Laughter is the best medicine, and at times, all that will be required to lift your mood is a good serving of humour. But with so many of them out there, wouldn’t you know where to get started? Fear not, fellow comedy bone enthusiasts! This list curates 10 hilarious series, catering unquestionably to a host of tastes and guaranteeing side-splitting laughter and maybe a few snort-induced coughs.
Best Comedy Series:
- The Good Place (2016-2020):
It’s a weird, wacky series putting new twists on the afterlife. We follow Eleanor Shellstrop, rather something not that good at all, who mistakenly ends up in something like Heaven, prototypically called “The Good Place.” Full of humor through fish-out-of-water situations and existentially philosophical ruminations, morality, friendship, and what it means to really be good are explored with panache.
- Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020):
Schitt’s Creek is a feel-good sitcom running from 2015 to 2020 about a Rose family who has lost their fortune and have to move to a ramshackle motel in a small town called Schitt’s Creek. Quick-witted dialogue, lovable characters, and the pace of character development—unhurried but rewarding—are where the real genius of this show lies. While at first, the Roses are snobbish and clueless, they slowly get accustomed to their new life and form what should be unlikely friendships with the peculiar townspeople.
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021):
If you have ever hankered for some police precinct shenanigans, here it is. This workplace comedy boasts a variety of comically gifted detectives across the 99th precinct in Brooklyn. From the immature but charming Jake Peralta to the stiff, straight-laced Captain Raymond Holt, the ensemble cast comes up trumps on comic chemistry. Full of silly pranks, pop culture references, and so much heart, Brooklyn Nine-Nine will leave you laughing out loud.
- The Office (US) (2005-2013):
The Office is a mockumentary that aired from 2005 to 2013 about the lives of employees at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, Scranton branch, in Pennsylvania. A dose of Michael Scott’s awkwardness, played by Steve Carell, and the relatable hustle of two protagonists—Jim Halpert, played by John Krasinski, and Pam Beesly, played by Jenna Fischer—along with the generally dysfunctions of family life inherent in the office, forge an unusual brand of humor.
- Parks and Recreation (2009-2015):
Parks and Recreation is a mockumentary sitcom that looks into the life of Leslie Knope, an overly peppy, optimistic government worker in suburban Pawnee, Indiana. He is joined by a group of equally quirky, lovable characters, as indestructible Leslie goes about doing her tasks to make Pawnee better than what it is at present. Done hilariously in a way that’s quite real to local government, this show will warm your heart.
- The Great British Baking Show (2010-Present):
If something a little less… intense is called for, then this delicious baking competition show will come as a surprise for how laugh-out-loud it’s funny. Paired with judges of great wit are contestants who are realistically amateur bakers, painfully aware of their ineptitude. Hosts—the ever-polite Mel Giedroyc and the delightfully dry-witted Sue Perkins, later replaced by the equally funny Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas.
- What We Do in the Shadows (2014-Present):
This show is a mockumentary of vampire roommates living together in a mansion on Staten Island. The element of contrast resides in where their traditions have been preserved over time, but they try to fit into the modern world. From the awkward attempts at online dating to the frightening consequences of leaving a vampire roommate on dish duty for hundreds of years.
- Fleabag (2016–2019):
This black comedy revolves around a one-woman show, so remarkably named Fleabag. She is somewhat of an off-beat, comically complicated character living life with grief, dramatic family elements, and highly questionable life choices.
- Master of None (2015-Present):
This show is a love letter to New York City and the convolutions of modern relationships. The show’s creator and star is Aziz Ansari as Dev, an underemployed struggling actor, trying to make sense of love, career, and identity. Seamlessly mixing both comedy and drama into wonderful social commentary on race, culture, and what meaning there could be in a fast-moving world.
- Ted Lasso (2020-Present):
A heartwarming comedy about Ted Lasso, an American college football coach brought in to manage a professional football—soccer—team in England with no experience whatsoever. More surprisingly, it is funny and warm-hearted because of the unrelenting optimism and sense of folksiness exuding from Ted Lasso, being exactly like the contrasting cultural clashes and skeptical eye from the team.
There you go! With these ten comedy series, you’re bound to get a laugh riot—actually, ten. From eccentric takes on the afterlife to heartwarming workplace shenanigans, the list has got something for everyone to like. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to split your sides!
