Is there a better feeling than stumbling upon a new TV series that has direct access to your funny bone? Whether you like your comedy animated, wacky, witty, sarcastic, silly, or even dark, the mountain of content now available means, there’s something for everyone. Between historical comedy shows and female-led comedy stories, there are unlimited choices.
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Of course, not all comedy shows have a universal appeal. Some attract only niche audiences while others become globally renowned. Some of these shows are the best comedy series of all time and have steadily climbed the ranks to become the highest-rated comedy series on IMDb, alongside other great shows that fans of the genre may want to check out.
15 ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ (2017 – 2023)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Image via Prime Video
From the mind of Gilmore Girls’ Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a period comedy-drama show that follows the titular character, also called Midge (Rachel Brosnahan). Despite her seemingly perfect life in New York, she decides to pursue stand-up comedy, which she finds an unexpected passion for.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel chronicles her challenging journey as she jumps from one nightclub to another and navigates the surprisingly unforgiving comedy industry. Along the way, fans have more than a few laughs and fall in love with the likable character, who bid goodbye to viewers with the finale that aired just last year.
14 ‘Arrested Development’ (2003 – 2019)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Image via Netflix
When a wealthy dysfunctional family runs into financial trouble, things begin to unravel in Arrested Development. The popular sitcom follows the comedic lives of the Bluths, particularly following its only seemingly normal and logical member, Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman). Michael tries to hold his dysfunctional relatives together after his father’s arrest for white-collar crime, but their quirks and eccentricities make it challenging.
With impeccable witty writing paired with unconventional storytelling methods, Arrested Development offered something novel to viewers and critics alike, and it stuck. Full of sharp humor, running gags, and endless entertaining scenarios thanks to the family members’ unhealthy dynamics, it’s a modern masterclass in the genre.
13 ‘Six Feet Under’ (2001 – 2005)
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Image via Max
A beloved dark comedy series that revolves around the lives of the Fisher family, Six Feet Under is an underrated HBO classic. In the series, the Fishers, led by patriarch Nathaniel (Richard Jenkins), deal with the unique challenges that come with running a funeral home while having their own personal struggles. Each episode begins with a new death, but then ventures into the exploration of characters’ individual story arcs.
Despite its seemingly heavy topic, Six Feet Under uses humor to provide moments of levity and to tackle then-taboo topics through a comedic perspective. It has held up incredibly well throughout the years and is worth discovering for the first time (or rewatching) today.
12 ‘South Park’ (1997 – )
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
A legendary animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park follows the misadventures of the foul-mouthed kids, Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick. The series often sets up outrageous scenarios as backdrops for its irreverent humor and political and social commentary.
South Park’s best episodes have been known to stir up discussions and debates, often becoming controversial (like its episode about Scientology). The recently released storylines for Season 26 of South Park are already proving to be among the funniest episodes from the long-running series, which still manages to shock and amuse audiences today.
South Park
Release Date August 13, 1997
Seasons 26
11 ‘The Simpsons’ (1989 – )
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
With its most recent episodes already being praised as an unexpected return to form for the long-running animated sitcom, The Simpsons’ future looks promising. The series follows the lives and misadventures of the Springfield-based titular family, made up of the bumbling but lovable father Homer (voiced by Dan Castellaneta), overly patient mother Marge (Julie Kavner), mischievous son Bart (Nancy Cartwright), overachieving daughter Lisa (Yeardley Smith), and baby Maggie.
The show has changed a lot over the years, with its ability to evolve with the times part of what continues to make it appealing for both long-time and new fans. A few aspects that apply across its entirety is The Simpsons’ best episodes’ ability to provide sharp social commentary and clever parodies of pop culture all presented with irreverent humor. No matter what happens next, there’s no denying that it’s one of the most influential and important comedy series ever made.
The Simpsons
Release Date December 17, 1989
Seasons 36
10 ‘The Boys’ (2019 – )
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Image via Prime Video
For audiences into superhero flicks and especially dark comedies, The Boys is probably something that’s already familiar. The Amazon Prime Video original series is based on the eponymous comic books and is set in a world where superpowered individuals are marketed by capitalistic organizations. At the top sits the Seven, a group of the most powerful “supes” who are admired by the world, but are actually all kinds of messed up.
Introducing terrifying characters like Homelander (masterfully played by Antony Starr), the supe-hater Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), the initially naive Starlight (Erin Moriarty), and more, The Boys uses gore, violence, and very dark humor to create a wild series that now has a massive fanbase.
The Boys
Release Date July 26, 2019
Creator Eric Kripke
Seasons 4
9 ‘Freaks and Geeks’ (1999 – 2000)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Despite only airing for one season, Freaks and Geeks has stood the test of time by becoming a beloved cult classic. Created by Paul Feig, the coming-of-age series is centered on the titular groups of high school students, with “freaks” made up of rebellious and daring teens and “geeks” being the more socially awkward but intelligent students.
Starring an ensemble cast who gave career-defining performances, Freaks and Geeks is remembered for its comedic yet realistic depiction of the high school experience. The one-season show that was canceled too soon uses humor to tackle hard-hitting subjects like divorce, identity, and even drug use, and it does so without alienating its young viewers.
