sharp and funny, but the second season takes all those quippy rambles and hilarious scenarios and turns them into an achingly beautiful and bittersweet love story — and it’s amazing how that’s all done in 12 half-hour episodes. —Petrana Radulovic

Fleabag is streaming on Prime Video.

Community

Image by NBC

Community The story follows a unlikely band of college students who form a study club. It’s the sort of show that is made by its colorful, eclectic characters — played by some stellar actors — who would otherwise never interact, and some of the best episodes are just them bickering around a study table. Of course, some of the other best episodes involve school-wide paintball fights, spoofs on beloved movie and television genres, and the increasingly elaborate and chaotic schemes of the school’s dean. —PR

Community is streaming on Netflix, Prime VideoPlease see the following: Hulu.

Phineas and Ferb

Image: Disney

Each episode Phineas and FerbIt is only a little over 10 minutes in length, but each episode has intricate plots that tie into one another. There are some guarantees in the episodes: Phineas will build an eccentric contraption every time; Candace will bust them all; their pet platypus who is secretly a spy will never stop Doctor Doofenshmirtz from executing his evil schemes. However, these guarantees only provide a platform for the show’s ability to take off into completely new and unexpected directions. It’s the perfect quick burst of laughter on a cloudy day. —PR

Phineas and FerbAvailable to stream online Disney Plus.