8 ‘BoJack Horseman’ (2014 – 2020)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Image via Netflix
Widely regarded as one of the best Netflix original series ever made, BoJack Horseman tells the story of the titular character (voiced by Will Arnett), a washed-up 90s sitcom star who struggles with his career, relationships, identity, and more. He constantly engages in self-destructive behavior and is eventually revealed to be living with depression and addiction.
Through dark humor and surprisingly emotional storylines, BoJack Horseman manages to be both comedic and heartbreaking. It also delves into heavy themes like existentialism, mental health, and the problems that come with fame. BoJack has one of the best character arcs of any protagonist on the small screen, making it worth investing some time into watching is tragicomedy unfold.
BoJack Horseman
Release Date August 22, 2014
Creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg
Seasons 6
7 ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (2005 – )
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the longest-running live-action sitcom of all time, and it’s an accolade that the hysterical show truly deserves. The series, which is the brainchild of Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton, received a bumper renewal in 2020 that will see the show air until series 18 at least.
Also starring Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia follows the owners of Paddy’s Pub, who may just be the worst people in the world. Across the series, the gang has done many terrible things, including selling booze to children, stealing drugs from the mafia, and breaking just about every law in desperate attempts to make more money. It’s wild, chaotic, and unapologetic in the best possible way, and everybody should watch it.
6 ‘Ted Lasso’ (2020 – 2023)
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Starring Jason Sudeikis as the now-iconic TV sports coach, Ted Lasso follows the eponymous protagonist, an American college football coach hired to teach an English soccer team, with the expectation that he will fail. To everyone’s surprise, Ted’s inexperience isn’t a hindrance to the team’s success, and his idealism even inspires his members to believe in themselves and push their limits.
The series is a fantastic showcase of the power of optimism in inspiring personal growth, even in the face of impossible odds. Ted Lasso is humorous and uplifting, and is the perfect pick for fans who just want a feel-good series to binge-watch after a stressful day. Ted’s infectious optimism can warm even the coldest of hearts.
Ted Lasso
Release Date August 14, 2020
Creator Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence
Seasons 3
5 ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (2000 – )
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Image via HBO
Created by and starring Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm follows Larry David as a fictionalized version of himself and the many predicaments he stumbles into with his friends and complete strangers. With 12 seasons already released, the long gap between seasons eight and nine has done nothing to slow the momentum of this comedy juggernaut.
While the protagonist is certainly the comedic anchor of the show, L.D. is not the only comedy great lending his talent to the project. He stars alongside Cheryl Hines, Jeff Garlin, and J.B. Smoove in the exceptional series that has won two Emmys thus far and will likely win many more awards before it eventually concludes.
4 ‘Seinfeld’ (1989 – 1998)
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
With a whopping ten Emmys to its name, it’s no surprise that Seinfeld is considered one of the best comedy series ever made. The series, which starred Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, and Jason Alexander, followed the misadventures of New York comedian Jerry Seinfeld and equally dysfunctional friends.
Given that Jerry Seinfeld created Seinfeld, it’s predictably gut-bustlingly funny. The problems encountered by Jerry and his friends are relatable (especially if you live in New York), and the characters are easy to root for. Seinfeld perfected the sitcom, and many, many shows have tried and failed to emulate its success in the years since.
Seinfeld
Release Date July 5, 1989
Creator Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld
Seasons 9
3 ‘Friends’ (1994 – 2004)
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
Could a TV show be any more iconic? If you read that in the ever-sarcastic voice of Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), you’re probably familiar with Friends, arguably the most popular TV show of all time. Friends, which followed the personal and professional lives of six friends living in New York, transformed its six main characters into some of the biggest names in TV.
Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer all became synonymous with the characters they played, and hope for a follow-up film or a reunion series has never ceased amongst fans. While that may seem unlikely, at least viewers can rewatch the ten seasons on a loop and finally decide if Ross and Rachel were actually on a break or not.
Friends
Release Date September 22, 1994
Seasons 10
2 ‘The Office’ (2005 – 2013)
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Image via NBC
The Office, a US adaptation of the hit British series created by Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, followed Michael Scott, a bumbling office manager who’d rather be friends with his employees than run a successful business. The series was phenomenally well cast, starring Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, and Rainn Wilson, to name just a few.
The Office was a huge hit, taking on board what its predecessor did well and adjusting the material to provide more emotional arcs for supporting characters while also dialing up the wackiness. The series won five Emmy awards, and talk of a reunion has never ceased, although not everybody is convinced that would be a good idea.
The Office
Release Date March 24, 2005
Cast Steve Carell , Rainn Wilson , John Krasinski , Jenna Fischer , Mindy Kaling , Craig Robinson , B.J. Novak , Creed Bratton , Angela Kinsey , Oscar Nunez , Ellie Kemper , Ed Helms
Seasons 9
1 ‘Rick and Morty’ (2013 – )
IMDb Rating: 9.1/10
According to IMDb, Rick and Morty, an animated series following the adventures of the most intelligent man in the universe and his dim-witted grandson, is officially the best comedy series of all time. The series, which Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon created, continues to amaze fans with its combination of sharp wit and relentless pop culture ridicule.
Roiland voices both titular characters, with Sarah Chalke, Spencer Grammer, and Chris Parnell providing the voices for the rest of the Smith family. Following Roiland’s controversial exit from the series due to charges of domestic violence, the show’s popularity hasn’t ceased, with its seventh season premiering in late 2023. Fans are likely hoping Rick and Morty can cement its legacy as a great animated series for adults and eventually stick the landing.
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